Hi guys, is like to introduce myself. I'm 17 years old and from Athens,GA. I am going this weekend to purchase a Suzuki LS650. I think it is a 1996 model. The only problems with the bike is the speedo cable is broke and it has that famous oil head cap leak. The bike has 13,000 miles on it. So I think it'll be a great bike for me to start on. Can't wait to learn all about the world of motorcycles! And I look forward to your guys help! But off topic, I won't be able to really ride the bike until December when I turn 18 because my mom won't sign for a permit or license. She doesn't want me to get the bike, but oh well, my $

Here's my Savage, I am waiting on getting some PVC pipe to drive in the fork seals and re-assemble.

Hi everybody,

I'm Alex, 27 from just north of boston and here's my LS650 I've been working on. Got it pretty cheap and I made a few changes to it. I do t know where to post an album of the progress any help woud be appreciated.

Mogman here, is finally getting back into a second (still have the first) Savage. This one I bought from a fellow who had bobbed it. I am carving it down to a svelte Cafe' street racer. If someone will clue me in on putting into the BUILD section (I could not find 'reply' or similar). It is late and I am very tired. I will put the particulars there. Maybe a few folks will find it interesting to compare to a standard Savage.

Well I decided I needed a project.    I wanted to try and build a bobber.   After searching the internet I found this website and it convinced me to look for a Savage.  Finally found a 2000 in great shape (see attachment).  Right now I have it tore down to the frame and motor hoping I can get it back together. Lol.    

My first 2-wheeled motorized vehicle was a thumper. In the Summer of 1967 I learned on a 1959 Cushman Eagle motor scooter. It had one cylinder, 90cc, and 8hp.

Since then:
1967 Honda 160
197? Honda CB360
1983 Honda Shadow
1983 Honda Goldwing
Several sets of Roller Blades
1980 Honda GL1100 (originally naked but people added on extras) I stripped it to naked in the summers.
2004 BMW K1200LT (Luxury Touring)

Now have:
2007 Yamaha V-Star 650
2002 Suzuki Savage LS650

   I am enjoying the lighter weight of the Yamaha 650 which started my quest for other bikes that might suit my wife of 5ft. 7in. and trim. The Savage was on my list but, I never saw any for sale except for new ones at the dealerships around here. They didn’t have any for a while either. Finally one showed up on Craigslist, a 2002 with 21k miles for $1800.00. The seller listed that he had it for 3 years. Bought it for his wife and kids to learn on. Just took it out of storage. Got it to 85mph! His words on Craigslist.
   I was at his house the next morning (Sunday at 10:15am). After inspecting it as much as I could visually I was ready for a ride. It would not go over 10mph and then would just cough and spit black smoke. He road it up and down his street on and off for the next 2 hours thinking that he was going to blow out something stuck in the carburetor. It didn’t work.
   Finally told him that I had to get to my gig playing music in a bar up the mountain pass from here. He asked me if I wanted to make an offer and I was very hesitant to say anything. Tell you what, he said, we (he and his brother in law) will deliver it for $800.00. I pulled out my wallet without hesitation.

Work done so far: (All of it thanks to this web site and all the good info)

1.      Bought Clymer manual
2.      Rebuilt carburetor (only replaced the diaphragm assembly) using carb-dip. Replaced the top JIS bolts and the side vacuum cover plate bolts with stainless steel alen type.
3.      Rebuilt front forks replacing both oil and dirt (dust?) seals
4.      New brakes front and back
5.      Dyna muffler with a RYCA adapter
6.      K&N air filter
7.      Checked valve clearances and decompression solenoid
8.      Raptor petcock
9.      New sparkplug
10.      New fuel line
11.      Vacuum cap for carburetor (vacuum line which originally connected to petcock)
12.      More time cleaning a neglected bike than actually fixing it
13.      Opened up the clutch cover to inspect tensioner

The bike has 21K miles. I already have the clutch cover gasket, special washers and Yamabond for the touchy spot that Clymer points out.
Contacted verslagen1 about getting his Verslagy Tensioner Assy because the before picture of the tensioner by verslagen1 is identical to how mine looks.

Am in limbo now, just waiting for verslagen1’s response.

Thanks to all the fantastic help I got from reading this forum. I tried to register dozens of times but, was still able to get the info I needed. I am so grateful to SuzukiSavage.com for all they do.

Colorado Savage

Hi All.
       The names Colin and I've just bought an '89 (I think   ) Savage to get back into biking after a 35 year sabbatical driving 4 wheels and trying   to be sensible. Worked in engineering and plastics moulding most of my life, now semi retired and I can use my 60 years as an excuse to buy "boys toys" again. Did buy an old BMW R80 a couple of years ago but it was way too heavy, and a house move made it impractical to start a restoration on it at the time anyway, hence buying a Savage now we're planted for life.
I live on the east coast of the U.K, a seaside holiday town called Skegness, or Skeg Vegas as we call it due to all the amusement arcades. Hobbies are shooting, walking the coast with the mutts and playing in the "mancave" aka skiving.
I'd just like to thank everyone for the forum and all the information and experience it shares. I'll be going into the garage with a manual and the laptop to spanner the bike back to it's former glory this month ready for next summer. I'll try not to ask TOO many dumb questions...... really.....I'll try.