In 2019 at age 68, I rode my 2007 S40 non stop from Middletown, CT to West Union, OHIO traveling 798 miles stopping only for gas and food. Went to see a buddy I use to work with for a day and a half then came right back to CT. 3 days later, I headed for Orange Beach, Alabama. Arrived 2 days later and spent 4 days with my youngest sister, then headed back up route 65 into TN and then down into Racaca!,Ga and stayed with another sister for 4 days before heading back home. Total milage was 4,794 miles. Loved every minute of the trip. Wouldn't trade this bike for anything on the market even if it was given to me!

@carminegalante4925

Жыл бұрын

Props from Norwalk! Im about to get my 1995 suzuki savage today!

@jamesgreen9239

Жыл бұрын

ha! "non-stop" ? my calculations are thats 8 stops at 100 mi. to a tank? my hats off to you for going 4+hrs. on the most uncomfortable seat I'v ever rode on in my 50yrs. of riding, I love my SAVAGE ;-)

The beauty of this bike is the pure simplicitey of it. Single cylinder with ZERO FRILLS...Might just be a 650 single...but it makes up for it in usuable torque. It pulls hard at low RPM. I want to get another one just because its soooo basic, just a bare bone bike with ZERO frills. That is what bikes SHOULD be all about.

I had an S40 for 3 years. The backfire is from the lean idle mixture which can be fixed. Drill out the brass plug on the carburetor & behind it you'll see the head of a screw. Turn the screw out 1/2 to 3/4 turn. At idle it will now run richer & won't backfire when you turn off the engine. I loved the low-end torque of this engine. This was my first & last cruiser. I never got used to the position of the foot pegs which placed my knees above my pelvis & felt weird & uncomfortable, like sitting in a car with no backrest. For someone with a 26-27 inseam this might be worth looking at if the Honda Rebels aren't an option.

They are fun reliable easy to maintain bikes. I've had tons of bikes from supersports to super motos and just sold my S83 Boulevard a few weeks ago. My son wants to learn to ride and one of these is what i want to get him...light enough to easily handle and still not get blown all over the road by trucks. heck maybe i will just get 2 of them for cheap and have some fun together. I dont care about high speed and super acceleration anymore..Im in my 50's now..just like to ride for the fun of it and see some sights too..not to mention cheap transportation....Lean backfires is normal for emission reasons from the factory...very simple to remedy...its a CV carburetor...there is more than likely a cap covering the idle mixture screw on the bottom of the carb...you take a very small drill bit and just poke through the cap careful not to hit the adjustment screw under the cap...screw in a self tapping screw and rock it out with a pair of vise grips on the self tapping screw....fire the bike up to full temp and back the idle mixture screw out a little at a time until it goes away for the most part...there is more you can do with shimming the needle and opening the airbox and rejetting for more power as well but not needed for this bike...i would just adjust the idle mixture screw..not the idle speed screw that you see....have fun with your bike......I bet i could fit a pumper carb on that bike pretty easily..that would wake it up alot..lol

I just got a 2007s#40 and like it ..i am #64 years old just getting back riding and it just rite for me.

I have a 2014 s40. love it. I'm 5'8" 31" inseam, perfect fit for me. I'm 56 yr. older rider, the ease of handling and light weight are upsides for me, and, I actually enjoy the backfire. the "drag" style bars on the newer bikes are a little less comfortable than the savage setup, but IS stylish and functional for sure. I like open face helmet, and "brain bucket" skid-lids, so the speedometer location is of no concern to me. I ride till the bike sputters, that means "switch to reserve" which I do easily while rolling.

@ufoyz250

Жыл бұрын

Are you still riding it 4 years later?

@PhilHewkin

Жыл бұрын

@@ufoyz250 YES, I have almost 18,000 km on it now, or, 10,000 miles. Turned down an offer , last summer someone wanted to buy it.

I have the same Savage 1998 since 2002. 185 thousand kilometers in Brazil and South America Excellent and reliable!!

I like mine, Lots of torque, and Unique sound, especially with an exhaust! I've been riding sport bikes for 10 years, and this bike STILL had enough Grunt to impress...

Excellent review, easily the most informative I've seen. I have a lot of experience riding, but I'm looking for a change, something simple and easy to work on. I think the Savage would make an ideal bike for me to tinker on. I'm 6'-2", 270lbs, but I've heard it'll pull my big ass up to highway speed, which is all I need. I've owned sportbikes, standards, and dirt bikes, so I know a decent amount about bikes, and reading your review really helped confirm that this bike will work well for me. Thanks!

@paddow101

5 жыл бұрын

I don’t think you’d be disappointed. I have a variety of experience on different bikes and this is actually one of my favorites

@ericweber1969

5 жыл бұрын

Bestoink Dooley I've owned a lot of different bikes, and I'll choose for myself, thank you.

Great review, thanks. I had an 88 Savage. It was a lot of fun to ride but felt underpowered at higher speeds (4 gears back then if I recall). I used it mostly for year round commuting and also did some longer trips, including on the N.A. West Coast (3000 km trips), twice. Loved the belt drive and sound. Very light and nimble. I agree with you that this is a great bike, especially for new(er) and lighter riders. It handles a passenger but can struggle on hills at when accelerating. Great bike. I almost bought the Suz. Boulevard recently but went instead with the Indian Scout 60 (999 cc). Thanks again.

Judging by the I-35 footage you are local to me. Great review. I had a 99 and it was a bullet proof bike. I put a ton of miles on it.

Thanks !!! I totally agree with you: I had not 1 but 2 Savage, in late '80 & early '90. I love every minute of riding them 😃😃😃 For info, I replace the last one with a BMW Scarver also single cylinder 650 cc with a most reliable Rotax engine & a belt instead of a chain like the Savage.

Good review and stat list. Thanks for posting!😎🥸

I like your review it's good and accurate my first bike before I joined the military was a savage great learning bike and my first bike after might be a savage 650 Vulcan 500 or honda shadow 500 series

Great review. Thanks for doing it.

Thanks bro, awesome review.

Old Magna or a Vmax combines speed with cruiser comfort. I'm looking into a S40 for simple around town rides. Lots of aftermarket parts available which is fun.

I just got 1! I've had a 96 ninja 600 and a 75 Honda cb750 and I think this will be my favorite bike so far

@paddow101

5 жыл бұрын

I feel the same way!I originally bought it to teach my sister and then just to sell it but I can’t part with it because it’s so dang fun to drive

Getting my canary yellow Suzuki Savage 650 delivered tomorrow oh, you've talked me into it.

@paddow101

3 жыл бұрын

You’ll love it. I intended on selling it in the spring after i had bought it the fall before to teach someone to ride, but i had to keep it because it’s so much fun

@michaelsiscel1197

3 жыл бұрын

@@paddow101 it got sold I got a 1999 Yamaha v Star 1100 classic now.

@michaelsiscel1197

3 жыл бұрын

@@paddow101 but I think I'll trade it in on a 2010 Honda DN-01

awesome review dude

I seen the yellow one and wanted it but had just bough another bike, that was years ago, now just got a 2019 black with a grey tank It is to go with my Versys X 300 which I have set up as a ADV bike with 33 liter bags, so one for long trips and shopping and one for 100 + afternoon rides. It is great getting 2 bikes for the price of 1. If they come out with the CT 125 Honda I will get on for off road riding. That is one nice thing about being retired and single. Time to ride and no one saying how many bikes you can have.

I just bought the exact bike for $350!!! I love it!!

I like it you don't have to go fast to have fun

Nice review! I have the exact same bike (1995). I put a iphone mount and use a spedo app so i dont have to look at the tank mounted spedo.

@paddow101

6 жыл бұрын

That's a brilliant idea!

Color is beautiful and It's perfect for others so they can see you better.

I just picked up a 98 savage this week for $750 cash out the door. im an extremely tall rider at 6ft4in but bike seems to fit me well too. basically what I'm saying is short or tall this is a nice little basic cruiser that can give you many years of happiness.

@afro20man

7 жыл бұрын

good to know. im 6'2" and was wanting to buy a 650 savage but wasnt sure how i would fit now im motivated to actually go check out a few thanks

@afro20man

5 жыл бұрын

@@Korman2u ok great thanks for the reply...didn't pick up a bike this summer but next spring I'll be looking again and I'll keep the savage on my list...seems they can be had for a very reasonable price

@Korman2u

5 жыл бұрын

@@afro20man best first bike in my opinion is a yamaha xt250 enduro I would consider that I was gonna get that but got a really good deal on my suzuki

@garrettgrisbach7378

5 жыл бұрын

I'm tall aswell is it big enough to take you on the highway for any distance

Great review.

Thanks for the review. I've been thinking of getting one of these for a get-around-town bike. They look really easy to maintain. Currently riding a Suzuki vs800 Intruder and a Yamaha xv1100. I'm a big guy, so wondering how it feels. But really want something easy to maintain.

Just bought a 2011, has 425 miles on it.

I have been riding since late 70 s schoolboy MX and have a 04 ls650 which can be a lot of fun ( loads of Grunt Gr8 sounds with a cobra exhaust) as long as you don't ride out too far away!! 🕉🍄👀⚡️🌙🇬🇧👽💀🏍🥋👌😳🥋👌😳🏍👽💀🇬🇧⚡️🌙👀🍄🕉

Not the prettiest cruiser but it just might be what I need to get back into riding. I found one for 1500

@1badombre82

5 жыл бұрын

I just got an 03 Savage from my boss for $400 plus I painted his house! Couldn't be happier! I like it more than my ninja I just sold

@cesartapia610

3 жыл бұрын

@@1badombre82 Between this and a Ninja EX500, which should a beginner get for mostly moderate commuting? Which is more reliable? Comfortable? Thank you.

@1badombre82

3 жыл бұрын

@@cesartapia610 they would both be great I think. You will sit higher on the ninja if that makes a difference. Might be slightly easier to work on the suzuki. The Suzuki 650 is basically a bigger version of what they have you use in the safely coarse wich I would very much recommend taking. Hope that helps

Man I am a new rider I most likely would have gotten this bike but my wife is a rider and has a Suzuki Boulevard Ct50 and that's what I have riding and now I am hooked....LOL

Good review, Im looking to get one of these, I hear all different things about this one,,,,,is it smooth at higher speeds? Does it vibrate alot? IM 180lbs,,,,TY

I’m 61, most of my bikes have been 1300 to 1800 cc. My main concern is me just looking too big for the bike. I love the look and how well it handles. Help me with some pics of how y’all look while riding. Thanks

I just got a gray black one love it but, I wish they still made the yellow it suits that bike. Mine is a 2019, and glad I got it as I do not see them listed for 2020, hear in Canada. I am 5' 9" and can rid it all day no problem. but do wish it had a bigger gas tank, as for speed I can tell just by the sound, that is one thing about the singles. My Versys x 300 still need to look to check my speed. they are 2 different bikes and love riding bough of them.

@brunothepug8807

4 жыл бұрын

Sometimes they skip a year when they have excess stock at the warehouse. I am going to buy this or the Royal Enfield which is also a thumper but has fuel injection and is a little cheaper.

I had a 1996 Savage and it was red. It didn't have the odometer on the tank🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 had it for 11yrs. Loved that bike, put a lot of miles on it too. I upgraded for more power and larger tank. I did get mine over 100mph. It's so hard to hold on, on it, once you're over 80. Only did it once just to see if I could bury the needle. I would never do it if the tires weren't new. Mine would back fire too, mainly if I just used the kill switch. So to avoid that, I would kill the fuel while it was idling a bit, remove my helmet and gloves and then use the key to kill it and by that time the fuel in the carb was gone and it wouldn't backfire. Cause I rode it so much, it would be annoying backfiring all the time, at home and wherever I went. Now I ride a Honda Sabre VT1100C2 l. Love it even more. Not fond of the forward controls, but they're growing on me. Lol

@jamesgreen9239

Жыл бұрын

over 100? you must have been going over a cliff, you obviously landed ok, ;-) I love my SAVAGE

@michellericard4850

Жыл бұрын

@@jamesgreen9239 no cliff. Just tucked down real tight. It's not impossible for a 650 to go over 100. Had a friend adjust the carb.

Beautiful

8:22 i seem to have that same issue when im on my S40 or my Ninja 240R .... Getting to a light and it never goes green and i end up sitting thru there for well over 5 min ... i was told the weight of the bike was not heavy enough to trip the sensor to let the light know a "car" is there waiting. So i do the same and just run it.

@hodaka1000

Жыл бұрын

Yeah had that problem at times it seems to usually occurs at the same sets of lights not all of them I will just go through the red light after sitting there and realising it's not changing but have gotten off and pushed the pedestrian button to make it change I saw a video on here and the fella filming it glued small powerful magnets under his bike and reckoned that cured it They must operate magnetically and not by the weight of the bike

it is a single so not going to be built for speed. they sell them as cruisers but it is more of a bobber. It is one of the most fun bikes i have ever ridden or owned witch is around 20 over 55 yr. I also have a Versys X witch is also a great bike. You get 2 bikes for the price of 1. The versys x put 33 liter side bags on for touring and shopping, take the bags off for doing some tight turns and light off road. the S 40 for just plane fun and the feel of the wind on my chest. The only draw back the S 40 has is the small gas tank. If they would put a 15 liter tank on it but keep it the same shape, you would have a great all round ride, I hat having to look for gas stations. In the 60's and 70's gas stations were all over but most of the mom and pop ones have closed up so need a bigger gas tank for the back roads. The s 40 will do highway no problems but it built for the back roads, and that is where I like to ride. I did put a back rest on mine so I can carry extra gas if I want to hit some rides where there are no stations. That is one thing the Versy X has over the S 40 is the Versys X has a 17 liter gas tank and can do around 450 Km per tank. even 500 if you take it easy, witch I don't. I like the feel of running through the gears, witch you can do with out breaking the speed limits. That is where these smaller bikes excell over the larger ones.

thanks

Backfiring is a common thing with these adorable little Savages, (that are not quite as Savage as the name suggests). Tip... Find a good Suzuki mechanic who understands these "Thumpers" well, and he should be able to tune up that Carb. to elimiate that Backfiring.

Thanks for the review bro, so far is this a reliable bike? Is it a money pit to repair and maintain? Is it easy to maintain and get parts?

@paddow101

5 жыл бұрын

It’s been very reliable so far! I can’t tell you how much parts are because I haven’t bought any but it has to be cheap to maintain being a single cylinder and very simple.

@paddow101

5 жыл бұрын

Not at all, very reliable. They still make the S40 which is the same bike so parts are not a problem!

Mine was very uncomfortable. I'm a bit too tall for this bike. But it is a very good reliable bike and looks cool

💥 S 💨 A 💨 V 💨 A 💨 G 💨 E 💥 ✌🏻☮️

about the speedometer, don't worry about seeing it you will never get a ticket for speeding, I call mine my delorian, because it will eventually get up to 85mph, thats WFO, and 30-45 seconds tucked in, but ya, I love my 650 SAVAGE, 2003, after a 3hr. ride my butt is screaming for mercy, if someone wanted to make an aftermarket seat designed specifically for this bike, the millions of people who own them would buy them, thats why you can pick these up with less then 10k mi. your ass can't ride that long, thats also why you get 100mi. and need to stop for gas, cause your ass needs the break, happy riding ;-)

People buy these to convert to a bobber.. Get one for $12,000, put a $750 bluecollar bobber kit and you have a competently different bike.

Kawasaki Vulcan s it's a 650 from the Ninja 650 shoved into a cruiser body

My brother and his friend EJ bought one from Texas for $800 but it didn't have a sissy bar and no baffle

I want one! Is it possible to have a passanger on the back in a comfortable position?

@1badombre82

5 жыл бұрын

A lot more comfortable than a sport bike👍

Great bike but not very popular here in Australia, most folk go for the Yamaha XVS650 V-Star.

Own a 04, my second bike was over 2× the weight.

Please tell me more about the plug leaking. I have one and it gets oil on the jug mid way, if you can please help....

@randomzeldafan

4 жыл бұрын

I fixed mine. All you must do is pull the valvecover, which you can do with the engine still on the bike and replace the plug with sealant underneath. Check out suzuki forums for more info.

@MichelGitchBrisson

5 ай бұрын

Did mine last year and was a bit of a pain but I lucked out because two of the long bolts broke when removing them, but the broken tips were literally hanging by a thread when they came out fully, phewf! Hated that leaky plug!@@randomzeldafan

ok i just got my hands on one of these and whats with the clocks i see on allmost all of them that ive seen xD?

3:42 what is that black lever with that spring on it ?? IS that like a crusie control type deal ??

@MichelGitchBrisson

5 ай бұрын

Yes he said aftermarket throttle lock and I want to get one because hand needs a rest once in a while because of the vibration of this thumper.

Check out the triumph rocket r3 if you want a cruiser that will roast a hyabusa.

I know the dealerships and factory reps always use keeping the price low as a reason they do "not" install a trip odometer but come on folks, with today's microchips, what would it really cost to add one? Sure comes in handy at a quick glance for monitoring when to fuel up. That was the one and only reason my wife never wanted this bike. No, she didn't want to start adding aftermarket gadgets for something that's been standard on bikes for decades.

Yo dude i chose a 95 suzuki savage AWESOME first bike

@cesartapia610

3 жыл бұрын

How was it? Did you keep it?

I wonder if you can make this into a semi adventure bike, like the Kawasaki KLX 650. I can’t get on one of those adventure with the seat so high.

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

one is a dual sport with a lot of clearance in the suspension. the other is a street bike with almost none. apples and oranges, but hey if you decide to ride a cruiser off road, please video it! haha

with those handlebars...did you have to change the cables?

@paddow101

3 жыл бұрын

They’re stock bars that came on the 96

I know that is a stupid question, but, where can you see the fuel tank level? thanks so much =)

@paddow101

7 жыл бұрын

Not a stupid question at all! Believe it or not you have to look in the tank! There's no quality indicator on the bike.

@AlexNozopScratch

7 жыл бұрын

Paddow thanks, mate =)

@Gazeroni

6 жыл бұрын

when your bike stops, throw the petcock into reserve and find a fill station.

@artwebb6939

5 жыл бұрын

I used to just fill mine every hundred miles or so

@robwallace5050

5 жыл бұрын

You could take a small 3/8"wooden dowel rod and fill up the tank. Cut it to size and just stick the tank once in awhile. If you ride it real easy it should get 55-60 mpg.

What size bar and brand is that?

@juan131097

6 жыл бұрын

It's the savage's stock bars, the boulevard s40 has a drag bar style

Get a Honda magna 750 or a v65 you’ll get the speed of a sport bike close to it anyway they are v4 motors

@millinutz

5 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was gonna suggest... with a Magna he will eradicate all his Cons of the Savage.

6:59 Sounds like you would like a Suzuki Bergman 650.

@9:59 what plug are you talking about?

@paddow101

6 жыл бұрын

Hey, I’m sorry I just saw this comment. I’m blanking on the technical term for it, but it’s located inside the cylinder head. It leaks oil out the cylinder head once the bike gets hot or sits on the side stand for awhile. A dealer can fix it....I assume with a bigger plug. It’s a minor inconvenience...I’ve just got into the habit of whiping the oil off after every ride

@dorothymccarren7401

6 жыл бұрын

Picking a 1986 savage tomorrow thanks for review as this will be my first motorcycle

@northrider8628

4 жыл бұрын

@@paddow101 that was awesome to find out. Must be a common problem. If it isn't going to hurt anything i will stop worrying about it. Thought it was the pipe at the jug.

Are they hard to find parts?

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

No. I mentioned in my review that they still make the S40 boulevard. Same bike. The bike is still in production

Whats the cruising speed of one of these 70mph I'm wanting highway and good gas mileage and 250 300 I will get ran over

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

I don’t understand the question. What’s the cruising speed of one of these 70 mph? I said in the review it does fine on the freeway. Even took it on the freeway for a demonstration

@ACommenterOnYouTube

Жыл бұрын

I took my S40 to 60-65 mph on the hwy and that was fast enough for me.

Want a cruiser that can outrun sport bikes? Well, look no further than the power-cruiser category, e.g. Honda Super Magna or Yamaha V-Max

Have one of these...vibrates enough that my hands fall asleep, the rear license plate craked, mirrors come loose, and if you exceed 65 MPH very much check the oil at each fuel stop...MPG was always around 60 and best was 72...

@paddow101

3 жыл бұрын

It does vibrate a lot. My license plate cracked as well too

Sure's beautifu,l even if it's only a Honda. LS whatever, I'd choose a D. 🧐Is it a Harley? Partial to the color. It's like Corvette Yellow, yes 😬🔪I'd kill for a carborator.🙈🙉🙊

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

it’s a Suzuki, not a Honda

Is this an electric bike???? Where's the sound...?!?

@paddow101

3 жыл бұрын

Kind of sounds like a sewing machine. It’s savage only by name

You sound like Andy from the office

@frankthefarter3475

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve listened to all of his reviews and I don’t hear it

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

You’re the first to tell me that. I don’t hear it…but I’ve been called worse! Haha

Really cant get over 85 mph?

@frankthefarter3475

2 жыл бұрын

If you’re looking to go over 85 mph you should be looking at a different bike. It’s a single cylinder 650 and not built for speed

@paddow101

2 жыл бұрын

agreed. not built for speed

@ACommenterOnYouTube

Жыл бұрын

My life is more valuable than riding a bike at 85mph or over ...

Kawasaki Vulcan s has a lot of performance it is the 650 Ninja motor in a cruiser just stating

@robertrexrode6658

6 жыл бұрын

Yes on the Kawi Vulcan S 650

@WildlifeSeriaLKiller

6 жыл бұрын

Its also heavier and liquid cooled. Which means ugly ass, front mount radiator. Meh.

Stupid simple and very 50s look. 60mpg and only 1 hp for every 20cc makes it pretty low HP/KW. More torque than HP. Vibrates too much at 70 for a true "cruiser", so it is a beefier town commuter than a Rebel 250/300, CB250/350 which has the same limitations. Weight is similar under 400lbs.

"little bit on the slower side" bro it's a fucking single cylinder haha

@frankthefarter3475

2 жыл бұрын

“It’s a little on the slower side for a 650” was his wording