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Posted by Tfrank59
- January 15, 2018, 13:59:49 PMI think my shock is set at #6, I'm around 200Lbs, and the rear wheel travels quite a bit when I'm on bumps and dips. It's going to be like that. Just give whatever you have mounted over your back fender plenty of clearance, or it will probably hit it possibly damaging or at least scratching the fender.
Posted by rob f
- January 15, 2018, 13:24:52 PMCan't see what the shock setting is now but will check it out when i remove the pivot mechanism to replace the sheared off grease zerk. Apparently it goes up to 7. I am under 180lbs and never carry passengers so I should be able to stiffen it up with not to much cranking.
R
Posted by jmbo
- January 15, 2018, 10:54:05 AMQuote from: rob f on January 14, 2018, 09:15:09 AMI am sure you can stiffen up the rear suspension however at some point it will effect your ride. Stiffening the ride will not effect the suspension travel under extreme conditions. Might be best to deal with the limitations as they exist. At one time there were Drifter luggage racks available for sale. Might want to find some photos to get ideas.jmbo, can this cantilever motion be dampened by tightening up the shock? I see that there is an adjustment of some kind but not sure how effective it is. is there an aftermarket air shock available?
R
Posted by rob f
- January 15, 2018, 08:45:44 AMFormer Calgarian, Ratman. Moved out in '72 and only head in for Kijiji shopping. Beautiful city but too many people for me.
Living in the wilderness now for 46 years and have earned my "Alberta Redneck" badge.
R
Posted by Tfrank59
- January 14, 2018, 21:32:40 PM Well I'm not Canadian but I don't want to cover my beautiful back fender either which is why I went with a slim swingarm bag 
Posted by CDNRatMan
- January 14, 2018, 18:47:52 PMQuoteA shame to cover up that beautiful fender anyway.
amazing such words of wisdom from a Calgarian....amazing...I been saying this for years why cover those fantastic fenders...........
Posted by rob f
- January 14, 2018, 18:24:15 PMThanks for the pics KW but after consideration I am ordering a rack set from OR that attaches to the seat.
A shame to cover up that beautiful fender anyway.
Posted by kw-retrorider
- January 14, 2018, 15:41:12 PMrob f: Following up on my previous post....the Drifter with the Saddlemen bags mounted to the fender. Not saying it's a great idea, but how I got the bike. Once disassembled, it was obvious this was a homemade fabrication, but not a bad one. I may play with it to get the bags lower and space them off the fender better....but to your question on mounting to the fender:
- as the others have said...not the usual, but can be done.
- this seems to be a fairly secure set-up. The angle bracket supports the bags vertically and the forward lower corner of the bag is drilled to pick up the other fender bolt.
More to follow on the new 800 and how the insurance company calculates how much our Drifters are worth
Posted by Tfrank59
- January 14, 2018, 11:01:05 AMI think if you stiffen it too much you'll just have a hard tail, which is what Kawi was trying to imitate with the stealth monoshock.
Posted by rob f
- January 14, 2018, 09:15:09 AMjmbo, can this cantilever motion be dampened by tightening up the shock? I see that there is an adjustment of some kind but not sure how effective it is. is there an aftermarket air shock available?
R
Posted by jmbo
- January 14, 2018, 08:18:29 AMGreat video. Back to the original issue. ender travel is the issue when it comes to anything hanging out braid the seat on a Drifter. Since the fenders are plastic, a miscalculation can do some damage. The specs on Drifter are supposed to indicate the travel limits on the rear suspension. I can personally attest for the fact that my 250lb butt sitting on a moving Drifter while it bottoms out on a unsuspectingly fought set of rail road tracks greatly exceeds the Drifter spec.
That said, the stock cantilevered two-up seat seems to clear the fender under even the most sever conditions. Copy thoe dimensions and you should be in good shape.
One final comment: Few of us get to see how our own bikes look going down the road. Truth is we look pretty funny. One of my friends described it as well as any. "You look like and inch worm going down the road" Other said you bike looks like "It is broke in the middle" One day I followed another Drifter on a bumpy road. They were right.
Posted by Tfrank59
- January 12, 2018, 17:09:41 PMQuote from: CDNRatMan on January 12, 2018, 16:12:46 PMWho's Tfrank?Why are you yelling at me, I was not even going to suggest it because I understand how busy you are. Now perhaps Tfrank should think about hosting an event.........
Posted by OR Seedman
- January 12, 2018, 16:39:20 PMROFLMAO...
Posted by CDNRatMan
- January 12, 2018, 16:12:46 PMWhy are you yelling at me, I was not even going to suggest it because I understand how busy you are. Now perhaps Tfrank should think about hosting an event.........
Posted by OR Seedman
- January 12, 2018, 11:29:40 AMWhat?? You have a genuine Drifter AND a Drifter Tribute bike?? Cool! LOL 
I, too wish that there were closer get-togethers for all of us out west....distance is a much greater factor out here, you know, since we all live in the boondocks....LOL. The distance I drive to work would take me through a couple states back east.... 
and no, Ratman, I do not have the time or the patience to host a Western Drift-in, especially in the summer which is by far my busiest time of year...not retired just yet!