Justin has a point. Think through this. You can get a Dyna muffler for less than 50 bucks (more around $20-$35.) The jets are a few dollars a piece+ shipping. If you can find the right place like I did, they're liable to give you some little #4 washers for the white spacer mod. Get 5 of them, though you'll usually use 2-3 of them. You can get a carb kit for around $16.
I recommend a 147.5 main jet and 4 #4 washers for purely stock setup with stock muffler. I personally haven't tested that setup, though. I am running even richer with a 150 main with 3 washers, and it runs great, and the noise level is reasonable, but gas mileage isn't what it used to be.
I plan on installing the Dyna muffler, though. The fewer washers, the richer, and 5 of them is close in thickness to the white spacer (possibly a little thicker
). It is known that the stock setup tends to be too lean, to the point of being a little dysfunctional for some. Don't be afraid to go 1 click richer. In fact, the Savages from the 80's ran with a 152.5 main jet, which is 3 sizes larger. That is with pretty much the same setup. The experts here are free to correct me if I'm a little off here.
Don't fool with dealerships. It is well known that the Savage is a very simple bike and is relatively easy for a newbie to work on (like me
)The Savage carb isn't that hard to tune. I've had mine apart (at least partly, if not mostly) a time or two. You may not know what every little passage does, but it's not brain surgery. There is only one carb, and my bike has been very reliable and easy to start, even in the winter. These bikes are not tempermental in my opinion. Dealerships, known as "stealerships" by many here, will suck you dry. You can spend more money at a shop than the bike is worth. If you need a part
now and can get it for a competitive price at a dealership, then fine, do it. Otherwise, you need to learn to fix your own bike. Of course, if you like spending money more than working hard to save it, then feel free to burn it.
If you want to know something complicated, try a Honda Shadow from the 80's.
Twin carbs, electric fuel pump... And I have the duty of fixing my Dad's carbs.
And that thing is tempermental! Run the battery dead just trying to crank it.