HOW MANY DRIFTERS MADE - Finally an answer!

Started by chief, November 10, 2012, 12:12:38 PM

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griz01

Quote from: chief on July 29, 2013, 16:27:30 PM

How Many Drifters were sold world Wide?

The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.

OK, So if I read this right, 50 J1's were imported to Australia in 1999: 49 were sold in 99 as 99's and one of those original 50 was sold as a 2000? Titled for the year sold not year made? So nothing but J1's were ever officially imported?
1999 Drifter 1500

Washbrook

Chief,

Are you asking how many were sold world wide? I assumed your original post was correct at approx 9000. Or have I misread your post?

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

chief

How Many Drifters were sold world Wide?

I have been trying to get a definitive answer on how many Drifters were sold in Australia. Kawasaki Australia sent me a response today which blew me away:

----------------
Dear .

The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Kind regards,
Murray Sayle
Homologation, Industry Relations & Technical Marketing Assistant
Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd
Unit Q, 10-16 South Street
Rydalmere, NSW, 2116, Australia

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Washbrook

DP, sorry prefer not to talk about SAO, we was robbed!  :-[

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

Washbrook

DP, i know of about 8 but have only seen 1 other. I hope to ride to Canberra later this year with a drifter owner down here (not met him yet, only said hello on another forum). His friend apoarently owns several so I suggested a ride up to check them out. I'm also going to a rally in Katoomba in March then up to my home town of Newcastle, we may be able to catch up on one of these trips.

A AUS Drifter rally would be great to get as many in 1 spot as we can.

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

drifter-paul

Dear Washbrook,

That Australia-wide figure ties back to my 19 registered in NSW for 1999-2000.

Victoria being approx same population (say 19) ,Queensland, say 6 population wise (I know of two in my old home town) , Perth/WA  say (2)  - a vague memory this is accurate, SA  say(2), Nt (1), Tasmania 1 known (thru this site i think).

Keep down Mechico way mate , and you are approx 1/20 in the whole state  :o.

Cause, if you come north of the border to NSW, would love to meet up. I'm Queensland born & inbred (thought I wept for NSW at the 'State of Origin' - just because it was so pitiful)   :-[

That either means we have exceptionally discerning taste, or the majority is right - mind you at one stage the majority thought the world was flat. I was initially surprised the Drifter didn't sell better, but I guess at heart we're a conservative lot.

I'll stay with my Drifter - spent $5000 refreshing and modifying it last year because I intend to have it for another 14 years.  :) :) :)

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

pcarrell

You may even have Ratman beat for rarity!


Washbrook

I have been trying to get a definitive answer on how many Drifters were sold in Australia. Kawasaki Australia sent me a response today which blew me away:

----------------
Dear Norman.

The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Kind regards,
Murray Sayle
Homologation, Industry Relations & Technical Marketing Assistant
Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd
Unit Q, 10-16 South Street
Rydalmere, NSW, 2116, Australia

---------

Based on the above I own 1 of only 50 bikes in Australia. There are probably a few which are no longer on the road so this is indeed a rare breed.

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

tmassey

like that springer front end.....wow

terry


Washbrook

Al I hear was that there were not many but no-one can tell me a number. Anecdotally there appears to have been only a few hundred but verification would be nice. Know Any contacts in japan that may know?

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

chief

Quote from: Washbrook on March 27, 2013, 20:54:46 PM

Does anyone know how many were sold in Australia?

Sorry, no idea... but I will bet there were few sold.
Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Washbrook

Does anyone know how many were sold in Australia?

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

mmedur

I knew they were rare. I was talking to a friend the other day and the only other one either of us has seen was a 1500 at a ride we did last year. And the woman riding that was with her husband, he was on an old  Indian I think it was a 1946.


Gerhardberger

Quote from: jmbo on November 12, 2012, 19:54:55 PM

I wasn't aware that they made a 400CC version for Japan. Here's a Japanese website that has listings for them.

http://motorcycle.goobike.com/motorcycle/bike/kawasaki__vulcan_400_drifter/summary.html

I couldn't find any 800 Drifter in Japan...Really curious... In Japan mainly 400, in Europe mainly 800s, and in the States mainly 1500s...

Curious...


49Reo

Quote from: 45 Bravo on February 04, 2013, 23:04:29 PM

I doubt I will ever get that lucky again.

I build ads for a local "buy here pay here" car lot, he keeps offering cars in trade or my drifter.

I was delivering an ad proof one Saturday morning, it was about 35 deg.f.

I was on my drifter, he started offering me a 99 dodge Dakota, with 215,000 miles.
Then a 1996 mini van with 240,000.

I politely told him thanks for the offer, but no thanks.
This is my only means of transportation.

AND, they only made 9000 of them.

Then he really got insistent, offering others in the $2500-$3000 range.

To shut him up, I said I would trade or a truck, he got excited until I pointed to a 2011 f150 for $18,000 with 25,000 miles.

He got pale and looked like I had stabbed him.
He said "that bike ain't worth that much!" I told him to me it is..

I handed him his ad, got on the Drifter, and went or a ride...

He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....

But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..

45 Bravo

Great story! Love it!

Location: B.C., VDR#: 666
02 Drifter 1500, 02 Softail Frankenstein Trike.."Beauty" and "The Beast"

"If you don't believe your country should come before yourself, Ya can better serve your country, by living somewhere else."  In memory, Stompin' Tom Connors
RIP

drifter-paul

19 of the '99 when I got mine, new, in early 2000. I think that's all states & territories.

But I can't remember how I extracted the info - it was 13 years ago  :-[.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Washbrook

Nice thread. I have not come across another drifter here in Melbourne. One of the Vulcan Group members said that the other locals would love to see my ride as most had never seen a Drifter. I will have to oblige some time soon.

I can better the deal of $1,000. FREE. Ok my father had to die and leave the bike to me so I suppose its real cost was a heck of a lot more. He only paid $1,200 for it, all original with only a sissy bar and extra lights added.

It would be great to find out how many are still around down here in AUS.

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

DC

Quote from: 45 Bravo on February 04, 2013, 23:04:29 PM

He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....

But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..

45 Bravo

Ha!  Good story!   8)   ;D

45 Bravo

I doubt I will ever get that lucky again.

I build ads for a local "buy here pay here" car lot, he keeps offering cars in trade or my drifter.

I was delivering an ad proof one Saturday morning, it was about 35 deg.f.

I was on my drifter, he started offering me a 99 dodge Dakota, with 215,000 miles.
Then a 1996 mini van with 240,000.

I politely told him thanks for the offer, but no thanks.
This is my only means of transportation.

AND, they only made 9000 of them.

Then he really got insistent, offering others in the $2500-$3000 range.

To shut him up, I said I would trade or a truck, he got excited until I pointed to a 2011 f150 for $18,000 with 25,000 miles.

He got pale and looked like I had stabbed him.
He said "that bike ain't worth that much!" I told him to me it is..

I handed him his ad, got on the Drifter, and went or a ride...

He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....

But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..

45 Bravo


greenbarn

Quote from: 45 Bravo on November 13, 2012, 11:58:40 AM

Yes the wife wants an 800.

And my daughter would love a 400..

But it will have to wait for the lottery winnings..

45, my previous offer is the same:  I'll still be glad to double your money on what you paid for your 1500 -then you could go buy them BOTH a bike.  ...assuming you could get another really good deal....   twice..... ;D

No Worries

Troll

That's probably true...and my other Kawasaki, a 2000 W-650, is so rare here in N. America that it makes me angry when I see someone in, say, Australia chopping one...

Recovering H-D owner...W-650 Cafe' No excuses...Ride it or sell it to someone who will!

John Hopkins

First of all I didn't think there was anyone in the world who did'nt know the phrase "What are we going to do today Brain?"

And second..

some of those 800s and 1500s were probably sold in Japan, they were certainly sold in Britain and Europe so your North American ones might be rarer than you think..

John.


DC

It's a good idea to make a pencil etching of it and keep it with the title or your insurance papers.


KEN.

I finally had a look at the my serial # on the neck of the frame.....KEN.


ratze

Merry christmas folks, i had no idea how rare these beauties really are. now i love em even more. :)


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