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Posted by Pete
- September 27, 2017, 08:11:49 AMQuote from: Hoggy on September 25, 2017, 17:51:36 PMQuote from: Pete on September 25, 2017, 03:43:00 AMLOLI second RatMan's "WOW people". Next thing you know somebody will say "I didn't know it had a neutral finder"!
A what?
Posted by Pete
- September 27, 2017, 08:10:27 AMQuote from: OR Seedman on September 25, 2017, 09:44:17 AMThere is something in what you say, but no, I don't always jump on people, I try and help especially when it is an obscure, rare or difficult problem, or something outside the questioner's experience and then I will offer help if I can.WOW Pete...way to jump on people for asking questions....do you respond that way to every question you get asked...ie, go download a manuel? and by the way, I think my house(s) are probably the most expensive items I have purchased, along with my other vehicles and a college education....This is a forum where people are suppose to ask questions about their bikes...and not get a condescending response..
I've benefitted from advice from this and other fora, and in turn provided help; I've even given away a couple of gadgets that I made to help with lubricating the suspension, the odd spare, a back-rest for a dual seat and CAD files with my pannier bracket design to a couple of people to make hardware for themselves, or to use as a start for their own designs using the plotted pick-up points. On several occasions I've drawn up circuit diagrams for people with no experience of electrickery and written out step-by-step test procedures for people who have no electrical experience. This very afternoon I'm going to take some of my specialised tools to a chap who lives a few miles away and help him with rebuilding the chassis of his LE Velocette (it's worth looking up, an odd but interesting design - and no, this man isn't a friend, we just got chatting at a lecture a few months ago, and knowing me for a fellow motorcycle enthusiast asked for some help).
But sometimes, when I'm in a grumpy mood after a shitty week, then I might get a bit terse with the lazy, those who expect other people to make an effort to answer their questions before they have made at least a tiny little bit of effort to help themselves, the sort of person who asks what their tyre pressures should be.
It isn't as though there isn't a link to the free manuals on this very forum. The link is out of date because the page has moved, but all one has to do is dial in VN800 Drifter and there is a download link. Failing that, if anybody wants I'll set up a Dropbox link and put a copy of the Ower's Manual in it.
And by the way, ref your house, that's why I wrote "... one of the most expensive..."and not "... the most expensive ...", but that's cognitive bias for you.
And Manuel is a waiter from Barcelona. 
Posted by Hoggy
- September 25, 2017, 17:51:36 PMQuote from: Pete on September 25, 2017, 03:43:00 AMI second RatMan's "WOW people". Next thing you know somebody will say "I didn't know it had a neutral finder"!
A what?
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 25, 2017, 11:18:41 AMOK my WOW was only because it has not come up more often.
My house was the most expensive thing I ever bought, well perhaps my wife after you calculate the cost of my freedom and the divorce.....then it is her was the most expensive mistake in my life........but the Drifter was my best buy in my life.....and still learning about it .....
Posted by OR Seedman
- September 25, 2017, 09:44:17 AMWOW Pete...way to jump on people for asking questions....do you respond that way to every question you get asked...ie, go download a manuel? and by the way, I think my house(s) are probably the most expensive items I have purchased, along with my other vehicles and a college education....This is a forum where people are suppose to ask questions about their bikes...and not get a condescending response..
Posted by Pete
- September 25, 2017, 03:43:00 AMI second RatMan's "WOW people". Next thing you know somebody will say "I didn't know it had a neutral finder"!
Your motorcycle is probably one of the most expensive purchases that you make in your life, so RTFM, you know it makes sense.
There is no excuse. The Owners Manuals often appear on ebay, and if you really can't afford a couple of £ / $, there is a link on Kawasaki's own website where you can download for free, so if you are reading this, you can have an Owners Manual.
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 20, 2017, 19:06:55 PMOkay thanks got it
Posted by Troll
- September 20, 2017, 15:46:19 PMQuote from: Tfrank59 on September 20, 2017, 13:50:01 PMThat's really good information Troll thanks. Early in the summer when my battery went bad I was wondering if it was because I had a faulty charging system and I didn't know what you just said as a way to check it. One thing I'm a little unclear on with your explanation is if it's the battery feeding the headlight how can a bad charging system fail to energize the headlight?
The relay won't be energized, so no headlight.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 20, 2017, 14:56:47 PMI remember the first winter that I was working on the bike and had done some wiring, never noticed that the light was not on with just the key, heck I am sitting on the bike not looking at it. So went to check the wiring and turned the key had power and lights everywhere but the headlight.....panic near set in as I was checking everything and not figuring out till I asked the question. Then felt good about it, was a good learning experience.
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 20, 2017, 13:50:01 PMThat's really good information Troll thanks. Early in the summer when my battery went bad I was wondering if it was because I had a faulty charging system and I didn't know what you just said as a way to check it. One thing I'm a little unclear on with your explanation is if it's the battery feeding the headlight how can a bad charging system fail to energize the headlight?
Posted by Troll
- September 20, 2017, 12:57:13 PMI don't want to get into a technical discussion about the headlight circuit, but...The relay has a latching circuit that is triggered by voltage from the charging system. Once the charging system is making power, the headlight relay will be energized...BUT, the power from the battery is feeding the headlight. If you shut off the engine with the kill switch, the headlight will stay on. If you then shut off the key, the latching circuit is deenergized, and the light goes off. This is a good design for two reasons. The headlight is not taking current during the starting phase, and if the charging system is inoperative, you will know it because the headlight won't come on.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 20, 2017, 12:19:56 PMI also questioned it when I first bought the Drifter, and was told by everyone that it was normal. I never paid attention to which side it was, but I know mine does it and it is not a big deal, almost habit now to just touch the indicator switch to turn it off before starting bike.
Posted by OR Seedman
- September 20, 2017, 07:51:16 AMTurn signal coming on when the key is turned on is normal? never had that occur on any other motorcycle I have owned before....guess Drifters really are unique! 
Posted by Tfrank59
- September 20, 2017, 00:24:47 AMSorry my bad I was thinking of my Goldwing I guess The Drifter headlight doesn't come on until it's running haha
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 19, 2017, 23:37:01 PM 
WOW people, the headlight only is supposed to come on once the engine is started, and as for the turn signal that is also normal.
attached from the owner's manual.....