Thanks, #3's it is.  I don't plan on doing anything irreversable (yet!), just trying to settle down the slight surging in the midrange at cruising speeds, and heard this should help.

Not all of us have jumped on the "Mod It to the wall" bandwagon.  The white spacer mod and drill out the brass cover to the air screw are personally recommended mods to all Savage owner -- the bike is shipped running way lean just to make the EPA happy and the crappy running does not need to be tolerated.

The white spacer mod and the air screw just get the bike back more to its original tuning levels, so you could take the stance they aren't really mods at all, just putting it back the way it was supposed to be.

===========  however,

Immediately yanking the stock exhaust off willy nilly because it is the "thing to do" perhaps requires a little further thinking before doing.  I have a Harley exhaust over there in the corner -- I don't care for the noise levels that comes with it and I didn't see  any performance advantages for the Harley muffler on our last Dragon run with Harley equipped exhausts over the stock exhaust for me to put up with the excess noise, whapping and blapping.

YES, MOST OF OUR MODS ARE SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WANT TO.  I tend to like the mods that add service life between oil changes, increase cam chain life, add years to air cleaner service spans and add years and years to the service life of a rear tire and to a set of front brake pads.  

My mods are more "practical" than visually appealing.   Some of them are actually uglier and messier than the stock component (the air filter).   But hey, they all still fall under "simply because we want to" rule.

Then again, I ride a "wee bagger", not a bobber.   Bobbers are pretty, but I like to have the bags for carrying stuff.

alcoa wrote on 05/13/09 at 17:35:59:

If you gotta ask, you probably wouldn't understand...

bill67 wrote on 05/13/09 at 17:46:27:


Bill 67,  S'not true for all of us. All the mods I have made benefit the bike and most  add to it's reliability or usability.
Many of the things I need my machine to do were never intended by Suzuki. These are mostly related to sidecar usage which Suzuki holds to be a sin. The main problems with Suzuki as from the factory are related to their marketing intent. This bike is aimed at the entry grade rider and as such that rider is expected to move up to something larger due to peer pressure. As such the bean counters have dictated less than the best in some areas. The saddle is a glaring example. It fits an average built person about 5 foot 3 to five foot seven very well. Tough luck for anyone not of those dimensions. The handlebars, all of the stock ones I have seen have been aimed at style and not at better control of the bike. This of course includes risers etc.
The exhaust crackle and pop is due to over lean situation dictated by our own government and the dual thickness head pipe that allows for no cooling to the inside pipe. Another thing done strictly for style.
The belt drive squeeks on most of them and I can only say that after 20 odd years since suzuki has not cured this, they do not care.
I much prefer my chain drive for less maintainance, quieter, and I can choose my final drive ratios. The mods that most often cause problems are engine mods to get more power, exhaust mods for a more stylish sound, tire sizes to look more stylish.
I bought my S-40 brand new with the intent that it would be extensively modified. It was chosen because of its' low center of gravity and its' basic design of engine with an inherently good torque band. Nothing eals available nedded as few mods for my purpose as the S-40.

Phelonius

That's a nice clean style. I like the looks but personally would not go that direction. My body size alone would make that style not comfortable fo me on a ride of any length.
But if the shoe  fits,-----

Phelonius
BTW where did you hide the batt tree?

I've never been the type to leave well enough alone. Here's a few of my mods and I'm far from being done...

Well I wouldn't mod mine if stock didn't suck so much. It is a good base, but real uncomfortable, and if I would not have modded the carb/intake whatever my motor would have melted by now because it was so lean it wasn't even funny. So much for stock being "perfect the way it".

Hard Corps wrote on 05/14/09 at 07:01:11:

Ah, thanks for pointing out the word I was actually looking for!  I wasn't too far off, they're spelled similar.