Can of worms: Indian tank emblem on drifter

[oldschool]

A funny story but true. Just last Sunday I rode my 800 Drifter to church. I came up to a intersection where a county sheriff was controlling the lights. He yelled "Hey" at me. I looked over and he said "Nice "Chief."  He said his was parked in the back lot. Said he loves his and sold his Harley to get it. Said the Chief was a real chick magnet. I don't have any name badges on my scooter and since he was a cop, didn't mention my bike wasn't a real Chief. I just waved and said "Yes, they are chick magnets."

[49Reo]

Are those decals, jmbo? I like the one you went with.

[jmbo]

Here are a few more...

[jmbo]

I played around with a few logos a couple of years ago. I used the lower right one on my bike.

[kfoster]

This logo was posted by a gentleman on the Facebook page. I think I am going to ask a friend to print in on vinyl for me in a couple of different sizes and colors to try on the tank or side-covers. It looks traditional but with a sense of humor!

[LarryInSeattle]

I like my emblems.  Zambini Bros. out of California.

They were expensive to my budget, but I never regretted buying them.

[jmbo]

Looks like this old issue is coming back again.  Perhaps the timing is right considering most of the previous discussion on this topic came before the new Indians hit the road.  As ever it is a personal choice. Most of the Indianized Drifter I have seen look pretty cool.  The traditional Indian logo looks well place on the Drifter tank.  That said chose to keep my Drifter as a Drifter. When people ask me how i like my "Indian", I proudly and politely correct them and say "It's a Drifter".  Given the limited productions numbers, these are rare bikes.  They are no longer in production. To me the Drifter is a classic bike with classic looking sculpted fenders.  Today there are new Indians on the road.  Like them or not they are not a Drifter just as my bike is not an Indian.

But...each to their own.

[norym]

This is probably a touchy subject, but what are the thoughts out there on putting "indian" stuff on our drifters?  I realize it's personal preferance, but I want to know what the general concensus is.

When shopping for my bike, I saw this '02 800 in TN that was just really sharp.  It had the script "INDIAN" tank emblem and a custom tan leather seat.

I really like the Indian logo on the tank, but in some way it seams wrong?   I see a lot of them with the word "Indian" on them, but I just don't know.

What are your thougts???

[chief]

1999/2000 1500's and 800's came with the plain emblems... silver colored.

1500 - 56052-1054 and 1055
800 - 56052-1058 and 1059
2001/2006 - 1500/800 came with the red background emblems. All are still available from Kaw.
1500 = 56052-1321 and 1322
800 = 56053-1340 and 1341

[ChilliDrift]

I'm just curious, my 99 1500 came without any emblems on the tank. I got some from a person in Hawaii. The ones I have are plastic Vulcan style with drifter across the bottom but mine are colored maroon behind the gold Vulcan lettering and Drifter is below the V is Black lettering on chrome. The ones I see on most tanks are plain, chrome. And appear to be cast. I found a set of the cast looking ones on eBay, and like many of us just bought them to have them. Does anyone else have the style emblems like mine or have any info about where they were used.

[DC]

I say "to each their own too".  Do whatever floats your boat.  I just have a standard indian head with the Drifter script overlaying it.  The P.O. put it on, and I don't feel a need to change it so far.  Maybe someday I'll get a streak of creative inspiration and come up with something different.

[David Baker]

This is the beauty of owning a Drifter... We have so many options of which way to go. We can personalize our rides to fit us. I'm more of the subtle clean lines look. I know it's not an Indian and I like that about it, To me it's the styling, You don't find that in other bikes in my opinion. People are going to gravitate to our Drifters in a lot full of other bikes because of the look itself. Whether you want to add Indian badges, Decals or emblems is up to you. I like the idea of the fender light but didn't like the large size Indian head so I used the smaller size which to me is more subtle. I don't have tank badges but opted for lettering on the tank with feathers as a tribute to my Cherokee Grand Mother's maiden name "Youngblood" It's all about making it your own, It doesn't matter how you get there, Some people are gonna like it... Others won't... You just have to satisfy yourself.

[49Reo]

  I've even looked into having stock tank badges cast in brass of copper.  For now I'm going to enjoy the ride as is then when the mood and the money strikes me I'll give it a go.
[/quote]

Check out Zambini's site; they will make emblems to order based on your design.

Regards and such,
49Reo

[jmbo]

Just picked up my 1500 yesterday.  Been looking for one for quite a while so I've given some thought as to what, if any, mods I'd plan for the bike.  I have nothing against the Indian ID route.  There are some sweet rides out there and obviously there's a lot of Indian badges and logos to choose from, but, as it stands, I'm not planning to go that route. My bike is a fairly stock '99.  I like the blacked out look.  It's stock maroon with badges and some of the tape striping removed.  I'm thinking along the lines of a classic two tone paint scheme, probably WWs when the time comes but when it comes to badges and logos, I'm going to try for a classic vintage look of a '40's bike but "keep it real". I've seen some Drifter script logos that I like and I've designed a few myself.  I've even looked into having stock tank badges cast in brass of copper.  For now I'm going to enjoy the ride as is then when the mood and the money strikes me I'll give it a go.

[45 Bravo]

nice...

45 Bravo

[pcarrell]

our bikes are similar...

HEY LOOK!!!!  YOU'RE RIGHT!!!!  TWINS!!!!

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Drifter/IMG_0759.jpg

[greenbarn]

Agreed., CDN

I've recently had a new idea.... my wife hates when that happens....  I'm working with an old  high-school buddy of mine who now has a macine shop, and I'm considering somewhat of a custom badge.   We'll see where this takes us.   

[CDNRatMan]

 Hey I am not anyone important, but I think you should be able to personalize your ride to suit your likes and tastes. I am not a huge chrome fan so I do not like to have chrome, not a studs fan on the leather but that is me, plain and clean is what I like. As long as you do not try to pass your ride off as something it is not what is the big deal. People need to mind their own business.

[45 Bravo]

Mine does not say indian anywhere on it, but there is an indian head on the tank, right by the Factory Vulcan Drifter emblem.
(it came from the po this way)
the only place it says kawasaki is on the white factory tag on the neck.

I get the "what year is the Indian?" question all the time.

I tell them it is a '99 Drifter.

Some notice the tank badge and say Oh I have heard of Vulcan motorcycles they are nice.

Some still call it an Indian after that though.

I live in a small town (less than 2000) and ride to work daily (rain or shine) as long as there is no snow or ice, and i run into some people that say, Oh you are the "Indian guy" I like old motorcycles too it is great to see someone still riding them..
and other positive comments.

When i needed to replace my shocks (i don't have a lift) I took it to the local harley shop the owner came out and did a walk around, looked at the shock mounting and said $100, and i cant put them on until next wednesday (6 days away).
I said thanks, then he said "nice indian, i would not mind having one" i said thanks again and left.

I went to our local "other bike" shop, the owner came out and said "Nice Drifter" (from 50 ft away) i said thanks, he quoted $30 for labor and would do it right now.

Guess which shop i chose.

Later guys.

45 Bravo

[greenbarn]

Paragon, I agree with everything you're saying - I don't mind mine being a kaw either - it is what it is.  I just have a hard time finding something I like that doesn't say "Indian".  The indians head that says "Drifter" probably comes the closest, but that just isn't what I want, I guess- I just don't really care for the big indian emblem all that well. I really liked a bike I saw this spring that had chrome script "indian" (thus I liked the "indiandrifter" I mentioned here).  My absolute favorite (so far) is the old Enfield indian emblem (below), but again it just says "indian".

Maybe I could just put that on and scratch "Drifter" in the paint right beside it... 

Anyway, thanks marshaldoll for the feedback as well - guess I'll keep looking....

[marshalldoll]

I am constantly asked what year my Indian is and I reply "you mean what year is mt PRETENDIAN" . Then I tell them it is a Kawasaki Drifter and always the laughs are great and then I am told I have a great bike.
Dan

[Paragon]

  Mine has Indian heads and says Indian. They were this way when I purchased the bike, when I change them I intend to go with the Indian head with Drifter. Same as I have seen and heard here, I am tired of people asking what year the Indian is and so on. The drifter gets all the attention, not my bros Harley, I don't mind saying its a Kawasaki at all. I have nothing against Harley s and may get a Road King I have been looking at. But I don't say "if you don't have a Japanese bike, then its crap".

By the way, how many have told lookers its not an Indian and they just keep talking about "the Indian".

[marshalldoll]

I have those on the lower part of my front fender. They are only 6" long and are too small to use a tank emblems IMHO.
Dan

[greenbarn]

BTW, It's interesting this topic should come to the top again....  I started this thread a few months ago, and I still haven't decided what to do on my bike.  And, just last night, I found a chrome script "IndianDrifter" badge on JPCycles.  It's sold as a "fender or saddlebag badge".   Has anybody seen these things, and know how big they are??  The JP description doesn't list a size, and I'm afraid they might be too small for a tank emblem....   I guess I could contact JP cust. svc, and maybe they would walk out to the warehouse and measure one...

Reminds me of a script "Indian" I saw on a bike I considered buying....

http://www.jpcycles.com/product/710-661

[greenbarn]

3M makes an adhesive especially for stuff like this.  They have a couple of different ones out there that are almost the same - "molding and trim adhesive" or something like that.  This is what I use for all of this type of stuff - on our customers cars and on my bike.  IMHO it's much better than silicone, (I use silicone for LOTS of other stuff)  although silicone would work.

Local auto parts store should have the 3M stuff.  It's great stuff.  I recently re-adhered my brake pedal pads on with it.