Serowbot wrote on 06/06/14 at 23:44:45:


Oh man do I have some gear for you! Any interest in a mid-80's Strat, a 30 year anniversary 1960 Les Paul, or a pre-serial numbered (one of the first 450!) Les Paul Gold Top?  Or maybe a mid-80's hot rodded Twin Reverb?  Really...  

I've had a bunch of Savages.I use the ED_L forward control extensions and I'm comfortable on them.I have an 800 Intruder and it is the most uncomfortable thing I think I've ever ridden.There are tricks to move the controls on them too.But it's just not a well planned out bike.I love my Harley Shovelhead.If I'm riding 2 up I will take it.I just started a thread,that hopefully I can swap the Intruder for a Savage I custom built for a guy.Oh and I'm 6'3",270ish.I don't need a big bike to compensate for anything.

I'm sorry I ever sold my '86  :'(

Oh and I'm 6'3",270ish.I don't need a big bike to compensate for anything.

Uh.....no you don't, SIR  

I put the dyna on her yesterday, not sure what I did right this time, but it snaps smartly and has a very throaty sound on decel now with no loud bf'ing.
I did fit 2 10MM X 1.25 nuts, one on each location under the foot brake heat-shield to bring it out a tad to where my header seems to want to sit naturally. I used a longer carriage bolt on the dyna using additional "jam nuts" to push it further away from the bracket too. Seems to line up way better and no leaks at the header flange or muffler join.

raydawg wrote on 06/06/14 at 21:19:26:
Rode 570 miles on the Interstate one day, rode 510 miles the next day.  Riders can get pushed around, the Savage is Jes' Fine on the Interstates.  Even my Vespa doesn't get pushed about on the Interstate, altho' I will admit it is a bit slow.

raydawg wrote on 06/06/14 at 21:19:26:
Misjudgement of traffic will get you into trouble, not the bike.  A bigger bike can get you into bigger trouble.  I started on the streets with a pedal bike, knowing I am squishable. A decade later I got a new Honda Sport 50 (no step through cub for me!), 100cc that went on the freeway, a DT175 for over a decade in L.A. and in the Mojave....  I have learned traffic.  Judgement will keep you safe.  A Road King or a Vespa is the same to a SUV.

raydawg wrote on 06/06/14 at 21:19:26:
Why the Savage?  A retread in 2004, looking at 250 cruisers -- all 330 pounds, all capable on the freeway, the Rebel pokes my thighs, the Virago has this weird pods, the GZ is interesting ... until I noticed the Savage -- just 50 pounds heavier with a 652cc single?  Found one to sit on, it fit very good, so I found one and bought it.  A bit heavy, not too bad.  Wickedly quick.  Mileage not too bad.  You can flog it fast or you can be lazy, bike don't care.  The only thing the Savage doesn't do is high speed, over 85 mph.  But then, I don't need to be the fastest thing on the road.

raydawg wrote on 06/06/14 at 21:19:26:
Did.  I was retired.  Wanted my last bike, one that will do me until I want to ride out into the Mojave and hide and die.  I considered a bigger bike.  I considered a new S40.  I considered a TU250.  But it is getting not fun swinging over the saddle.  So I got a Vespa LX150.

"Better" is a variable.  If you want big, bigger is better.  If you want small, smaller is better.  I like the people on this forum because we have all liked the different, have all learned the truth:

Just my .02.  I've had my S40 for 8 years and have used it for my primary means of transportation for the last 1.5 years. In my experience the only place where it would be better to have more cc's is entering metropolitan areas on the interstate.  That is to say the average speed is 75 in the slow lane.  I had one other time I was going down the interstate at 70 mph following a couple 800 lbs cruisers and they must have accelerated to 85 - 90 to get around a semi.  That would have been good too.  I got boxed in with one in the front, back, and side.  That is a pretty awful feeling knowing you are cannon fodder and their is nothing you can do about it.  Other than that it is superb.  It will do the super-slab all day at 70 mph.  The TKAT I put on helps tremendously as well.  Just MHO.

There was a couple times when I lived in Dallas that I was glad I had the Savage rather than my HD.I had a guy come up on me while I was stopped in the highway(go figure,Dallas)And he wasn't stopping.I split lanes just to move and sure as I'm sitting here,he didn't stop.Plowed the guy that was in front of me.My HD wouldn't have fit.

I always think ahead.Drving truck taught me that.Watching behind me saved my arse.Can't do a whole lot when 5 lanes of traffic come to a stop.I leave about a car length or more,so if I have to swerve or whatever,I have the room to do it.