Well you heard bits & bobs about my Savage - it's at it again!! so demoralising when i read on here how everyone has such wonderfully reliable bikes when mine is a shed!

okay, here goes. She is a 1986 model, American improt (i live in the UK). When i bought here she cut out at speeds of 60mph+. Looked at the jettings and the carbs. She also was a bugger to start if left standing even for a few days, you would have to get out the plug, clean it (running rich) and start here up again. A

anyway, after a break to have some kids (as you do) she had not run for 4 years. Booked here into a suzuki shop where they changed the battery, cleaned  out the tank etc.  
done a couple of trips on her 70miles ish and she was fine - BUT now - she backfires again, very loudly but mainly when i switch her off, takes a while to warm up, will stall if you don't rev her when you start her up, top end sounds very rattly (tappetts?), and won't keep her charge- if i leave her for 3-5 days she's flat after a couple of cranks and she never starts first go ever!

i'm going to get in touch with bike shop toady to chat to them.

i love the Savage - i am very short, she's about the only shop bought non custom i can ride! really don't want to get rid of her but i need a bike i can actually ride when i want to!

any advice will be greatly appreciated.

maria wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:


You know, Maria, I doubt if he'd appreciate being called a toady.  

MARIA SORRY TO HEAR YOUR HAVING PROBLEMS . I HAD TROUBLE WITH MINE BEING HARD TO START WHEN I FIRST GOT IT . IT TURNED OUT THAT IT HAD A GS 650 BATTERY IN IT AND AS I ONLY RIDE IT ON WEEK ENDS IT WOULD RUN OUT OF CHARGE OR TURN OVER SO SLOW IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO START. SO CHECK OUT THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT BATTERY. I STILL ONLY RIDE IT ON WEEKENDS BUT SOME TIMES GET SO BUSY IT MAY SIT THERE FOR 2 WEEKS . WINTER HERE IN QUEENSLAND NOT AS BAD AS YOURS. HOWEVER CAN TAKE SOME TIME TO FIRER UP . USALLY PULL CHOKE ON HALF ONLY. AND PRESS STARTER I DONT TWIST THROTTLE . JUST HOLD STARTER ON TILL SHE FIRERS UP, BECAUSE SHE SOME TIMES SITS FOR SO LONG IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO WARM UP . MY NABOURES THINK I GO IN SIDE FOR A CUPA SO GIVE HER TIME TO WARM UP. YOU CAN GET SOME AREO START ITS IN A SPRAY CAN ,YOU COULD SPRAY IT IN THE AIRFILTER BOX TO GET YOU GOING IN HARD TIMES AS IT WOULD BE EASYER THAN PULLING THE TANK OFF AND GANGING THE PLUG. YOU COULD ALSO MAKE SURE YOU PUT THE BEST GRADE FUEL IN HER NOT THAT CHEEP STUFF THATS GETTING AROUND ALSO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE INSTALL A FUEL FILTER. AS FOR THE TAPPETS IF YOU SET THEM RIGHT WHICH CAN BE DIFFICULT AND SHE STILL RATTLES IT COULD BE YOUR CAM CHAIN. WHICH WOULD RATTLE WHEN IDLEING OR WHEN YOU BACK OFF AFTER POWERING OR A REV.MARIA MAKE SURE ITS A SUZUKI SHOP AND IF YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON A REPAIR MANUAL TAKE IT WITH YOU A LEAVE IT WITH THE MACHANIC . AS SAVAGES HAVE NOT BEEN IMPORTED HERE SCINCE 89 AND ITS HARD TO FIND THE RIGHT DOCTER. MINES A 86 , HANG IN THERE AS THERE NOTHING MORE SEXER THAN A SHORT CHICK ON A SAVAGE ,

yes she has always been like  this - the only problem that has been solved is the cutting out at speeds.

New battery, clean carbs, flushed out tank, oil change, new plugs, new brake pads that's about it.

i'm going to try the shop again but apart from that i think i will do the work myself.

koiroy wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:


I never noticed that on mine.  It fires right up on the stand.  Maybe you have an issue with your carb floats.

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:


Same here.  4 yaers old and with all the times in the carb, I've never adjusted the floats.....DFIIIAB  

MARIA IF YOU BUY A CLYMER REPAIR MANUAL YOU COULD SAVE YOUR SELF A LOT OF TROUBLE . CODE No 384 , ON PAGE 27 TROUBLE SHOOTING HAS ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE STATED AND ALL THE POSSIBLE CAUSES.YOU COULD FIND IT VERY HELPFULL FOR DOING ALL YOUR OWN REPAIRES IT WOULD PAY FOR ITS SELF IN NO TIME . HOPE THIS CAN BE HELPFULL TO YOU