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Posted by kw-retrorider
- September 15, 2017, 04:02:58 AMIt's all a personal choice. People do the same thing with the Kawasaki W650....they put Triumph badges all over it. Again, personal choice....recreating a better version of the original (Indian or Triumph) including badges is a good customizing strategy and can enhance the "tribute," so certainly has its place and aesthetic.
For me, since I have one of both.....I am in the camp that both modern machines are miles ahead of what they are replicating, so for me, the improved design and engineering accomplishment goes to Kawasaki (and in the W650's case, to Meguro before Kawasaki acquired that company).
My bikes wear their original manufacturer's badges proudly....and that also a satisfying strategy.
After all, badges or no badges....what I usually get asked is: "What year is that?"
When I give them the answer of something in the 2000's, I then ask then...."Now what did you think it was?"....which always leads to an extended and positive conversation with another enthusiast. All good, both the bikes and the choices....either way in my book.
Ride on....
p.s. Yes, that is Mr. Fitzsimmons and his Indian Drifter. Can't argue the bike doesn't look good....just sayin....
Mittico - There's the two into one part of the exhaust that goes with your muffler if you had bought the whole thing from Japan......
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 15, 2017, 00:50:24 AMThat is Fitz in NJ and hands on your wallets when talking to him......lol.....
I also don't know if Kawasaki had to pay out but I know that at one time they were told to cease making the Drifter or suffer the issues of a lawsuit.
Bucko like someone told me that there is no really Indians left really on the road, but there is Polaris Indians on the road now a Tribute to the Drifter......
Posted by Bucko
- September 15, 2017, 00:44:29 AMI'm more curious about what real Indian owners think about dressing their bikes up as Drifters.
Posted by Bucko
- September 15, 2017, 00:43:38 AMQuote from: Tfrank59 on September 14, 2017, 20:33:40 PMI'd like to see a source for that.......by Kawasaki who it's my understanding had to pay damages for copying the fenders and other patented Indian brand features. ....
Posted by Old Drifter
- September 14, 2017, 21:57:36 PMI think CDNRatMan knows who that is...Fritz.😉
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 14, 2017, 20:33:40 PMCheck this guy's out 
https://youtu.be/fAv5lKzawJ4
As far as I'm concerned Kawasaki Drifters are an Indian tribute bike and they were marketed as such by Kawasaki who it's my understanding had to pay damages for copying the fenders and other patented Indian brand features. Same thing goes for modern Indian motorcycles -- when I see one to me it's a tribute to (read copy of) a motorcycle that was manufactured prior to 1953 in Springfield Massachusetts. Everything else is just a knock off of that earlier vintage machine, and I would add that they are much better than the originals in terms of safety, performance, longevity and so forth.
Posted by Troll
- September 14, 2017, 18:12:56 PMWhen I found my barn rescue, it had a few "Indian" things on it. When I put it back together and on the road, I chose to dress it with '50s style accessories and not anything "Indian" specific...my choice
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 14, 2017, 17:27:36 PM I have no issues with a person "Indianizing" their Drifter, after all it is theirs, they can do as they please, but I do have issues when they try to pass them off as something they are not, like the lad here in town, he has Indian tank badges, he removed everything Kawasaki on it, and he wears an Indian Jacket. He enters his bike as an Indian Drifter........there is no such animal, at one show the Judges were all messed up over this so I asked then to use a smartphone and type "Indian Drifter" in google and see what pops up, Drifter of course.....
So you can do what you want to your bike it is yours and so do as you please but it is a Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter....really simple.....
Posted by Rougarou
- September 14, 2017, 15:35:57 PMI'm a little on the fence about this. The Drifter I almost bought before mine had been overhauled to resemble a '48 Indian Chief, and had the proper badging and fender ornament to match. It didn't bother me, and it looked good enough to be a factory job so I'd planned on leaving it Indian-badged. My current one was stripped before I got it; the only Kawasaki badge on the bike is the one on the gauge plate.
Personally I think the Drifter is a better example of an Indian (let's face it, when was the last time you saw an Indian with 100k on the odo?) than even the Indians themselves, so I look at it like this. Why would I want my prime rib to look like an angus burger? Ultimately, though, it's your bike and you're probably the only one that will argue the point with yourself so the best course of action is to do whatever you think will look best. 
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 14, 2017, 12:37:28 PMSo which of you guys thinks this is a bad idea turning your Drifter into an Indian? I got tired of seeing nothing on my tank because somebody debadged it as a Vulcan and so I'm buying some Indian decals for it haha yes it is a faux Indian. When I explained to people that it's actually a Kawasaki they don't seem to care too much one way or the other anyway so what the heck