Cheyenne Wyoming (6250ft)  sets at the intersection of I25 and I80, traffic flows at 85+mph in the right lanes on both. To get to good two lane riding roads require 50-100 miles on these highways.

To feel "safe" on two wheels, the bike needs to be able pull 90 mph just to be able to maneuver in the traffic. (Not that I want to cruise over 70mph).

The question is, what can (should)  be done to upgrade my 1998 Savage to run 70-90 mph in traffic? Without breaking the bank, not trying to build a racer, just fast enough to get out of its own way...
About 4-5 month before 2021 riding season, time to start working on it.

You should buy a pickup truck and/or trailer to get your bike to the riding areas.!

The Savage in stock form is only 30 HP, and the top speed is just about what you are hoping to ride at for 50-100 miles.  It really won't do that very well, as it will be running at a very high rpm where a big single cylinder doesn't like to be......and it uses a lot of oil when running like that.  At 80 mph on a stock bike you will be running around 5,300 rpm at 80 mph.  

If you installed a 97mm Wiseco, a performance cam, did some work to the ports, installed a better exhaust, did the double Kawasaki Pulley conversion, installed a 140/90-15 rear tire - you could pull taller gearing and probably get the rpm down to 4,000 rpm at 70 mph.....around 4,500 rpm at 80 mph.  You will likely spend $1,500 or more getting this done, and it will require you to tear down the top end of your bike to make the engine changes.  (You can substitute a chain conversion for the double Kawasaki pulley if you are OK not having a belt).

However - the Savage chassis really doesn't handle all that well at speed, and you would be far better off with a bike better suited to this type of use.  A twin cylinder bike will be able to handle the kind of riding you want to do.....even my twin cylinder Ninja 250 could run 80 mph easily - and the whole darn bike was only worth $1,500 (And it was a blast to ride).  The larger 300 Ninja would be a bit more money and better able to ride those speeds....the bodywork makes the bike far more stable at those speeds than the Savage is.  The Kawasaki Vulcan S could also handle those speeds if you want a foot forward cruiser style bike rather than a sport bike.

For me the Savage is a back road fun machine - not an interstate bike.  When I want to ride the Savage I choose the 70mph and below roads.  Kentucky offers lots of alternate paths to using the interstates, and it takes a bit longer but the roads are more interesting.  If you can find roads that are not highways and have slower cruising speeds - those roads are the ones you should be riding the Savage on - 65 mph and below is where the Savage runs best.

 I know that area well.  A Savage is not going to reliably run 80+ comfortably even on those flat stretches.  

 Dave has outlined the upgrades I would use as well to drop the RPM's, but you will not have a passing option out on those roads with regular traffic.  The only thing he didn't mention was a fork-brace, I would definitely want one of those to be hauling at max speed and RPM for that long, and keep oil with you on the bike.

Top cruising speed should not be more than 75% of the top speed. For 80+mph cruising, get a bike capable of at least 110mph.

Serowbot wrote on 11/05/20 at 06:36:44:

Serowbot, your comment got me thinking; have you ever needed to do the I-10 blast between Tucson and Phoenix on your Savage? If so, how did it handle the trip? The reason I ask is that I'm based in Phoenix, but might be taking a job in Tucson. I wouldn't want to to do that run regularly on a Savage, but might do it a couple of times a year. what do you think?

You need the right tool for the job. The Savage just isn’t a very capable machine. It’s fun, but it has its limitations. If I’m going over 50 miles, I take the machine on the right. It will cruise at any speed I want to ride and it has all-day comfort. Sometimes the answer is a different bike, or more bikes.

Gary RVA wrote on 11/05/20 at 00:56:19:


I would never feel safe att 85 mph on a bike if I dont is alone!

At least once in every summer I test my savage on the our Swedich High roads, its speed limited to 68 .. and its awfull, this bike is not build for that.

The bike probably could manage this, but I cant, for any extended time.

One need som sort of Cowl to stand out, for those speeds.

IE a racebike whit cowls.. leaning frontward behind the cowling?

In anyway, one of my friends did buy a Suzuki GSX 1400, 106 BHP, 150 mph and no cowlings, mayby he could stand out a few minutes more then me?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_GSX1400