We limit access by GUESTS to protect our members from spam, hacks and trolls. Please register to gain access to all our resources.
Posted by bullride28
- November 10, 2009, 17:26:49 PMNICE can of worms
Posted by pcarrell
- September 09, 2009, 08:26:43 AMThats a good lookin' bike ya got there! Love the "vintage" effect of the pic!
Posted by chief
- September 08, 2009, 23:56:27 PMLooks good.
Cheers
Posted by khanawalt
- September 08, 2009, 22:00:26 PMHere's a pic of my Drifter with the fender light:
Posted by DrifterMedic
- September 08, 2009, 15:50:20 PMMine a 99 1500 was "Indianized" when I purchased it....I was actually lookin for a VTX 1800 when this bike kept poppin into the search engine...and the difference in price points was phenominal..... Took the ride to the dealer a long way away....and test rode the bike with no other intention than gettin out of this area for a few hours....The ride was so good that I never looked back, and been ridin ever since...Ive had one or two onlookers make the remark "Nice for a fake Indian"...to which I reply....Its not an Indian, its a Drifter....and by the way what are you riding.....hmmm nothin......take care....
All I can really say is be happy if you are riding...cause lots of folks arent....
FIDO....
Bruce
Posted by chief
- September 08, 2009, 15:39:56 PMFender lights were on most of the big bikes in the Indian era. I've seen a number of harleys with old indian fender lights... 60's and 70's vintage. And, when I find the right one I'll put one on my drifter.
We do sell the Indian fender lights - they are big and they look good when appropriately placed on the fender.
I might say, I use HD stuff on my drifter too... if it looks good I don't care what brand it belongs to... LOL
Cheers.
Posted by pcarrell
- September 08, 2009, 14:20:34 PMIf it makes you happy, ride with pride my friend!
Posted by khanawalt
- September 08, 2009, 12:40:05 PMI bought a '99 a couple of weeks back, all black, already debadged. I love the retro Indian look. I wasn't planning on a fender ornament for the very reasons you stayed, but with those Roadhouse duals I thought it needed a touch more chrome up front, found one on ebay for $30 and bolted it on Friday. I love it. I get even more positive comments than before. No, I don't let people think it's an Indian, but it looks like one, and is better in every way. FWIW, I ride a fake Ducati too, but will not be putting any ornaments on my Superhawk
Posted by pcarrell
- September 06, 2009, 21:38:21 PMDrifter Queen,
Don't sweat it........I'll be mounting my fender light this winter.
Philip......another poser
Posted by Kim Hoover
- September 06, 2009, 21:21:38 PMI have the indian head fender ornament on my bike for a couple of reasons....1) it's my bike and I paid for her...2) I like how she looks with the fender ornament.....3) to each his own in preference on anything in life. There isn't any reason to call people names or try to insult them on something they like just because another individual doesn't. I love the look and the ride of my bike, fender ornament and all. Call me a poser if that makes you feel better about yourself.
Kim...the poser and proud of it
Posted by IndianJ
- September 01, 2009, 12:19:18 PMFirst off hello and my nick is Indian J short for Jeronimo and yes I am 75% Native American. Am I a poor copy of the Indian of old ? Naw better in some and lacking in other's. Same as my drift , I put the Indian stuff on it cuz it is allready a copy a forgery or just a dang good bike in it's on right. It's your bike do with it as you will ! I am a ex 1% and I own Harleys and a couple of drifts ride them both the same. I gave up the name game when I turned 40 and do as I please with out thoughts of imagery,enless it's an image of what I want I should say.
But then agian I could spray paint the word HORSE on a cow and ride it around town and nobody would ask why I was riding anything but a horse in the street. (I think its the way I look mayby LOL )
Posted by Varooom
- August 31, 2009, 05:54:26 AMI agree completely. Another example of this sentiment comes from jazz. I do a volunteer jazz program and all the time I hear jazz aficionados grousing about what is and isn't jazz. They especially like to throw digs at Smooth Jazz. I was reading a letter to the editor in Jazz Times magazine and the author said, "Smooth Jazz makes is played by jazz musicians and makes a lot of people very happy. There isn't enough happiness in the world so why don't we all just be happy that it does and give it a rest."
If your lifestyle makes you happy, that's all there is; go for it and let others do the same! (Negatively effecting others, like loud pipes do in urban areas, is another discussion entirely!)
Varooom on www.wscafm.org Friday mornings 6-9 EST - tune in.
Posted by YorZephyr
- August 31, 2009, 01:38:27 AMQuote from: pcarrell on January 18, 2009, 09:27:23 AMVery nice words. I've always loved the Drifter classic styling and I am a real fan of Indians of old. I can not wait to put that cool Indian fender light on my kawasaki. In part, because it looks cool (in my eyes) but also because it's something that I will do to make the bike my own. I will continue by adding leather strap to the grips, customize the seat with dark brown leather, and add a dream catcher to my sissy bar (already installed - looks great). This will continue for as long as I can continue to dream things up to add, change, and alter on the bike - weather it's an Indian decal, a flaming skull, or a feather. Why? Because every time I look at my bike, every time I show off something new I've done, it will make me happy. I can not think of any other reason to have a bike. Certainly, I couldn't use the excuse that it's practical!And in the end, if you can say "Yes" to the question, "Are you happy with your bike?", then I think you have a winner!
Posted by Varooom
- August 29, 2009, 22:40:13 PMMy 1999 once got the ultimate compliment. I was cruising soon up in Maine, soon after purchasing it new, and a guy in a truck asked me if it was a new Indian. I explained what it was and he invited me over to his house where he showed off his 1948 Chief! He was so impressed, as I've been, with the Kawasaki. That was back in 2000; I've got 70,000 miles on it now.
Posted by bigbike4
- June 05, 2009, 15:04:08 PMI like 99% of all the Drifter owners out there always loved the original Chiefs from the 40's and early 50's. But when the people with more money than brains pushed the price of basket case "True Indians" well out of the reach of us mere mortals, than it was time to look elsewhere.
I remember reading an article in one of the cycle rags back in 97 that it was "rumored" that Kawasaki was coming out with a tribute bike to the original Indian. The next time I went to my then Kawasaki dealer and asked if they knew anything about it. They did, but had no ship date yet, as it was still 18 months before the bike actually made it to market.
I ride my 99 1500 like the true treasure, at least for me, that it is. I have the best of both worlds-yesterdays classic styling that most other cruisers have taken at least some styling clues from, or would like to be, and todays technology. I mean think about-we have the classic good looks- those full skirted fenders, the big, heavy tires and wheels, the classicly styled gas tank and if you are like me, have none of the chrome (the early ones are powder coated black in most areas that are normally chrome) to clean, have a proven extremely reliable power plant that has parts available from now thru doomsday, modern tires, brakes and is water cooled, as well as fuel injected-at least the 1500's are. Again all proven, reliable technology. And lets not forget that we have electronic ignitions which for at least a few of us, we would not trade and ever go back to points/condensors and that constant source of aggrivation. Most people talk about the good old days as if it were truly wonderful. I remember all too well the problems and stranding points, condensors and old ignition systems brought with them.
Thanks but no thanks I will take yesterdays look and todays technology