Gyrobob
Serious Thumper
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Posers ain't motorcyclists
Posts: 2571
Newnan, GA
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Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 07/05/13 at 04:09:56: This is the sort of thing that newbies don't know.
The Savage's rear brake can make the entire bike run badly -- by dragging slightly at speed. The spring you see on the rear break lever is SUPPOSED to disengage the brakes completely, but it sure doesn't do that on all bikes all the time. It needs to be seriously recoiled & rebent the first time you take the brakes apart (wait until then so you can UNDERSTAND what you are doing as that is one tough mother of a spring). Until then, turn the nut thingie on the brake cable shaft out at least 5-6 turns and give the bike a test ride to see if anything changes. This is the nut & shaft that sticks out of the brake lever way back at the brake drum. If high speed performance improves, you got the draggy rear brake thing going on and you need to fix it. Also check your right foot position when you are all relaxed going down the road -- I found my foot was partially resting on the petal some of the time. To fix this I moved the up position using the stop nuts and readjusted everything to the new position. Still had the issue sporadically until I recoiled the back lever spring so it did its job in a more positive fashion. Quick check, if your coil spring moves "loosely" back at the lever when you grab on to it then it isn't doing its job properly.
To check quickly for a draggy brake, take the bike out for a short ride. -- Go 60mph for half a minute, pull over and stop. -- Feel the rear wheel hub and/or brake backing plate. -- If it is really warm, you have a draggy brake. -- If you have a draggy brake, it might even be too hot to touch.
During normal riding, that assembly should be only a little warmer than the outside air temp.
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