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Posted by Washbrook
- July 27, 2013, 05:24:44 AMDP, sorry prefer not to talk about SAO, we was robbed! 
Posted by Washbrook
- July 27, 2013, 05:21:50 AMDP, i know of about 8 but have only seen 1 other. I hope to ride to Canberra later this year with a drifter owner down here (not met him yet, only said hello on another forum). His friend apoarently owns several so I suggested a ride up to check them out. I'm also going to a rally in Katoomba in March then up to my home town of Newcastle, we may be able to catch up on one of these trips.
A AUS Drifter rally would be great to get as many in 1 spot as we can.
Posted by drifter-paul
- July 27, 2013, 04:49:09 AMDear Washbrook,
That Australia-wide figure ties back to my 19 registered in NSW for 1999-2000.
Victoria being approx same population (say 19) ,Queensland, say 6 population wise (I know of two in my old home town) , Perth/WA say (2) - a vague memory this is accurate, SA say(2), Nt (1), Tasmania 1 known (thru this site i think).
Keep down Mechico way mate , and you are approx 1/20 in the whole state 
.
Cause, if you come north of the border to NSW, would love to meet up. I'm Queensland born & inbred (thought I wept for NSW at the 'State of Origin' - just because it was so pitiful)
That either means we have exceptionally discerning taste, or the majority is right - mind you at one stage the majority thought the world was flat. I was initially surprised the Drifter didn't sell better, but I guess at heart we're a conservative lot.
I'll stay with my Drifter - spent $5000 refreshing and modifying it last year because I intend to have it for another 14 years. 
Posted by pcarrell
- July 26, 2013, 08:52:37 AMYou may even have Ratman beat for rarity!
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
