weight and proper drifter

[ernie]

Thank you everyone i do appreciate your input. Having both experienced riders and beginners throw in their 2 cents on a topic, that is different for each one of us, helps me learn and know more about it and other ideas. Each has given me a hint of things to think of. I like the idea of trolls to try a vulcan classic 800 since they are easier to find so i can sit on it and know about size. Chief brought up an awesome point with city driving being nimble or highway being more secure. also supported by aclone. Marshalldoll actually made me think of the differences in the driveshaft vs chain which made me read more about belt conversion for 800 etc. I am riding to cruise, I simply want to go on backroads and enjoy riding. Test pilot it is nice to hear from a beginner like myself, I feel the same way 1500 sounds intimadating and simply the crotch rocket people i know warn me of too much power but yet they ride differently then i would. still havent fully picked out which one but i have time and more input is great.

[testpilot]

I bought my first motorcycle last November, a 1500 Drifter. I was a little hesitant about starting out with a big bike and a bit intimidated by it. I couldn't ride it due to weather until the last few weeks. March 31/April 1 I took and passed the MSF course and am glad I waited to ride until I was done with the course. I've been riding it now and love it and don't regret it at all. During the long winter months I invested in the "Ride Like a Pro" series. I think that did a lot to mentally prepare me for the course and for riding the first few times. I highly recommend lots of parking lot practice before venturing out. I spent hours practicing starting, stopping, doing the slow weave with tennis ball halves spaced about 12 ft apart. I also spent a lot of time practice starting left and right turns in the lot. That gave me time to get the feel for the size and weight and the feel of the clutch and throttle. I think if I started out with an 800, it wouldn't have been long before I would have been looking for a 1500. I'm glad I started big and don't think I'll ever look back.

Riding and still practicing . . .

[marshalldoll]

I too think you should just go for the 1500. Fuel Injected and shaft drive. Much better and you know if you buy the 800 you are just going to upgarde anyway. Just do the 1500. You will not be sorry.
Dan

[aclone]

Started with a 800, different brand  and then moved up to the 1500 drifter.  If I had to do it all over again I would have started with the 1500.  The 1500 is very well behaved  I ride mostly two up with my wife and as Chief said  the 1500 feels mush more soild on the road.

Mark

[chief]

The 800 will handle your weight. But, it will stress the single shock, you won't have as many options for correcting the ride, and you may wish you had gone for the heavier bike. That said, if you haven't ridden before, you really have nothing to compare with... so... you might not know the ride is rough!!!

The 800 is a bit lighter... not sure that will make much difference since I don't know about your physical capabilities. The real problem isn't weight, its your ability to keep the bike on two wheels. I dropped my first harley -  a light weight by today's standards - a dozen times in driveways trying to get turned around etc. It was light enough to put it back on its wheels, even using the wrong technique. Of course back then I could lift the front end of a buick... now ... well, my knees just ain't what they used to be.
If you can get a good 800 go for it... you can grow into a 1500 as your skills and confidence improve. I always preferred heavier bikes because they felt more secure on the highway. But after a few hours in city traffic, for example, a nimble smaller bike (or my goldwing) is much appreciated.
Of course, you might want to consider a small starter bike that you aren't afraid of banging up. My first bike had the dents and dings that came with learning... and my second... third... !

[Troll]

This whole scenario poses an interesting question...Drifters are rare, always have been. Limited production model. 800s seem to be more plentiful than 1500s, and '99s seem to go up for sale more often than any other year.  If I were your RiderCoach, and you asked me this directly, I would have to say that you need to make  trips to as many dealers as you can and do some showroom test sitting. Patience it probably the most difficult part. 800 Vulcans, or Honda Shadows, or Yamaha V-stars all come in the same size range as the 800 Drifter. Lots of people ride with passengers on 800 size machines, and have no problems. The big thing would be how you fit on the machine. After you find a size, then look for something used you can baby, and then sell without losing your butt. Dropping an 800 Vulcan and fixing it back up is a relatively inexpensive job, but 1. finding and then 2. affording Drifter parts can be an exercise in major financing...The front fender, alone for an 800 drifter from Kawasaki will cost you $528.00, where as the same part for an 800 Vulcan is $102.00....and a hell of a lot easier to get! Not trying to dissuade you, just giving you some cold, hard facts...I bought my 1500 for $1000 (lucky deal) broken, left to rot in a barn...I have put in another $4000 and now you can't pay me enough to get it from me, but that was over the span of 2 years, and I had something else to ride in the mean time...

[ernie]

class and driver test= check. but there is not a lot of drifters for sale around me to try and if I drive far i dont want to drive far away to find out i am to big for a 800. I want a 800 because i am a beginner i dont care about racing or anything just cruising. But if it is true that i am to big then I dont want to waste my time. any experience for heavier person on a 800 would be helpful

[Troll]

I really hate to ask, since it's the first thing on my mind, and it makes me sound like a broken record (what's a record?) but....did you take a rider course yet? A 1500 Drifter may be more than you expect. It's not the fastest, most powerful, or quickest, but it will make most all cars look like a pig on roller skates. At almost 700 lbs, it's pretty heavy, especially for a beginning rider. If you haven't taken a class, please consider it before you do something you might regret...

[ernie]

I am a brand new rider. This is going to be my first motorcycle. I was originally going to go for the drifter 800 due to being a beginner it made more since. But a few people have said i need the 1500 due to my size. I am 6 ft 1 and 290 lbs. They said the 800 would stress under that weight and the length is short for me compared to the 1500 that is longer. I would like to get opinions of actually drifter riders especially if your larger then life like me.  thank you