Boogie_with_Stu
Senior Member
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Look Ma, no hands!
Posts: 280
Raleigh, NC
Gender:
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I purchased the 2003 Savage as basically a "barn find" Unused for years and 4,000 original miles. It had been dropped at about 25 mph and the left peg, clutch perch, and left rear turn signal had been roughed up quite a bit. Luckily, no damage to the engine/clutch covers. Even small engine guards work!
I changed out the handlebars for Triumph Bonneville 30 inchers. Changed the grips at the same time. Replaced the clutch lever and perch with a used set off sleazeBay. Bike was vibrating a bit more than I like....rear view mirrors were useless, so I started looking at the triple tree and the front end. Only obvious damage was to the left side handlebar riser bolt and it's chrome "cap" which was bent. Got a used triple tree ..again on ebay, and changed out the right and left riser hardware and rubber shock mounts. Then, I started messing with the seat. I tried to make the Sportster seat work for me...it just never met my expectations. While I was under there, I decided to move the Regulator. I have a great set of saddlebags for the bike, but the rear signals needed to be re-located. Took the tank off to do the raptor mod. I did all of these things within a couple weeks, not really completing anything before taking MORE of the bike apart to do more "work". Thats where I currently find myself.
I'd like to start a photo essay of what I have done, and what I am doing going forward. I picked up a cheap Nikon 20 megapixel camera today to help the process along. If this section of the forum is not where this should be, pls let me know and I will start it up in the proper section.
PLAN GOING FORWARD:
-First, finish the re-location of the regulator in the tool box area and post pics. Wires had to be lengthened, re-routed, etc, so I will post pics of any relevant work. -Second, the relocation of the stock rear turn signals to a home brew bracket in the license plate area. Fabrication and installation pics will be posted. -Third, wanting more lighting on the rear of the bike, I will post the addition of a set of LED running lights that will mount to the rear fender several inches beyond where the original signals were. I will post wattages, how I wired them and how I (hopefully) kept about the same draw on the regulator...for example, switching to LED tail/brake light and then using additional lighting to make up for the lack of current draw rather than wasting that power using resistors. -Fourth, I'll mount the S40 Boulevard seat and do a how-to on what it took to accomplish. -Fifth, the Dyna muffler mod. -Sixth, I'll be adding a light bar to the front of the bike, again..swapping out LED bulbs for the original OEM bulbs and making up the difference by adding lighting on the bar.
I hope to have all of this work done within 30 days. Some of you guys could do it all in a weekend I'm sure, but I suffer from chronic migraine headaches as a result of damage to a couple of neck vertebra and I really cant do this kind of stuff when I'm either curled up in a ball and vomiting because of the headaches, or stoned out of my mind on painkillers. I get about 12 of these headaches a month, some lasting for just 5 or 6 hours...and some for up to 72 hours straight.
If you guys will bear with me, I'm hoping that this thread might help other Savage owners to try new things, see what mistakes I make (and hopefully not repeat them), as well as helping ME by having a record of where this project takes me.
Here she is 2 days after purchase....straight from the barn and not even wiped down.
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