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Posted by Washbrook
- July 25, 2013, 22:03:28 PMI have been trying to get a definitive answer on how many Drifters were sold in Australia. Kawasaki Australia sent me a response today which blew me away:
----------------
Dear Norman.
The Kawasaki Drifter was imported in to Australia for the 1999 Model Year. There were approx 50 units sold in 1999-2000. There was one 2000 Model Year unit sold, sales were slow of the Vulcan 1500 Drifter model and it was not imported again after 1999.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Kind regards,
Murray Sayle
Homologation, Industry Relations & Technical Marketing Assistant
Kawasaki Motors Pty Ltd
Unit Q, 10-16 South Street
Rydalmere, NSW, 2116, Australia
---------
Based on the above I own 1 of only 50 bikes in Australia. There are probably a few which are no longer on the road so this is indeed a rare breed.
Posted by tmassey
- July 04, 2013, 19:16:11 PMlike that springer front end.....wow
terry
Posted by Washbrook
- March 28, 2013, 18:24:26 PMAl I hear was that there were not many but no-one can tell me a number. Anecdotally there appears to have been only a few hundred but verification would be nice. Know Any contacts in japan that may know?
Posted by chief
- March 28, 2013, 10:51:16 AMQuote from: Washbrook on March 27, 2013, 20:54:46 PMSorry, no idea... but I will bet there were few sold.Does anyone know how many were sold in Australia?
Posted by Washbrook
- March 27, 2013, 20:54:46 PMDoes anyone know how many were sold in Australia?
Posted by mmedur
- March 24, 2013, 22:52:30 PMI knew they were rare. I was talking to a friend the other day and the only other one either of us has seen was a 1500 at a ride we did last year. And the woman riding that was with her husband, he was on an old Indian I think it was a 1946.
Posted by Gerhardberger
- February 20, 2013, 14:41:20 PMQuote from: jmbo on November 12, 2012, 19:54:55 PMI couldn't find any 800 Drifter in Japan...Really curious... In Japan mainly 400, in Europe mainly 800s, and in the States mainly 1500s...I wasn't aware that they made a 400CC version for Japan. Here's a Japanese website that has listings for them.
http://motorcycle.goobike.com/motorcycle/bike/kawasaki__vulcan_400_drifter/summary.html
Curious...
Posted by 49Reo
- February 19, 2013, 20:17:26 PMQuote from: 45 Bravo on February 04, 2013, 23:04:29 PMI doubt I will ever get that lucky again.
I build ads for a local "buy here pay here" car lot, he keeps offering cars in trade or my drifter.
I was delivering an ad proof one Saturday morning, it was about 35 deg.f.
I was on my drifter, he started offering me a 99 dodge Dakota, with 215,000 miles.
Then a 1996 mini van with 240,000.I politely told him thanks for the offer, but no thanks.
This is my only means of transportation.AND, they only made 9000 of them.
Then he really got insistent, offering others in the $2500-$3000 range.
To shut him up, I said I would trade or a truck, he got excited until I pointed to a 2011 f150 for $18,000 with 25,000 miles.
He got pale and looked like I had stabbed him.
He said "that bike ain't worth that much!" I told him to me it is..I handed him his ad, got on the Drifter, and went or a ride...
He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....
But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..
45 Bravo
Great story! Love it!
Posted by drifter-paul
- February 19, 2013, 03:11:10 AM19 of the '99 when I got mine, new, in early 2000. I think that's all states & territories.
But I can't remember how I extracted the info - it was 13 years ago 
.
Posted by Washbrook
- February 15, 2013, 00:46:03 AMNice thread. I have not come across another drifter here in Melbourne. One of the Vulcan Group members said that the other locals would love to see my ride as most had never seen a Drifter. I will have to oblige some time soon.
I can better the deal of $1,000. FREE. Ok my father had to die and leave the bike to me so I suppose its real cost was a heck of a lot more. He only paid $1,200 for it, all original with only a sissy bar and extra lights added.
It would be great to find out how many are still around down here in AUS.
Posted by DC
- February 05, 2013, 06:58:27 AMQuote from: 45 Bravo on February 04, 2013, 23:04:29 PMHa! Good story!He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....
But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..
45 Bravo
Posted by 45 Bravo
- February 04, 2013, 23:04:29 PMI doubt I will ever get that lucky again.
I build ads for a local "buy here pay here" car lot, he keeps offering cars in trade or my drifter.
I was delivering an ad proof one Saturday morning, it was about 35 deg.f.
I was on my drifter, he started offering me a 99 dodge Dakota, with 215,000 miles.
Then a 1996 mini van with 240,000.
I politely told him thanks for the offer, but no thanks.
This is my only means of transportation.
AND, they only made 9000 of them.
Then he really got insistent, offering others in the $2500-$3000 range.
To shut him up, I said I would trade or a truck, he got excited until I pointed to a 2011 f150 for $18,000 with 25,000 miles.
He got pale and looked like I had stabbed him.
He said "that bike ain't worth that much!" I told him to me it is..
I handed him his ad, got on the Drifter, and went or a ride...
He hasn't been by in 2 weeks to run an ad.....
But since we are the only paper in this town, he will be back..
45 Bravo
Posted by greenbarn
- February 04, 2013, 21:10:30 PMQuote from: 45 Bravo on November 13, 2012, 11:58:40 AMYes the wife wants an 800.
And my daughter would love a 400..
But it will have to wait for the lottery winnings..
45, my previous offer is the same: I'll still be glad to double your money on what you paid for your 1500 -then you could go buy them BOTH a bike. ...assuming you could get another really good deal.... twice.....
Posted by Troll
- January 05, 2013, 09:51:20 AMThat's probably true...and my other Kawasaki, a 2000 W-650, is so rare here in N. America that it makes me angry when I see someone in, say, Australia chopping one...
Posted by John Hopkins
- January 03, 2013, 20:57:58 PMFirst of all I didn't think there was anyone in the world who did'nt know the phrase "What are we going to do today Brain?"
And second..
some of those 800s and 1500s were probably sold in Japan, they were certainly sold in Britain and Europe so your North American ones might be rarer than you think..
John.