My Drifter has found a new home

[CDNRatMan]

a good product of LeBelle Province.

enjoy them, and they are a fun toy.......

[kfoster]

Inuit boats.......cool

And........they were made in Quebec!

[CDNRatMan]

 Inuit boats.......cool

[pcarrell]

So you traded a bike with deeply valanced fenders for valanced fenders you can float around in?  That's thinking outside the box!

[kfoster]

Hey!!!!!

It's been a few months since I sold the Drifter and continued with other projects. I have some other objects besides the bikes cluttering the garage these days. Well, at least they are the proper Kawasaki color!

[DC]

I prefer to keep the air bags in the back seat where they can't chew my ears off as much.

[CDNRatMan]

   lol She would have to be very careful here in Canada because passengers are not allowed on the back of the bike unless their feet can rest fully flat on the passenger foot rests.....
Same as children or passengers in a car can not ride up front unless they are 89 lbs or more  due to the air bags......lol.......

[kfoster]

ok and were do you pack the ladder for her to climb up there....lol.......

We use a step ladder to mount and a parachute for the dismount!

I have added some passenger peg extensions since that photo was taken. They move the pegs forward and down. It provides a bit more legroom and makes mounting and dismounting a bit easier.

[CDNRatMan]

  ok and were do you pack the ladder for her to climb up there....lol.......

[kfoster]

Believe it or not, this bike remains my wife's preferred two-up ride. It is comfy and pulls like a freight train!

[kw-retrorider]

Troll/Koster - Thanks....like the look of both bars. Particularly like the small bar end mirror look. Would like to go to bar end mirrors when I make the switch.

[CDNRatMan]

  think WWW would be awesome on that there machine.......

[kfoster]

I have a set of NOS '67 T-140 bars on mine....works  good!

That is a beautiful scene and bike. I really like what you have done with it. I'm going in a different direction. That is the beauty of these little bikes. They can really be used in a variety of ways.

This photo shows the bash-plate and my newly added Saddleman roll bag. It looks much better than the tool-box top case

[Troll]

I have a set of NOS '67 T-140 bars on mine....works  good!

[kfoster]

kfoster: Nice update. Glad the 800 found a good home for a great price. Since I still have one of each, cannot agree with you more. I use the Drifter as the highway bike but reserve the W650 for the secondary roads. Both good machines.

Sorry to continue the non-Drifter discussion, but...Like the mods to the "W"....do you know whose handlebars are on your bike. I'd like to get rid of the stock American bars on mine.

Again, nice job.

The bars on the W were there when I got it. I really have no idea. they are 7/8 bars with shims to make them fit. They seem to be similar to the the Rental street fighter bars on my ZRX. They really are just right..

[greenbarn]

Don't go too far away, Kfoster... keep us up to date on the W.   I'd sure like to find one of those...

[kw-retrorider]

kfoster: Nice update. Glad the 800 found a good home for a great price. Since I still have one of each, cannot agree with you more. I use the Drifter as the highway bike but reserve the W650 for the secondary roads. Both good machines.

Sorry to continue the non-Drifter discussion, but...Like the mods to the "W"....do you know whose handlebars are on your bike. I'd like to get rid of the stock American bars on mine.

Again, nice job.

[JagLite]

The new owner will be so happy!
I hope he has many years of riding enjoyment.
Your W650 mods are excellent.
I like your term "Gentleman Scrambler".
Very descriptive of a fun riding style that I am transferring to as I age.
So far I am still enjoying challenging trails on my modified DR650 but the time is coming when it won't be so fun.

All bikes are great and fun, ride on brother!

[CDNRatMan]

  Well another chapter in your life eh! happy trails and hope to see you around here still.

[Trall]

KFOSTER,C

Cool rides and it always fun working and upgrading our bikes.  Sounds like you found another happy Drifter caretaker for it's voyage and yours continues with the awesome WS650 you got there.    Happy trails.................

[kfoster]

Well........The Drifter has left the building. I've had fun with it for a couple of years. I realized that I really enjoyed working on it and looking at it more than riding it. After installing a Progressive rear shock, Progressive front springs, having a rack made and putting bags on the bike, I spent about $1,000.00 in parts. I paid $2,600. a couple of years back for the bike and sold it for 3,400.00. So, for $200.00 I had the use of a fantastic motorcycle for a couple of years. Not bad really!

Here is the happy new owner. He is 79 years young and downsizing from an 800 lb. Yamaha Star touring rig. This Drifter should be just about perfect!

I still have a couple of motorcycles. The new one is the W650 I posted last Fall. I have been hoarding parts over the winter for a "Gentleman's" scrambler. In April, I had some time to put the thing together. So, here are some photos of the new project.

The Starting point:

New pipes - Silverstone stainless steel with Cone Engineering reverse cone mufflers - They make a glorious racket!

Re-jetted the carbs for the pipes too.

Old fender and light compared with new rear fender and tail-light:

Swapped out front fender for lightweight aluminum. Swapped out blinkers for little BRIGHT ones too.

I also added a luggage rack and bash plate (not pictured here)

The top-box is just something for commuting and the odd times when it is nice to have some locking storage. I made some wooden mounts to affix it to the rack with wing-nuts and rubber washers. It goes on and off easily.

I still need to get some 80 / 20 tires and perhaps do a bit of suspension work. But, as it is the W goes just great and is a hoot to ride almost anywhere you can sanely take bikes like vstroms or other modern adventure bikes. It's also a novel bike night toy!

I'd like to thank everyone here for the advice and information. I will stay registered on this board and check in from time to time to see how you are all doing and to share any information that I might have regarding the Drifter 800. Feel free to message me if you want to know anything about the things I did with my bike.

Cheers!