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Posted by draconarmy
- March 17, 2014, 07:19:17 AMThe Drifter is my first bike. Growing up my grandfather had Harleys and so did my stepdad, but i learned early on that more expensive is not always better. I knew for years i wanted to ride but it was so difficult to travel back to MI, from where ever i was stationed at the time to take the motorcycle test. when it came time that i had to renew my licence in person, i was in Alabama with my wife (she is from Alabama by the way) so it made sense to just change to an Alabama licence and do the bike stuff then. My father in law has had many bikes in the time that i have known him, but his Indian is by far the most memorable of them and he knew i loved it. So when i told him i was going to start looking for a bike so did he. Right around April rolling into June of last year he calls me and tells me he found me the perfect bike. just so happens his buddy that was doing his septic line had one collecting dust in the garage. i immediately got on the phone with the bank and had them cut me a check and send it to the FIL. Took my military mandated MSF and waited for it to show up in KS from Alabama. A week after it arrived and i got to get a little used to it we packed it and the FIL's back on the trailer and scooted up to stogies.
Posted by 2beers
- March 16, 2014, 19:47:17 PMAbout 2 years ago, I decided I had to have a bike again before I get 'too old', lol. It was a search that led me to find something that fit like it was made for me (the Honda Shadow Aero 750), while I fell head over heels for the obviously impractical (the Honda Rune 
). It took me about a year to talk myself out of that one.
Though I found many (many) Aero's in the area and in my price range, I just couldn't pull the trigger. Searching Craig's and EBay one night, the hubby and I fell across a Drifter. Typical reaction..."wow...look what someone did to a Kawasaki!" And then we found another, did some research and discovered the truth of the matter. We were beyond surprised that we hadn't known about the Drifter before then. In my budget, nothing cooler looking out there...the search for mine was on once I did a 'test sit' on an '02 800 that was for sale nearby. Loved the blackout years, so that narrowed it down a bit. And though the fit was not as good for me as the Aero, it was definitely workable.
Fast forward to some continued Craigslist shopping, and when I saw Princess there was just no turning back. I'm a sucker for the unreasonably large tires of a ProStreet, so it figures I'd wind up with a large fendered Drifter.
Former bikes for me were the CB200T Honda I purchased new in '76. Can't count how many friends and family members took that little yellow Honda for their MC license road tests! In '78 I stepped up to a Suzuki GS550E. Put a lot of fun and commuting miles on that bike, and sold it when I started chasing a new career and began 6 years of higher education.
Hubby's story begins with him realizing, after Princess was here for about 4 days, that he'd like to have his own Drifter. Blue came along soon after.
2beers didn't own a 4-wheeled vehicle until he was almost 30. His first and only ride for years was a '60 Panhead Harley that had been a Sheriff's patrol bike in NY State, purchased when he was just 16 years old. Yes, he took that Hog for his license test, too. He also owned a '78 Harley Sportster Cafe', which was ahead of its time style-wise back then. He rounded out his choices with an '87 Suzuki GSXR1100 that had a Stage III kit and a whole lot of other work done to it...fast was an understatement!
So here we are, many years later, starting to enjoy a life with motorcycles all over again. Neither one of us can imagine having something other than our Drifters, and as we get to know them better we find more and more to like about them!
Posted by 49Reo
- March 16, 2014, 19:23:43 PMI grew up with Indians and Harleys, and stories about them, and us kids had Cushmans. Owned Honda's, Yamaha's Harley's, and one Kawasaki....my 1500. Best bike I've had, bar none.
Posted by Troll
- March 16, 2014, 12:47:11 PMI'd like to be crowding in on 50 again...
Posted by zig
- March 16, 2014, 10:27:11 AMI grew up in a family that thought bikes were dangerous. 5 years ago, in my mid forties, we were on vacation. My wife and daughter wanted to do more shopping. I wanted to go fly fishing. We were pulling our camper, so if I took the pick-up, they were stranded. I saw some guys riding motorcycles and they had fly rod tubes on the back. Problem solved. I took the MSC, bought the Vulcan 900 classic and I was off! Problem...I'm in Texas and the trout streams are hours away. So my next solution was camping. Now, I'm crowding in on 50. I'm to old to try changing clothes in a small three man tent, I need something bigger...and a cot. So, natural progression, a trailer. I wanted a little change in my ride, and liked the look of the drifter/old school Indian. I started to just buy a front fender for the drifter look, but I'd never owned a bigger bike and felt it was a growth faze I needed to go through. I'd been checking a few Drifters out on line, and when this one was posted, I wanted it. I hadn't seen this color combo until then. Now I just want to be like Troll! 
Posted by Jobi
- March 16, 2014, 09:56:53 AMWhen I was searching a bike to buy...
At first: "I absolutely hate those fenders. No way I'm riding that bike"
A few weeks later: "I absolutely love those fenders. No way I'm riding a bike without those!"
All the other stuff (1500 cc, FI, two up seat...) were bonus.
I don't know why I suddenly changed my tastes. I really did ignore all the drifter listings (and other bikes that had larger fenders) for the worst little whlie of my motorcycle hunt.
Posted by jmbo
- March 16, 2014, 08:37:01 AMLet's face it. I'm a retro guy. In addition to owning '31 and '41 Fords, '74 Beetle and a '74 750 Triumph Tiger, I have owned three PT Cruisers and a new Mini Cooper. So for me it was not a big stretch to go out and buy another retro vehicle. Like many, I was attracted to the classic look combined with the modern underpinnings. Just as the PT references a '37 Ford, and the Cooper references the original Austin Mini, the Drifter references the classic 1940's look. That said I am not a poser. To me the Drifter is not an Indian in Kawasaki clothing any more than the PT is a Ford. It is a modern bike with classic lines and that is good enough for me.
Posted by Milky1112
- March 16, 2014, 07:42:57 AMWow seems alot of us are drawn to it for the same reasons.. It's something different then the avg bike.. I know Indians (real ones) are hard to find.. few and between, out of reach for common man (and the budget our spouses give us hahaha) I fell in love with it from the first time i saw it.. Prolly be in my garage when i get my next adventure. Thanks for posting up folks.. and keep it going!
Posted by marshalldoll
- March 16, 2014, 07:36:42 AMI too have grown up with bikes. Triumph 650 pre unit 1957, BSA Royal Star 1967, Triumph Bonneville 1971, Harley Panhead 1948 with replanted shovel engine, and a slew of others in between. I wanted an Indian and was looking for a 1999-2001 with the S&S but I was hesitant due to prices and the bad talk about them and one day I came across the 99 Drifter 1500 and it was love at first ride. No need for any other bike from here forward. To me it is the best bike I have ever ridden.
Dan
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.