On the road again, after a long, long time!
Just went for a bike ride--on my Savage! Started out rough, lots of popping and backfiring. I almost brought it home after once around the ball fields (complex across the street from the house), but as I rode it it smoothed out. So, I passed the house and kept on riding up around back streets (no plates yet). The backfiring got less and less. It was hesitating and coughing when you tried to put the throttle to it at first, but that got better, too. I came back by the house and decided to run down Lakeshore to Kiwanis Park (about a mile) so I could get in all four gears. All the gears worked fine and by the time I got home, it was running much better and was really rideable.
I do have an oil leak above the exhaust, so when you stop billows of smoke come from there where the oil had dripped onto the exhaust. It looks like not a big thing to fix, just removing the cover on the heads and replacing a plug and sealing it all up. Thanks to the person on thsi forum who posted the procedure! In the meantime I may let it cool down, clean the area and try some high temp sealant on the outside and see if that slows the dripping.
The bike road really well and has lots of torque. The ride is cushy too. The brakes both work fine and all the electrics, lights and all worked perfectly. Even the speedometer worked.
At least now I don't feel like I've been wasting my time with this thing. Another afternoon of work and the leak should be fixed and I can really take it for a ride. I have the title and just need to run up to get the plates, but that unfortunately is $170!
Cheers,
Mike, now riding the "Virgin sleeper" as my wife calls it