Charon
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Too bad there is no easy answer, because there is no perfect bike - or car, or truck, or boat, or for that matter house. The closest one can come involves first defining the purpose. For highway cruising, probably a Gold Wing or other tourer. For canyon carving (canyons are scarce in Nebraska) one of the sportbikes. For riding off-road, something different again. Any change in the bike will change the balance of compromises made by the engineers. The change may or may not improve the bike.
My choice of the S40 was driven by my desire to have a big single. There are few on the market - the KLR650, the S40, and (then) the BMW 650 Rotax single. The BMW was way outside my budget. The S40 is belt driven, a minus when you live as I do on a gravel road where the chance of rock damage to the belt always exists. So I tried the KLR, and found I could never get comfortable on it because of its height. I sold it. I had wanted a Savage ever since they first came out in the 80s, because of the engine and the appearance. I knew before I bought it of many of its drawbacks, but for my uses it is a better compromise than the KLR. I will point out that I also have a 250 Ninja, which in stock form is faster, bigger fuel tank, better fuel mileage, better wind protection, smoother, better suspension and brakes, and considerably less expensive. Comfort is subjective, and each is comfortable (or uncomfortable) in different ways.
One thing I think would improve almost any bike (except for the inveterate tinkerers) would be less maintenance. Except for oil changes, most cars run anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 miles before you even touch the engine. Car tires last, on cars, about the same. And car tires are cheaper to buy, and to have mounted. I understand that there are economies of scale in making cars. I still think bikes coiuld stand a LOT of improvement.
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