SuzukiSavage.com - just got my bike!

logan31907

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just got my bike!
12/05/10 at 13:30:22

Hey all,
I'm a noobie to this site, but I just got my first bike and am learning to ride. I just picked up a 2001 savage 650 with 8600 miles for $1400.
Anyways, I got a couple of questions:

1. Is $1400 a reasonable price? He was asking $1700 for it but we agreed on the final sale price.
2. What recommended fuel octane should I be running? The previous owner was using 87 octane. I live in Florida by the Tampa Bay area to give u an idea of the weather/temperature.
3. Oil changes - how often does the oil need to be changed? And what type of oil is best/recommended. And how much oil?
4. Is a special "tool kit" supposed to come with the bike? I read somewhere online that there was a tool kit that came with a brand new bike.
5. how much gas do I put in the tank? Do I fill it up completely or leave some breathing room?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm a greenhorn and wanna take extra great care of my new girl. I tried to search for some of the answers on the forums here, but I couldn't seem to find em.

t.i.a.

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BurnPgh

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #1 - 12/05/10 at 13:38:20

$1400 is reasonable. 87 is fine. Anything else and you're wasting money. Change every 3k mi if i recall, change the filter too. Add 2.5 Qt or enough to fill the sight glass. New bikes used to come with a tool kit. They may or may not now. If you have one its on the right side under the square chrome cover. Fill the gas tank to the bottom of the filler neck. Should be 2.7-2.9 gallons if you started with a completely empty tank.

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verslagen1

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #2 - 12/05/10 at 13:43:10

1400 sounds like a great price, welcome to the club.
down load the owners manual in the tech doc's section.
it will answer alot of your questions.
87 regular is fine.
2 qts, rotella T6 at wally world is a good choice. I change every 2k miles.
older bikes did come with a tool kit, but I hear later models don't. nothing special about it other than the sparkplug tool fits.
2 gal's every 100 miles. fill til full, if you're having leaking issues, you need to make a new gasket.

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Versey's Place
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logan31907 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54	Re: just got my bike! Reply #3 - 12/05/10 at 13:45:01 Cool...thanks burn. But where's sight glass for the oil and what type and weight oil is best?
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buggs YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 38 Jefferson, Ohio Gender:	Re: just got my bike! Reply #4 - 12/05/10 at 13:50:55 the sight glass is located on the right lower side tward the back of the motor. You will find out soon how the oil question will start a little battle. Good luck with the bike welcome to the club.
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logan31907 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54	Re: just got my bike! Reply #5 - 12/05/10 at 13:52:49 Ver, Rotela T6 oil....is that just a regular blend? Can I use a synthetic or synthetic blend oil? Is T6 the weight of the oil? What about oil filter? What premium oil filter I can use? Sorry for the dumb questions, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the savage.
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logan31907 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54	Re: just got my bike! Reply #6 - 12/05/10 at 13:58:15 Oh, and spark plugs...how many miles for them to be replaced and how many? Again, what premium plug should be used? Yea, I saw the diy for the gasket. I hope its still in good condition.
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verslagen1

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #7 - 12/05/10 at 13:59:01

Here's the index for the tech section, a lot of good info...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1181745927

Here's where the owner manual is...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1138554254

T6 is 5w40 synthetic oil, Rotella also makes dino 10w40
it's marketed as disel oil, but it also carries the JASO MA m/c grade rating required by our bike.

You're going to have a hard time finding an alternate oil filter for our bike, either get the stock filter from the dealer or the many online suppliers. There are many off brands available too.

no dumb questions, but there are alot of easy ones.

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Versey's Place
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verslagen1

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #8 - 12/05/10 at 14:00:26

logan31907 wrote on 12/05/10 at 13:58:15:

Oh, and spark plugs...how many miles for them to be replaced and how many? Again, what premium plug should be used? Yea, I saw the diy for the gasket. I hope its still in good condition.

From the tech section, lots of good reading...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1107534689

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Versey's Place
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logan31907 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54	Re: just got my bike! Reply #9 - 12/05/10 at 14:07:57 K. Thanks. I bookmarked the links u posted.
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Boofer

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #10 - 12/05/10 at 16:15:23

Logan welcome. I bought mine in 2009 for 1850 with 7400 miles. It's a 2001. A lot of us use 10w40 Rotella T from Wal Mart. We run all grades of gas. We use different brands of tires. We have our opinions. But one thing is we all go as fast as we want and grin a lot and have very little trouble. The Savage is tough. About anything will make it run except oil with friction additives that cause the clutch to slip. And it will seep a little oil from the head. I just wash it off and ride. Get a Clymers manual just for the photos, if nothing else. Don't overtighten screws, just snug. AND THAT is all there is to owning a Savage. Ride safe. Boofer

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2001 Black, Spitfire windshield, Headlight upgrade, Sissy rack, Tool bag, Fork bag, Harley muffler, Memory foam seat, Crash bars. Hwy pegs, Raptor.

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TestPro

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #11 - 12/06/10 at 13:28:52

Welcome to the site. I also picked up my 2006 two years ago near Tampa, Trinity to be exact. Rode it back over to South Florida, learned that the seat, or my butt, needed an upgrade after the 200 mile run. Some great areas around the bay to ride and a few good bike nights, Quaker Steak and Biff Burger on Wednesday nights to name a few. There are tons of accurate information here and a lot of good people to answer posts, just don’t start an oil post Shocked

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Cheers,

TestPro
A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: just got my bike! Reply #12 - 12/06/10 at 13:35:19 I would use nothing less than a 10w 40w oil,And use and oil made for motorcycles,Or other wise you will have cam chain problems.
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Trippah

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #13 - 12/06/10 at 13:45:32

Definately want to leave some breathing room..especially in Fla during your summer (wich is about the same length as than ours up heah in Mass but perhaps a tad warmer). Top of the filler is a good point, allowing you to stop every 100 miles for a fill up. Welcome, and drive safely. You don't indicate any specific riding experience or skill level, so guessing you are really new to it all, take the riders safety course asap..it'll help you develope a great tan without a road rash. Cheesy

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wayne929

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Re: just got my bike!
Reply #14 - 12/06/10 at 17:35:48

hey im just below you in bradenton periodically, we should ride sometime! but as for your gas filling question mine can only handle 2.6 from empty (Walking my shutoff bike to the pump empty) without overfilling. now i added this http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1262920654/9#9 and it hold 2.8ish. and 10w-40. and also be careful puttin oil in. do a post searh on here and you can find every dirction you need to not overfill your bike. happy riding Cheesy

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