Hey cobbers just joined this Drifter family ...I live in Victoria down on the peninsula will be taking possession of a 2002 1500 drifter very soon, in transit as I type....love to join up with any other Drifters here in Vic,although I'm guessing there isn't that many...well if ya Interested in a meet and greet just need to Holler cheers for now
Not many of us in VIC. Welcome. I only pop in every now and then.
Quote from: Washbrook on January 31, 2017, 18:06:57 PM
Not many of us in VIC. Welcome. I only pop in every now and then.
yes looks like the Victorian Drifter rider is a endangered species ,very rare I see but I did figure that I still haven't seen a Drifter on the open road yet,that's why I bought one ,still hasn't arrived yet hanging out....well thanks for the reply see out there sometime cheers
There are at least 2 others around, I ran into one near Chadstone, I live near there. and another outside of Lillydale on a ride. Let me know when yours arrives and we can compared them.
FYI check out: http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=18150.25
Here is an excerpt from page 2:
I have been trying to get a definitive answer on how many Drifters were sold in Australia. Kawasaki Australia sent me a response today which blew me away:
----------------
Dear Norman.
The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Kind regards,
Murray Sayle
Homologation, Industry Relations & Technical Marketing Assistant
Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd
Unit Q, 10-16 South Street
Rydalmere, NSW, 2116, Australia
---------
Based on the above I own 1 of only 50 bikes in Australia. There are probably a few which are no longer on the road so this is indeed a rare breed.
Quote from: Washbrook on February 05, 2017, 18:36:44 PM
There are at least 2 others around, I ran into one near Chadstone, I live near there. and another outside of Lillydale on a ride. Let me know when yours arrives and we can compared them.
FYI check out: http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=18150.25
Here is an excerpt from page 2:
I have been trying to get a definitive answer on how many Drifters were sold in Australia. Kawasaki Australia sent me a response today which blew me away:
----------------
Dear Norman.
The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Kind regards,
Murray Sayle
Homologation, Industry Relations & Technical Marketing Assistant
Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd
Unit Q, 10-16 South Street
Rydalmere, NSW, 2116, Australia
---------
Based on the above I own 1 of only 50 bikes in Australia. There are probably a few which are no longer on the road so this is indeed a rare breed.
Old Chastone ,my old stomping ground I use to live on Railway pde,good area....that really surprises me there isn,t more Drifters around,but I guess they may not be everyone's cup of tea,mine,s coming from WA I think they maybe pushing it,or it could be im just being Impatient ...
If yours is a 2002 model then it must be a private import based on the information Kawasaki Australia gave me. I have heard that a few have been bought in. Check out http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/1500specs.html to compare your VIN to confirm which year yours is, mine is definitely a J1. The 2002 has the larger tank which is also an advantage, I usually have to fill up every 200 km though I have gone as far as 245 on a very good day.
Quote from: Washbrook on February 06, 2017, 20:09:35 PM
If yours is a 2002 model then it must be a private import based on the information Kawasaki Australia gave me. I have heard that a few have been bought in. Check out http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/1500specs.html to compare your VIN to confirm which year yours is, mine is definitely a J1. The 2002 has the larger tank which is also an advantage, I usually have to fill up every 200 km though I have gone as far as 245 on a very good day.
Great info there,Mines a 2002 all Black with chrome in all the right spots ,but that will change....the per tank distance thing will take some getting use to as my pass bikes have gotten 350 400 k per tank..but I will get use to it...when you have time would you be able to give me the outside diameter of your engine protection Bars?really appreciate the Info...
Im Digging the old school look of your drifter and it looks to be in great condition...how many KLM have you got on yours?comfy ride?
Brownie:
You need to watch some of Washbrook's vids......he rides really fast, and he does really weird things like they all drive on the wrong side of the road at really high speed......lol..........
sitr this pot.......
Quote from: CDNRatMan on February 08, 2017, 09:34:24 AM
Brownie:
You need to watch some of Washbrook's vids......he rides really fast, and he does really weird things like they all drive on the wrong side of the road at really high speed......lol..........
sitr this pot.......
You mean like this one? http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=44642.msg100131#msg100131
:o yup.that is just one of them...and then the really cool one with the drone........
Yep very funny guys. As I keep saying, videos are sped up due to time restraints. In Aus we ride / drive on the correct side of the road.
Re the engine bar, mine is one of the original equip ones. I will measure it for you over the weekend. I think I am up around 48- 49,000 kms. Again I will have to check. I just bough a 2017 Indian Roadmaster so my wife can hop on the back so been riding that more lately.
Quote from: Washbrook on February 08, 2017, 20:07:02 PM
Yep very funny guys. As I keep saying, videos are sped up due to time restraints. In Aus we ride / drive on the correct side of the road.
Re the engine bar, mine is one of the original equip ones. I will measure it for you over the weekend. I think I am up around 48- 49,000 kms. Again I will have to check. I just bough a 2017 Indian Roadmaster so my wife can hop on the back so been riding that more lately.
Cheers mate appreciate it.....
Ok feeling a little ticked off,fairdinkum,, when I was considering buying this Bike I looked into shipping cost ,and the time it would take to get the bike here...,just to reiterate the bike coming form western OZ to Victoria,found a company that said yep we will have it here in just over a week,..cool.. ,price from sellers door to my front Door $800 smackeroos,cool,...so I go head make the deal for the Bike,ring transport company to organise pick-up and pay the fee,after all was said and done, and just about to pay with credit card ,transport company grabs me by the short and curly,s and says we need to tack on another 87 bucks ,I know not a Fortune but it is when ya playing with a tight Budget. But, I pay because my new play thing will be here in just over a week..
Yeah freaking ""right" the Bike was picked up on the 25th of Jan,I rang the transport company yesterday 10 Feb to ask,Hey where my Bloody Bike Dude.Oh hang on, we will have a look into it for you,O Gee we are so sorry sir, but your bike is still sitting in the yard in Perth western Australia,its been sitting in the Corner of some transport yard because a person couldn't do there job, neglected to enter it into there computer system,But no one was going to question why is that fine looking Piece of machinery sitting there??? ...I had a Quote from another transport company same money but they said it would be here on the 1st feb,but went with this other mob because they were meant to be $100 cheaper....good grief sorry bout the rant and long post...frustrated
Sounds like a huge discount in the cost of shipping now for sure.......
Quote from: CDNRatMan on February 10, 2017, 19:47:15 PM
Sounds like a huge discount in the cost of shipping now for sure.......
Could mean more money for accessories ,but I'm guessing there not going to part with the coin
I sympathise. I ahve been caught like this before with shipping companies.
Gidday and belated welcome to you Brownie.
I'm in NSW, 1hr north of Sydney. PM me if you're coming up this way.
Met Washbrook in 2014 when he was passing thru to Newcastle,and Leanne in Fraser Coast in Qld in 3013.
:)
wow you met someone in 3013....and here people think OZ is behind the times......
Yes, Queensland is a different time zone :o They can be pedantic too ;D
ok have to admit I had to look that up...lol......
How is the bike going?
Hi Wash,
Shitfight in April, fitting new steering head races & bearings (160,000). Mate coming tomorrow to grind a special tool out of a 36mm socket, so I can check the correct torque for the locknut on the steering stem - feels like it falls out of corners - but couldn't feel any slop when we tried to rock the forks.
Had 3 weeks in sunny QLD with my Rockhampton brother - floods overrated - but airport unusable on way up.
Trying to get some leather fringe(in OZ) to hang off the back of the solo seat.
Got some Tan pinstripe tape from o/s to redo the left side of tank, but it is a different shade to what I have now.
Replaced the V&H retainer screws on the mufflers, because I wore them almost flat on the corners.
Going to remove the wave baffles I made for the exhaust, and wrap some packing around them - they rattle in the muffler on goat tracks -(i.e. 1/2 the NSW roads).
Seen some of your vids - personally I get a little dizzy watching them, two half-trip ones at normal speeds would be even better. I need to log some of those roads for when I head down to Mexico( ;)) next summer.
How is the Gooseberry ghost going?
P.S. Leanne in QLD, had a bad pogo/wallow/whoop-de-doo crash near Gympie on her Drifter - she is recovering with inserted pins, gravel rash & physio. No loss of body parts or permanent physical reminders.
Cheers, P
G,Day realised I didn't give a up date on the 1500 ,she arrived,Yee fricken Ha it took roughly 6 weeks to get her here,but she did arrive and in good nick too,as soon as I work out how to upload pics I will,been busy,, made a back rest and luggage rack for the double up seat,and now I'm making one for the solo,and just about got my front engine/foot rest /guard, finished ..I've been on a couple of rides and Im still amazed I haven't seen another Drifter on the road ,800 or 1500,....shame really ....cheers
Thanks for the update. Sorry for delay responding, been a busy month at work. Good to hear the bike arrived even though it took so long. I actually have a rear luggage carrier and back rest that I took of my drifter gathering dust, I have no intention of using it again. If I had know I could hve saved you some effort, for a small price of course. Oh well nect time.
Paul, whlist I do not know Leanne, it is Always bad when someone falls. My drifter has been going well with no issues at all. Recently got a Roadmaster so the wife can sit up back, we are selling her bike.
Quote from: Washbrook on May 21, 2017, 01:06:28 AM
I actually have a rear luggage carrier and back rest that I took of my drifter gathering dust, I have no intention of using it again.
Any pics? I would be definitely interested...
It is all packed up in my shed. I will get it down on the weekend and take some photos.
Hi Washbrook,
Have acquired a topbox from a Nomad Vulcan owner, for PC tuition provided (starting to do some handyman work, need some luggage capacity).
Do you still have the rear luggage carrier and back rest you mentioned in May ? You were going to supply photos ?
:)
Sorry, I forgot all about it. Let me take some photos of what I have. Sorry for forgetting.
Thanks
testing one two three just testing to see if I can load pics heres a rear rack I made that takes a top box,fairley simple to make if you wanted to give it a go? just an Idea
looks good
Very rare indeed, I just picked up a 2001 model here in Brisbane, only had it for a few days and loving it. Still trying to work out how many are around. I see from kawasaki that only 50 were brought into australia. 49 in 1999 and I in 2000. So not sure where the 2001 model fits in. I noticed only one other for sale in Australia last week.
Quote from: Bully70 on October 06, 2017, 20:52:42 PM
Very rare indeed, I just picked up a 2001 model here in Brisbane, only had it for a few days and loving it. Still trying to work out how many are around. I see from kawasaki that only 50 were brought into australia. 49 in 1999 and I in 2000. So not sure where the 2001 model fits in. I noticed only one other for sale in Australia last week.
G,day Bully70,It seems getting fellow Aussie owners to reply is very rare, great to here of another owner....
Hi I'm in Coffs Harbour NSW and have a 2002 1500 Drifter that I've owned for 8 years
Quote from: Noodles on January 10, 2018, 22:09:08 PM
Hi I'm in Coffs Harbour NSW and have a 2002 1500 Drifter that I've owned for 8 years
G,day Mate ,,,2002 same year as mine is it black?
Quote from: Brownie on January 12, 2018, 20:49:42 PM
G,day Mate ,,,2002 same year as mine is it black?
Yep sure is, with just about every extra imaginable
Quote from: Noodles on January 13, 2018, 15:54:41 PM
Yep sure is, with just about every extra imaginable
Can you throw a pic up on here,? sure would like to see it.......
where?
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 18, 2018, 00:22:28 AM
where?
Sorry, can't upload it on my iPad or iPhone, it says my file is too large.
Welcome Noodles,
Try resizing the pixel density.
I'm near Gosford, NSW.
'99 Drifter 1500 from new, 167,000k.
Noodles, welcome to the forum. Max file size to attach a pic is 2048 kb, I read. So maybe your I-device can resize it that small? I don't know, I don't have an apple so can't help you on how to do it.
Welcome, again.
Hope this works
Very nice , good looking Drifter
Very Nice