The rear locks up too easy. A grinder to slice grooves across the shoes, decreasing the amount of surface area to drag on the drum made a very much better brake .

Even the wildest of cams provided for the Savage motor is pretty calm.  Don't go dropping a DR650 cam in your Savage.....the rest of the cylinder head (exhaust ports) likely be able to support that kind of breathing.

With the forward lean of the rider.....the bike really doesn't want to wheelie on it's own.  I don't believe I have ever had the front wheel off the ground in 6,000 miles of riding it....I suppose I could force it to wheelie if I had to.....same thing for that locked front break and smoke the back tire thing - it just doesn't fit the image of the bike.  I have had mine up 101.1 mph, and I think there may be a bit more available.....I just had to do the "TON" to really fit into the Cafe' experience.


TON UP!  (Ignore the rpm shown....the tach was having a glitch!).

I forgot that you had a street tracker and not a Cafe'.  The more upright riding position might favor wheelies a bit better.

I am not opposed to wheelies, and on my trials and motocross bikes I spent a good deal of time with the front end in the air - but the Cafe' seating position doesn't lend itself to getting the front wheel in the air.  (I was also more comfortable riding wheelies on a bike that only weighed 165 pounds).

Dave wrote on 06/01/16 at 03:25:03:


I am seriously considering it but I'm wondering about the availability of replacement pads, etc.

Ok, then I shouldn't have anything to worry about. I had one of those "   " moments the other day and needed a lot more from my brakes than they could provide! Ya gotta love bad drivers!!! I may have to move this waaay up on my wish list!