Indianized Drifters

[Varooom]

I've had auto mechanics come drool over the styling and then say, "And it's got the Vulcan drivetrain; bulletproof and so far advanced from the other V cruisers..."  Wonderful feeling,
Varooom

[annieoakley]

Ha!!! The Pretendian...too funny I like it!

[amishart]

There are virtually no after market parts for the 800 Drifter and very few for the 1500. You make em look like you want to. It's not old school its real school. Each one is its own custom.

[badboy194]

Funny story.  I parked my 1500 Drifter at the local HD dealer, and when I came out 2 of the mechanics were drooling over my Drifter.  I watched them for @ 2 min laughing to myself.  When I walked up one guy said nice Indian. I smiled and told them it was a Kawasaki.  They had the funniest look on their faces. Now these are guys wearing all the factory certified patched of Harley.  I guess they didn't know Indian didn't use a drive shaft. My Drifter is bone stock with Kawasaki tan bags and seat.

[topherloaf]

Fender lights were on most of the big bikes in the Indian era. I've seen a number of harleys with old indian fender lights... 60's and 70's vintage. And, when I find the right one I'll put one on my drifter.

We do sell the Indian fender lights - they are big and they look good when appropriately placed on the fender.

I might say, I use HD stuff on my drifter too... if it looks good I don't care what brand it belongs to... LOL

Cheers.

That's funny because I'm almost done creating the brackets and mounting hardware for a Harley Davidson Road King sundowner two up seat.  How's that for just plain weird???    By the way, 1/4 inch heavy steel, HARD to work with. 

[Varooom]

Want your drifter to look like a real Indian?  Leave it out doors and never wash it and, in about ten years, you'll have your wish!  Those guys wanted cheap, fun transportation and anal retention and compulsive behavior hadn't been invented yet.
Varooom

[khanawalt]

I call my bike "The Pretendian."

[topherloaf]

My reason is probably the same as everybody else, I like the look and to me it's a nod to the older Indians.  I'll tell you what, I'm just lucky enough to have a motorcycle to call my own anyway.  I'm a college student with SHALLOW pockets, half of the fun is actually building the stuff I cant afford or don't want to spend the money on.  For instance, yes, i have the Indian badges that are hand made, Indian head fender light, an HD switch on the dash for MY convienence and because I think it looks cool, Indian floorboards, a belt drive in the works, a HD roadking sundowner seat I'm still making brackets for, and I am halfway through a tank bib that I'm tooling from leather myself.  It's not about, "well it's an Indian" to me. It's just plain old fun and I like the looks.  I tell people it's a Kawasaki, they're usually impressed at the work.

As a side note, I've only ever run into ONE HD owner who thinks you're lame, stupid, not cool, etc for owning anything but a Harley and when I asked him then to give me the money to buy one because I can't afford it, he stopped cold in his tracks, and said i had a good point.  All the other HD owners I know just want everybody to ride on SOMETHING.  Fun is fun.  That's why we ride isn't it?

C

[amishart]

I bought mine as a stock Kawasaki, and I've tried to make it look like an Indian ever since. My first three Harleys I made them look different to. If ya got to explain it to someone they just won't understand. So it's best not to try.

[buzzard]

i own 2 drifters a 2000 and a 2001 i also have a 02 indian scout and a sporty with a hack on it, and both my drifters are indianized , just like the look ..its more of a tribute to my 2 grandsons who are half onieda indian. my drifters are more indian to me than my ( indianized, harley ,s and s ,cmc , scout!!)

[chief]

In my time, I've seen plenty of Indianized harleys!  My Dad would have shot the owners, but its purely a tribute to the original IMHO.

[roddman]

Hmmm...why indianize your drifter ?? ..well mine is and i got just as many folks thinking it was an indian when it was factory stock than with the wide whites and indian trim ....all the harley riders love it and i have to tell 90% of them what it really is and they still like  it ... i also have a 40 ford streetrod and i love the retro indian styling with all the modern technology so i'm not stuck on the side of the road waiting on an antique part to get me rolling again ...my ford didnt come with a one piece windshield or an auto trans and a 300 horse small block chevy either .... like most folks here we dont like having the same thing everyone else has so we customize them ....and as far as i know i paid for the bke and the paint and indianizing so just quit lookin at em Chris !! lol...           

[chief]

I think it wouldn't be such a contentious matter were the Indian brand not currently producing bikes. I think you would get the same comments if you were applying HD tank badges etc. to the Drifter.

Everyone has the right to do as they wish to personalize their bike. There are a lot of unique looking drifters around, many are "Indianized". If that is what you like and want, go for it.

[tmassey]

Kawasaki made it to look like an indian...we are just personalizing them, just as a indian resembles an henderson and so on and so on.

someone out there has their boxers in a bunch.

[klake1]

I like the look of the indianized drifters better than the factory look. That does not mean that it is better, just that I like it better. That said, mine is indianized, I did not make it that way, that was how  I bought it. Mine has a very exspensive paint job on it, I contacted the painter and they said that the same paint job would cost $2,500 today. If youy ane to see what my beautyful bike looks like go to the photo gallery and see it there, it is under "KLAKE1".  If I would have bought a bike that was factory, I would just do a few things to it, probobly would put on a fender light , but not an indian head one, I deffinately would take off the Kawasaki badges and whitewall tires, other than that I probobly wouldn't do anything else.

[1999 Drifter]

I couldn't say it better than it was said before

Thanks but no thanks I will take yesterdays look and todays technology

[chief]

<LOL> Of course... I do that a lot... I have one of my wife and I together when we were 18... we didn't meet until we were in our 30's and she's 3 years older than me... she loves it.

Cheers.

[khanawalt]

The relationship between the original Indian and the Drifter will always be there.

Here's mine back in '44.

That's cool, you photo-shopped a Drifter in there?  Nice touch.

[chief]

The relationship between the original Indian and the Drifter will always be there.

Here's mine back in '44.

[Slick]

I like my Drifter for what it is a : Drifter / Classic / Retro bike. Mine was bought used and came with a Indian head fender light and it will stay till I find a fender light I like better. I will not debage mine nor will I Indianized it either and I won't berate anyone who does. I try to build on the retro style. I have read that the best looking Drifters are the 800's because of the suspension system is unseen and that is a nice feature. I'm also aware that black and chrome is a very favorable color on these bikes. These are opinions. I searched 3 years for the bike I have now. I get allot of complements few from the HD crowed and I don't care. I have a machine that will ride me into the asphalt. The Drifters are starting to go up in value and that is cool also. I try not to bike bash and appreciate all there is out there.   Now those little scooters.....

[bullride28]

NICE can of worms

[pcarrell]

Thats a good lookin' bike ya got there!  Love the "vintage" effect of the pic!

[chief]

Looks good.

Cheers

[khanawalt]

Here's a pic of my Drifter with the fender light:

[DrifterMedic]

Mine a 99 1500 was "Indianized" when I purchased it....I was actually lookin for a VTX 1800 when this bike kept poppin into the search engine...and the difference in price points was phenominal.....  Took the ride to the dealer a long way away....and test rode the bike with no other intention than gettin out of this area for a few hours....The ride was so good that I never looked back, and been ridin ever since...Ive had one or two onlookers make the remark "Nice for a fake Indian"...to which I reply....Its not an Indian, its a Drifter....and by the way what are you riding.....hmmm nothin......take care....

All I can really say is be happy if you are riding...cause lots of folks arent....

FIDO....

Bruce