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Posted by LarryInSeattle
- March 16, 2014, 00:43:05 AMI have had several large cc and small cc bikes.
1 Honda Rebel
1 Honda 350cc dual sport
1 Kawasaki 250cc 4 stroke dual sport
3 Honda Helix 250cc
1 Suzuki 400 cc maxi scooter
2 Honda Silverwing 600cc maxi scooters
3 Honda Shadows
1 750f Honda 4 cyclinder
1 750 Kawasaki 750 cc
1 750 Suzuki 3 cyclinder 2 stroke
1 1100 Honda Shadow
1 1600 Kawasaki Nomad
2 Suzuki C50 800 cc twins
1 Honda Goldwing 1500 cc
1 Harley Pan
What I have always come back to is the mid range cc motorcycles for all around riding. A good friend of mine in Kansas bought an 800 Drifter a few years ago and he seemed to get along with it quite well. I always enjoyed my experiences with the 800 cc Suzuki C50 so I thought I would try the 800 Drifter. I really like the looks of the bike. I get more comments on this bike than all of my other bikes combined over the last 30 years. Everyone asks about it. Just the way it the bike looks.
I wish it had a larger capacity gas tank and the 800 requires some funky stuff to haul gear, but I have figured out a way to over come those issues and I just really enjoy the bike.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- March 16, 2014, 00:09:34 AMlast bike I owned was my 1980 H-D FXS Lowrider.....when I started to look for a new ride was looking for an H-D, but living here in the north I could not justify the cost for a new one, could not find a used one close to one I wanted, then the whole thing of people who were riding them now were not what I was after (another subject), so looked at a Valkyrie but was too hard on my knees and ankle, then was looking at a Ural. Then one evening I was surfing Kijiji and saw a 2004 Drifter 800 2 hours south of here, so.....the weekend came and there was a Red 800 in the same town went and looked and came home with my 99 Drifter 800. No regrets no what if thoughts......perfect for my knee and my ankle so that is that......and I do so like the style and the looks of the bike. An once more I am not in the main stream of things ....lol.......
Posted by John Hopkins
- March 15, 2014, 23:16:01 PMI get real enjoyment from my Drifter, Kwak reliability, comfort, that one off look, I ride my Drifter more than I ride my other bikes..Honda Shadow, Yamaha YZF-R1, I've owned many bikes over the years, I loved my V-max and my BSA Golden Flash, The old Ariel Square four, the Matchless G11, The BSA Empire Star, in fact I can't think of a single one I didn't like..I had three Shadows last year, I've sold two of them, will probably sell the last one and may even sell the R1, but I think I will keep the Drifter..
John.
Posted by greenbarn
- March 15, 2014, 22:00:41 PMI wasn't wanting a Drifter, at least not at first. I had ridden motorcycles before several times in my life - street and dirt bikes- and have owned several quads- racers and utilities both. But I'd never owned motorcycle. My dad has restored numerous bikes, mostly old Cushman scooters and Trucksters and a couple of Mustang's (motorcycles, not cars). I've always liked old bikes and cars, so I wanted an old bike to fix up, a BSA or Harley, or Triumph, but mostly an old Indian. I looked quite a bit for something I thought I could afford, and the best deal I could find was a basket case Chief for $5000. All the parts weren't even there. I figured that would never be running, so I kept looking. At some point, looking for Indians, I found something advertised as an "Indian Drifter". What the heck is that? After some research, I was hooked.
So first I bought a 800 and rode it for 2 summers. Then this winter Petemoss offered to sell me his 1500 - it had everything I wanted on it, and it was only a half hour away! So now I have an 800 and a 1500 -- for now.
Posted by Elmo Hayride
- March 15, 2014, 21:38:06 PMI was doing the weekly Craig's List peruse and I saw my 1500 and had to have it.
Posted by Washbrook
- March 15, 2014, 21:07:20 PMI inherited mine when my father died. I had never heard of them before. I now het why he loved it so much. I've ridden Hondas, suzuki's and yamaha's. The Drifter is by far the best.
Posted by Troll
- March 15, 2014, 19:24:18 PMI had H-Ds and a couple of Moto Guzzis, a BSA 650 Thunderbolt (single carb...half the headaches). I built almost everything either out of parts or reconstructed somebody else's disaster. My wife asked me, for example, when I bought my FLT..."you REALLY going to pay money for THAT?"...It ran, so I ride it home...200,000 miles later I found the Drifter. Broken and neglected in a barn, it was another project in the string of projects. There was one thing VERY different about it, though. It reminded me of all the Knucks and Pans I had ridden all across the country. After I got it running, one ride around the neighborhood, and I was hooked. That was in March of 2010...42,000 miles later, and I still smile all the time. Pretty much the same thing with the W-650 I own... A replacement for my BSA without ANY of the "charm" of parts falling off.
Posted by moosewayne
- March 15, 2014, 19:11:03 PMOh, and.......
Kawasaki Vulcan 800
Suzuki Katana 750
Indian Chief (Gilroy edition)
Victory Vegas
Kawasaki Drifter 1500
Posted by moosewayne
- March 15, 2014, 19:07:52 PMCan't speak for everyone, obviously, but I'm kind of a slut for new technology in old clothes.
I have a small but fairly good collection of guitars and pretty much all of them (both purchased and one's I've built) have a vintage look/vibe to them but have modern production specs.
The Drifter resides in the same nook of my brain.
For me, the look doesn't always say 'vintage' to me. I think it's timeless. It's only really 'vintage' because no one really picked up the look and ran with it until Kawasaki. The beautiful curves, to my eye, say 'movement'.
When I look at a Drifter/Indian I see Art Deco, a style I never really tire of. A style that may seem dated to some, but I think of as modern.
All my life, even before I ever knew what an Indian was by name, it is the image that automatically pops into my head when someone says 'motorcycle'.
It also doesn't hurt that people who don't even like motorcycles see mine and say 'WHOA!'
Posted by DriftinGirl
- March 15, 2014, 18:03:41 PMWanted a Honda Shadow 750 really, really badly in 1975. Finally got a Suzuki Savage 650 in 2010, took the course and learned to ride. Hubby promised me my dream bike after I put on 1000 miles...bought my Drifter in Sept 2012. Was looking at bikes in general and came across the Drifter and HAD to have it!!
Posted by Milky1112
- March 15, 2014, 17:06:05 PMSo figured this would be an interesting topic for discussion.. and to learn more about my fellow riders... What made you choose a drifter over the vast majority of bikes out there? Also.. what other rides have you had?
For me, Love the "Old School" Indian charm.. without the Indian price tag!!!! Have an old friend i was stationed with who has an Indian, fell in love with that bike. Just something about it always was appealing to me. Found the drifter after my wife came to me one day and said "Lets get bikes, you have this much to spend on 2" Lord Craigslist and I were great friends after that.. and there she was.. It was all over after that.
So past bikes I've had...
1981 Yamaha Maxim 550
1982 Honda Magna 750
1983 Honda Sabre 750
1999 GSXR 750
2001 GSXR 750 (Still in garage)
2006 Honda VFR800
2002 CBR 954
2006 Vstrom DL1000 (Great bike overall)