I don't have the OEM tool kit...or do I?

[alamogeorge]

Looks like your driveshaft boot is due for a change.

Yeah. Mechanic wasn't too concerned but said to keep an eye on it that it doesn't get worse. Otherwise we'll do it next go 'round. I think it bothers me more than him. I'm planning on planning it. If I would have thought about it I would have ordered it and had him do it this last time.

[testpilot]

These might help....maybe. I just got back from a 1400 mile trip in the desert so let's not talk about the cleanliness of my bike.

I'm pointing to the clip that you squeeze together...

Looks like your driveshaft boot is due for a change.

[Gerhardberger]

  I've to check that out !

[alamogeorge]

These might help....maybe. I just got back from a 1400 mile trip in the desert so let's not talk about the cleanliness of my bike.

I'm pointing to the clip that you squeeze together...

Even when you pull the compartment out you can't see the toolkit. This is a picture of the compartment being removed. I pulled the toolkit out so that you can see that it is there.

[alamogeorge]

Do most Drifter riders not own a digital camera? How about a pic of this hidden compartment? 

You don't need a picture. It is right where I said it was. Here is the write up that led me too it. It's pretty straight forward.

It's not good to take pictures of the hidden compartment on the Drifter. Something to do with the belief that pictures steal the soul. 

If you haven't found it yet, open the bikes left side cover with the key. If you have a "California" bike you'll see a black canister with several hoses running to it. That's the charcoal canister designed to prevent gasoline fumes from being released to the atmosphere. It's taking up space but not robbing you of any power. Don't worry about it.  49 state bikes don't have a canister but will have the holding strap which tends to make new owners think they're missing a part.

For '01 and later Vulcans the bottom of the space (under the 'shelf') looks like it's part of the bodywork but look on the left side. You'll find a couple of protrusions that you can squeeze together. They make a latch. Squeeze them and pull the plastic around them toward you. The hidden compartment will swivel away from the bike on the left side and inside that compartment is....'voila!' the tool kit.

[chief]

Its HIDDEN... 

[Gerhardberger]

Do most Drifter riders not own a digital camera? How about a pic of this hidden compartment? 

+1

[cincydrifter99]

Do most Drifter riders not own a digital camera? How about a pic of this hidden compartment? 

[chief]

I know what you mean! Mine is long gone, but I do use the space.

[alamogeorge]

No, not much of a find. The great thing for me was discovering the hidden compartment. Now I feel that I must have something "valuable" to stash in it. Maybe a $10 bill for emergency gas or something. It does give you the basics though. I kick myself now thinking of the time that I had a short in my Arlen Ness (aka Piece O Crap) bullet tail lights and I had no tools and was at a podunk store at midnight trying to work on it with little to no tools. They were just an arms reach away. I had just taken my tool bag off because the strap broke and left it home that day.

[chief]

Yeah its hard to find... and not much of a find once you do... almost not worth the trouble... LOL...

[alamogeorge]

For some reason Kawasaki decided to make a hidden secret compartment to hide the tool kit in. I have had my bike for a year and thought I didn't have one after looking in the left side cover. Recently I stumbled across a post that described this secret compartment.

For those who haven't found it, you take off the left side cover and you will see a velcro strap that has nothing in it. THis is supposedly for the Union of California Socialist Republics smog emmisions stuff. Below that is what looks like part of the box but on the left side there is a plastic clip that you are supposed to squeeze together. That whole bottom part comes out and the toolkit is in there. That's not how I got mine out but that's how I was told. I just started pulling in different places after squeezing the clip failed. I think I'll take the tool kit out and put it under the velcro strap and use the hidden compartment for valuables or something.