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Posted by kw-retrorider
- September 16, 2017, 05:38:14 AMjmbo: Very nice logos....like the gold Drifter and the Drifters by Kawasaki. Are these available commercially? I can see you did some of them to compliment your paint scheme....would have to be careful putting some of these on the stock paint job.
Posted by greenbarn
- September 15, 2017, 21:23:21 PMLet me start by saying I don't have any issues with anyone doing whatever they want with their bike - I think it's great that these bikes are such a personalized piece of equipment.
When I got my first Drifter, I was really enamored with the Indians, so I did Indianize the bike to some extent. At that time, there was no Indians being produced, only the nostalgic reminiscence of the Indian. Once Polaris came out again with the new Indian, then (for me) the thought of Indianizing my bike lost it's luster. Not that I don't like the new Indians - they are fine - it's jut that (for me) it was more romantic to dress up my Indian Tribute bike like an Indian. Now that there is current Indian in production, I don't have any interest in confusing my bike with the current Indian. I consider the Drifter to be a tribute to the original Indians -- but me personally, I would not want anyone thinking I was building my Drifter to be a modern-Indian tribute. That's just me, though - I have no trouble with anyone making theirs up to be an Indian if they want- they're making the payments, LOL, and they have to ride on it!! 
(now, I do think it's shitty to go around TELLING people it's an Indian when it really is not) 
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 15, 2017, 13:13:21 PMGreat looking logos. Did I see those on eBay for sale? Mock Indian? come on let's be a little bit more diplomatic and call it an Indian tribute . By the way in my view that designation could apply to any Drifter
Posted by jmbo
- September 15, 2017, 09:22:14 AMEach to their own on the Indianizing thing. Personally I have never been a fan especially since the new Indians came out. Let's face it Drifters are rare bikes. The manufacturing numbers prove it. While I am not a fanatic on restoring my '99er, keep it a Drifter versus a mock-Indian makes sense to me. I agree tank logos are necessary. That's why I made my own....
Posted by mittico68
- September 15, 2017, 08:29:16 AMQuote from: kw-retrorider on September 15, 2017, 04:02:58 AMMittico - There's the two into one part of the exhaust that goes with your muffler if you had bought the whole thing from Japan......
I see.
But if I'm not mistakin', those header pipes are quite different from the japanese version, and I like them much more!!!
And just to answer the question of TFrank: in the very beginning, I wasn't willing to make any change as I liked the way the bike was; but time after time, I started to make some mods and so I have turned it to a much more "indinized" bike...
But I think I won't apply any "indian" script. I just prefer to let people think she is a Indian and ask me explanations, so I can tell them: "no, that's not a Indian. That's a Kawasaki Drifter"!
As someone else has already told, to each one his own...
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