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Posted by Ogri
- February 11, 2018, 09:59:34 AMI am officially a Drifter owner!
The seller delivered it this morning, he'd tried to get it a new MOT (road worthiness certificate) during the week but it had failed on a sticky rear brake and a misaligned headlight.He'd told me this but I was okay with it; he knocked £100 off the price. It currently has one that expires in a month's time.
Having checked it over I paid the guy and immediately set to work on freeing the rear brake (the bike rolled normally). The pistons were moving okay, it was one of the rods of the "holder" that sits in a rubber boot (that sits in the caliper.)
It eventually came out and when I took out the rubber I realised that white corrosion had formed on the inner surface of the hole in the caliper and was pushing on the boot which was gripping the rod.
I cleaned it all out, smeared a little copper grease on the bits that needed it and reassembled.
Then I bled the rear brake. One nipple was okay one was blocked; cleaned out the offending one and bled it too. I jacked the back end up and applied the rear brake a few times then tried to spin the wheel and it went round as smoothly as silk.
Headlight adjustment was by the book but I noticed the black plastic bowl had cracked and been repaired (quite well actually.) I had been thinking of replacing the headlight entirely with a pre-war Joe Lucas Prince of Darkness one and mounting it slightly higher - watch this space.
I went indoors and called up my insurers, transferred the policy from my old bike to the Drifter, then went online and paid for my road tax. I was legal!
Filled up with petrol and drove around the neighbourhood. Front brake needs bleeding but rear brake very good now. It rides straight and feels very secure and planted on the road. Very comfortable and its weight disappears when it's moving. Engine is smooth and quiet no smoke or leaks anywhere.
It's a bit shabby here and there, paint chips, a ding in the tank, a little rust on screws and bolt heads but nowhere near as bad as the other one I looked at. I'm going to bleed the front brake tomorrow if the rain holds off then go for a longer ride.
https://imgur.com/a/S0r8T
One thing I hate about it is that registration/licence plate and holder, Jeesh!
EDIT:
I just checked the lights as it's getting dark now and the Indian head mascot lights up! WOOHOO!
Posted by Ogri
- February 06, 2018, 13:32:25 PMThanks for the input chaps. The deposit has been paid and the bike arrives on Sunday! Assuming all is well I'll pay the balance and she'll be mine.
mittico68, I'll see if there are any identifying marks on the rack and report back if I find any. CDNRatMan, good spot on that front mudguard, is that from it touching the rest of the bike under fork compression? Might have to look into touch-up paint.
I'm on the lookout for a solo saddle (who isn't?) on this side of the pond so if there are any filthy metrics reading this who can help give me a tinkle.
TTFN
Posted by CDNRatMan
- February 06, 2018, 11:00:39 AMTake a close look at the rear of the front fender. But like our Italian friend has stated a nice looking 99 blackout version, only missing a windscreen. Seat is easy enough fix. Yes not a Ledrie luggage rack so not sure where it comes from. Have a listen to the valves and that would be enough.
Posted by mittico68
- February 06, 2018, 08:44:04 AMNice! A 1999 red Drifter 800, just like mine!
Go get it: the price seems good, but you could try to lower it a bit by putting the accent on those crappy marks...
BTW: I've never seen a back rack like that one. Looks like homemade, and it's nice!
Posted by Ogri
- February 06, 2018, 07:02:19 AMJust as I was starting to think I wasn't going to be able to afford a nice one, this one pops up on ebay:
https://imgur.com/a/7644B (album of pics, scroll down for more.)
It's under £2500 ( $3475 US - $4360 CAN) and is ready to go. Dealer says it's a bit shabby (seat cover, a few marks here and there) but is low mileage: under 20K - that's fine with me. He says he could deliver it to me the weekend after next once I pay a deposit (the cost of delivery) and if I don't like it he'll take it away.
Posted by mittico68
- February 01, 2018, 01:47:38 AMThat means it wasn't your turn...
Just keep on huntin' and soon or later you'll find the right one.
The Drifter is worth the time you'll take! 
Posted by CDNRatMan
- January 31, 2018, 16:41:55 PMOgri: never lose heart because you will find one, and lots of lads over in the UK who can help you find one........
Posted by Ogri
- January 31, 2018, 12:13:20 PMHello again and thank you all for the welcome. I viewed the 800 today, a round trip of 80 miles on my Yamaha in persistant winter rain.
Today I learned the camera can lie. What looked like a well cared for, clean bike was an aging rust bucket. Every fastener was covered in rust, every weld and frame part had it bubbling away underneath the paint and the chrome rims were peppered with rust spots.
Having said that, it started and ran very well (after taking several minutes to warm up) but it was obvious from looking underneath the old girl at the peeling frame paint and corroded shock absorber and linkage that the 24,000 miles displayed on the odometer were only a quarter or less of her true mileage. Bearing in mind the adage that for every problem you can see on a motorcycle there are ten you can't; I made my excuses and rode home. Luckily the sun had come out but, alas, not my wallet.