Suzuki SALVAGE 650...

[mrbios]

Does anyone know if a Suzuki SALVAGE 650 would make a reliable first bike?

 

[670cc]

Thread moved to Non NC Motorcycle Section as it pertains to a Suzuki model.

 

[Dan German]

Reliable, yes. Rapid, no.

I joke, but I am a fan of simple machines. The Suzuki 650 does what it is meant to do with no fuss. They have been made with virtually no changes for some time, so parts should be easy and inexpensive when needed.

 

[dduelin]

I don't know if the name Salvage is used as a joke but the Suzuki SAVAGE probably would make a reliable first bike if the owner(s) since new took care of it. It's fairly light and has a very low seat height which could help a novice gain confidence for more challenging motorcycles later - meaning taller, heavier, and more powerful. I've only known one person that owned a Savage and he did say it vibrated a lot.

 

[Alias]

Does anyone know if a Suzuki SALVAGE 650 would make a reliable first bike?

There seems to be a well known cam chain tensioner issue. youtube it.

 

[MZ5]

A Savage should be a very good bike. Suzuki makes very good bikes.

 

[GIGreene]

I remember reading a review of the Savage 650 in one of the mainstream mags. It was pretty middle of the road in its overall impression, but said something along the line of "needs a long acceleration ramp to get up to interstate speed".

A Savage should be a very good bike. Suzuki makes very good bikes.

 

[Dan German]

@GIGreene those two statements are not necessarily in conflict. This thread is about a “first bike.” Nobody on their first bike should even be considering whether or not the bike can easily accelerate to interstate speed.

 

[GIGreene]

The Savage did apparently have a very mild acceleration. But it might have suited me just fine too. One of my favorite bikes, also a Suzuki, was a vintage 1980 GS450S. Had enough get up and go to putter down the big roads all day long...did a couple of Saddlesore 1000s on it...and was a delightful backroad bike too. When in a laidback frame of mind, it would get near 70 mpg. But then I got my NC. And the fuel economy is just freaking outstanding!