Faults:

Unfortunately I left this bike in storage for a year without using it at all. This resulted in the little remaining fuel in the tank evaporating and causing the float needle to perish. When I decided to put the bike back on the road, I filled the tank to find that when I started it, fuel started to leak out of the drain tubes that come out of the bottom of the air filter box. The float needle was letting fuel pass continuously through the carb. I then repaired the carb. After this and some other maintenance, I started the bike. Fine, until the bike began to stall, so I increase the throttle. Again it lost power. And so on.

After some thought, I decided that I would check the oil, which I had intended changing, believing that the labouring engine could be short of oil. Upon inspection, I could not find the level in the oil level inspection glass. HHHM, strange. I proceeded to drain the oil to find that it contained nearly double the quantity that it should have had, and it also stank of petrol. The fuel had drained through the defective float needle and into the crank case. Fortunately no real damage was caused. A luck escape.

General Comments:

With a straight through exhaust and re-jetted, plus the addition of a high flow cone air filter, I have turn this tame thumper into a raging rocket. The acceleration is now incredible. It is however incredibly noisy.

It is a very simple bike to maintain, and quite simple to modify with plenty more power available with the right tweaks and some knowledge of adjusting the carb. I will comment more in the following months, as I am about to begin work on it to restore and customize this 24 year old machine.

Please note that this bike was imported from Japan, and was manufactured in 1986 before becoming available worldwide.

Faults:

Indicator electrics, have had to replace the flasher can several times.

In wet weather, sometimes a screeching sound comes from the belt at the front engine pulley.

General Comments:

This motorcycle is very comfortable to ride.

It is very reliable.

Handles extremely well on straight roads and cornering.

Although top speed is not high, this bike accelerates well and can maintain a good 80-90 MPH.

Mechanically easy to service.

Because it is an open bike, it is fun and enjoyable to ride, especially in the summer months on those open roads.

Certainly an eye catcher and a topic for conversation because of its unique design.

Please Mr Suzuki, build a new model.

Faults:

I have only had the bike for 2 months now; the bike has operated well since I have had it. Except for the occasional backfire and mildly strong vibration, the bike has ran great!

General Comments:

Performance:

The Savage LS650 (now the Boulevard S40), is a single cylinder, 652cc bike, and people commonly refer to this bike as a "thumper".

Acceleration is fairly strong in the lower gears, and the power band is fairly broad. Once the bike hits about 65mph, acceleration slows down, and you can expect to top out from 85-95mph. The bike does have fairly good passing ability on the freeway, and is great for around town cruising. The bike has a rated HP of 31, 33.6 ft/lbs of torque.

The bike has a wet weight (gas, oil) of about 380lbs, making it about the lightest weight bike for the size of engine you are getting. Due to the lightweight nature of the bike, it is extremely maneuverable, and is great on tight curves!

Braking is quite good, with a front disc, and a rear drum brake. This is largely due to the low weight of the bike, and its relatively low positioning toward the ground.

One item to note is that most people (including myself) have found that the Savage tends to have backfire (generally mild) on deceleration (this is due to Suzuki making the bike more EPA friendly to meet the requirements with its carburation). Simple modifications to the carb can completely take out the backfire, and exhaust upgrades can also help with this issue.

Style:

The bike has a wonderful cruiser style to it, and up until 2004, before the bike changed to the S40, it came with the sissy bar and back rest, as well as the buck-horn bars. Suzuki had intended this bike (I believe) for people of shorter stature (generally under 6ft tall). Myself, I am 5'10", and weigh just short of 200 lbs. I find that the bike fits actually pretty good. Some people have noted the buck-horn bars not being their cup of tea, so they change it out for a straighter type handlebar. The bike has some chrome on it, but its not near as generous as some of the larger bikes out there.

Comfort:

The seat, while fairly large, is fairly uncomfortable after about 30-45 minutes of continuous riding. A gel seat is definitely recommended for longer rides. Also, the pillion seat is quite small, and your passenger may complain of being too cramped. For taller riders, you might consider having highway pegs put on the bike, so you can stretch out a bit.

Reliability:

The Savage has always been touted for its high rate of reliability. This can largely be attributed to its belt drive, its single cylinder (thus its single carburetor, and no need for synching with other carbs), and its relatively uncomplicated design. With a Clymer manual in hand, regular maintenance is a simple thing to do, as well as minor repair.

Aftermarket Products:

Unfortunately, aftermarket products are relatively scarce (but not near as bad as they use to be) for the Savage, as many people view the bike as a "beginners" bike (certainly not always the case!). Fortunately, eBay offers the Savage owners a lot of options, from exhaust upgrades, to gel seats, to handlebar change outs, to dressing the bike up!

Economics:

The bike sports a 2.77 gallon tank, with a reserve capacity of 0.66 gallons. On average, I get about 55mpg, and have to fill up about every 145-155 miles. If you ride real hard, you might only average closer to 50mpg, but I have read some people getting over 60mpg. To add to the cost benefit, a brand new S40 will run $4300 MSRP, but can be had through many a dealer for under $4k. If you buy used, like I did, you can often get a Savage for under $2500! For a 650, this is really a great deal!

Summary:

A really neat bike, especially for someone new to the world of bikes. Even experienced folk will enjoy its playful nature, and appreciate its great maneuverability and gas savings! A highly recommended bike!

Faults:

No major mechanical problems yet, although I have only had it for a year. The Savage has a reputation for being relatively low-maintenence.

I'd be happier with a larger gas tank, though.

General Comments:

The seat is uncomfortable. I replaced it with a gel seat and I am happier with it now. Although it is a cruiser, the seating is more upright than most cruisers, making for a more comfortable ride.

This bike has very good steering and braking, in fact the rear brake can lock up very easily. This is probably due to its very light weight.

At highway speeds the engine vibration is strong, but I have not had fatigue issues from it. It's just noticeable.