Hi folks.  

Been browsing around y'all's site for the last coupla weeks since I got myself a kinda purply-colored '04 model offa Craigslist. Over these couple weeks I've gotten myself pretty well up to speed about the Tech stuff posted here and about the things I need to know and do to continue to be a happy Savage-haver. Thanks for the info.

I started lusting for one of these bikes in the summer of '08 just before the economy blew up, mostly cuz the price of gas was cutting into me pretty hard.  I figured it was a good excuse to get back on a bike for the first time since 1982 when I slid a Yamaha 650 Special down the four-lane for about threefour hours after grabbing too much front when I crested a hill to see the back end of a pickup waiting to turn left while I was passing a semi!  The S40 was the closest thing to that ol' XS650 made nowadays so that's what I went looking for. Problem was, there weren't any in any dealerships within 400 miles of me. Seems some of y'all folks had already bought 'em all up by late July- go figure. While sitting on all the bikes at the nearby dealership for about a month I found that a used YZF600R (with 1162 miles on it) didn't have me all hunched up like the rest of the crotchrockets did. So eventually I rode 'er home and have since put over 60,000 miles on it over the last 6+ years.  That sucker gets me over 60mpg, when driven like the old man that I am, and has paid for itself and then some, just in gas savings. That has been a great, trouble-free, comfortable bike. But my new gal likes to ride with me, and having her all perched up high on the back of that thing, sitting up there like she's posed for a gynecologist's exam, got me pining for something a bit more suitable for weekend rides together in the boonies.

That's where my latest Craigslist find comes in. Figured the price was such that I could ride it for a while, try it out, and not lose money if I decided to get rid of it. Still haven't decided which I'm gonna keep.

But I will be hanging around here, studying up, and occasionally bugging y'all for some pointers. And, soon as I get my minimum required posts in, I'll be hitting the PM button to swap tensioners so this thing doesn't grenade on me. Glad I found out about that before I tried riding it all summer. Its got almost 12,000 miles on it.

Hi Everyone, my name is Conrad, and I’m from Calgary.    This is actually the second time that I’ve tried to join the site; the first time was this fall, and I suppose that I was rejected.     Either way, I’m on here now, and I’m looking to get rolling.  
A bit about me and my motorcycle past:   I am 33 years old, and was born and raised on a farm in the middle of Saskatchewan (with plenty of motorcycles, mainly consisting of old Honda dirt bikes and trail bikes.)  About 12 years ago, I moved to Calgary and officially got my motorcycle license.   It seems that my attention has always been on the low cc’d bikes that are best made for getting around town.    Initially, it was a pair of ruckuses.  Those took me to an old xt250.  From there a BWS50 and now, as of the fall, a 2001 LS650.  
As far as mods that I’m looking to do to the bike – I have haven’t fully settled on those.  I have the cone filter, the dyna exhaust, and jet set from Lancer.   I plan on lowering the front, and doing a battery relocate mod.   My front left pedal fell off on the last right in the fall, so I will need to get my hands on one of those ASAP.  
But, that’s it for now.   Have a good day everyone, and let me know if you have any questions about the great white north(ish).  
Conrad

Hello from sunny South Florida. Been riding bikes since the 1980's and did some road racing with a CB1 (Honda 400) in the late 80's and early 90's and a SV650 for a few years in the early 2000's up thru 2007. In 2008 I had a 2003 VT750 Honda Shadow, SV650 track bike, Kawasaki Z1000 and a Suzuki Burgman 400. I had a severe accident on the Shadow on my way to work in March of 2008. Haven't been on a bike since and sold all the bikes shortly after the accident. Recently helped a friend buy a Honda VLX 600 and have since been searching for a Suzuki Savage to buy and possibly modify.

Hello all, My name is Ken, i dont have a bike yet but my wife already have a little 2013 S40. I will soon have a bike also, very nice forum, thanks for havng me.

Ken.

Hi, Neil from Morgantown W.V. just got my Savage yesterday technically. needs cosmetic work but paid 800 for a 2001 savage with 4120 miles. Easily hits 90 with a windshield and my 6'4 350lbs self. In love with it already.

Hi, I am Scot from St Louis Missouri. I just got my Savage and love it so far. Got tired of wrenching on my others all the time and the Savage was listed as quite reliable. I have been browsing this site for a month or so now and love it. Lots of great information. Thanks for having me.

Welcome PDX-LS650. Nice looking bike. It looks like old rider's bike.

Hi, I am new to savages but not to motorcycles. glad to be here i've already learned a lot just from lurking and reading posts