Just wondering....
Pretty sure that early 1500 Drifter motors had some minor internal (as opposed to cosmetic) differences from Classic motors; things such as: different cams and ?? See edit below.
Just wondering if the above is true for all Drifter model years or did later model Drifters use an identical motor configuration as later model year Classics (and Nomads). I've read, for instance, that although earlier model year Meanstreaks had engine differences, compared to Classics, later model year MS's use the same engine as the Classic.
Edit: Not sure where I was getting the 'camshafts are different' thing from. According to Partzilla, all models of 1500 (with the exception of the Meanstreak and carb'ed models ??) starting from 1987, and all 1600 models - including Meanstreak - used the same cams (I only looked at the front cylinder cam - maybe the rear's are different - rears show as 'NLA' for some reason)
https://www.partzilla.com/product/kawasaki/12044-1200?ref=1835f6ceda573761953fca00363c06c1ab38533e (https://www.partzilla.com/product/kawasaki/12044-1200?ref=1835f6ceda573761953fca00363c06c1ab38533e)
1987 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A1 CAMSHAFT/TENSIONER
1987 Vulcan 88 SE - VN1500-B1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1988 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A2 CAMSHAFT/TENSIONER
1988 Vulcan 88 SE - VN1500-B2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1989 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A3 CAMSHAFT/TENSIONER
1989 Vulcan 88 SE - VN1500-B3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1990 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A4 CAMSHAFT/TENSIONER
1990 Vulcan 88 SE - VN1500-B4 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1991 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A5 CAMSHAFT/TENSIONER
1992 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A6 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1993 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A7 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1994 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A8 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1995 Vulcan 88 - VN1500-A9 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1996 Vulcan 1500 - VN1500-A10 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1996 Vulcan 1500 L - VN1500-C3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1997 Vulcan 1500 - VN1500-A11 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1997 Vulcan 1500 L - VN1500-C4 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1998 Vulcan 1500 - VN1500-A12 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1999 Vulcan 1500 - VN1500-A13 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
1999 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-J1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2000 Vulcan 1500 Classic Fi - VN1500-N1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2000 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-J2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2000 Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi - VN1500-L1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2001 Vulcan 1500 Classic Fi - VN1500-N2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2001 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-R1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2001 Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi - VN1500-L2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2002 Vulcan 1500 Classic Fi - VN1500-N3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2002 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-R2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2002 Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi - VN1500-L3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2003 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-R3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2003 Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi - VN1500-L4 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2003 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600-A1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2004 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-R4 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2004 Vulcan 1500 Nomad Fi - VN1500-L5 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2004 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600-A2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2004 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600-B1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2005 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500-N4 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2005 Vulcan 1500 Drifter - VN1500-R5 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2005 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600-A3 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2005 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600-B2 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2005 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600-D1 Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500N6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500T6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600A6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600E6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600B6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600F6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600D6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2006 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600G6F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500N7F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500N7FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600A7F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600A7FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600B7F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600B7FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600D7F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2007 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600D7FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500N8F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1500 Classic - VN1500N8FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600A8F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Classic - VN1600A8FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600B8F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak - VN1600B8FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600D8F Camshaft(s)/Tensioner
2008 Vulcan 1600 Nomad - VN1600D8FA Camshaft(s)/Tensioner