Suzuki Savage.

[alantf]

Went to the supermarket this morning, & parked next to one of the strangest machines I've ever seen! It was a Suzuki "Savage". If I decoded the licence plate letters correctly it's at least 10 years old. It's a 650cc, single cylinder, belt drive bike. I didn't know that Suzuki ever made that type. Unfortunately the owner didn't come out while I was there, so I couldn't ask him about it. Anyone know anything about these bikes? :??:

[RonWhitm]

try www.suzukisavage.com

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alantf

Anyone know anything about these bikes? :??:

It is the big brother of the GZ; been around about as long. Now known as the S-40.
Like the GZ, it hasn't changed much over the years.......except a few years back they started putting drag bars in it instead of the buckhorns.

[dhgeyer]

Motorcycle Consumer News (magazine) is totally supported by subscriptions (no advertising). I mention this because it puts them in a position to do honest reviews. They test every bike they test in a uniform way, and report the same data points. One test is "measured top speed". They take multiple runs, and use the best, if I remember correctly. They don't rely on the speedometer on the bike, of course. Anyway, they tested the GZ250 in September of '99, and got it up to 78 mph. They tested the Savage in September of '96, and got it up to 85 mph. Given that it should be in the same class as the Vulcan 500 and the Honda Shadow VLX, that's not too impressive. I've never really seen the point of this model, when there are similar machines in the same price/weight/displacement range with so much better performance. It is a little cheaper than the Vulcan, and probably easier to maintain, being a single. Still, is it a worthwhile upgrade from the GZ?

[Water Warrior 2]

The Savage/S-40 was never designed to be fast or really performance minded when comparing it to many other bikes. Where this bike shines is in it's simplicity and reliability. It's highway sweet spot is probably a wee bit faster than the GZ but has the added torque for long uphill grades and headwinds. They are a very popular first bike and there are many Ladies riding them due to the relative light weight and ease of operation. Folks with a short inseam love this bike.
There is only one factory wart from Suzuki engineering. The cam chain tensioner is short lived but can be replaced with an aftermarket item of better quality. Now if they would just add FI.

[music man]

I doubt you would want to "move up" from a GZ to a Savage 650, but if you didn't already own a bike, it would be an even better first bike than the GZ. You guys were talking about the top speed on a GZ being 78 and on the Savage 85mph, but what you are not mentioning is that while the GZ is laboring to go the 60-65mph you need to go on your average highway, the Savage will probably go that fast with some get away power left in the throttle, which makes it a totally different animal on the highway (even though those 7mph's difference you mentioned don't make it sound that way), because the Savage has double the horsepower, and even though I am too lazy to look, I would imagine its got twice the torque too.

[dhgeyer]

I wouldn't, and didn't, claim that there is no performance gain or advantage to the Savage over the GZ. My point is that for very little additional investment, there are other bikes that offer much more "bang for the buck". My daughter's Ninja 250 would outperform a Savage in town or on the highway. A Vulcan 500 would leave one in the dust, and would be much more comfortable. The Hyosung 250 cruiser would also outperform a Savage. That's the only point I was making. Again, the Savage would offer some simplicity, but I doubt any real reliability advantage. They're all pretty bulletproof.

[music man]

Originally Posted by dhgeyer

I wouldn't, and didn't, claim that there is no performance gain or advantage to the Savage over the GZ. My point is that for very little additional investment, there are other bikes that offer much more "bang for the buck". My daughter's Ninja 250 would outperform a Savage in town or on the highway. A Vulcan 500 would leave one in the dust, and would be much more comfortable. The Hyosung 250 cruiser would also outperform a Savage. That's the only point I was making. Again, the Savage would offer some simplicity, but I doubt any real reliability advantage. They're all pretty bulletproof.

I was not jumping on you or chastising you, i was just mentioning some facts about the Savage that you guys left out. The Hyosung 250 I have ridden, and while impressive for a 250, I doubt that it is bulletproof by any stretch of the imagination (it might be, I wouldn't know as I don't own one, but I doubt it). The Ninja is not a fair comparision because it is not even the same class of bike, the Vulcan weighs about 100 pounds more than the Savage and only has about 12 more horsepower, and only lists a top speed of about +/-90mph so I doubt very seriously that it would leave the little light Savage in any dust (although would probably be three times as comfortable).

So again, this post is not meant to attack you, and neither was the other one (I humbly apoligize if it came off sounding that way.)

[dhgeyer]

Originally Posted by music man

I was not jumping on you or chastising you

No offense taken - sorry if I came off as having taken offense. We'd better stop that now or we'll put Easy Rider to sleep.

I owned a Vulcan 500, and it would go a lot more than 90 mph. Same engine as the Ninja 500 with slightly different cam setup. Very fast off the line. I can't find an MCN test for the Vulcan 500, but the Ninja 500 has a top speed of 109, and the Vulcan has the same engine and 6 speed transmission. I'd bet it'll do 100 anyway.

The Ninja 250 is a different class and style of bike, but it still will give more bang for the buck than the Savage. Both are one step up from the GZ performance wise. The Ninja 250 redlines at 13 - 14000 rpm. Run it in the power band, and it's a surprisingly fun ride. I had my daughter's over 90 once, and it was not finished. Again, the 6 speed transmission helps.

Don't underestimate the Hyosung. That thing has roller bearings for the camshafts! They may not have the name recognition, but they are a very well built bike. Hyosung makes some of the Suzuki engines, by the way. There's a Hyosung dealership in Manchester, and they sell a lot of them. Several of my friends have had them. Actually, three of my friends have had the same one. No one I know has had any trouble at all with them. So I think they're about as bulletproof as anything around.

I'm not saying the Savage is a bad bike, and if it's what someone wants, then it's what they should buy. My original point was that, given what else is out there, it doesn't make sense to me. It doesn't seem to me to fit any need profile that something else won't fit better. It's not the best absolute beginner bike, and it's not the best first step up from same. It's somewhere in between.

Having said all that, I am sure that there are lots of people out there who are very happy with them. They do have one very important thing going for them. They are a motorcycle! Is there any such thing as a really bad motorcycle?

[music man]

Yea we better hurry up and say something mean to each other before "Easy" gets itchy. :poke2: . And I am like you, I sat on one and even though I liked it, it just didn't seem enough different than the GZ to bother with it, but Like I said, if I would have gotten one of them in the first place, I might not be so inclined to get on a bigger bike.

So in closing, I guess we have come full circle and ended up agreeing with each other anyways. That ought to dig in Easy's Craw real good :tongue: , Just kiddin' Easy.