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Posted by John Hopkins
- July 08, 2013, 06:47:15 AMQuote from: CDNRatMan on July 05, 2013, 19:21:50 PMI was on my way home from my Iron Butt run yesterday and I stopped for a broken down Harley, I think I had enough stuff with me to get him on his way but he had already called for vehicle recovery and wouldn't let me take it apart in case the recovery people objected..I have always made it a point to stop if I see a bike parked on the side of the road. Just to check see if they need help. Most times it is nothing and they are just stopped for some minor reason or other. One day I'll get to really help someone....
John.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- July 05, 2013, 19:21:50 PMI have always made it a point to stop if I see a bike parked on the side of the road. Just to check see if they need help. Most times it is nothing and they are just stopped for some minor reason or other. One day I'll get to really help someone....
Posted by Troll
- July 05, 2013, 18:25:50 PMYeah, old men and old bikes...would you have traded your experiences for anything? I had a coil go bad on my '78 in Indiana on a Sunday. I bunch of ABATE of Indiana bikers stopped, got me a coil, and waited "till I was on my way...wouldn't take a cent...I've been an ABATE member since 1979....I always try to help people...it's money in the bank of Karma...
Posted by John Hopkins
- July 05, 2013, 18:13:50 PMQuote from: Troll on June 02, 2013, 14:07:52 PMI remember the first time I replaced one of those old selenium stacked plate rectifiers with a solid state silicon rectifier..that must have been in the sixties..I would ask you, though...have you ever had to reset the points while you were on the road, or find a set of generator brushes? How about adapting a Delco voltage regulator?
John.
Posted by Washbrook
- July 04, 2013, 21:50:13 PMHere's another perspective, I can afford to buy an Indian, new or old, if I want [Not sure how the wife would react but that's not the point]. I own my Drifter and love it more every time I ride it. It is not Indianised and I am happy to leave it so, Drifter decals displayed proudly on Bike and vest.
I do not object to people doing whatever they want to with their bikes but Indianising the Drifter is not for me.
Posted by tmassey
- July 04, 2013, 20:56:32 PMi have an 80/100 yellow bulb on my drifter.....i love it.
terryPosted by CDNRatMan
- June 04, 2013, 09:51:28 AM 
Nanook does your Citroen have the yellow headlights?
Posted by DC
- June 04, 2013, 06:59:08 AMQuote from: Nanook on June 02, 2013, 10:04:56 AMCool stuff, Nanook!I have a 1972 Citroen DS 21 wich has been my daily driver for a few years, got a 1961 vespa that is getting the same treatment, a 1971 velosolex, 1963 ski-doo
Posted by Gerhardberger
- June 03, 2013, 06:10:28 AMNice bike, nice colour....Quite similar to mine, and I have it fully "Indianized"
Posted by John Hopkins
- June 02, 2013, 14:39:49 PMOk, I have to agree with chief, I love the look of the Indian Chief but I want the reliability of a modern FI, easy start, shaft drive bike.
Having said that, my Drifter has Spirit of Indian on the tank, the 1500 decals removed from the sides and the word kawasaki blacked out on the speedo housing..
When people say, "Is that your Indian?" I say yes.
John.
Posted by Troll
- June 02, 2013, 14:07:52 PMJust let me add my $.02....IF I could afford it, I'd own an older bike again. I crossed the country many times on late 40's to early '80s H-Ds. I would ask you, though...have you ever had to reset the points while you were on the road, or find a set of generator brushes? How about adapting a Delco voltage regulator? Oil leaks, and chain adjustments..lubing the chain every 500 miles, etc. are just part of the game...A kiwi Indian is probably what I would choose, rather than a real Indian, but only because they are made with modern materials on modern machine tools.......Just a side note, for the second time in 2 days somebody asked me if my Drifter was a Victory...go figure.
Posted by greenbarn
- June 02, 2013, 13:08:32 PMQuote from: Nanook on June 01, 2013, 21:52:18 PMI'll have to admin, Nanook, I bought my drifter for the same reason you did. I looked for an old indian for a couple of years but I never found anything cheaper than $5000, and those were basked cases I figured had a slim chance of ever finding the needed parts and time for them to ever see the road again. Now that I have the Drifter, though, I agree with Chief that if i ever were to get my old indian, the drifter will stay parked right next to it. Don't get me wrong, I would definitely ride the indian too, but I'd do the longer trips, and 2-up riding on the drifter. Still want to get that old Indian Chief some day, but they are getting more and more out of my price range.Ok, got to be honest here! If a had 30 000$ I would'nt be here, but probably on a vintage indian forum somewhere talking about my '47 chief. al of the back rest, luggage rack, saddlebag, harley airfilter cover windshield, deer whistle, and the vulcan crest and installation of the indian vinyl decals.
Posted by chief
- June 02, 2013, 10:27:35 AMI agree... everything I buy I buy to use.
Since I don't enjoy roadside repair "adventures", I tend to use my older machines closer to home. Of course cellphones, gps' and modern tech has made the use of vintage machinery less of a problem.
Posted by Nanook
- June 02, 2013, 10:04:56 AMI agree a 100% with you chief. But I see it a bit different. When I buy an antique it is not as a museum piece but it is to use it at it was designed to, but I must say that I'm quite at ease with mechanics. I have a 1972 Citroen DS 21 wich has been my daily driver for a few years, got a 1961 vespa that is getting the same treatment, a 1971 velosolex, 1963 ski-doo.....all those motor vehicule are getting regular use, I'm really sad when I see an antique vehicule that get more polish time than driving time.....but that is my philosophy! They were engineered to be ridden and that shall be their destiny!
Posted by chief
- June 01, 2013, 23:42:51 PMPersonally, I would never, ever have a 1947 anything as my only bike. I like the vintage look but I want modern technology and reliability. I'm pretty utilitarian... I don't buy collector guns you can't shoot, nor collector bikes you really can't ride.
So, for me... even if I had a 1953 Chief in my garage... sitting next to it would be my 2002 Drifter.
Of course, if I had the bucks... I'd own a few hundred bikes... we all have dreams I guess!