This doesn't really pertain to the Savage very much,  or at least the engine,  but would it be possible to take a motorcycle like the Savage or some other great cafe racer styled bike and put  a newer sport bike engine in it like a mid 2000's GSXR 600 or 750 without an absurd amount of work needing to be done besides getting it properly mounted on the bike along with radiator,  etc...   Just to keep it interesting,  as this is a Savage forum,  let's focus on the Savage.   If that's just totally impossible,  then any others?   I figure obviously a carburated engine would make for the easiest transition.   Also one again I realize the absurdity of this and that it'd probably cost a fortune,  but I've just been thinking about all the cafe racers out there (even the new ones being built by say Norton or Triumph) and they don't have the kind of power that sport bikes are really capable of, especially if you work the engine over real well...   So...  anyone want to have a go and tell me how ridiculous of a thought this is or preferably tell me 'IT CAN BE DONE'!   Lol...

JOG nailed it, for the amount of money it would take there are just too many other viable options for bikes out there.  That being said if you have enough money almost anything is possible  

S-P wrote on 04/13/14 at 20:39:30:



That's a great point actually.   It's got roughly the power you'd have if you sunk a ton of money into the Savage engine and that's stock,  plus were still dealing with a thumper engine with the same displacement...   I can understand not putting a race engine like I proposed,  but people get the kind of power that the DR650 produces from a modified savage engine and they talk nothing but great things about it.   So how much would have to be put into doing this besides fitting an engine bracket up for it?

Sure you could. As long as you have the skills to do it safely and well, why not? People have been doing the same thing forever. Look at all the Triton, Tribsa, Norvin, Vincati, Vindian and the rest of the homebrew conversions. It's a great idea. Years ago I stuck a XL500 (air cooled single) engine into a VT250 (watercooled V twin) and it worked really well and wasn't difficult. Just had to bring the XL ignition system over, modify the frame to take the engine and clear the kick starter, make a new exhaust. Imagine how COOL a Savage bobber or hardtail would be with a Yamaha XS650 twin in it? . I like the idea of the DR650 swap, too. I'm not doing it tho. I like mine how it is.....

or this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=earZdvjK2ZQ
yeah but nah.....
Have a look at the enfield diesel bikes. The horror...

The point is....the Savage chassis is most likely not as good as the bike that you are taking the donor engine from.  Now if you had a Savage with a broken engine or transmission, and a donor crashed bike that had an air cooled single or maybe a twin that is in good shape......and you have lot of time and fabrication skills that you don't know what to do with......anything is possible. Changing engines is not a bolt in scenario and it will require a considerable amount of cutting, welding, and rewiring.

People buy the Savage because it is affordable, low horsepower, light weight, easy to work on, and mostly because it is a big single.  Take away the big single and the bike will most likely have lost it's appeal for most folks.  Also the Savage is very easy and affordable to transform into a Bobber or Cafe' or Scrambler with bolt on parts and kits.

Now when you have a motorycle with a great chassis and a problematic engine.......the engine transplant made a lot of sense.  The Triton (Triumph engine Norton Featherbed frame) is one example where the combination made for a better bike than either was originally.

uigiroux wrote on 04/14/14 at 10:34:40:


Have you ever looked at a DR650 engine?  Exhaust port is on the other side, motor mounts are all different, countershaft is located really high and would interfere with the swingarm mount.

You asked a question, I answered it honestly, and it appears that most folks agree with me.....as I have never seen an engine transplant into a Savage frame.  We have adapted fuel tanks, wheels, brakes, mufflers, chain and sprockets, headlights, forks, seats, shocks......but not engines.  It is not a project that is worth the time or effort or expense.  

I am here to help....not here to argue a point.  It appears I can't be of any additional help on this topic  Hope it works out for you.

Doesn't seem to safe to me