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Posted by moosewing3
- August 02, 2014, 08:34:36 AMI will let you know in a couple of weeks as I begin my adventures on Thursday, many miles to ride everyday. Will post a pic once I have her decked out for travel. As an aside related to this, I caved in yesterday and actually went to a mechanic to just take the bike for a ride and give me feedback on any issues, $25 well spent in my opinion. He told me that there is a guy in my area with a 1500 that has put approx. 450 000 km on his bike and is shooting for 500 000 km, original engine, trans etc., I would say that's touring. I guess it's all about what type of touring you want to do, if you want all the comforts Golwing is it, personally I find it like riding a la-z-boy which is enjoyable but I more of a bike feel. A lot of guys I ride with love the adventure touring style, again fun but not what I am looking for, so far the Drifter seems the best fit for me. Will let you know after two weeks of riding if I still feel the same.BTW the mechanic said in his opinion they were pretty much bullet proof, you pretty much had to try to break them.
Posted by John Hopkins
- August 02, 2014, 06:01:33 AMI only skimmed through the replies because I have my own opinions..
I own and ride a 1500, I also own other bikes. I have heard people say that the Honda Goldwing is the best tourer, comfortable, reliable, 300 miles on a full tank and will go forever..
I've never owned a Goldwing but I do own a Drifter..
A few years ago I rode for several hundred miles on a Kawasaki 750/4..I found it very uncomfortable but reliable..
I rode 1100 miles in four days on a Vmax, It was fun but they have a tendancy to overheat under certain conditions.
I rode a Honda Shadow VT1100 for 4,500 miles in two weeks and it broke down almost every day, once again through overheating..
And I rode my Drifter for 1250 miles in 23 hours and 7 minutes..I fitted a sheepskin rug over the seat and it was comfortable, I rode it like I stole it and found it had a top speed of 107 mph which dropped to 90 mph in heavy buffetting wind..but above all it didn't ever let me down...I found that without a windshield or crashbars it handled very well, it leans into the curves and sticks to the road (with Michelin Commander ll's) it takes a little getting used to because of the weight and the length, 8ft 4", the hardest thing to do on it for me, was riding a narrow 1 in 4 mountain road with very short hairpin bends..I have ridden this bike through deep mud, rain, wind and hot sun, country roads, highways, mud tracks and loose gravel..
I know not all bikes are the same so if you buy one you may not have the same results as me but I would rather rely on this bike than any other I have ever owned.
John.
Posted by Racewriter
- August 01, 2014, 22:50:51 PMThanks for the advice, and keep it coming.
Modding a bike that doesn't have a wide variety of accessories ready-made isn't a problem. I've done that with my Magna. It has Hardstreet Classic Tour bags (that aren't supposed to fit but in fact fit nicely with the proper tweaking) and a custom billet luggage rack (by me). I've seen the 1500 with the Buco bags, and that's definitely the direction I'd go. Like I said, I just want to get the lay of the land before I start seeking one in earnest. But they are beautiful bikes with an identity of their own, and that's what I like. Keep the thoughts coming - nothing like the voice of experience.
Posted by pcarrell
- August 01, 2014, 22:41:25 PMAs greenbarn said, a 1500 is way better for touring then an 800. That being said, the 1500 has shortcomings in the touring department. The electrical issue is probably the biggest one, as you'll have to be careful what kind of electrical add-ons you use as power is limited by the single stator. Converting to a dual stator, like most bikes, is not an easy, but very costly proposition. If you want 35 watt driving lights and a cigarette lighter to charge your phone you should be OK though.
The 1500 is nice because it doesn't get blown around on the highways very much. That said, wind control is important because it can cause fatigue on longer trips. Fortunately, this is easily done! The Nomad style windshield (it's a big shield) is a good start. Lowers will be money very well spent. With that, touring can be done. A full fairing with lowers is the ultimate in luxury, but the wallet has to come out a bit more for that.
Since you're by yourself on this steed, the stock suspension should be quite adequate. You stated that a Corbin seat was in your future, so that's sorted. One other thing I'd suggest budgeting for is some good grips. I have Iso Grips and I love them. I've covered them with leather for a more classic look, but I still get all the advantages of the vibration dampening, and they're great.
The rest is just all about luggage, and that is more of a personal taste. As it is, just about anything can be done with a few tools and some time. Heck, I managed to fit a Harley Shovelhead tour pack with a modern Harley backrest onto my Drifter! *** The look is a work in progress. ***
Posted by greenbarn
- August 01, 2014, 22:14:58 PMI guess it depends on how far towards the "touring" spectrum you want to go. I'm sure there are bikes suited better to touring than the Drifter. If you want the "best" touring bike, I would guess there are better - more capacity, more brakes, better charging amps, more aftermarket options, etc. But none of them look as good as these Big-Fendered-Beauties.
Troll can speak more directly to this post- he's put like a million miles on various bikes, as have others. I have not - I just love the Drifter for it's beauty and it's nostalgia, and am willing to live with any shortcomings. The 1500 is better suited to touring than the 800 IMO. It just wants to get out and go.
Posted by Racewriter
- August 01, 2014, 22:04:20 PMFirst of all, I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question. I've been riding for three years. My current bike is a Honda Magna 750. I'm looking to get something bigger as a highway bike. My Magna gets a little overmatched on the superslab. My preferred type of bike would be a touring cruiser, and I'm perfectly happy to get the 'cruiser' and put the 'touring' part in it myself. So, my question is, is a Drifter 1500 realistic as a long distance touring bike? I'm already aware of the saddlebag situation and how to address it; I'm happy to do all that work myself. I've had Corbin seats on my other bikes and I'd probably get one for a Drifter unless it happened to have one. I'll only be riding solo since my wife has her own bike. So in terms of comfort, highway capability, etc., is this a bike that someone could realistically put a lot of miles on? Obviously the combination of the looks and the reliable mechanicals are what attracts me. Love the Indians but can't plunk down 24K for a new Chieftain. There are some Drifters in my general area that are priced fairly attractively. Thanks for any comments or advice.