Quote:


That just about sums it up.

Load up on salt before you read.  

I bought a Savage because, for its' weight, there isn't much made anymore that can compete with it.  He didn't like my Moto Guzzi either but I bought it for the same reason, the lightest bike in its' class.  So it is all a matter of priorities and weight is a big one with me.

I brought on price and the colour of the petrol tank. I can back my S40 into my garage easier than I could my GN250. Sure it's a butt riveter but I've have put 350 to 400 plus miles in a day at 64 years old. Handling, well you get what you pay for and I have no issues. On the long trip I did last year I had no trouble keeping pace with the other riders. Had they been travelling in the 75 to 80 mph range all day it might have been different. The other riders, Harley 1200's and Triumph Daytona's were all impressed with the S40's performance.

Everyone likes the savage/s40 for their own reasons. If someone doesn't like a bike (any bike) its their opinion.
Even a skilled professional rider can't give a "unbiased" opinion because everyone has "favorites".
Depending on your personal body type, will decide what is comfortable for you, even if you like the way a bike sits, the next guy might not.
I have a very boney ass and like a lot of cushion....and I am also medium height and leg/arm length also.
I am about the most "average" body type so all bikes should be "comfortable" to me, but some are not.
Price? Well up until recently I could afford any of them, well except the new Lotus maybe..... but yet I bought a savage... go figure.
After the up coming dragon run this summer, I will truly make the savage mine, at the moment I am simply making it fit for a vacation trip.

Okay, it ain't a crotchrocket... nobody said it was...
...but, it's light and has torque, so it stasts off very quick...

After 7 years of riding my Savage,.. I was wondering why traffic pulls away from the light so fast...
And then I realized... from listening to the revs...
Most of these people nowadays... are practically flooring their cars at every light,... and I have been using barely 1/4 throttle to keep up...

It's just habit... I know I can go faster, but I end up caught at the next light anyway...

If I gas it... I'll take almost anybody at a light, up to the next light...
Total waste of time and gas,.. but it will launch fast...

If an experienced crotcher, or a 60lk sports car really launches... they will creep ahead...

Pfffht!...

The other day.....I was politely putting away from a half dozen lights, trailing an uber-loud Hog running in the lane next to me...
Just didn't want to upset him with a weenie-size contest...
... but then, with a load of traffic behind, I needed to get his lane to turn at the next light, so I accelerated...
His bike roared to keep up but didn't...  once we were ahead of the crowd, I let off and pulled in behind him to turn...
WTF... I got no ego invested in my Savage...
My good deed for the day... ...

I mean how darn fast to you have to go? I agree for interstate travel it is a bit light but here in Oregon the freeway speeds are 65 and at the most 70. Our bikes handle both speeds pretty well. I knew when I bought it that I could go bigger, but my plans were to mostly cruise secondary roads. As far as a toy bike goes, I would not go as far to say that. My friends own big BMW's and Kawasaki's  and I stay right there with them on the freeways and they all think my bike is a great motorcycle. Get lots of "Nice Bike" from strangers and most think it is a Sportster anyway. I have owned lots of bikes and this one is my favorite of all. 54,000 miles and not one major repair says alot about the quality of the 650. Besides, I  paid less than $4,000 back in 03 and it has brought me tons of great riding experiences. I could care less what anyone thinks.

I wanted air cooled, carb, single cylinder, ease of maintenance....the belt drive turned out to be a bonus.  I wanted a bike that I could work on and ride for a long time.....until I could not ride anymore.  I did not want to spend a lot of money.

The Savage met that criteria and got me hooked.  The Cafe' conversion may have taken some of the "senior years" riding away from me on this bike - but I sure am enjoying it while I can still lean over to grab the clip ons!

Yea......If I was young and had a large number of free bikes to road test and write stories about......I probably would not be too impressed with the Savage.