With the decompression lever installed the S40 would be a snap to kick start.  I had a Norton/Matchless P-11 years ago that I hopped up with Dunstall pistons, Dunstall cam ect.  The bike didn't even come with a key, just a mag kill button.  The dreaded Lucas mag no less. No battery or turn signals.

If you didn't follow the right sequence trying to start the beast when hot it would kick so hard it would almost sprain your ankle

No fancy decompression lever in those days

Cool bike, another one I let go.

Hi Jim,  

You got me beat by 10 years!  The old Matchless bikes were the super bikes in their day.  My Dad was a Cycle Dispatch Rider in the Canadian Army.  His favourite was the Matchless.  

He rode Harleys and Indians as well but the only thing that would get through the mud in Italy was the Matchless.   Eventually they got rid of the bikes all together once the Americans started making the Jeep!

Kicking off a bike is dandy.. but. Retro fitting on this has been studied. So far,no one has been able to figure out how.

Suzuki is looking at cost, from their perspective the Savage/S40 is an entry level loss leader. They want you to graduate to a more sophisticated Boulevard asap. Pity, and just as well, they don't seem to realise that the bike has a lot of following as a project platform or simply as a very pleasant stock ride for 45 to 75 year olds, unless you want 90 mph all day performance. Some of the techies and project people here will help you almost achieve 90 mph + performance if you want it. Don't know if it will last all day at that pace.

One day,the weather was juuust right, I was on I20, a cement section, smooooth,,and I know it made the 100 MPH mark.. never again did it break 95, but, even if it Could run 75 or 80 all day, I can't.
No bike or car does it all. You can't get a family hauling sports car, or a limo you can whip through traffic with. So,the Savage has things it does well and things that aren't its strong suit. For me, runs into and through town were the normal task at hand,, and it does that beautifully. It CAN be ooozed across the country, we've seen it done. BeatDuck,wasn't it? Florida, to Nevada, to,Canada, to New York,to Florida.. I would rather compromise on the Long Ride capability,because it's the rare ride for me,and have the Quick blast into town on a bike with good acceleration and just good enough handling to keep me from pushing the envelope to the emergency room.
It's the only bike I rode a lot I didn't crash.. I dropped it, but that is different.. I picked it up and rode away, no ambulance,no wrecker.oh,but I did have to pull my foot back,because the peg was hurting my ankle, and mashing the foot,leaned into a right turn.. it's a good enough design to allow a rider to improve their skills without them accidentally hitting a power band in a corner and highsiding into a ditch. It's light enough for aging bodies and I had women LOOK at it,,women whose MAN had a Harley and HE was going to have Her on one too... I saw faces that looked like
Boy,that looks easy to ride....wish I had something like THAT, so I could ride and not always feel like I have more machine than I can Really handle. Or, maybe they thought
What a wuss, I'm riding a bigger bike than that guy...

In the FWIW department, I've forever claimed to be 5'6"... But,after realizing that I have been hugging people who say they are 5'7"AND I'm really reaching up,,I decided to check it out.. So,pencil in hand, marked the door frame,, best I can tell,I'm a little over 5'4and1/2,, and about 140 pounds, so,the bike suits me well.

With me on it,it was quick. I have no problem with the right wrist and changing gears without the clutch. Zero to 60 times were very good.