I just bought a very decent 2001 Savage.  I have a couple of questions and will likely have more as time goes on.

--I'm 6' tall, size 13 shoes, and I'm melting the heel on my right shoe on the curved spot on the exhaust pipe between the heat shields.  Any suggestions on the best thing for me to do to get my heel away from the hot pipe?  Relocate the pegs?  (That would be comfortable as well.)  Any other suggestions?

--What are the favored tire pressures for a 200# rider?  29/33 psi or something different?

--The 8 year old IRC tires still look very good, but...but will they grip?  No cracking visible, and the bike looks like it was always garaged (no UV damage to rubber or paint), so the tires look like they're OK, or are they?

--Another Savage rider is getting me a 150 main jet for better around-town response.  Good idea?  I don't want to do a lot of mods.  Ending the backfiring would be OK, as well, and I know that's a problem on modern carburetted engines.

--Any suggestions for finding the rear shock setting I'll like best for my 200#?  #3?  The suspension feels harsh right now, but I haven't yet checked the rear setting and the fork oil is cold in this weather, and I haven't yet started experimenting with the settings.

--The tool kit cover was missing.  I understand that those covers were not one of Suzuki's better ideas...is eBay the best place to look for one?

--Is raising the front of the seat still a recommended mod, or have problems developed with that?

Thanks,
Ken

Just because the bike is only 8 years old, your tires could be older.  The tire code will let you know when they were built.  Also, any tire needs exercise (flex) otherwise they will harden over time.  I used to sell tires commercially.  I recommend you invest in new tires, your safety first.

Wolf

  New Perlli 66 route tires are real good tires,Raising the front of the seat with put you in one spot you can't move around that bad.

Wolf wrote on 03/26/09 at 03:26:05:

The tires were made in the 50th week of 2000, so they are eight year old.  (The DOT code impressed into the sidewall of the tire has the week and year of manufacture...look at the last four digits.  In this case those digits are 5000.  Pre-2000 tires had one digit for the year.)  I understand about the need for the tire to flex to bring the preservative chemicals to the surface.  While these don't seem to have sun damage, there is more to tire life and reliability than just that.

The Pirelli MT 66 Route tires seem to be a good choice.  My needs are in this order wet traction, cold traction, and stability.  I don't need a long-life tire as much as I need grip and stability.  Is there a better tire choice for my needs?

I'll experiment with the seat angle.  Mort, pls let us know if the pegs make a difference.  Thanks for all the good ideas, and keep them coming.

FWIW...I've also got an '01 (see signature) with the original tires.

The tires still perform fine on mine but the rear is worn out and will be replaced soon.

My Savage is my daily rider, but my trips are short (strictly running local errands).

I'm beginning to understand the functions of the different parts of the carburetor.  I'll soon remove the brass cap and begin adjusting the mixture screw an eighth turn at a time and experimenting with different spacer thicknesses...one change at a time... .

Does anyone know if Ed L. is still making the forward control extenders?  Or, are plans around?

Welcome! You're going to enjoy that little engine that can!
You do want new tires, as the commercial says, "because so much is riding on your tires".
EdL's forward controls are great. I'm just under 6ft, got the 3inch, wish I'd gotten the 4inch. Big difference in comfort though.
Seat angle really is an individual thing. I did the seat mod, and I liked it. That said, I'm still not through. The seat continues, for me, to be a work in progress; but the joy is oft in the journey, not in the destination.
Happiness to you in your journey, and ride safe.

That oil mix should be no problem.

An auto parts store should have a selection of drain plug gaskets with one that is probably a good fit.  You can use aluminum, fiber, or plastic.  I don't like a copper gasket copper for an aluminum sump...the copper is too hard to deform & seal when the aluminum threads are safely tightened.  (By the way, to anneal (soften) a used copper gasket, heat it red hot then dunk it in water--just the opposite of annealing steel.)  A rubber-like o-ring is soft and may squeeze out of position.