Charon wrote on 11/20/09 at 21:01:41:Judging by magazine reports, the Savage/S40 has a top speed around 85 mph. The 2007 and earlier 250 Ninja was supposed to make just over 100 mph; the redesigned 2008 just under. The 500 Ninja is supposed to make around 120 mph, and when you get into the 600 cc 4-cylinder sportbikes the numbers range around 140. These, for stock motorcycles. According to the wiki for the 250 Ninja, it'll typically cost about $100 for each additional horsepower. Unless one is either class racing or bound and determined to increase power on whatever one has, it is almost always cheaper to just trade for a more powerful/faster bike.
By the way, weight has an almost negligible effect on top speed. It does affect acceleration and braking.
That is the key, for sure. If all someone wants is to go faster then the decision is easy; buy a go-fast bike. But, if like most folks here, we do not want a different bike but do want to enhance the performance characteristics of the Savage/S40. It is those characteristic that attracted us to this bike in the first place.
Personally, it is the strong torque curve from idle to about 3/4 throttle that I like most. A stock engine will run out of power at just beyond half throttle; thus the top speed of just 85 mph. The stage 1 performance cam expands and raises the power range to idle-3/4 throttle and beyond.
It's kind of the like the "before & after" photos of a persons health/strength before and after spending 6 months with a personal trainer.