JOG, You can pickup a $20 cheapy at Wally World. You don't need to activate it as a phone, just go on wi-fi download the app and your good to go. You can re-mark your stock speedo and keep it as a music player or use a map app.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/10/17 at 18:29:55:


The Kawasaki front pulley makes an 8.7% change....the bushing on the rear pulley hub makes no gearing change - but keeps the rear pulley from wobbling around and keeps the belt straight.

You can buy good working GPS units on eBay pretty cheap - as smart phones and navigation built into new cars is making it so folks no longer use their Garmin or TomTom (I believe the navigation on my phone is more accurate and easier to use than my Garmin).  MMRanch got a working GPS for $5 that he has been using for years.  If you buy on on eBay and don't want to instantly pay money to get new maps - make sure the GPS you are buying has the maps loaded for where you live.  If the current owner has a lifetime map update ask them to load a map update for your part of the country.  

DK: Unless you modify the motor to supply more torque and HP, you should limit your gearing changes to Dave's 25 tooth front pulley.   Any clearance issues are easily dealt with and the same as installing the 12.5" shocks.      In my own case, I'm now running a 17/43 chain conversion. Which puts 60 MPH (my comfort level touring speed) at the 3500 RPM torque peak (Stage 3 cam).     My Thumper is ideally suited for the back roads and the altitude (5,000 ft. +) I ride at, and I would (will ?) not hesitate to take the thumper any where as long as I stay on back roads and not push past 4K RPM for long stretches.    

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/11/17 at 12:45:49:

Personal "peace of mind"   and I've experienced an increased oil consumption after long stretches at 4,500-5,000 RPM.  ( Not burned, breather tube....)      
(note: 4,000 R's on "Old Thumper" = 70 MPH with present gearing.... )      

maybe you guys should run your breather hose to the chain guard and  lube your chain on the run.

DeadKings wrote on 03/09/17 at 11:43:13:


Hi, DeadKings, this is Maurizio from Rome, Italy.   (No, not Rome, NY, I'm really in Rome, Italy !)



You inquire about long range touring etc.

Many here are experts but I would like to think one more opinion will not hurt, add insight.

I have a 1988 Savage, that's a 4-speed.

1. The 4-speed has widely spaced gears, so you have to rev to a good 4000rpm in 3rd before you can safely engage 4th gear, especially if you're climbing.

2. Standard OEM belt drive final drive ratio is 2.94 (IIRC)

3. Tiny 2 gal. tank will give you a safe average 100 miles range.

Having these three points well focused, here are my thoughts:

1. Stage 1 upgrade: free-flow air filter (see my bike, the round shiny thing behind the toolbox is a K&N air filter connected to the carb via a rubber 90°elbow), rejet the carb, HD Sportster/Dyna muffler.
That should give you a little more ooomph and most importantly allow the engine to rev more freely.

2. Final Drive upgrade: I went the "chain drive" way, fitted a 17/49 ratio with a 530 chain with O-rings (hassle free).
I highly recommend the 530 chain over the 525 because when the engine thumps it packs quite a punch!
A 520 chain is, IMHO, definitely undersized.
17/49 will give you a 2.88 final drive ratio, which is a tad longer-legged and will counter any speedo error
OR
you may fit a 16/45 which will give you a 2.81 final drive ratio.
OR
you may fit a 17/47 which will give you a 2,76 final drive ratio.

I sincerely recommend NOT going too long in the tooth or you might be forced to cruise in 3rd up very long climbs, as 4th simply won't have enough torque.

3. Bar-mounted Tachometer and speedo: Moving your instrument cluster to the handlebars has two advantages:
- you don't need to look between your knees to see how fast you're going, and
- you can use the tank for a magnetic hold-all.
Here is the kind of speedo and tacho many of us use:



As the bike will not do any more than 80 mph and rev no more than 6000rpm,
I suggest your speedo go no more than 140mph and the tach no more than 8000 rpm.

This frees the top of the tank for a small magnetic holdall for stuff and a map (or navigator) in the transparent top pocket.



Don't overdo it and keep the bag small as the Savage is a small bike with a small tank ! But you'll love it !

4. Windshield: The Savage is a small bike with limited horsepower, yet a windscreen is always welcome.
If you can source a HD Sportster windscreen, that is all you really need to keep the wind off your chest.



Just make sure it is no higher than your shoulders, you want to make sure your line of sight goes over the windshield, not through it !

5. Engine Guard: Some call it "highway bar". Whichever, it acts as protection to your knees in case of a close shave, and protects the engine in case you go down.
(Nobody wants that, but should it really happen you want to pick up the bike, brush off the dirt and ride away... not mop up blood and guts and engine oil...)

 

As for extra range, bigger tanks - that is a topic which I have read about but never tried myself.
Europe is sooo crowded you will find a gas station every 5 miles or so...

But I'm sure you can easily go the 4, 5, 6 gallon route if you really wanted !



This is called the "Fat Bob" tank (it's a style name) and fits HD Softails, but I'm sure it can be properly adapted to a Savage frame before any fuel is poured into it.

Read THIS for inspiration !

http://perry-visorviewpoint.blogspot.it/2011/03/how-to-auxiliary-fuel-tank-fo...

The torque peak for that cam is probably pretty darn close to 4k rpm, but I have reservations about the oil pressure being low at that rpm.  Do you have an oil pressure gauge to go by ?  I don't so cannot say with authority but I'm just wondering.

batman wrote on 03/14/17 at 20:04:43:


Even the Stage 3 cam is a pretty mild grind compared to what the DR650 uses, and all of the cams available for the Savage run fine at lower rpm.  I don't believe it is necessary to have the engine in the fat part of the torque curve at all times.  When I am on my local rides I find that I am at very low throttle settings for the majority of my ride, and my engine is most likely using less than 1/3rd of the available power, and sometimes I never get into high gear.......5th is now the "overdrive" that is available when I get to the highway and speeds over 60 mph.  There are plenty of times that the road is flat, the wind is calm, and you can cruise along at very low throttle settings and 3,000 rpm.....the engine is perfectly happy to be just cruising along calmly.......it is making very little HP and very little heat.  I had a head temperature gauge on my engine when I did the double Kawasaki pulley change, and the drop in RPM resulted in a 20 degree drop in head temperature at 70 mph.  At lower rpm and speeds the temperature was always less than highway speeds - except when stuck in traffic with no air flow over the engine.

Even at 70 mph I am using less than half throttle - a stock motor won't pull that tall gearing well, and even at 3,000 rpm the modified engine is making more HP than the stock one would at the same RPM.  If you need more HP/Torgue and want to get maximum acceleration - all that is required is a downshift to get the engine rpm up into the range where it makes the most torque/HP.