HOW MANY DRIFTERS MADE - Finally an answer!

Started by chief, November 10, 2012, 12:12:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

badasscdn54

I am up here in Canada and there was a reply here said that the Kawasaki Drifter 800 was only available in 2000....well I own a 1999 Kawasaki Drifter 800  and from what I have found when researching this bike is that the 1999 were not available in the States, only Canada for that year.
I have no idea about the 1500's and when they were first introduced, (actually the 800's were made first).
I have changed over my Drifter to suit my tastes, but everything I changed out, I kept the original parts incase I ever thought to sell my baby!


Washbrook

Through contacts [various other forums] I can place roughly 26 Drifters scattered across Australia. Then others pop up but there is no definitive list. When I get some time I might try to track them all down.

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

49Reo

Quote from: CDNRatMan on August 17, 2013, 12:38:41 PM

thought that would be 49's new paint scheme.....

....not fond of purple polka-dots.........pick a different color.....

Location: B.C., VDR#: 666
02 Drifter 1500, 02 Softail Frankenstein Trike.."Beauty" and "The Beast"

"If you don't believe your country should come before yourself, Ya can better serve your country, by living somewhere else."  In memory, Stompin' Tom Connors
RIP

chief

That's who I was talking about. His bikes are over on the Member Pages...

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Troll

Mak, they guy I met at drift-in said he has 2 "J"s and an "R"...He was here from Australia...

Recovering H-D owner...W-650 Cafe' No excuses...Ride it or sell it to someone who will!

chief

All Kaw can do is tell you how many THEY imported. I know of at least one guy who lived in GB, has 3 Drifters and moved them back to AUS a couple of years ago... I am sure that has happened more than once.

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Washbrook

Paul,

Thanks for making a simple issue hard. Yes either kawasaki are wrong, it is a private import or the owners are wrong. Did you see the VIN? If you have their contact details try and get the VIN to see what year the bike is.

Importing a bike privately is a lot of effort to go to for a Drifter. I read of a guy claiming to have a mid 90's Drifter, aparently he got a classic 1500 and converted it into a Drifter, could the one you saw be a private conversion?

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

drifter-paul

Washbrook,
Just to complicate things further -
Back from a 3500k trip to Rockhampton, QLD and came down the coast to catch up with my folks and see a Drifter in Maryborough.
Leanne has a 2002 - chrome forks, handlebars, cylinder heads, but the history was sparce - so it may be imported.
Paul  :-\

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

CDNRatMan

  thought that would be 49's new paint scheme.....

GPS is not to get you THERE but rather to get you home from THERE

pcarrell

Quote from: chief on August 15, 2013, 18:27:48 PM

Let me qualify that... if you paint it green with purple polka-dots and add 837 led lights and cow skull to the front... it might negatively impact the value - immediately!

How did you know what I was planning?

greenbarn

Quote from: mbk on August 15, 2013, 09:06:27 AM

With the Drifters being so rare, do I lose value painting mine?  Seems like my 2004 silver/black is quite common among the Drifters, and I really want to make it a nice nostalgic Indian red - but am I lowering the value by doing so, since I'll never get it back to stock?  perhaps best thing to do is find used fenders and tank to apint so i can keep all the stock parts intact?  Mike

I agree with chief - I've seen some for sale that will be pretty hard to sell at any price, but I don't see how you could go wrong with a classic-themed paint job.
No Worries

chief

Quote from: chief on August 15, 2013, 09:48:54 AM

Well, you know somewhere down the road... perhaps long after we are gone, an original bike will be worth more than one which has been modified. But in the foreseeable future I don't think making the bike your own will have much impact on the value.

Let me qualify that... if you paint it green with purple polka-dots and add 837 led lights and cow skull to the front... it might negatively impact the value - immediately!
Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

mbk

That's good - that'll save me money buying new fenders and tanks. 


chief

Quote from: mbk on August 15, 2013, 09:06:27 AM

With the Drifters being so rare, do I lose value painting mine?  Seems like my 2004 silver/black is quite common among the Drifters, and I really want to make it a nice nostalgic Indian red - but am I lowering the value by doing so, since I'll never get it back to stock?  perhaps best thing to do is find used fenders and tank to apint so i can keep all the stock parts intact?  Mike

Well, you know somewhere down the road... perhaps long after we are gone, an original bike will be worth more than one which has been modified. But in the foreseeable future I don't think making the bike your own will have much impact on the value.
Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

mbk

With the Drifters being so rare, do I lose value painting mine?  Seems like my 2004 silver/black is quite common among the Drifters, and I really want to make it a nice nostalgic Indian red - but am I lowering the value by doing so, since I'll never get it back to stock?  perhaps best thing to do is find used fenders and tank to apint so i can keep all the stock parts intact?  Mike


CDNRatMan

  PC just shows how much I value my ride.....lol.....and it makes a really nice xmas tree.

GPS is not to get you THERE but rather to get you home from THERE

pcarrell


chief

My original post indicated how many total were sold throughout the WORLD... later an Aussie member got more info about his country... 50 99/00 1500's... no later models were imported to Australia.

While it would be nice to have a nation breakdown, the fact remains - these are rare bikes ... really rare in some places.

Slainte mhaith - Good Health - Cheers

'02 Vulcan Drifter 1500

Washbrook

I need a panadol (thats Advil to youAmericans).

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

Troll

Ok, so here's another mystery. My W-650 was built in May of 2000, and it's a 2000...my Drifter was built in July of 2000 and it's a 2001...but in fairness, it's an R not a J, so there is a big production change from J to R. The changes they made to the W-650 from 2000 to 2001 are more like the differences between a J-1 and a J-2.

Recovering H-D owner...W-650 Cafe' No excuses...Ride it or sell it to someone who will!

greenbarn

Quote from: Washbrook on July 31, 2013, 18:40:49 PM

Thanks Philip. This is a confusing, and convoluted topic based on when, where, what etc. A pity Kawasaki Japan could not come out with a definitive exact statement based on their records that would eliminate all confusion.

Confusing it further, just like in cars: The same bike in Phil's example, built in 1999 (let's say Sept.) - (but model year 2000) - , delivered to the dealer, let's say Nov '99, and let's say it's in a slow market and doesn't sell until 2002, then is titled as a 2002!  SO now what is it??  Is it a '99, a 2000 or a 2002?  As far as the DMV (and probably your insurance) is concerned it is a 2002, but realistically, it is a 2000.  I don't even consider anything but the 10th digit of the VIN - which tells the model year.  This is what determines definitively what version it is.  I've seen cars built as early as April (rarely) and June (often) that bear the next year's 10th digit designation (e.g build date 6/2003, but 10th digit "4" - takes parts for a 2004).
Quote from: Washbrook link=topic=18150.msg49612#msg49612 date=1375314049
A formal written request from Chief [Head of VDR

to Kawasaki Japan Head Office asking for a full break down by model, year and country etc might get a response. 

btw: I think that's "Chief [Chief Indian of VDR]"
No Worries

Washbrook

Thanks Philip. This is a confusing, and convoluted topic based on when, where, what etc. A pity Kawasaki Japan could not come out with a definitive exact statement based on their records that would eliminate all confusion.

A formal written request from Chief [Head of VDR] to Kawasaki Japan Head Office asking for a full break down by model, year and country etc might get a response.

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

pcarrell

#56

Both comments are correct.  Like the new model year of car is available in September, so to it is with bikes.  You can buy a 2000 model year bike in late 1999, but it still is a 2000, with whatever updates a 2000 model has, and it's titled as a 2000.  The new model year of bikes doesn't actually go on sale January 1.

Terry is right thought in that I mistakenly said no 800's were available in the United States until '01.  I must have been half asleep when I posted that because I know that 2000 model 800's were available in the U.S. and 800's arrived in Canada in 1999.


Washbrook

Further feedback:

I posted some of this information on a facebook group page [ https://www.facebook.com/groups/86884781539/10151504727976540/?notif_t=group_comment ] and included a link back to this discussion. I received this response from a Terry Rogers who is in Asheville, North Carolina.

RE: "HOW MANY DRIFTERS MADE" --Part of this comment by Philip Carrell is wrong: "The 1500 was from '99 to '05, the 800 was from '00 to '06, with no 800's going to the U.S. until '01 (though Canada got them in '00, making those like RatMan's blackout 800 more rare still)".

He indicated: "The Drifter 800 was sold in the U.S. beginning in late 1999, the color choices were Beige, or Sky Blue. My 2000 Drifter 800 was ordered by the dealership I worked at, MR Cycles, and arrived in the crate in Dec 1999."

I have no idea who is correct but thought it worthwhile posting this.  I think sometimes information gets a little confusing and contradictory, it is all a complicated research project.

Regards

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

Washbrook

#54

Griz01,

Based on the email response from Kawasaki Australia your summary sounds correct. He did say approximately so the numbers may be plus or minus 1 or 2 but lets say 50 all up for simplicity.  Your suggestion of the year registered in lieu of titled may be correct however the 2000 model that was mentioned could have been a J2 that was imported late in 1999 [I recently bought the then new 2013 model Yamaha V Star in late 2012]. I could go back and seek clarification but it took me long enough to get this response and I'm not sure I want to wait another few months, if they can / will tell me exact details. They were helpful and I appreciate them giving me the response they did.

If anyone is quoting something different then:

a) Kawasaki Australia gave me the wrong details [possible but unlikely]
b) The bike is a private import [something impossible for me to track down]
c) They have made a mistake, or
d) They are being creative with the truth (read - talking crap). [I see no reason or benefit for anyone doing this so not my first choice]

I read in a post somewhere of a guy [in QLD I think] who quotes himself as owning a mid 90's Drifter [pre-dating the 1999 models]. He then explained that he did a conversion of a Vulcan 1500 into a Drifter so I am not sure how to classify it and of course it wold not be in the number supplied by Kawasaki.

In case you are interested I think my Drifter is J1 607, [bike is away getting repaired so I cannot check] which if I am reading it correctly is number 607 made in 1999, not one of the first but a reasonably early bike.

Regards

Man of few words.
VROC 35598

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk