Hey all.  So, finally went out and bought a bike: '04 Savage 2600 miles great condition, and got it as a steal (only 1K)! This is my first bike and I'm really excited , but I'm a bigger guy with a wide frame and am hoping to do some mods to make it a bit more comfortable and spread out a little.

If anyone can direct me to some good posts/sites, for both equipment and some know how, I'm hoping to put on some drag bars, exhaust, and do a seat mod.

Great Forum! Hope I'm posting in the the right place?  Thanks for any help!

Welcome, PirateBuddha!

There is SO much help, advice, and great ideas from the great folks here...you may as well block out a bunch of Saturday afternoons for moddin'!

If it's your first time on a bike...sign up for a MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) Safety Course in your town. Plenty of good stuff to be learned...

http://www.msf-usa.org

Be safe and ENJOY that bike!  

Wow. Thanks for the quick responses! Fantastic forum here!

PirateBuddha wrote on 05/09/09 at 19:12:28:


Can you accept some advice that isn't what you asked for?

Do take the beginning rider course.  

Do read these web sites:
http://genjac.com/BoomerBiker/
http://www.msgroup.org/articles.aspx

We hope you ride safely, but that presupposes that one has the knowledge of what is safe and unsafe.  Be very careful until you've gathered the knowledge.  Did you know that at speeds above 6 mph to turn the bike right you turn the handlebars left?  True.  If you turn the handlebars right to turn right, you'll do a "highside*" and be headed under the wheels of that loaded cement truck in the other lane.  The same thing happens the other way for left turns, except you'll be flung into the weeds...or off the cliff.

*:43 seconds into this video
http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/2/Motorcycle-HighSide-229314.html

PirateBuddha wrote on 05/09/09 at 19:12:28:


Good link for equipment = suzukisavage.com
Good link for how to = suzukisavage.com
Good link for, oh heck with it, you wanna know about this bike you already found the best place. suzukisavage.com.

Welcome aboard, this is the best site for anything related to the Savage/S40. Just be careful when you start modifying, it can get addictive. Look what happened to me.

Before Mods


Currently


And I still ain't done.  

Just want to thank everybody for the input! And, I think it's fantastic how many of you suggested the Safety Course (I've actually been riding off & on since I was sixteen... now going on, um, well older    

Anyway, I'll be in touch with ED L for the forward controls, that seems to be the way to go. I'll do those and the drag bar at the same time and I'm still researching some seat mods - thanks Jay - I look forward to checking back into the Forum. Fantastic Site!

You may want to consider a fork brace too. They really stabilze the front end at hiway speeds. Considering the price and ease of installation it's a very worthwhile mod.