Video

Thanks !!! I totally agree with you: I had not 1 but 2 Savage, in late '80 & early '90. I love every minute of riding them 😃😃😃 For info, I replace the last one with a BMW Scarver also single cylinder 650 cc with a most reliable Rotax engine & a belt instead of a chain like the Savage.

I had a ke100 78 model in yellow back in 87.😊

Mine was very uncomfortable. I'm a bit too tall for this bike. But it is a very good reliable bike and looks cool

My 97 ke100 will hit 65 mph & I weigh 200 pounds

Own a 04, my second bike was over 2× the weight.

Dude so glad to see you still riding the wheels of that 919 you Rock!!! So happy you are still here & healthy making videos brother!!! You made my day and motivated me to keep pushing!

Happy to watch your videos I’m awake at 1am with the flue sleept all day so I’m unable to fall back asleep. Proud of you and you motivated me to keep pushing bud!!! Thank you

Great bike but not very popular here in Australia, most folk go for the Yamaha XVS650 V-Star.

I ride a 919 it’s a great bike just that ow speed twitch is a loose chain issue and a touch to hard on the throttle makes it snap…

I have the same Savage 1998 since 2002. 185 thousand kilometers in Brazil and South America Excellent and reliable!!

ok i just got my hands on one of these and whats with the clocks i see on allmost all of them that ive seen xD?

Twitchy throttle behavior? Mine doesn’t do that. I’m lucky I guess.

Review no soapbox ta.

Good review, thank you!

I broke into street riding with a 1999 model. Perfect for where I rode. Fun city or local bike.

Not sure where you got the idea that the ke was the last production street legal 2 strokes what about dtr’s that went on to 2003 then went to dtre and dtx up till like 2007 maybe a lil longer

Great review! You hit all the important details, and your assessment of its strengths and weaknesses was spot on. Bought a 2000 second hand with 3,000 miles. I doubt it ever had any maintenance as every spoke was loose. Still had its original Bridgestone Trail Wing tires. Super fun little bike, but as you said, it's one the new rider will outgrow quickly. Buddies took me to all their known trails (some hard enduro...MEANIES) where the poor bike begged for mercy. Pushing it too hard and asking more resulted in two top end rebuilds in a year. With shed space cramped, it was time to pass it on to the next nostalgic owner. Future owners should know that anything beyond trials type treaded tires are very hard to find in the 17 and 19 inch sizes. So long as you keep in mind what the bike is and is not, it will reward you with lots of smiles. And the exhaust note is very reminiscent of my childhood in the 70's. And THAT I think is the true beauty of this machine!

about the speedometer, don't worry about seeing it you will never get a ticket for speeding, I call mine my delorian, because it will eventually get up to 85mph, thats WFO, and 30-45 seconds tucked in, but ya, I love my 650 SAVAGE, 2003, after a 3hr. ride my butt is screaming for mercy, if someone wanted to make an aftermarket seat designed specifically for this bike, the millions of people who own them would buy them, thats why you can pick these up with less then 10k mi. your ass can't ride that long, thats also why you get 100mi. and need to stop for gas, cause your ass needs the break, happy riding ;-)

My first bike was a white one with a blue seat in 1985. I don't know how much I weighed at the age of 15 back then, but I could sustain a top speed of around 63mph. Unfortunately in doing this, the bike would have carburetor issues and stall out without warning, leaving me stranded on the road a few times. I remember the shop wasn't forthcoming in revealing the specifics of the problem, leading me to conclude it was a simple fix, and easy $ for them. It just wasn't meant for the daily street, which is what I used it for. After a few months, I couldn't wait till I would turn 16, so that I would get past the legal threshold of the 125cc limit, and get rid of it for something more powerful & reliable.

The Headlight isn’t an issue, just switch it out for a bright LED light that’s what everyone else does.

💥 S 💨 A 💨 V 💨 A 💨 G 💨 E 💥 ✌🏻☮️

thanks

Kawasaki should bring this bike back!!

Thanks for the review. I've been thinking of getting one of these for a get-around-town bike. They look really easy to maintain. Currently riding a Suzuki vs800 Intruder and a Yamaha xv1100. I'm a big guy, so wondering how it feels. But really want something easy to maintain.

I like it you don't have to go fast to have fun

Had one, for 6 years. Was a good little bike for what it was.

I don’t think they should be using front brake fist I would start them off using back brake first

I weigh 170 and after a bunch of carb cleaning and tuning and a new spark plug I got up to 60.5 mph

8:22 i seem to have that same issue when im on my S40 or my Ninja 240R .... Getting to a light and it never goes green and i end up sitting thru there for well over 5 min ... i was told the weight of the bike was not heavy enough to trip the sensor to let the light know a "car" is there waiting. So i do the same and just run it.

3:42 what is that black lever with that spring on it ?? IS that like a crusie control type deal ??

Just got mine today...L size... mine doesn't have a long strap...and not as round as yours...lightweight and really shiny red...color doesn't natch mine super cub but that's ok....

I’m 61, most of my bikes have been 1300 to 1800 cc. My main concern is me just looking too big for the bike. I love the look and how well it handles. Help me with some pics of how y’all look while riding. Thanks

Mine was a G4 ,, 10 speed

Watching from ireland , bought a 919 yesterday, they are a fast bike , we call them a hornet 900 here

4500 RPM it runs like a raped ape

Wow

Very cool

I wonder if you can make this into a semi adventure bike, like the Kawasaki KLX 650. I can’t get on one of those adventure with the seat so high.

I got one of these as my 2nd bike up from a Honda QA 50 and I loved it, I rode it unbelievably hard and it lasted 2 years for 500 bux in 2003

Really cant get over 85 mph?

Whats the cruising speed of one of these 70mph I'm wanting highway and good gas mileage and 250 300 I will get ran over

You've fitted the sliders to the engine and not the frame, not a good idea.

I too wanted one of these around 1990, before I was old enough to drive. They were so affordable and looked like so much fun. Unfortunately, I never got one, but fortunately I've had and have several dirt bikes, dual sports and street bikes. I think it's time for me to add one of these to my little collection.

Good video. Thanks

Great review, thanks. I had an 88 Savage. It was a lot of fun to ride but felt underpowered at higher speeds (4 gears back then if I recall). I used it mostly for year round commuting and also did some longer trips, including on the N.A. West Coast (3000 km trips), twice. Loved the belt drive and sound. Very light and nimble. I agree with you that this is a great bike, especially for new(er) and lighter riders. It handles a passenger but can struggle on hills at when accelerating. Great bike. I almost bought the Suz. Boulevard recently but went instead with the Indian Scout 60 (999 cc). Thanks again.

"little bit on the slower side" bro it's a fucking single cylinder haha

Good review, Im looking to get one of these, I hear all different things about this one,,,,,is it smooth at higher speeds? Does it vibrate alot? IM 180lbs,,,,TY

To the point, appreciated. My questions since I am considering the purchase of a 2007 with 8000 miles, in mint condition what is the fair value of said example? Have you had a ride on the newer Honda naked bikes for a comparison?

Is there a fuel processor map for it or do you need to get it pro tuned to smooth it out?

Power commander V recommended takes care of the stock crappy fueling