With the coming of my 18th birthday, I decided to buy myself a bike.
I've always loved bikes, and riding them, and the day finally came! Unlike most guys my age I was always against the sports bikes, so naturally i went with a cruiser. On sunday I purchased my first bike, a 1987 Suzuki Savage. The bike is in great condition with only 6,500 original miles, new tires, and many new parts.

But of course as a new, never before owner of a motorcycle i have some questions which would be awesome if you guys helped answer.
Here they are:

What kind of oil should I buy? IM planning on changing the oil soon, and how will i know if i need a filter change as well?

My bike seems to have the notorious head gasket plug leak, I heard its okay to ride it with it, i just gotta keep an eye on the oil levels, is this correct? And how much is okay for it to leak? I mean i know it shouldnt leak at all but whats acceptable.

And my last question is how does the tank system work? Do i set it on prime, and switch it to reserve when prime is almost out? Mine is set right on the middle.

Thanks, and i hope you guys can help me out, it would really make my riding experience a whole lot better!

the 4 speeds shut down quirk.  On shut off the engine will on occasion spin backwards.  This is bad for the 4 speeds.  The 5 speeds have a torque limiter in the starter gear train that eliminates the problem.

When you come to shut her off, leave it in gear and as she starts to spin down, snub the spin.  grab the front brake tight and let out the clutch slowly.

or...

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1288911670

I'll echo Boofer: Be Safe. I've been on the road longer than you've been on the Earth, and I still screw up. And that's not counting all the nutjobs out there who text, drink, talk, do their nails or whatever behind the wheel other than driving and paying attention. Be extra cautious. Be wary of every vehicle you see. Be aware of every turn in the road, every intersection and where your outs are. Be safe, brother.

OK, the Dad Speech (TM) is over.   Welcome, and long may you ride!

Thanks a lot for the help everybody, to everyone giving me the safety advice, I plan on being as safe as possible.
I'm buying my helmet today, gonna get a full face for the extra protection as I begin my first stages of rising.
And I'm also purchasing a jacket. One of my main reasons for getting a cruiser is for the safety factor. I have the mentality of " why would you buy a sports bike that goes over 180 mph and not think of going fast" and I jut overall think cruisers look awesome!

As for the safety course, I signed up to take it at my local HD dealership. I plan on being as safe as possible. I'm staying off highways and main roads for a while.
Thanks everyone!

I'm staying off highways and main roads for a while.


I had been w/o a bike for 25 years or so,, & thats what I did. Boy I was scared to death the first time I got in the mix,,& the 2nd, & the 3rd,, it slowly got more normal,, but riding out on the rural roads is still where Im happiest.

Welcome!   I have been riding for about 2 years non-consecutively, had a hiatus after I sold a bike, have had my license for about 4 years and just bought an '87 Savage about a month ago as well, and I love it! I have seen some of the projects that have been done on this forum and I have to say that I have some plans for this bike! I am also still learning a lot about this bike as well, so thius questions section of the forum is awesome for picking up tips on keepin her runnin tip top!

Is there any store you guys purchase your oil filters from? Or should I just order it online?

enjoy, have fun tinkering with the bike and making it fit your own style.  Gear up safe and watch out for those idiots.