[Jeff in Kentucky]

one more article about engine break in:

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/NewBike.html#BreakIn

[Jeff in Kentucky]

I would look at the 500cc Kawasaki Vulcan, the 750cc Honda Shadow, or the Suzuki M50 or C50.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

Here are some more engine break in comments- like everything human, there are many different opinions:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef123a0/0

[Jeff in Kentucky]

One thing to consider- the factory wants any defect to cause a problem after the warranty runs out, not during the warranty period when they have to pay for it. They are also trying to slow you down until you get used to the bike- they will sell fewer bikes if more people get badly hurt or die right after buying one of their bikes.

My owners manual says to use regular oil for 8,000 miles- I think they are nuts- I can feel the oil breaking down after 2,500 miles when I shift. I think the factory wants you to use worn out oil, so you need a new bike sooner and they make more money.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

This is another engine break in method, for a new or rebuilt street bike engine:

http://www.brocksperformance.com/forum/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=5&TopicID=6&PagePosition=1

[Jeff in Kentucky]

The Versys won an award from this magazine staff below. I like the English bike mags better, but I can buy this magazine a lot cheaper. Their best article was about how the Snell 2005 helmet standard sucks, (Snell 2010 is a LOT better) but it later got the writer (Dexter Ford) fired, because Shoei and Arai threatened to drop their magazine advertising:

http://www.chaplinkawasaki.com/news_article.asp?id=3282

[Jeff in Kentucky]

I found these comments at another forum:

The Suzuki Savage is delivered running very lean for environmental reasons. That means it will accumulate unburned gasses in the exhaust pipe at shut down and they in turn will find a hot spot in the exhaust system and kablam – you get wild backfires everytime you decelerate or shut down.

Over the 10 years I have ridden my Savage I have learned to modify my riding style to reduce this to a minimum. My trick is as follows

When slowing down and using engine braking only do so with the throttle fully closed. Keep your speed up until you are ready to make positive throttle changes – then completely close the throttle – this will reduce the amount of intake gasses getting into the exhaust pipe during the period of engine braking and will reduce the backfires to a mild wuff – still there but not shotgun sharp and loud

When shutting the engine off – let it run for 5 seconds at idle before cutting off the ignition. It will pop but not quite so loudly.

Regularly I ride my Savage on the highway at 100-110 kmph. A few 10 mile runs at steady speeds will blow a lot of carbon out of the exhaust pipe – it is the carbon that is the source of ignition when the bike backfires. Reduce the carbon – reduce the backfires.
by polar pilot

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I own a 1987 Savage and also get the back firing. I tried slowing down gradually (when possible) seems to reduce the frequency and the loudness of the backfires
by tm99

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There are a couple of fixes – and you will have to search for the exact procedure to deal with the first one.

1. You can raise the needle in the carb – this involves drilling out a brass plug to allow access to the low speed idle adjustment screw and and shimming the needle to get more gasoline into the engine. Search for detailed instructions on this one elsewhere on the net.

2. Take your bike out for a long steady run on the highway at 100 kmph – this will give the exhaust system time to burn and blow out most of the accumulated carbon and will reduce the hot spots causing the ignition and backfires. You need to ride 20 or 30 miles to burn all this carbon out

3. This one is the most difficult – change the way you control the throttle. What I mean by this is use the throttle more like an on off switch. Do not decelerate with partial throttle open – when you go to slow down – close the throttle completely. This will reduce the amount of unburnt gasses getting into the exhaust pipe and the backfires will be reduced from a sharp crack sounding like a pistol shot to a mild wufff –
by LWRider

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Getting back to your Savage 650, Coney, here’s how we can specifically cure its problem. We need to richen those two areas of the carburetion curve that are factory set on the ridiculous side of leanness. Remove the diaphragm slide from the carburetor and look down inside its bore. Two small screws hold a plate over the slide needle.

Removing the plate, you’ll see a small, white plastic spacer with a hole through it sitting on top of the needle. Throw that spacer away and reinstall the plate. A spring under the needle clip will now push the needle up to the plate occupying the space vacated by the white spacer. The distance that the needle has been ‘lifted’ is the thickness of the discarded spacer – and that’s ideal. With the needle raised, more fuel will flow by it, meeting the actual needs of midrange running.

We can also fatten up the low end of your bike’s carburetor by turning out the low-speed mixture screw. To gain access to this screw, you’ll need to drill out the brass plug pressed in over it and yank it out with a sheet-metal screw attached to a slide hammer. You’ll find that plug up high on the right side of the carb about where the mouth enters the carburetor. Usually Suzuki applies a splash of white paint over the brass plug so that it’s immediately noticeable. With the engine warmed up and idling, turn the mixture screw out incrementally until you achieve the highest idle. There will be no doubt in your mind that you’re making progress because the idle will come up and sound stronger. At this point, turn the idle adjuster knob out and bring the idle back down to a leisurely gait.

Just these two, relatively simple adjustments will not only eliminate the backfire, they will make an amazing improvement in throttle response and driveability.

Visit http://www.suzukisavage.com where there is lots of help for us thumper owners.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

The cheapest paint job would be a light sanding and Krylon brand paint in spray cans- it does not require any primer. If you are a beginner, get a bulletin board with a smooth plastic surface to practice with, so you learn to not get the paint too thick and prevent any drips. An automotive Duplicolor clear spray paint will help keep gasoline from eating into the paint, but you would still want to be very careful when filling the gas tank.
You could do the color yourself and hire someone to do the clear topcoat, to save money but make it come out looking more professional and more fuel resistant.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

A 6′-3″ tall person would probably fit better on the Kawasaki Versys or a Suzuki DRZ 400cc supermoto, or the Kawasaki KLR 650.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

This Triumph is a little heavy for a beginner, and you should ask about having it lowered to make it easier to to put your feet down. I would ride an older, smaller bike for a few weeks, to make the Triumph a lot easier to ride.

There are other bikes better for gravel roads, such as the Kawasaki KLR 650.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

Put new oil in the engine just before the class- the clutch will get a hot workout from a lot of starting and stopping and never going over 25 mph. If it is hot outside, it is best to have a mesh jacket. We had to wear a helmet, jacket, gloves and boots.

I took this class in 2002 and I started riding a street bike in 1980, and I think it was helpful. I got an insurance discount for taking the class, but I am old enough and have a slow enough bike to have low premiums anyways, and it did not lower the premiums enough to cover the cost of the course.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

A used sporty scooter would be better in the city for a new rider, since they have an automatic transmission, but many people think they are not nearly as stylish as a regular motorcycle that shifts:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorcycle_manufacturers/yamaha/7607035/Yamaha-TMax-review.html

[Jeff in Kentucky]

It is best to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginner course, and try out their bikes first. How are you going to use the bike? Some are better for city riding, some for long trips, some for gravel roads, some for dirt. What do you like the looks of? How much money are you willing to spend?

The 500cc Suzuki is a good bike for a beginner. The air cooled engine gets hotter at a stoplight in the summer than a water cooled engine, and the choke is needed to start and warm up the engine. For something similar, also check out the 250cc and 500cc Kawasaki Ninjas.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

For a posted 35 mph corner with a Honda Shadow 750, with the stock forks you might just make this corner at 70 mph, and with the 3 inch fork extensions and the same tires the top cornering speed might be 55 mph.

For a different look, you will lose some cornering ability. Since more of the weight is shifted to the back tire, the front tire will start to slide sooner, but at the legal speeds most people ride, it will not matter at all, except during emergency cornering.

[Jeff in Kentucky]

I have rode a cruiser for 8 years, and before that a standard for 6 years. The main problems with cruisers are:

1.your butt gets sore- buy a Mustang brand seat, or add a gel or air cushion seat pad. I have a Travelcade gel pad with a gardener’s foam knee pad under it.

2. you have to use your arms to lift up off the seat for bigger bumps, which somewhat compromises your handling while you are holding up most of your weight with the handlebars.

3. the footpegs scrape very early, but this is good for making you do corners at a saner speed on the street. They would make terrible track day bikes. The upright seating position is good for seeing further on public roads, because your head is higher.

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