Suzuki Savage 650 - Excellent Starter Bike For Small Riders

Back again, motorcycle fans...with a review of what I consider to be one of the best starter bikes on the market. Are you interested in learning how to ride a motorcycle? Don't know what to buy or which motorcycle is right for you?

Well start with this Epinion and then come back here to finish reading this review for the Suzuki Savage 650.

First Impressions?

When first looking at this bike, don't let the size fool you. It looks like a tiny, little bike around the same size as the Honda Rebel 250 or the Yamaha Virago 535, but this bike pack much more of a punch. The key here is to determine whether the Savage would fit you correctly. Me? I'm 6'1" so riding it makes me look like a grasshopper straddling a mini bike. But for my wife, who is 5'3" (please don't tell her I published that...she thinks she's 5'5"), it fits her nearly perfectly.

So What Makes This Bike So Unique?

First off, it's a 650cc motor packed into a lightweight frame that provides the bike with an overall weight of around 400 lbs. What does this mean? It means that this bike has plenty of power, yet is light enough to be quick and nimble. For new riders, that means that the bike is easy to handle and has plenty of pep to get you out of a bad situation where someone is moving into your lane without looking.

How about maintenance?

Another bonus for new riders. If you want a bike that requires very little maintenance, take a look at the fact that the Savage has a belt drive, as opposed to a chain, which means no messy oiling of the chain every 300 miles. Also, since the 650cc power plant is a single cylinder motor this means that there is only ever one carburetor to keep clean.

How About Fuel Mileage and Range?

This area carries one of the biggest pros and cons of the Savage. First, the mileage on this single cylinder "thumper" can go as high as 45mpg. Sounds great, right? It is.

However, the downside to that is that the fuel tank on the Savage is only around 2.5 gallons, which doesn't really seem that large. Is that a con? Well, it depends on how far you like to ride before filling up. My pack tends to ride around 100 miles before our butts start asking for a rest, so the Savage does just fine. Longer rides than that, however, and the Savage can hold up the rest of the group.

What about comfort?

Again, this goes back to whether the bike fits you. For me, it's not a very comfortable bike because I can sit on the rear passenger seat and still ride. For my wife, she loves the stance and leg position because it fits her inseam. One thing she didn't like, however, were the stock "buckhorn" bars. We quickly swapped the handle bars out for T-Bars that have the grips closer together and provided a much more relaxing wrist position for her. Other than that, however, we have only added a windscreen.

How's The Price Tag?

Well, ours was a steal, but overall the price on the Savage is fairly competitive. With an MSRP of about $4,300, they can actually be found brand new for around $3,700. Compare that to the following bikes and you'll see how nice that price tag is:

Yamaha V-Star 650 - MSRP of $5,500
Honda Shadow VLX 600 - MSRP of $5,400
Kawasaki Vulcan LTD 500 - MSRP of $4,900

So, as you can see, the Savage actually gives you more bang for your buck than the competitors.

What about accessories?

Accessories have been one of the more problematic aspects of the Savage. Since the bike is really deemed a starter bike, a lot of the accessory manufacturers don't produce accessories because they feel that people don't invest a lot of money into a starter bike. This makes it tough to find aftermarket parts for. We have found, however, that a lot of the universal parts work just fine with the Savage. The windscreen we put on the bike was a universal and it worked great. The risers were actually Harley Deuce risers and fit right in. The bars were a generic 1" T bar for Harley Sportsters and fit perfectly as well. So it takes a little more creativity that just buying an accessory off the shelf, but so far we have had plenty of luck.

Any Major Cons To Look Out For?

Although not a major con, I am not a particular fan of the placement of the speedometer in the top of the fuel tank. This location requires the rider to move their entire focus to the tank to check speed, as opposed to simply glancing at a speedometer that is mounted higher. For someone who is starting out, I think this can be a safety issue, but it's more personal preference than anything.

The Final Lowdown

If you are under 5'7" and are looking for a great bike to start out on that won't drain your wallet and require a lot of maintenance, definitely check out your local Suzuki dealership and sit on a Savage 650. They are easy to handle, low maintenance, and a lot of fun to ride.

Once you have selected your new bike, be sure to check out check out my article on maintaining your motorcycle:

Keep Your Motor Running - Tips For Maintaining Your Motorcycle

Ride safe!

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