Anybody wondering whether to buy a Drifter..an old Bikers Take.

[JagLite]

Well said!
All of the above posts

[chief]

I rode Triumphs and Nortons, but have always had a Harley someplace... until 2001 when I started looking for a replacement for the 98 RK I was riding. Harley had nothing that made me want to deal with their stupid and expensive dealers. I was looking through a magazine and spotted the Drifter... after looking all over the state of TN I found one 150 miles away (new). I was gonna be a second bike... but the RK left the garage soon thereafter.

Harley forgot who brung em to the dance. I'm not real into the "new" harley culture either, but that is another story. Fact is, brand slaves are missing the boat. There are simply too many great two wheeled experiences out there to ignore good bikes because they don't have a HD brand on them.
Welcome and thanks for your input.

[pcarrell]

......a few friends ask me " when you gonna buy a harley" . Probably when I find one as nice as my drifter 😁

Yeah, why downgrade?

[1newdrifter]

I'm brand new to the comfort of two wheels ,I've only rode for a few months my whole life, I was fortunate that my first bike is a 01 drifter 1500, a few friends ask me " when you gonna buy a harley" . Probably when I find one as nice as my drifter 😁

[mittico68]

Glad to know that even a (ex) Harley rider does love the Drifter.
I've been ridin' motorbikes for 30 years since now, and it's 17 years that I've got my 800 Drifter: I thought I had a one-sided conception of motorcycles... but your advice just makes me feel like a real smart biker!
Have a great ride with your new baby!

[AZCaveman]

So, You came on to this forum looking for as much info on the Drifter your considering.  I don't have all the answers, But I have built, raced and shown many Bikes over a thirty year span.  If your interested in an Old 'Biker's" opinion..here goes....

I am getting calls here daily from many Bikers and Riders here in AZ. Everybody who knows 'Caveman' knows I am a diehard Harley guy.
So, why did I sell off my last Harley?

I rode a New Indian for the first time, and was stunned by the handling , ride and power.   I looked at my Harley very differently after that day.   Harley really needs to step up their game.  Indian proved to me at least you can have a 'retro' bike with all modern amenities and great looks.

As luck would have it I needed new wheels for the wife after selling her road king. [Financial bind]   I had an Old 99 drifter that was given me for payment for some custom work.

I refurbished and repainted, modified etc.
I had in this process began to notice the 'Pluses' of this bike. 4 valve ,dual plug , shaft-drive, radiator,fan etc.  Realized that it was perfectly built for blistering AZ summers. and the shaft drive prevented AZ windstorms dust in the drive-train. In many ways it was superior even to the new Indians..and it was 16 years old!
Took for a "test-ride'...and was simply blown away by the ride and power.  A street beast? No,  but more than enough power to keep up and pass most cruisers on the road.
And what a comfortable ride.  I did the standard Harley "flinch' when coming to a pothole. Waited for the familiar Clunk from the forks that just about all Harleys have.     None from the Drifter, in fact it glided over it like it wasn't there.
You wonder how impressed was I?
I placed my beloved Harley on craigslist the next day.
Bought myself a 'new' 2002 1500 drifter with 18,000 miles.
Rode it home.
This bike had the stock exhaust and was whisper quiet..so all i heard was the tires, not a rattle or clunk to be found. It was so smooth I looked to see if I had bought an Electric bike by mistake.
I like loud bikes Loud pipes do save lives , at least mine a time or two.  so the first mod will be the exhaust of course.

If ya still wondering, take an Ol Cavemans advice...do it
You'll absolutely love it.