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Sounds to me like you should inspect your driveshaft.  Just pull the boot, you'll be able to see if it's wearing out.

I think my spindle is probably OK... It's slightly worn but not too bad. I hate this system though, trying to get the shift levers of is a major PITA I can't help but think there's gotta be a better way... I might try an aftermarket shift lever since I have to replace it anyway I guess.

I tried grinding the slot out more last year but all I accomplished was snapping off the bolt in the lever :/

Hey all, long fricken time, no post.  Also long time no ride damn it, I've had some issues and I'm about to do a teardown to fix 'em but one thing I'm looking at in particular is that the shifter spindle seems to have stripped on my Drifter.  In discovering this I mistakenly thought it was a good idea to try and tap the shift lever back on and cracked my inner stator cover (another coming off ebay for $40, so good save there ebay) SO to make a long story fraught with my own stupidity a short one, I'm wondering if it's worth my time to buy a new one or if anyone had done anything with an alternative.  Since all the used ones I've seen are showing the same signs of wear mine does I'd have to pick up a new one... so has anybody done anything like with forward controls or anything fancy with their shifter assembly?  Has anyone put anything together that would be a 'fix' for a stripped shifter?  I don't really like the way the stock one is set up... I've got a grinder and a welder and I'm not afraid to use 'em!  Thanks!

Looking good!  That's my favorite factory bi-color combo I think although I prefer black to chrome.  Nice ride!

Those look pretty good... I like my 120mm ammo cans though   Water proof, big enough to hold a 30 pack of beer, cheap and they match with the rough and tough look of my bike.

Post pictures when you get your new bags mounted, I'd love to see them.

Sigh.  I really want one of their Singh Saddlery's seats but I've been burned by Paypal and don't intend to give that shitty company another chance to screw me over and I don't wanna do a wire transfer.  Oh well, I guess I'll have to just build one myself and re-invent the wheel.

I do get approached by the Freedom Guard Riders a few times a year.  If I had time I'd go on rides and stuff... but with a full time job and a family it's tough to get away for fun rides. 

Thanks guys!  Yeah, the 'matte' clear coat was a little to 'semi-gloss' for my taste, but nothing a few thousand miles won't fix!  Most important thing is that the tank ain't in danger of rusting out anymore... because that'd suck.

The mirrors are terrible and not my idea... I actually have some fresh ones in the mail as we speak.  Main issue is that the 'glass' is plastic and about as clear as a window smeared with jelly.  I can see behind me just fine, it's just blurry as hell!

I work with computers so I need to be able to haul them around safely and I ride all summer long rain or shine... so the ammo cans were the perfect solution.  Scored 'em for $20 each at a local junk shop.  Love the gas can bags, that's pretty sweet.  Mine can fit a 30 pack of beer in 'em though heh.  Gotta love the 120mm shell size.  I've been toying with the idea of integrating signals into mine, but the signal switch quit working last year and I'm so used to hand signals now that I'm not sure I'd remember to use the lights.  I really oughta fix that switch... but then I'd need to get another turn signal and then I'd want to change the type and once that ball was rolling it'd be hard to stop.

Here he is... stayed up until 12:30 last night and got up at 5AM just so I could finish the bugger and ride him to work today...

I know he ain't everyone's cuppa java but I love the hell otta this bike

Nice ride man, looks great!  Welcome aboard, with 15 years of riding your Drifter you've got a few years on me

Depends on the "look" yer going for, but I find 120mm ammo cans work quite nicely

Zounds, this is cool stuff!  Love your shop, I'm going to insist that my next place has a decently sized heated garage for just that reason.  I love wrenching on stuff, but frozen fingers aren't much fun.  I love me some Steampunk/Dieselpunk myself!  If you're ever over on that online crack site Facebook check out Friends of Industry, I'm a founding member of that cadre of maniacs.

Looking good man.  I have an old #13 pool ball I've often thought of drilling out and using for a shifter if I ever got the suicide shift going.

Work kicking my ass so far this week, but hopefully soon I'll be out wrenching again.  Gotta reinforce that headlight bucket with fiberglass hopefully tonight.  I have a plan to reinforce the inside with fiberglass and then just put a big honkin band-aid over the hole lol.  We'll see how it goes, Sarge has always been a rough 'n ready scoot; I don't want perfection and chrome to polish

Snowed on my way to work this morning... Sigh.  I haven't had a lot of incentive to put my bike back together in my unheated garage yet.

So this winter, I got a little worried about the state of my poor Drifter's tank, so I pulled it

And I was wondering why his headlight was rattling... figured that out quick enough.

So I got out the tools and started going to work.  Good thing too, this poor fella was THRASHED!

I mean I figured as long as I was doing the tank I might as well....

Layers and layers!

Finally down to the metal... the poor bugger!

Then I sent him over to a good buddy of mine to get some band-aids on his owies.

And then he got some new color

And a little bit of attitude

And some more attitude

And damn it I'm not finished yet, but it was FUCKING SNOWING this morning so I guess I've got a couple days lol.

And some new artwork

Nice!  Thanks for linking that, it's just what I'm looking for.

Looking good man... that's my favorite stock color combo with chrome.  The Indian stuff isn't my style, but you make it look sharp!

Thanks guys!

Nostalgia, and the lack of desire to polish chrome Bang xD

I can't agree more Greenbarn, I like to build my own parts, that way I know who's to blame if it falls apart... and it makes me trust my equipment all that much more.  Well, and I love being able to know every nut and bolt on my machine.

Lessee... Well I can fit a 30 pack of beer in one of those boxes Ratman

Yeah shunter, I'm trying to get rid of that feeling actually.  The stock seat has permanent dimples from my narrow butt... sometimes I think this bare metal seat would be more comfortable lol.

I'm working on finding the right foam and I have a source of leather that will hopefully have the color and weight I want in the next few weeks.  I also need to get some springs...

Hey all, just a few quick pics of my progress on the 'ol Iron Horse this spring.  I found these old yellow fogs on a bus that was just sitting in a field, quick chat with the owner and they were mine!  Also, the saddle bag I had mounted on the front was starting to fall apart, and I had this 50 cal ammo can laying around... an afternoon well spent with the hacksaw, grinder, welder, drill and I had me a new front 'bag' that matches the ones on the rear.  I've been threatening to put on a solo springer seat for some time now... and I'm starting to get beyond threats.  We'll see how far I get with it.  So far I've got a mount, a pan and some kind of idea about how the things I made ain't gonna work.  So... I'll probably have to start over but it was fun learning ya know?  Anyhow, I've rambled enough, here's some pics.  Keep 'em rubber side down boys and girls!

How hard is it to remove the rear wheel?  I've got a block and tackle... I'd bet I could lift the bike by the luggage rack...

I'm with Ratman... Function over Form... if it were my bike, I'd fab some brackets and lower those babies.  They actually look pretty good with the 2up seat, back rest and luggage rack as they sit though.

Yeah, there goes my more mods fund. 

I'd say they need to be lower.  I know you'd likely need to put them out further to make that happen with your exhaust setup, but my .02 is they need to be lower to the ground.  I love the clean and vintage look they have though.

Seat looks cool... looks massive though!