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Posted by 45 Bravo
- August 24, 2012, 00:16:52 AMI was coming back from doing some computer work this evening, stopped at a red light, and a guy pulled up next to me, driving a gsxr 750, He was wearing a full face helmet and a neon green mohawk hot glued to the helmet.
He popped his face shield, and said nice "Drifter", i said thanks, and complimented him on his suzuki, we talked for a minute, he said his dad had a 800 drifter, but it was not his style (obviously) you don't see many green mohawks riding drifters.
the light turned green, I said see ya, and accelerated smoothly to 55, and stuck it there, he followed along for about a mile and apparently got bored (we were on a stretch of 2 lane highway between 2 towns about 10 miles apart.)
I heard him drop 3 gears and grab a fist full of gas, he passed me on 1 wheel, waving, and in a few seconds he was out of sight.
About 5 miles down the road he was sitting on the side of the road having a talk with a state boy..
I waved as i went past, cruising at 55..
I have been there, and i still enjoy the speed,and the rush of acceleration, but highways is just not were you act that much of a fool.
Someday he might figure it out.
45 Bravo
Posted by KEN.
- August 23, 2012, 11:21:58 AMGod Morning All.....There are a least 2 drifters here in Sidney BC...1500 & ...800 (mine)
see a few as they head to the BC Ferry in Swartz Bay.....KEN.
Posted by chief
- August 16, 2012, 12:24:25 PMI used to live in Walnut, Ms. no, Kawasaki won't tell us how many drifters they sold... don't know why.
Posted by 45 Bravo
- August 16, 2012, 01:10:45 AMWell, I took off a little early tuesday to burn some vacation time, and go for a ride.
About 15 miles north of New Albany, In a town called Blue Mountain (there are no mountains in Mississippi).
There is a small shop there that sells classic vw Bugs, he started carrying bikes last year, I just never had a chance to stop in.
I pulled up a couple was looking at a vulcan 1500, the owner of the place said "look another drifter" as i pulled up.
He introduced himself (Sherman Smith) and come to find out he owns a 99 1500, he just doesn't ride it much.
He showed me photos of his drifter, and photos of 3 others he has sold to people in the area.
(He is a buy here pay here place, you put a down payment on a bike (from 100 - 500 depending on the price), he parks it in the show room, you pay as you can, and he rides it about 3 miles a month, to make keep it fresh until you pay it off, and take delivery.
So within 30 miles of me i can directly account for 6 drifters, mine, his, 1 he sold to a person in Blue Mountain, another in Ripley (5 miles from him), another in Myrtle (5 miles from me), and the last one is in Walnut MS. (He is in our Gallery here on the drifter website.)
So with all these Drifters, why is no one riding them but me?
The one i saw a few months ago at the red-light is the VDR member in Walnut (he posted photos in the gallery)
Does anyone have an idea of how many 99 1500's were sold in America?
or How many Total US sales of all drifters??
thanks.
45 Bravo
Posted by DKtime
- August 12, 2012, 02:31:05 AMsorry I screwed up the link... here's a good one...
Mount Cheaha State Park
Posted by DKtime
- August 12, 2012, 02:23:54 AMWell there were at least 2 drifters at Mount Cheaha State Park here in Alabama Saturday.
my wife was on the 800 and I was on the 1500.
Posted by 45 Bravo
- August 11, 2012, 21:23:32 PMBy "parking up front" I mean with the rest of th bikes in line.
I never park near the entrance of an establishment if I can avoid it.
When riding alone and parking in a auto space, I try to Park diagonally to take up as much of the spaces width as possible to approximate the width of a car. But also leave enough room that if another bike wants to park there there is enough room.
Well the weather was nice today. Rode about 200 miles, saw many hogs, several wings, a few yamahas, and 1 Suzuki intruder.The only Kawasaki was the Drifter we went to see about in Florence al.
It's a 99 with 30,000 it does have custom paint. But only a solo seat and windshield.
He's asking $4,500. A little steep I think for the mileage.
And a reconstructed title.
Once we found out about the title the offer price stopped at 3,200.
Ride safe.
45 Bravo
While stopping for a water stop a guy on a road king (he even had "road king" on his helmet) in stick on letters.
Pulled up next to me said nice bike. He got something to drink the came out and asked what was i riding. I i told him a Drfter and explained the Kawasaki/Indian chief thing.
He liked it in general and the we parted.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- August 11, 2012, 13:03:13 PMlol at all this....you need to know that there is no cure for stupid....some people are born that way and others work hard to get to that level........
Posted by 49Reo
- August 10, 2012, 23:46:55 PMI hear ya.... seems like the only reason some people open their mouths is to change feet... I had the very same thing said to me one time; I pulled up on my Drifter, my son-in-law on his VFR 800, 2 Harley riders standing there: one would not even acknowledge us, (no great loss there) the older guy says "how do you like your Indian?" I looked at him and said" great," or some such, he said "you know its not a real Indian, don't you?" not much to say to that; some things aren't worth responding to.
As to parking around the corner from the Harleys, where they parked at that particular coffee shop, the parking lot is quite narrow there, they were all parked in front of the door, (I NEVER park near the door; too many people afraid to take more than 5 steps at a time).
My cousin parked his vintage Beemer out front at that coffee shop when he first restored it; was across the lot from the door, (keep in mind the "5 step rule" mentioned above) some lady thought she could squeeze in beside him, knocked his bike over, cost him one new (and hard to find) taillight, had to repair part of the fairing, and of course some paint.
Some peoples comments (and actions) are hard to comprehend; as one of our Forum members put it, when asked when he was going to "move up to a Harley", responded; " I owned a Harley once, been moving up ever since!" 
Regards and such,
49Reo
Posted by 45 Bravo
- August 10, 2012, 22:26:46 PMNot me Rio, I pull right up front, and park it in line like the rest of the bikes.
SO FAR, I have not had any negative comments from any riders of any motorcycles, Harley or otherwise.
The only negatives have been generic anti-motorcycle comments from car drivers, and 1 mechanic.
The mechanic story: I stopped for breakfast at a diner near my house (the SHOP TALK Diner) with a classic 50's theme, it is in front of a autoshop, one of the mechanics finished his breakfast, and on his way out stopped to look at my Drifter.
After several minutes of walking around, looking close, and finally looking at the factory tag that says kawasaki on the neck, he stood up and looked around with a satisfied look on his face...
Here is the strange & disturbing part, he waited there by my bike until i came out (about 5 minutes or so) then when i walked up to my bike he said just as serious as he can be "You do know that is not a REAL Indian" (he emphasized the word REAL).
I said excuse me? He went on to say he wanted me to know that it wasn't a real indian.. I could not believe this fool, I asked him "you do realize I bought this bike, made monthly payments on this bike, registered it & insured it in my name, i think i might have seen the word kawasaki on there someplace".
He just said " just thought you should know it ain't a real indian.." then he walked over to the auto shop to go to work.
Now this man is a mechanic, and is POSSIBLY working on someones car as we read this...
45 Bravo
Posted by 49Reo
- August 10, 2012, 21:54:52 PMI rode to a town about 70 miles from home the other day for coffee; was meeting my cousin there. I pulled up in front of the coffee shop of choice, there were 7 Harleys and 1 Victory all in a row. I parked my Drifter,(around the corner from the other bikes) while being eyed up by those who owned the other bikes. Not one person said anything, but within 5 minutes, one guy got up to go out for a smoke; (can't smoke in public buildings up here) he went out the door farthest from my Drifter, lit his smoke, and oh-so-nonchalantly sidled all the other way around the building to where my Drifter was; within 2-3 minutes, all the rest of his group followed suit; out the far door, sidled around the building to my bike, and stood looking it over for about 10 minutes. The only thing that took their interest was when my cousin pulled up on his vintage Beemer; that drew a couple of them away. It was kind of funny; seeing all these guys (and women) feigning dis-interest but all standing around eying it up. That is about the only time I have parked the Drifter and NOT had people asking about it. Oh well, to each their own. I have my Drifter, and they only have Harleys.
Regards and such,
49Reo
Posted by CDNRatMan
- August 10, 2012, 18:29:44 PMhow true.....I have lived in this town for 12 years and always am looking at bikes, never seen a 800 drifter in town yet, know that there is perhaps a couple of 1500 but never counted them. Today was chased around the mall parking lot by a guy who wanted to see my " Indian" I told him twice it was a Kawi...he said I was lieing to him.....ok ....
Posted by montreal_drifter
- August 10, 2012, 16:39:37 PMWe're a rare breed gents! I still have yet to see a drifter in real life other than my own. I haven't been riding that long but have always been passionate about bikes. I love the edge it gives us when we meet fellow riders. They're always glad and interested to see a "rare" bike. Let's continue to to show our colours and fenders. 
)
Posted by klake1
- August 10, 2012, 15:33:32 PMI live in Bismarck, ND and there are two other Drifters besides mine, one is a white 1500 and the other is a black 800. There is also a 99 or 00 1500 with a side car at a town 45 miles to the north that I saw on a bike run as we we going through town, he had dog with him in the car with goggles on.
There are very few out there but not many and having two on the same block or patch of road at the same time is almost unheard of.
I have to drive on the interstate for my job and I always keep an eye out for Drifters I think that I saw one last year, but most of what I am seeing that could be Drifters are Indians (there is a dealer in Fargo). There are not that many Indians out there either.
There have been alot of bikes on the road the past few weeks because of the Stirgis bike rally going on right now and those numbers will subside after this weekend, according the the lstest numbers six bikers have died so far this year, I alway say a prayer for safe passage as they travel the biways and highways.
Posted by chief
- August 07, 2012, 09:31:56 AMWas at the Bunganut Pig in Franklin, TN last night. There was a 99 1500 sitting in the parking lot... never found the owner. I WAS wearing one of my Drifter hats... so he never found me either. I have only see 2 Drifters in this area since 2002... so.. .