Faults:

Really nothing has gone wrong. I've not had to do any repairs as such. Just maintenance and upgrades.

General Comments:

People keep calling it a starter bike. When I had my first 650 in 1972, that was considered a pretty decent sized bike. Unless you plan on doing real highway riding (it's just too light when those trucks buzz by you), the bike will do pretty much anything you like. I live in a small town in Kentucky and have LOTS of nice rolling country roads. Most of my riding is 50-65 on them, and the bike will do that all day effortlessly.

It is a very fun bike to ride, easy to sling around.

Pros:

Easy to maintain if you have some basic wrenching skills. Even if you pay for it, valve adjustments are way cheaper than the shim/bucket method that most bikes now use. It's air cooled with a single carb.

Oil changes are a breeze.

Negatives:

Cam chain adjuster is bad design that could easily be fixed, but Suzuki won't do it. If you get the bike, plan on getting the Verslavy mod and preventing an expensive failure down the road.

Petcock is problem prone but very easy and cheap to replace with a Yamaha Raptor 660.

Seat is hard on your butt. Plan on getting some sort of accessory like an AirHawk or gel or something in that line. Makes a big difference for long rides.

Stock tires are mediocre; research and get better tires when they wear out.

(pro & con) - While the bike comes from the factory WAY too lean, it is easy to rejet the carb which makes a significant difference in the bike's performance. Along with that I recommend ditching the stock exhaust. It is very quiet, but far too restrictive. With a rejetted carb and a Jardine slip on, mine runs much better and has noticeably better pickup. 0-65 is nice. I have no trouble keeping up with my Harley riding buddies.

Suggestions if you buy this bike: Because it is virtually unchanged for decades there is a large pool of owners out there with a lot of experience on them. Suzukisavage.com is the best resource for knowledge & support I have ever seen for a bike. It has made ownership of this bike so much easier and nicer.

I have seriously looked at a number of other bikes and I can't bring myself to give up my S40.

Faults:

So far, I've had only one issue, squeaky drive belt. Repair was $280.00 Cdn.; seemed high to me.

General Comments:

I really like my S40. I am 5'8", 31 inch leg. This bike hauls my 205 lb. carcass around no problem. I find the size and weight very manageable. The reliability and low maintenance are also appealing.

The initial purchase price was manageable for me, it was previous year stock, so I shaved $800 off, I bought it for $6,200 cdn. all tax included.

So far I'm on the factory supplied battery.

I add Seafoam to the full tank for winter storage; last spring it fired up quickly.

I just got new Michelin Commander 2 tires for it; I can't wait to see how it rolls with those on it. The reviews for those tires are very favorable.

The seat is broken in, not as hard as it was when new. I really like the styling of this bike. It corners and leans very nicely. I also like the quiet exhaust tone. I enjoy the occasional backfire, it adds to the character.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Pros:

Very light bike.

Decent gas mileage, averaged 47.5 MPG on a recent highway trip and have got as high as 61 MPG (U.S. gallons).

Probably the easiest bike to ride I have ridden, and I have owned 14 motorcycles.

Very easy to service.

Cons:

No trip meter.

Speedo on the gas tank.

Rear suspension could use another inch or two of travel.

Overall a good bike. The idle mixture is too lean from the factory, but easily fixed. Re-jetting the carb makes the bike accelerate better and run a bit smoother. The bike looks sharp with its huge single cylinder. It will hit 80 mph fairly soon, but you are approaching its limit. Consistent speeds of 70 mph are no problem. At 55-60 the motor feels as though it is at a fast idle, just putting along, but crack the throttle and you are up to 75 with no effort.

Plenty of low RPM torque due to the long stroke. You don't have to shift up and down much in traffic. It corners very well for a bike that is "cruiser" styled.