samurai01us wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


Neither!  Like, what am I saying?  Do you like your passenger?  Going to the corner store and back?  Anything more and you might get divorce papers served on you.

Solo.

Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


Yeah, I got that.  But with companies like Sargeant and Corbin around, I would think something could be done.

I don't think overnight.  I sleep.  Been lookin' for a good cult though.  Looks like I found it.

Sargeant takes the existing seat pan and rebuilds it.  Is it the size of the pillion that's the issue?  I've known guys with v-twins who've had small pillions redone by them and the results were very nice.

I understand what you're saying, I'm just wondering why the same can't be done with the S40 seat.

samurai01us wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:


I know about the seat rebuliding....I'm in the process of "screwing" my bike up at the moment anyway and want a "springer" seat....

Pillon?  Backrest?  Tail-light?  Wheelbase?  

Where's the weight gonna go?  The GWVR (?) is also low on the Savage.  Just forget it, unless you plan short trips while doing a little bar hopping.  

Just being honest...the Savage is not a 2-up cruiser (and neither is the DR650)

OMG!  That's a long trip on that pillion!  I wouldn't consider anything more than around the block and even then I'd think the passenger would be sore.

We aren't trying to scare you off. The sad reality is, the bike's major shortcoming is the small wheelbase. I could haul my friend's kids around all day and not know they were there. A full grown adult? The shocks bottom pretty quickly, even set on levels 3-5. The handling gets squirrely on the suberslab because the front end isn't being properly loaded. The tires they ship with aren't the greatest in the world, well, actually, they are basically junk. The rear brake will lock easily when the bike is at it's GVWR, which is very low, somewhere between 700 and 800 pounds. GVWR on a bike is the bike, the fuel, the riders, and any add-ons. Doesn't take long. You said you weighed in at 200 lbs, the bike is 362 pounds. That's 562 right there, empty bags, add on 5 or so, leaving you a couple hundred pounds MAXIMUM for gear and passenger. Not knowing you or your wife, I can't say what would or would not go on a roadtrip of even a couple blocks, let alone longer. If you are in the 6 foot range yourself, you'll be sitting in her lap after a couple blocks on the stock seat. The stock riding position is rather, um, shall we say cramped, for those over about 5'10".

The Savage is/was a purchase I don't now, never have, likely never will regret. I learned the shortcomings the hard way. You have the benefit of an enormous, and overall enthusiastic, online owners club. Well, if you think about it, we are a club, just an informal one. The engine is anvil reliable, just keep the engine topped up. Run the belt a good bit looser than recommended, and it AND the pulleys will last 10s of thousands of miles. The machine gets pretty good fuel economy (best in it's class?), decent oil economy (some Savages just leak), fair tire and brake disposables life.

The Savage/S40 is, for all intents and purposes, a two wheeled Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Give it some love, ride it every chance you get, wash it once a year or so, and it will more than likely still be on the road in 30 years.
-WD

I you put 2 m"mature" adults on the bike, the driver is forced up onto the tank too....on the Savage.

On the S40, without a backrest, the passenger will be forced off the back of the seat

The pillon is a padded luggage rack.