SuzukiSavage.com - Suzuki S40 vibration...

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Suzuki S40 vibration...
06/19/14 at 12:02:53

Yes, this is a subjective question. But I will value your opinion.

I have heard that the S40 has some vibration. I've heard that the vibration varies, based on speed and RPM.

From each of your perspectives, is there a speed (or a speed range) that the vibration gets significantly worse?

If I purchase an S40, I plan on travelling at highway speeds a lot, and wondered at what speed the vibration might get significantly worse. (ie keeping it below a certain speed would significantly lessen the vibration). Also, is the vibration at continuous higher speeds (ie 65mph and higher) something that can be tolerated ... at least from your perspective.

Yes, this is subjective, but I would really appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Ron G

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old_rider

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #1 - 06/19/14 at 12:10:20

Ron... do not purchase this bike for a superslab runner.... it runs best at the local level of 55 to 60. I'm not saying it won't run at 70+ for long periods, it can and will, but it loses oil at those speeds.
It does vibrate more at higher speeds, depending on the year you get, LS650 / S40, the older bikes only have 4 speeds and although the newer ones have 5 speeds, the difference is hardly noticeable between 4th and 5th gear. But above 60 these bikes vibrate...its the nature of the single.
I personally will ride the interslab with my old 2001 LS650, but hold it at about 60-65, I could care less about going any faster, but if I were you, I would not buy an S40 for a cross country rider.
But that is just my opinion....and you asked.

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Blinky-FSO

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #2 - 06/19/14 at 12:15:26

Don't let reports of vibration scare you off. I think my current v-twin C50 has more engine vibration that the S40 ever did. But to answer your specific question, the vibration was intolerable at speeds over 125mph on the S40. Anything below that was fine. I took it on a 2,000 mile high way trip in the fall of 2012, much of it at highway speeds, and vibration was just not an issue Cool

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HAPPYDAN Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 270	Re: Suzuki S40 vibration... Reply #3 - 06/19/14 at 12:19:05 +1 what Old Rider said. Also, due the relatively lightweight nature of the S40, wind buffeting at 60+ can be severe. I would encourage you to look at a bigger, heavier bike too. Many here really like the Suzuki V-twins for highway use. Good Luck!
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Bubba Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 956 Denver, CO Gender:	Re: Suzuki S40 vibration... Reply #4 - 06/19/14 at 12:20:08 125mph!...this little thumper can't even get there... For me, riding at anything in the neighborhood of 70mph is kind of a drag for more than getting from one exit to the next... If i was gonna spend all my time on the interstate I'd be looking elsewhere for a bike...
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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #5 - 06/19/14 at 13:10:37

I don't think vibes are bad at any speed.
But I don't have a lot of experience with other bikes.
Dad said he don't like HD's cause they vibrate so bad he couldn't keep his hands on the bars.

I ride about 70 Roll Eyes

for a half hour every day
and the only complaint I have is loss of clarity in the mirrors.
and the few times I've done an all day trip don't change my opinion.

and if you want to complain about getting blown around try a VW bus.

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Beagle Full Member Offline 1998 Suzuki Savage Posts: 217 Ohio Gender:	Re: Suzuki S40 vibration... Reply #6 - 06/19/14 at 13:18:19 Mine's an 1998 Savage, 5-speed and I'm fine at 60-65mph but after that I feel more vibration.
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Blinky-FSO

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #7 - 06/19/14 at 13:18:30

Bubba wrote on 06/19/14 at 12:20:08:

125mph!...this little thumper can't even get there...

Sorry. It was a weak attempt at humor including a smiley face and seems to have been read as a serious comment. My apology.

I agree this is not a bike ideally suited for extended use at Interstate speeds. But like verslagen, I never found vibration to be an issue.

Good hunting

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Beagle

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #8 - 06/19/14 at 13:31:15

Blinky-FSO wrote on 06/19/14 at 13:18:30:

Bubba wrote on 06/19/14 at 12:20:08:

125mph!...this little thumper can't even get there...

Sorry. It was a weak attempt at humor including a smiley face and seems to have been read as a serious comment. My apology.

I agree this is not a bike ideally suited for extended use at Interstate speeds. But like verslagen, I never found vibration to be an issue.

Good hunting

I thought he had simply attached some ACME rockets to his motorcycle to get up to that speed to try and catch the Road Runner Grin

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #9 - 06/19/14 at 14:53:55

rong wrote on 06/19/14 at 12:02:53:

Yes, this is a subjective question. But I will value your opinion....

2004. I considered getting a Savage. Went to the dealer to get a new one and he said too much vibration, leaked oil, people keep selling them back, and we don't have any. (ah? if they took them back, where are the bikes?) How about an overweight twin?
Walked. Found a used 2000 instead.

Vibration? HA!! It's a THUMPER!! It's suppose vibrate. Unfortunately, Suzuki did too good on the balancer. The Savage has less vibration than I expected, and less than I actually wanted. Hey, you can't win them all. Took the Savage L.A. to OKC, 1080 miles the first two days on the Interstate, mostly about 70 mph, very comfortable.

If you want vibration, try a 404cc K-Jack Cushman-II

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Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Re: Suzuki S40 vibration... Reply #10 - 06/19/14 at 14:54:45 The vibration was terrible on mine at all speeds and RPMs until I tightened a loose motor mount. Now just one mirror gets blurry. But I have crappy Emgo mirrors. I think most complaints of vibration are a maintenance problem.
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nickthe_human

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #11 - 06/19/14 at 15:57:43

I'll chime in as well. Yes the vibrations get worse (for this bike) past 60/65 but they still aren't bad.

BUT, if you are doing mostly 70+ mph riding, I would look for a different bike. Like others said, this bike can and will do more than that, though.

I love my savage, but I do mainly in town and back road riding.

Whatever you get, good luck. and Happy Riding

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #12 - 06/19/14 at 16:26:48

Only after a long day of riding will the vibes get to me. If I have had a fair amount of high speed travel my throttle hand gets weary on the back stretch if I'm on the interstate. This could be solved if you use a throttle lock I suppose. I don't own one
Down here you have to do 70-75 on the interstate so you don't get run over. I take the back roads when I can. However when time is a factor (Need to get to work and hit the snooze button one to many times or Weather reasons normally. I live in a very active tornado area and we get some crazy weather out of nowhere)
Love this bike. wish I live a bit closer to town so I didn't need to use the Highway so much.
That said the bike rides well, true and straight with minimal wind issues. I don't really have a problem with cross winds or anything like that.

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Re: Suzuki S40 vibration...
Reply #13 - 06/19/14 at 17:08:41

I found the vibration and wind over about 60mph to be unbearable, so I filled my handlebars with #9 lead birdshot, put gran tourismo grips on, and a big windshield. It's fine now at 70-75mph. It's not as smooth and comfy as my husband's 1100 shadow saber, but it's not far off the mark. A Kuryakyn universal throttle boss also helps.

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bobert_FSO Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 421 Wichita KS Gender:	Re: Suzuki S40 vibration... Reply #14 - 06/19/14 at 17:24:30 I thought my Savage was quite smooth for a single. At 75mph it would get a little buzzy, but still not bad. Especially compared to the BSA 441 that I used to have. On that bike, the mirrors were useless smears at 60mph.
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