SuzukiSavage.com - Rat Bike?

cunn1780

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My '87 Savage is
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Norman, OK
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Rat Bike?
10/08/09 at 20:55:00

So I just bought my first bike ever: an '87 Savage with 19,000 miles for $1100.

My buddy who got me into riding started on a Savage as well, and just recently sold it and bought a HD sportster 883.

My bike is a beauty: edelbrock red with a lot of character. He suggested that since she's old and seen better days, and I'm a college student with neither the time nor the money to bring her back to her glory days, I keep her running and just rat her out.

Is this a disgrace to all Savage owners out there? I want to use her as my daily workhorse until I have the money to get something real nice, possibly a new S40 if all works well. Let me know your thoughts...

BTW she runs and drives ok, needs the regular maintenance and a new battery, but other than that she just has some "battle scars" and a slow oil leak coming from somewhere about halfway up the left side of the motor.

Thanks!

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"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum..."

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cunn1780 YaBB Newbies Offline My '87 Savage is older than me Posts: 12 Norman, OK Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #1 - 10/08/09 at 20:55:43 BTW I have some pics but they are too large a file size to post I guess?
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Oldfeller--FSO

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Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #2 - 10/08/09 at 21:09:35

Let's fix your terminology first.

You are not broke, you are the average sort of person on this list.

You plan to make your bike a "bobber" but must ride it during the transformation process.

Yeah, we know how to do this without bleeding a lot of coins.

First, do you have any tools?

(or do you have a Harbor Freight store in your town?)

=============

Pictures, posting

our bucket on this list was filled up years ago, so go somewhere free on the net to host your pics. I think photobucket sucks as they dump your stuff after xx months, I use Hunt101.com because they don't ever dump your stuff as long as it gets accessed periodically.

To post a pic take the actual web address that your site provides for the pic and post it.

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Former Savage Owner

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cunn1780

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My '87 Savage is
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Posts: 12
Norman, OK
Gender: male

Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #3 - 10/08/09 at 21:16:55

I like to think I have a little less than the average amount of tools... a 200 piece toolbox and some various specialty tools.

However, I know enough people here at OU that if I need something I don't have (torches, plasma cutter, almost any tool you can think of) I can acquire it.

I don't claim to be broke, just that I normally divert a large amount of my available funds to beer and pizza, and thus have to "play" on a smaller amount.

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"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum..."

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Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12673 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #4 - 10/08/09 at 21:20:25 You got enough tools, you got enough money. Time between beer and pizza is a variable depending on girlfriends and weather. I remember college, I do. I built an engine in my room (pissed my roommate off some, but it was my desk and the mess didn't get into his areas).
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Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12673 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #5 - 10/08/09 at 21:24:42 First off, your mileage is high compared to the life span of your cam chain tensioner, has this ever been checked?
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cunn1780

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My '87 Savage is
older than me

Posts: 12
Norman, OK
Gender: male

Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #6 - 10/08/09 at 21:29:34

[/img]

Hope that worked...

I agree with you Oldfeller, but I must mention that right now another one of my priorities is my '77 TA I just sunk a few summers worth of paychecks into to get running again as well.

However, my goal in being on this website is to keep my savage as long as possible, either by becoming a rat bike or bringing her back.

I know nothing about the bike, only the year and what the odometer says. First plans were to change the oil, replace battery (have had to charge twice in two days to keep her running) replace spark plug, do some brake work, figure out where the hell my oil leak is coming from.

Any other tune ups/ checks you would recommend would be much appreciated!

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"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum..."

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cunn1780 YaBB Newbies Offline My '87 Savage is older than me Posts: 12 Norman, OK Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #7 - 10/08/09 at 21:31:03 <a href="http://s686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/cunn1780/?action=view&current=Savage..." target="_blank"><img src="http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/cunn1780/Savage.jpg" border="0" alt="Savage 1"></a>
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28725 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #8 - 10/08/09 at 21:45:23 Like this... Parenthesis on ends equal [] brackets... (img]http://i686.photobucket.com/albums/vv223/cunn1780/Savage.jpg[/img) Welcome,...
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cunn1780 YaBB Newbies Offline My '87 Savage is older than me Posts: 12 Norman, OK Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #9 - 10/08/09 at 21:47:21 darn thats a good lookin bike... haha jk I see now... newb mistake for sure thanks for the insight serowbot
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Oldfeller--FSO

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Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #10 - 10/08/09 at 21:50:21

First, there isn't anything wrong with your bike that some TLC won't fix. As far as what it looks like, yours looks good as-is.

If you change it, it is because you want to.

Wal-Mart has the battery you need, take your old one out and take it with you to match. Don't worry so much about which side the tube comes out of or which side is + or - as we have found the leads can be made long enough to switch and the clear vent tube can run a "U" on top of the battery to go down the correct side. You are talking $35 to get a battery.

Or you can get a sealed BIG CRANK for $65 shipped if you want to go sealed, someone will post the current best place to get it.

Yeah, you can't drop in the last ] symbol or it all disappears as the list reads it for what it really is, HTML coding.

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Educatedredneck

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Hampstead, Maryland
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Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #11 - 10/08/09 at 22:20:37

Sears has a Di Hard AGM Battery that will fit, if you would rather have sealed battery and do not want to mess with adding the acid pack.

Oil Leak - Either the head bolt plug - easy fix or could be the cylinder head gasket - a little harder. Since you have a decent set of tools, and access to the bigger stuff, a walk in the park. Get the Savage CD and a Clymer's manual - PM me with your address, and I'll send you a copy on CD of the manual. The Savage CD you can buy off this site.

Check your cam chain tensioner - if out of spec, fairly easy fix, not sure how much a new cam chain is, and you might as well change the head gasket at the same time, due to the age of your bike.

Due to the age of your bike, I would replace the clutch cover gasket when you do replace the cam chain.

Do you have to do this stuff now, other than the battery, no, however be mindful that due to the mileage of your bike, others have experienced cam tensioner failure or it was at the limit of usefullness, due to the stretch of the cam chain. Just be aware.

With a little TLC, you should get an easy 20,000 more miles out of her.

Welcome aboard, and have fun. And nice color on the bike.

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1997 Savage - Hard Chrome Drag Pipe, Seat Mod, 152.5 main, 1 - #4 washer, Di Hard Battery, T-Kat, 1" Drag Bar

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Rocco

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Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #12 - 10/08/09 at 23:17:35

welcome 2 the site! u will find everything u want and some things u don't lol

as for the rat bike question...i took a mint '95 and tore it to pieces....it is almost 100% visually different then when i got her and i love her alot more because of it. and i did it all in my backyard with spray paint, a hammer, drill and a grinder. she's your bike, no one else can make u happy about it!

and if u like the way she looks then leave her be, if u want a statement then make one. is it a disgrace to the savage to make her look tough....NO! i've laid her down, and trust me she's plenty tough!

below is kinda a before and after process lol

that was her new except for the aftermarket turn signals in the back and bar bag

the only thing i've done since the above pic is remove the chrome rails on the back, move rear turn signals and mount my ammo box check it out below

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'95 bobber rat...i guess it's a "bat bike" haha flat black mostly, bare metal tank, header wrap, always a work in progress !

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babyhog

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Re: Rat Bike?
Reply #13 - 10/09/09 at 05:43:25

Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 10/08/09 at 21:50:21:

First, there isn't anything wrong with your bike that some TLC won't fix. As far as what it looks like, yours looks good as-is.

If you change it, it is because you want to.

Wal-Mart has the battery you need, take your old one out and take it with you to match. Don't worry so much about which side the tube comes out of or which side is + or - as we have found the leads can be made long enough to switch and the clear vent tube can run a "U" on top of the battery to go down the correct side. You are talking $35 to get a battery.

Or you can get a sealed BIG CRANK for $65 shipped if you want to go sealed, someone will post the current best place to get it.

Yeah, you can't drop in the last ] symbol or it all disappears as the list reads it for what it really is, HTML coding.

Nobody mentioned the vent tube when I was looking for a battery! I found one at AutoZone that was the same size, CCA, terminals were on the correct sides, but the vent tube was on the other side (left instead of right) Mine leaked out the vent tube, I assumed because the bike leans to the left when on kickstand. ??
Anyway, Big Crank batteries have a decent reputation here, so I ordered one. Used their website http://www.bigcrank.com/category/suzuki-l650-savage-all-battery.html but it got shipped from somewhere else. Quick too. So overall, I'm happy with it, although I would have been just as happy if I had found one locally, without having to wait (just 3 days) for it!

I love the Red of your bike, but as Rocco said, its yours and up to you. Enjoy however YOU like!

Oh, one other tidbit on posting pics.... if you click the "Preview" button while you are composing your post, it will show you what it is going to look like, so if something isn't right, you will know before you actually post.

Welcome!

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~ 2006 Black, Big Crank battery, HD Softail muffler, engine guard/o-ring pegs, Spitfite windshield, custom mounted Saddlemen bags, Mustang seat! ~ oh, and Hairdo by Helmet! ~

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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Rat Bike? Reply #14 - 10/09/09 at 05:52:50 This one is a work in progress.Started out as a mint bike,but a little ice,and a lane divider changed that!So it's slowly goin' bobber.I can set you up with some parts if you want to go bobber.It's all bolt on.
Back to top	Next project:finish '87 Savage custom/bobber/CHOP STYLE***DONE finish '77 Yamaha XS650 bobber Bought another one finish'79 Harley custom bobber(NEXT) IP Logged