GUEST? Registration opens up many more resources which are not available to guests. Registration is free, we never sell or give others access to your information.
Posted by pcarrell
- August 30, 2009, 08:33:40 AMVarooom, I've heard that there's a vast difference between the stock 2up and the Corbin Fire & Steel 2up. I know the Corbin moves me forward about 2 inches it seems over the stock solo, which would be bad for our tall friend here. When I have it on I don't feel the need for the risers as much.
nhtallguy538, I had a friend of mine who's 6'3" (tallest guy I know) sit on my bike with my stock solo seat on last night and he said he was very comfortable. He was sitting up virtually straight and reaching the pedals & grips nicely. The only thing I think he'd need is the streched brake pedal, then he'll be good. He's a rider too, and he is thinking about a Vulcan 1500 and wanted to see if it'd fit. He'd found one he was interested in, but didn't want to make the drive if it wasn't going to fit him. He's going to see it today.
Posted by Varooom
- August 30, 2009, 07:58:42 AMHey there Tall Guy,
You're one of the few that I look up to, literally! I'm 6' 3" and it is rare that I do so it is usually a surprise.
I've had my 1500 drifter since the first few months that they came out back in 1999 and have done some real long rides on it in total comfort. I was in Southern Florida, the Bonita Beach area, several years ago. The brush and forest fires were so bad that the State Police were closing the highways heading North from there and it was our last day in the timeshare where my wife and I had spent the week.
So, I took off and did 14 hours to get out of the state and over to Foley, AL where my parents were living at the time. Naturally, I was tired and a bit buzzed but my back was fine and it was a lovely ride.
I weigh 190 pounds and was carrying around 50 pounds of luggage; I've never added air to the shocks as suggested herein but intend to buy the no leak back pump suggested and give that a try. Setting 2 or 3 on the rebound works very nice.
Get one; you'll love the seating on the original double seat; it got rave reviews for its comfort, if not for its looks, back when it came out.
Varooom in Portsmouth, NH
Posted by aclone
- August 30, 2009, 07:55:56 AMI always know what I want for my next mod, just not how to pay for it.
mark
Posted by pcarrell
- August 29, 2009, 23:14:47 PMI'm sold! Now, all I need is cash!
Posted by aclone
- August 29, 2009, 19:27:32 PMStock bars, very easy install. All the stock hoses and cables work fine.
mark
Posted by chief
- August 29, 2009, 17:43:25 PMI have the Phat II's with the stock bars and didn't need to do any cable/hose changes.
Cheers.
Posted by pcarrell
- August 29, 2009, 15:47:19 PMaclone, I've been thinking about those Phat II's. Did you use the stock bars with that? And if so, I understand that all the cables reach with only minor rerouting......true?
Posted by aclone
- August 29, 2009, 15:11:31 PMI'm 6'2" love the floorboards like to beable to move my feet around, also have highway bars with pegs. I have found that in my case that pain in my lower back had more to do with handlebar height than seat height. On my suzuki I replaced the stock bars with 12" apes. The height made my back straighter and I could ride for hour no problem. On my 1500 drifter I have put Phatriser II from scootworks with the same result. I very happy with my drifter she looks great and rides great (single or two up). Hope this helps
Mark
Posted by chief
- August 29, 2009, 11:32:29 AMSeat height is really dependent upon the seat. The oem is about 29"... with your back I would suggest a seat with a back rest. Corbin makes one... I have a corbin double seat with a back rest and I can ride forever on it.
The rear suspension is different. Anyone complaining about it bouncing and taking bumps hard doesn't have the shocks set up correctly. It comes from the factory set up for 175 rider only. So you need to add air (with proper pump and gage). The bike rides very well once its set up for your weight. And, it REALLY does require the setup.
I added progressive springs to the front and progressive 440's to the rear, only because we used to ride two-up fully loaded and I didn't want to lug around an air pump.
I rarely have problems scraping floorboards, but I'm not too aggressive a rider either. I scrap them more on my Goldwing.
Add some engine/highway bars with pegs and you will able to stretch out on a run... but get some wide ones so your feet don't hit them ... due to your height, etc.
Posted by pcarrell
- August 29, 2009, 09:42:29 AMWelcome to the forum first off! You picked a good place to ask your questions, so lets dive right in!
I'm going to rearrange some of your sentences to group some things together, OK?
Quote from: nhtallguy538 on August 28, 2009, 22:13:51 PMHave you compared it to other Drifter prices to see what kind of deal you're getting. I mean, I know that Drifters area a limited production bike so there's not a lot to compare with, but on a general web search is the price in line with other Drifters of the same engine size, mileage, options, etc.? Just want to make sure you start off on a good foot ya know!Hello Everyone. There is a 2002 Drifter 1500 for sale in my area and I am contemplating buying it.
QuoteMost of that sounds similar to me.I have a few questions about Drifters and also just want some opinions in general from people who ride them. My story is that I started riding motorcycles when I was about 13 and rode for about 20 years until I gave it up 8 or 9 years ago. I had a couple of dirt bikes when I was a teenager and my last bike was a 1988 (I think) Kawasaki Vulcan 1500.
QuoteI'm 5'11" and 250#, so were pretty close in weight, and that will be important in answering some of these questions.One major issue I have is that I am 6'9" tall and weigh 250.
QuoteThe adjustment of the factory shocks is crucial on this bike if you're looking for the optimum ride quality. Now, you've done some homework on this, so you know that the rear suspension arm is very long, attaching to the lower middle of the bike. Because of this, on larger bumps it sometimes gives the feeling of riding an inchworm. It's not often, but some riders simply do not care for that feeling and so they write the suspension off as bizarre or quirky. This will generally show up as an unfavorable review. Thats OK though, because this isn't meant to be a bike for everybody. That long wheelbase and long swingarm work in our favor for guys of more generous proportions. That long wheelbase adds stability, and the long swingarm allows more movement of the swingarm over bumps before it hits the ends of it's swing, making for a smoother ride. Add to that, the arm attaches to the middle of the bike, and any jarring tends to be spread more evenly throughout the frame rather then right up your spine like a hardtail bike would for example................Also, I have read a few reviews where they said the Drifter rides great and a few where they complain about the rear shocks. One guy said the Drifter took bumps really bad and another compared it to riding on a trampoline. What is the general consensus on how the Drifter rides, handles bumps, rough roads, etc...........I have lots of back problems and one reason why I gave up riding was if I remember correctly it was not very comfortable for my back. ............. It is also pretty much one of longest bikes out there at 100 inches................
Now, about those shocks.......Max presure is 43psi. The factory sets them at 17psi, which they say is right for a 170lbs rider. The adjustable damper is set at 2 (out of a 1-4 possible settings, with 1 being the softest). If someone like us was to hop on a factory adjusted bike and ride off, it would bottom out on larger bumps, ride harsh, wallow in the corners, all that. When I ride solo I have the shocks set at 20-22 psi (making sure both sides are the same) with the damper set on 2. It rides like a cloud! (I have the stock solo seat (VERY comfortable) and the Corbin covered Fire & Steel 2up (hard as a rock!) that I'll be redoing the padding on this winter.) If the road is rough I'll set the pressure at 22-25psi and bump the damper to 3. If I ride 2up (my wife and I are both healthy sized people) I set the pressure at 40-42psi and the damper on 4. With the weight on the bike it's proportionate, so the ride still isn't harsh, though it is a bit more firm. Adjusting the damper is a piece of cake. Just grab the top collar of the shock and twist. The collar clicks past each setting, with a pointer indicating the current setting. It takes all of 2 seconds! The presure is a bit tougher. First, you can't use a compressor to do it. You'll blow the seals out and the shocks will be trash. Hand pump only. Also, a bycycle pump (or other such pump) is out because that little "pfft" sound that happens when you take the hose off the connection means you just lost all the air you put in (these shocks don't need much air to dramatically change the pressure). You need a "No Loss Pump", like the one Progressive sells (get the 0-60psi pump: http://www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?products_id=5619 ). You'll also have to get the rear wheel off the ground. Harbor Freight sells a nice bike jack for around $70, and you'll use it for lots of other things too. Now, jack up the bike, connect the pump, set it to your desired pressure, and let the bike down. The hole thing will take about 5 minutes, literally.
QuoteThis is a little tougher issue. I know you can get an extended brake pedal from Scootworks ( http://www.shopscootworks.com/productdetail.htm?productId=-128763&catalogId=&searchProducts=vulcan%201500 ), so maybe fabricating some way to move the floorboards forward a bit would be the solution. You'd also have to fab up a new heel & toe shifter, but that shouldn't be too hard. You definately wouldn't want to lower the boards as they are already down there a ways.At my height, I will never find a bike that fits me correctly without having one custom made which I cannot afford. The 1500 Drifter seems to have one of the higher seat heights out there at 28.7 inches according to the info for the bike on the dealers website. I did sit on the bike while it was leaning on the kickstand and it was OK I guess but again at my height, nothing will fit me correctly.
QuoteThe floorboards are down there, like I said, but you're right in that you aren't trying to play kneedragger with this bike. This is a big lumbering beast that begs for the open road. It's got gobs of torque, plenty of power, and a great suspension if set up properly, but a crotch rocket it ain't! This is a bike to relax on, not make your heat beat through your chest, right? That said, yes, I touch down once in a while on a turn, especially if the turn is off camber just right. It's all good though as the boards have some upward movement built into them and a "curb feeler" that gives you an audible warning. So far there's been no drama to it for me.The other thing that concerns me is the relatively low ground clearance due to some comments I read from a couple of people. One guy said that the floorboards can drag on the pavement in sharp corners. I did not have floorboards on my old Vulcan 1500 and have never road with them so they are completely foreign to me. It seems that with the Drifter you would be cruising around corners not flying around them which I would think would eliminate the floorboard scraping the pavement issue.
QuoteI may not be the best to ask on this. Like you, I hadn't ridden in a long time before I got my Drifter, so a lot of the bikes out there I haven't had any experience on. I can tell you it beats the snot out of a HD 1200 Sportster (too top heavy), a HD Road King (cramped bike!). I've also been on a Suzuki C90, which is a great bike, but definately would not work with your height. It has about the lowest seat height in the big cruiser catagory. I can't think of any right off hand that would be much better for taller folks.To anyone who rides a Drifter and has rode other bikes, is the Drifter with it's seat height and length one of the best bets for me in the cruiser category that will give me the best fit?
Maybe others can help you more here?
QuoteIt's a cool bike, and it's an attention getter. If you get it, you'd better brush up on your "It's not an Indian, it's better!" speach, because you'll say it a bunch!The Drifter is definately a cool, interesting looking bike! I have been looking at lots of pictures of them since I saw the one I am thinking of buying. I had no idea Kawasaki made this bike but again it is really cool looking!! Thanks for your help and opinions!!
BTW, whatever you decide, we'll still let you talk to us, so don't be a stranger!
Posted by YorZephyr
- August 29, 2009, 09:08:58 AMHi there,
I'm a really really new to riding (still.... working on my license) but I can comment on the floor boards. I've been practicing for about three weeks now and I mostly been doing figure eights on dead end streets (so I can be comfortable with the bike at slow speeds). In that short time I've already scarped the floor boards four times. Mostly,l I think, it's my lack of experience and the fact that I'm actually making an effort to go to extremes to get the most out of my practice time. I figure when I'm just cruising like a normal person I'll seldom run into that problem.
The seat? Well, my father thinks the seat is especially comfortable even though he also thinks that it's lacking in cushion. The seat I use is not the original, it's a two up with sissy bar from kawasaki. Anyway, my father normally rides a softtail with a especially cushy seat (custom covered seat), but even with the extra cushion, I too think my seat is far more comfortable (his seat makes my legs fall asleep).
Tall people? Well, I would think you be better off with a different series of bikes. I've seen many different bikes that look like they reach for the sky when it comes to seat height (I have short legs). You, of course, would be giving up on the cool Drifter look but it may be a better fit.
Posted by nhtallguy538
- August 28, 2009, 22:13:51 PMHello Everyone. There is a 2002 Drifter 1500 for sale in my area and I am contemplating buying it. I have a few questions about Drifters and also just want some opinions in general from people who ride them. My story is that I started riding motorcycles when I was about 13 and rode for about 20 years until I gave it up 8 or 9 years ago. I had a couple of dirt bikes when I was a teenager and my last bike was a 1988 (I think) Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. One major issue I have is that I am 6'9" tall and weigh 250. I have lots of back problems and one reason why I gave up riding was if I remember correctly it was not very comfortable for my back. At my height, I will never find a bike that fits me correctly without having one custom made which I cannot afford. The 1500 Drifter seems to have one of the higher seat heights out there at 28.7 inches according to the info for the bike on the dealers website. It is also pretty much one of longest bikes out there at 100 inches. I did sit on the bike while it was leaning on the kickstand and it was OK I guess but again at my height, nothing will fit me correctly. To anyone who rides a Drifter and has rode other bikes, is the Drifter with it's seat height and length one of the best bets for me in the cruiser category that will give me the best fit? Also, I have read a few reviews where they said the Drifter rides great and a few where they complain about the rear shocks. One guy said the Drifter took bumps really bad and another compared it to riding on a trampoline. What is the general consensus on how the Drifter rides, handles bumps, rough roads, etc. The other thing that concerns me is the relatively low ground clearance due to some comments I read from a couple of people. One guy said that the floorboards can drag on the pavement in sharp corners. I did not have floorboards on my old Vulcan 1500 and have never road with them so they are completely foreign to me. It seems that with the Drifter you would be cruising around corners not flying around them which I would think would eliminate the floorboard scraping the pavement issue. The Drifter is definately a cool, interesting looking bike! I have been looking at lots of pictures of them since I saw the one I am thinking of buying. I had no idea Kawasaki made this bike but again it is really cool looking!! Thanks for your help and opinions!!