Engine guard Drifter and Vulcan Classic

[jack freeman]

GO OVER TO MY PHOTOS YOU WILL SEE MY 2002 DRIFTER WITH VULCAN 800 COBRA BARS .

[jack freeman]

I HAVE 2 800 DRIFTERS AND MY BROTHER ALSO HAS A 800 DRIFTER ALL 3 HAVE VULCAN 800 HIGHWAY BARS . I INSTALLED
ALL 3 . WHEN INSTALLING YOU MAY HAVE TO TWIKE THEM A LITTLE . tHEY WILL FIT .  MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE TAB ON
TOP CENTER , THIS BOLTS TO TOP RADIATOR MOUNT .  ALL OF MINE ARE COBRA .  I ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU CAN RETURN TO SELLER IF NEEDED

JACK

JACK

[CDNRatMan]

  I will take your word for it on the shifters and the mounting of the engine guard. I was going by pictures I saw and on the one I saw the top part of the guard was attached with a "U" bolt and it looked like it would be right near the mount from a Ted shifter, I have 2 of his shifters one on each bike and was just going by looks.....thanks for the clarification....

[Inkslinger43]

I also forgot.
There's NO chance the engine bars would interfere when attached to a shifter as it SHOULD go under the tank area by spark plug. Look at Drifter Shifter By Ted and look at all the pics and you'll see in all actuality the shifter comes nowhere near the down tubes nor where the engine bars connects. Just saying.
JMHO

[Inkslinger43]

Mine are connected on a piece between the floor board and the frame and on a piece that is above the radiaitor but it has a small pc with two holes coming down and the engine guard connects to it.
I have a heal/toe shifter and there's NO issue with it even being close to creating an issue with shifter.
I also have a suicide shifter on with no issues.
JMHO and how we mounted it. Sorry if others have had issue, I have not.
Hope this helps.

[CDNRatMan]

 pay attention to any that bolt to the down tubes if you are or have installed a Drifter Shifter as it may be in the way of the mounting brackets for the shifter......

[cja]

In my case that is not the same guard I bought, mine was from value accessories. I checked their site and seem that I cannot find it there anymore got mar 2017. Mine attaches at the floor boards and then had to relocate my horn because it uses the bolt above the rad. Maybe call them using the part number above to see if they still carry them

[kw-retrorider]

Inkslinger: Great to know this. Thanks.

I would like to see a photo of this engine guard mounted on a Drifter. You need a photo program that will allow you to compress the picture size. Max size to post is 2048kb or 2mb. One photo can't be over 2mb....so hit attach below, browse for your photo and attach it. My guess is if it doesn't go, you'll know....unless you have already tried.

[Inkslinger43]

Yes. I am saying the engine guards are one and the same. I have a 96 Vulcan and a 2001 Drifter that I've redone to tribute the Indian Chieftain. I have the same engine guard bars in both. I had another Vulcan and sold to friend to help him out and he didn't like the engine guard so I put it on the Drifter/Indian I was building.
If I could figure out how to downsize photos I'd include pictures.
Hope this helps.

[kw-retrorider]

Is this the aftermarket engine guard you guys are talking about?

http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/Custom_World_International_Highway_Bars_for_Metric_p/cwi-hwybars.htm

This is part number CWI-02-3804. The photo does show a bike with foot pegs (non-Drifter).

Again, please confirm for the good of the order. Always good to learn more and have choices!

[kw-retrorider]

cja/inkslinger: So do I read this correctly? Both of you are saying the engine guard for a Vulcan 800 classic will fit/is interchangeable with the Vulcan 800 Drifter?

Just want to be clear here. I never had them side by side and was always hesitant to order one for a classic in the event it did not fit. Please confirm and thanks.

[Inkslinger43]

I have a classic and drifter and parts are interchangeable. Also 01 Drifter I've been able to put ALOT of the Indian Chieftain parts on because they basically used the Indian blueprint for the chieftain for their 01 Drifter 800e

[cja]

Found the receipt
Engine guard Kaw. Vn 800 94-06 part no 02-3804 $115

[cja]

I picked one up for my bike just over a year ago off of value accessories in the states went on fairly easy

[CDNRatMan]

   Very well written kw, and I only have an issue with the one part of your statement,

Some on this forum have inferred that because of the shape, in a hard, sharp lead, the engine guard hits the ground first instead of the kick up floorboard. I had one of these on my 2002 and never hit the bar first,

Understanding that this is not your thought or issue, but I have one on both my 800s, of Guido's engine guards. I have ridden both bikes in some twisties. I have never yet touched the engine guard on the road, or scrapped it before the floorboards. That is the reason I switched to stainless steel in the acorn nuts on the bottom of the floorboards, they make a really good spark shower lol, much better than just the steel ones......

[kw-retrorider]

I have communicated with some of the ebay sellers who list engine guards for the 800 Vulcan and infer they have one for the Drifter. Answer I got back, was that the generic engine guard that fits other Vulcan 800 models does NOT fit the Drifter.

That said, the 35 mm one from Guido at Motosloop absolutely fits. It is a larger tube size than the factory F&S engine guard. It is also split at the top, yet continuous along the bottom; again different than the F&S engine guard. Some on this forum have inferred that because of the shape, in a hard, sharp lead, the engine guard hits the ground first instead of the kick up floorboard. I had one of these on my 2002 and never hit the bar first, but I am not be as aggressive in my riding as the person who claims he did. The installation bracket at the top needs to drilled to reinstall the horn.

Finally, here is the only other aftermarket engine guard that I know fits:
https://japan.webike.net/products/20193307.html
This one is very pricey, but goes right on and does not require you to modify it to reinstall the horn. Quality is good. The shape is a little more square than circular or hooped, but close to the bike and looks good. It it is continuous across the top and open across the bottom, like the F&S. I recently put one on my replacement 2005 800, because the settlement from insurance on the 2002 was so good, or I wouldn't have spent the money....but this one works as well.

Last, if you are patient, you may see an F&S come up on ebay, but rarely, especially if the bike being stripped has been in an accident. The engine guards fold up (the accident claimed my F&S black engine guard). The F&S is nicely shaped and continuous across the top, while open on the bottom.  Only draw back of the F&S, is you have to fabricate a bracket to remount the horn. Best of luck with your choice. 

[mittico68]

Marco if that is the one from Belgium and Guido then they are really well made and worth the funds and the shipping.....I have one on each of my 800's

Looks like they're the same. But, as far as I can see, the one on ebay is much more pricey!

[CDNRatMan]

   Well you could buy them nd if you know a welder he might make them work for you......

[Ernest]

thanks for the info guys.  I'm leaning to believe that they are different from the photos I've seen of the two.  also, when I read "fitment", it doesn't list both bikes.

The Classic 800 bars go much cheaper as well, I've seen them as low as $49 U.S. dollars.

[CDNRatMan]

    Marco if that is the one from Belgium and Guido then they are really well made and worth the funds and the shipping.....I have one on each of my 800's

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-VN800-VN-800-DRIFTER-CRASH-BAR-ENGINE-GUARD-BULL-BAR-BLACK/202280716724?hash=item2f18dec9b4:g:9NAAAMXQUShQ8Y5m

[mittico68]

I dunno if Drifters and Classics crashbars are interchangeable.
I've bought this one for ma-deuce: http://www.empmotorparts.nl/en/crash-bars/crash-bars-top-line-35-mm/crash-bars-top-line-35-mm-black/14-11-0355-bl-crash-bar-top-line-black-coated
And I can assure ya that really it's a well made crashbar and it is worth the money I've spent.

[Pete]

All sorts of suppliers say that their products fit Drifters on the assumption that they are the same as Classics.. However, in several areas they are not, and the assumption is false.
The Classic has foot-pegs rather than boards and without offering up the bars it's difficult to say, but there is no reason to suppose that they would fit.
The U-shackle arrangement for the top mounting looks a bit tacky to my eye, but ...
I prefer the Motorsloop crash-bars that are available either directly or via ebay. They are a good bunch to deal with. These crash-bars fit the "C" VN800s with no probem, but occasionally a slight fettle is needed fitting them to the "E" model due to the change in the position of the steering lock.

[Ogri]

This page seems to suggest all VN800s are the same:

https://chromecruisers.co.uk/engine-guards/461-kawasaki-vn800-classic-vulcan-drifter-engine-guard-with-built-in-pegs.html

[Ernest]

maybe someone could help.  I was  considering an engine guard for my Drifter 800  unfortunately the availability for Drifter guards are limited.   Engine guards for the Vulcan classic 800 are more available....

Are the engine guards interchangeable between the Vulcan Classic 800 and The Drifter 800?

thanks in advance for any help.

Ernest