Messages

Sounds like you bought yourself a job.

Yeah I'd like to know a little more about this door window seal as well.

I don't think the cleaning products we use have anything to do with the cracking of the black based hard rubber/graphite base that holds the turning signals on a Drifter.  Whatever that stuff is made of it just won't last over 15 to 20 years without cracking and falling apart. Of course if you keep them in shelter out of the sun they will last longer but they still have their limits of duration.  The solution is to go to Cheap Cycle parts.com and buy new ones.  They are a little pricey but that's the solution. 

That was an interesting video Ratman.  I wish I lived a little closer I'd sure join in.  I think there are some Drifter groups here in Texas, I just haven't looked into them.  I ride my Indian Chieftain more than I do my drifter and I've kind of got caught up in some of there rallys.  I go to Durango, CO every year to the Iron Indian Riders Reunion, and to the Indian Rally in Fredricksburg, Tx in April and a few times I've hit the one in Arkansas.  But I need to look into what may be available in my area with Drifter guys.  Does any one know of any rider groups down here.  I live right in the center of Texas.  P;us have trailer can travel about anywhere within reason

Haha!

The more I ponder the Drifter situation the more I am inclined to buy more.

I've decided that I will probably buy any Drifter that comes on the market. I just need a corrosion free barn storage facility.  The tribute bikes and retro bike I am seeing come out this year look idiotic or just "wrong" to me .... While I think the Drifter just looks perfect! And someday more people will come to this realization.

When you say,"The tribute bikes and retro bike  that has come out this year just look idiotic and wrong".  Are you referring the new 2018 Indians by Polaris are is there some other bike here I'm not familiar with ??

They're beautiful.  Snappy little bikes.  Very expensive though.  Charlotte is the only dealer I know of that is offering them.  You have to buy the bike at full cost and then add the kit.  I'd take one though if somebody else would pay for it.  But I do well to maintain my 14 Chieftain and my 01 Drifter.

I'd like a chrome one.  Sure adds to the price though.  But I'm getting used to it.

Contact GreenBarn he has a set of them and think he is selling them worth the ask

Thanks.  I sent him a message.  Hopefully I'll hear from him.  If he doesn't have any I'm pretty sure I can just improvise something from some other brand of bars.

Gene, maybe you might go with a custom made exhaust.
Like this one I've gone for ma-deuce.

Did you make the rear highway/crash bars that you have on your bike or is there someplace a man can buy them?

It's so dry here in Central TX the trees have started following the dogs around.

Hot??  Oh yeah.  It's hotter'n  a Pawn Shop TV.

Does anyone have any experiences with Shinzo white wall tires??  There like half the cost of Dunlap. Is it the o'll " you get what you pay for" or are they a good tire.

I put a set of Japanese tires on my car and was very happy with them.

Any thoughts?

I'm sure you mean Shinko.  They're actually not too bad considering their price.   I know a couple of Gilroy Indian guys  who run them and like them.  But if you can afford them.....well you know.

If you've got 16 year old tires on your bike they're probably so hard a cat couldn't scratch them.  I'd sure go shoe shopping myself.

Your friend put the proper air pressure in, then took it for a test ride and wasn't able to notice any problem.  But you still feel like something isn't right.  So I'd suggest that you pour about 3 cans of B12 Chemtool gas treatment in it and then go out and ride it for a 100 miles wide open .  After you get back from that ride give us another report.

You know what - I bet you need a new battery. 

I can get them made at a very good price if someone would send me one as template...

Well if I had one I'd sure be glad to help you out.  BUT if I had one I wouldn't have come on here and asked where you get one.LOL

If you can weld and bend metal I think a good winter project would be to make a few of these and sell them to other members.....

Yep, I could build one of those.  Winter time project.  Would look better though if I had a mig welder instead of this ol stick welder.  Guess I'd better go ahead and buy one of those $600 migs so  I can save $150 on a fender rail.

You want to explain what you mean by "waterless coolant"?

Maybe it's the same thing as oiless oil.

I can second the impressiveness of the Metzler 888's and will also attest the white wall version are awesome. I too bought my bike w/ the original tires w/ about 90%+ tread (bike only had 1,700 miles) I didn't see any cracking but second season I broke down and got the 888's and am very glad I did. The ride is night and day vs. the stock.

That's good to know.  I've never run Metzlers but my buddy runs them on his Goldwing and he does about 40,000  miles a year.  I don't think he uses the 888's though.  I believe they are a harder longer life than the ones he uses.  He seems to change about every 10 to 12 thousand miles.  But he wants a soft gripping tire. My Dunlops on the Chieftain went above 20,000 before they needed changing.  But the Dunlop whitewalls are notorious for turning paper sack brown.  I figure I will go with either Metzler or Avon on the Drifter.

What year and color Drifter do you have?

Did you put bags on it/does it have bags?

Pics?

Yes, this forum is great and most helpful!

Its a 2001 with 22,000.  Seafoam blue and Pearl White two tone.  I found saddlle bag brackets on e=bay and bout some brown leather bags with lots of fringe.  Died them to match up better with the seat.  It has the Zambini emblems on the tank which are apparently worth as much as the bike.  Also has the Indian tear drop headlight. And has the hand shifter. It has been completely debadged,  Every where you look it says Indian.

Sorry I've never advanced myself to the point of taking and posting pictures.  I'm sure its easy, but I've just lived too long without this new tech knowledge and I'll probably die that way.  It is a pretty bike though.  I get about as many compliments on it as I do my Chieftainl

A true rear tire will have a different tread compound, maximized for tread life, not handling/traction. It USED to be that they were interchangeable, but technology has moved on, and it's no longer the case. Front tires are a different tread compound and tread design than rears.

Kinda what I thought too.  It doesn't seem to handle quite right to me.  May be just because it's old and hard.

By the way thanks to everybody for the responses.

I bought a drifter about a year ago.  The tires have 90% tread but they are old.  Plus they had the same size tire on the front as on the back.  Not only that the front tire  has "for rear tire mount only" stamped on the side.  I've got a service manual but it says nothing about original tire size.  What size is supposed to be on a 800 Drifter?  I'm wanting to put some new tires on.

Also I've noticed in pictures a lot of folks have a front fender rail.  I can find a lot of rails for various other bikes but none recommended for the drifter.  Does anyone know where these are available or what type from another bike would adapt easily on there?

I've given up on finding a seat rail.  Apparently none were ever made for the 800.  I'll probably just have to improvise there or do without.   Thanks for any input on these matters.

I would like to have a seat rail for a 800.  Apparently there's  no such thing.  I'll probably just make something myself.

It's amazing what you can learn about an Indian bike talking to a competitive dealer.  I don't know if they just can't tell the truth or if they trust everything they hear and repeat it without checking it out.  I wheeled into the local Harley dealer and was just casually  looking at the huge inventory of used bikes lined up around their building.  I attracted a crowd without even wanting to.  Everybody including customers and salesman was eyeballing my Chieftain.  One of the salesman didn't seem to appreciate the attention the bike was getting so he begin to inform the lookers on why they shouldn't buy an Indian.  He did admit that it looked good but he said it's not American made. Claimed the motor was made by Yamaha.  I thought it was rather funny when one of the onlookers said well I think Yamaha makes a more reliable motor than Harley.  I just listened.  My dad used to tell me that ignorance ruled the world.  I'm about to believe he was right.

Yep I got it from ol Ted.   I'm also wanting to put a seat rail on.  Can't find anyone offering them so I guess I'll just have to adapt one myself.

Sorry folks I'm living so far back in time I don't even have a smart phone.  Wouldn't know how to put pics on here if I did.