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Posted by tj
- October 14, 2019, 09:59:03 AMSimilar story to greenbarn, looking for an older indian...even looked at "gilroy indians". When I saw a local ad titled "indian drifter", I had to have a look. Bought it, brought it home and spent the winter rebuilding and customizing the bike. The plan was to ride it to Sturgis that same year and then sell it when I returned home....I still have it today, 5 years later.
Posted by mittico68
- October 14, 2019, 06:05:38 AMIt was back in 1999, when it happened to me to see a red 800 Drifter standing inside a bike shop, in my city.
At that time I didn't even know it existed, so I firstly thought it could have been a vintage Indian...
I remember that I was driving my car when I saw her, so I stopped and immediately made a u-turn. I went inside the shop and so it came out that was a Drifter, made by Kawa etc. etc.
After a few days, she was MINE!
I've been keeping her absolutely OEM, for a long time. But 10 years ago, I started to customize her, and the job still goes on and on...
Posted by greenbarn
- October 13, 2019, 22:20:35 PMI had been looking for an old Indian for a while. Looking on craigslist, etc. Once in a while would find a basket case for $5000, "missing parts"...." Only needs XYZ"... I thought, if "XYZ" could easily be found, the seller would already have found it and would have a restored bike, not a box of parts..... Once in a while, looking for old Indians, would find an ad for a "Indian Drifter".... When I looked into it, I figured out it was a Kawasaki Drifter, and started looking for one - had never seen one around here in the flesh.
So then I started to look for Drifters, figuring I could get an Indian-styled bike I could actually ride instead of looking for parts (the jokes on me, LOL)... Bought an 800 first, and then later a 1500 - both of which I customized to my liking over the years.
Posted by jmbo
- October 13, 2019, 19:27:31 PMI had to have one! I never knew they existed until I saw this commercial on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrbs10YiXDc&t=6s After that I decided I had to have one. I was riding a '99 Triumph TBS 900 at the time. Great bike but not exactly my style. Let's face it that a younger mans bike. I also had a '74 Triumph TR7 750. (and oil soaked pants legs to prove it)
I'm an older guy. I like older bikes. After riding a bunch of "classics" I got tired of all the "Wrench and Ride" business so like I said, I saw the Drifter ad and everything the ad mentioned made sense to me. Its a classic looking bike but built on a modern platform.
It took me better than five years to find my '99er. I live in Wisconsin (read: Harley country) I found the bike on Craigslist across the lake in Michigan. My nephew happened to lived near by so I asked to check it out. It was the real deal. Bone stock with pretty much every Fire & Ice option originally available and only 10 grand on the clock.
I quickly sold my TBS, hopped on the Lakeland Express and bought the bike. I rode it for the first time and knew it was meant to be. I ferried it back on the boat. I was late October so I only road it for a couple of days that fall. I have doubled the millage since then. Sweet bike. And now they are saying it is a cult classic. Fine by me.
What's your story?