Okay, I'm the proud new owner of an 05 S40.  Got it off a lot; paid cash for it; and it's got some issues.

Background:  I had a Yamaha thumper, the SR500, 23 years ago.  Nice ride...too bad it died a horrible death when I caught road-rash.  It was my second, after my training ride, an RD350.

The Savage came out about the same time.  I was impressed by some things, not so much by others.

More recently...twenty years off bikes, I had - briefly - a 250 Virago.  Nice little bike...emphasis on "little."  More than enough power for me; but everything was 5/8th scale, including the shifter and footpegs.  Not a good fit.

I got, and still have, a Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter...but I missed the man/machine feel.  So, flush with cash and having the summer off...I bought this S40.

1400 miles on the clock...and I'm thinking someone rolled it back.   It's clean...too clean, with new rubber.

The carb is out of whack...takes a LONG time to warm up, it seems, and even when hot it hesitates on acceleration and backfires when going through the gears.  Is this something that can be fixed with a clean-up and adjustment?  I see there's a thread here on backfires.

I'm hearing a strong gear whine on deceleration.  That normal for this machine?

And, I've got the usual front-brake squeal.  It's so loud I'd swear the pads are gone, but the rotor's not scored.  Is that something I should learn to live with?

Are there any aftermarket kits for FI, or high-performance carburetors out there?  I noticed the TU250 has FI.  Almost bought one; that's a sweet little bike; but I didn't think I'd be satisfied with that, any more than the Virago (although the controls were better laid out).

Thanks for any input.  It remains to be seen if I'm gonna be a savage for any period of time.  I like the naked-bike simplicity, but it seems to be a demanding ride.

Questions on seat mods, and others, will wait.  I'm not going to be able to tear into it until September...some traveling ahead.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/19/09 at 19:18:28:


Muffler's stock, and the girl who owned it (or maybe her guy) drilled holes in the back baffle plate, probably to get some sound on the cheap.

The sound they got, was that of a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower with a rusted-out can.  With a lot of backfiring for counterpoint.  That muffler...HAS to go.

I was thinking of the Harley Sportster pipe...if I can get one cheap or free.  I like a mellow note, but I'm 51 and want it relatively QUIET.

Is the stock Harley muffler a glasspack?  Am I going to risk burned valves, by messing with the plumbing?

The bike probably sat for a while, which gummed up the carb and partially clogged your jets.  That and the fact that someone drilled out your muffler means you're risking more trouble by not messing with the plumbing, because it is now running leaner than stock, which is already way too lean.  The most important things to do right now are:

1. Clean the carb (and examine the jets to make sure they are clean) A rejet would be even better.
2. Search for, and do the "white spacer" mod.
3. Pull the brass plug on the right side of the carb that covers your mixture screw.  Now you can adjust your low-speed mixture and eliminate as much backfiring as you like.

I did this stuff on my '05 and got it running right (no more gunfire, just a pleasant burble-pop now and then) even with a very unrestrictive Dyna muffler, which sounds like nothing from Briggs & Stratton by the way.    I also get a little gear whine on deceleration.. normal.

i'm sure this is on here a million times, but i have an 01 savage and want to put a sportster muffler on it.  what year muffler would be best?