Messages

I've had the 777's on another bike in the past and seemed to be fine but for some reason this tourmaster ground down way to early.
Maybe just got a bad one. Guess it happens.

Just an opinion on tires: Stay away from Shinko 230 Tourmasters.
I just replaced my rear one after only 6000Kms ( 3700 miles). I carry no passengers and only weight 170 myself. At 800 cc's there is no way this tire should have worn out this fast. I was noticing a hop on the back end and the tread was way down so pulled it off and found that on one side the center groove was down to the wear bar whislt at 180 degrees opposite it had 3/32nd's. Looks like when Shinko carved in the center groove they screwed up.
i ended up installing a Kenda Kruze K673. Good price and the most tread depth (11/32nds) that i have ever seen on a street tire. Will keep VDR informed on tread life as years go by.

The battery does sound like the most obvious but a few checks first. You said that you checked the charging system. Did you check stator output prior to the regulator? And then regulator output to the battery? check for poor wire connections. Easy way is to test that is check the charging voltage at the regulator terminals and then across the battery posts ( not the battery cable). The readings should be the same. How does the bike start? A poor battery would show up more at the starter than the fan.

I was contemplating installing a switch also, but for the opposite reason...to turn the fan on manually during city stop and go driving. I would hook it in parallel so not to effect normal function. Also would have an indicator light on the switch so i could tell when the fan was running as most of the time i can't tell if it is working because of the exhaust noise.
Better yet would be a coolant temp gauge.

yes, I am rethinking the no windshield deal because of the bugs also. If i lived in the city and didn't plan on going more than 50kph ( 30mph) i probably would take it off. However all my driving is in the country and on some gravel roads. While most of our insects are small here, i cringe at hitting a large Grasshopper at 60mph. Those prehistoric MF's have creeped me out since i was a kid.
I may however remove my lowers , windshield extensions and maybe trim down the plexiglass. Not sure what shape and style windshield would keep the retro look . Will look at photos and see what others are running.

My last post was a long time ago and  i suppose a few of you thought that i maybe was taken out by Covid or worse yet....... sold my Drifter.
To be honest, I am pretty much done tinkering with the bike. After many attempts to gain more power for highway cruising I finally came to the realization that 800cc's can only give so much.
I ended up buying a 2005 kawi vn1600 to satisfy my need for speed. The Drifter was but up on blocks and insurance pulled for 2020. I was this close " " to selling it but slapped myself and came to my senses. After watching a string of YouTube Videos on Drifters in general, i realized that these bikes are becoming rarer all the time and seem to be quite sought after.
I have decided to keep the old gal after all and reinsure it for 2021. It won't be getting many km's on it but at least it is there when i get  the "Drool for Cool" itch.
Speaking of cool... i ended up pulling my windshield off to see how it affected my performance, and did that ever make the bike look sharp!  I may just leave it off for good as now i will be just putting around town and low speed secondary roads.

Curious as to how many of you guys run without a windshield and what styles of windshields are out there that match the retro look? I have seen a few with Batwing fairings but it just looked "Wrong"  My vision of retro cool is, no windshield, a leather aviators cap and big old goggles. Unfortunately we have helmet laws here

 Could be a fuel tank vent problem causing vapor lock. If you have a spare key put it in the fuel cap. At the first sign of shutdown reach over and pop open the cap and see if the bike comes back to life.

Shouldn't have to tell you but i will anyway......... don't try this if you have a full tank as you may spill out gas. If it is a vent problem it shouldn't happen with a full tank anyway.
The previous owner of my bike had this problem but it has never happened to me.............yet.
R

Now that winter is over I have had a chance to try out  the bike with the new main jet. I decided to install a 144 ( dyno-jet) jet. Previous was a 136. I also moved up the needle clip from #3 to #2 to compensate for the larger jet bore. Happy to report that the experiment worked. I have noticed an improvement in 5th gear on hills and in wind. 1/4 to 3/4 throttle acceleration is excellent and 3/4 and up is somewhat better. Where i notice the improvement is the lugging ability in 5th. Do not have to shift down into 4th as much. I still have do not have the power to pass at high speeds. I think that i have to tell myself that this is still only an 800 cc bike and it's as good as it gets.
My final setup now is: 144 dynojet
Clip at #2
pilot jet 48
3 turns on idle mix
k&n air filter with Ram air box
17/40 sprockets
Debaffled OEM muffler
Large windsheild with lowers
Solo rider @ 175lbs

Good to hear from you again mitt. I don't imagine that you are riding around to much yet because of the serious c-19 situation in your country. Here where i live because of low population c-19 hasn't stopped the bikers. What did stop us was the late winter. My first ride was april 20th.

You are correct that the air mod looks better under the tank and i have run it like that for the last season. I have been trying to get more power from this bike ever since i bought it. My last attempt was to put in a larger main jet. Thinking that the larger jet would require more air i thought that i would extend the air intake and point it forward into the wind current. Because the main jets primary function is max fuel delivery under load and full throttle, it made sense to 'Ram" more air in the faster the bike goes. With the intake snorkel under the tank this could not happen. To make it less ugly i strapped a piece of chrome heat shielding onto the pipe. Looks good from a distance. lol

 I have read about "Grampsizing" and "Scooterizing" on this forum but never had the courage to butcher my airbox to the point of no return. I have come up with an alternative that can be removed and brought back to original if need be. ( see Pics)  I was having power issues and found that the only way to squeeze a bit more was to get more air into the carb and size up the main jet. My set up now is 17/40 sprockets, partially debafelled oem muffler, k&n air filter, dynojet 144 main, needle clip on #2 notch, air mix screw at 2 3/4 and of course the newly installed ABS ram air. I have enough power now for hills on lower posted hyways < 110kph but have my doubts about cruising on your US high speed interstates. Guess that i don't have to worry about that if the borders stay closed indefinitely.

found this:  Kawasaki Throttle Responsive Ignition Control (K-TRIC) throttle-position sensor
Just a fancy name for TPS i guess. Looks like it's used on  kawi sport bikes but i think a version of it is on the Drifter but not on the vn800 classics. Hence the vehicle specific carb only on the drifter. I do have a manual and should have checked it, but easier to ask here if anyone has played with this before.
Probably should leave well enough alone as Troll has warned.
R

Anyone know anything about the K-tric throttle sensor on the vn 800 carbs. I read something about an adjustment that can be done to advance the timing?
R

This MAY be an easy fix. I had a similar problem with 2 Viragos that i owned. The issue was moisture or just gunk build up between the shifter shaft and
the shaft hole in the engine case. There is a seal around the shaft that is supposed to stop this, but stuff gets in there anyway. What i did was tip the bike over on its right side and spray "Fluid Film" onto the shifter shaft area. Then i worked the shifter up and down for a bit to try to work in the Fluid Film. Problem solved and engine tear down nightmare avoided. Not saying that this is your problem but doesn't hurt to try easy stuff first.
And make sure you use "Fluid Film" I have used this stuff extensively for many years and it is amazing. It actually bubbles up and crawls it way into tight spots to get at rust. Plus it lubes and resists water. Can be used for hundreds of applications.
Rob

 Well thanks for the insights. Will have to give her a go in about 5 months when the snow disappears.
One thing that i haven't done yet is check my plugs and should have done this before i started the post. I don't have a heated shop and the wife won't allow me to bring the bike into the house. Will have to wait untill it warms up a bit.
The plugs will tell the tale. Just before winter hit us I had a chance to take it on a 3hr highway cruise and run it 3/4 throttle or more for most of the trip.
Black plugs means too large a jet , white plugs means too small of a jet. I like to err on the richer side myself. Too lean is asking for trouble.
I have had a fair bit of experience with carbs and know that my a/f is good and my mid range is good. Was just curious as to what size mains other 800's where running. Takes me awhile to get mail order up here in the sticks and thought that I would order a few sizes ahead of time.
I am not a fan of radical modifications so my bike is only slightly modded. I may have to accept that without major mods this is what i have to live with.
My set up is.......... K&N air filter, marbled, partially modified air box, partially de-baffled OEM exhaust,  Dyno-jet  carb kit installed,new plugs, valve clearance checked, running seafoam in premium fuel, Had 18/38 sprocket but went back to 17/40 to get more torque in 5th gear.
My 5th is running about 4500 - 5000 rpms around the 75mph range. She just can't sustain that on a big hill or in a strong head wind. Shifting down is the only option but don't want to run 6000 rpms in 4th to hold the speed.
My biggest issue i think is the windshield. It was large to start with and then i added lowers and some small extensions.  I've got the equivalent of half a sheet of plywood up front holding me back.
R

 I am still struggling with getting a bit more power out of my 800 and am looking at changing the main jet. Right now I am running a DJ136 which was the biggest jet in the dyno jet kit that i installed. The bike seems to be running nice through all the ranges but uphill and against the wind the throttle is wicked right out. I see that in some posts that guys say that they are running a 155 main jet. Now is that a DJ number or a Keihin number? A DJ 155 tranlates over to a Keinin 170. My OEM jet was a 135.
Anybody know what main jet you have in your bike?
Rob

Only one way outt'a this dilemma bud. You need to get both! I have been struggling with this problem for many years and that is why I own 3 bikes. The drifters are inexpensive and can pick up both cc's used for half price of a used Harley. If you have the room to store 2 is the question.
You will never be happy with an 800 with 2 up or on a hwy that needs you to travel 70mph +. For town and secondary hwys no problem. The boys here will tell you that you can sprocket up for the hwy. I tried this and can tell you it robs engine power and brings first gear up too high for slow maneuvering. I went back to original gearing and have to rev the heck outta her on the hwy. This is my opinion only and am sure that it will spark a whole flurry of gearing posts. If you have spent time on a Valkrie then you will surely miss it when you ride an 800.
Having said that, it appears that you are changing your riding venues. If you are older and have had enough of manhandling the big beasts then the 800 is for you. You will find the 800 is more mechanically tinkerable hands on, if you like that kind of stuff.
I have been riding for many years and have had many bikes and can tell you that the 800 is very smooth, easy to handle, cool and fun for the majority of my riding. Between the Drifter 800, V-strom 650 and the Nomad 1500, I find i put more ass time on the Drifter.
You can read all the comments you like, but the only way to find out is to get it ,ride it and then keep it or sell it.
Rob

Congrats OR on your new venture.  Would like to check out your set up one of these summers. Have had ties to the miracle plant since age 16 and never thought i'd live to see the day of emancipation.

And what does this have to do with Drifter bikes, the rest of you ask?
It shows that the oddity of this machine draws from not just one stereo type of rider. There is something about the Drifter that catches the minds of special people. I can tell by this  " What's your job" post that my theory is correct.
R

I know that this is a Kawi Forum but just want to sneak in a little input on the Royal Star.
When i bought mine the clutch was grabby and with combined  weight it was a regular b..ch in parking lots. I installed a Barnett spring conversion plate on the clutch pack and made for a smoother take off. Tom ,if you ever have to go back into that clutch I sure would recommend this upgrade.
You may want to check out your valve clearances also. With a total of 16 valves on that engine the chances of having a tight one is good. Mine had 3 but not overly tight. A special tool is required to remove the shims though, and trying to figure out what thickness you need is a real mind strain.
i would recommend  checking out this forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/vrider?gid=2002968634     (its free)
Rob

 Yup, surprising how much easier a round tire is to manipulate. These Drifters  seem to react to low tire pressure worse than most bikes. When i got mine it was only down about 5psi and found it wallowing around and more so on my gravel roads. There are all sorts of opinions on what is the correct pressure for a tire. Some say, follow the OP manual but my personal thoughts are that the Manual refers to the tire that was on the bike from the factory.
As most of us all do for the next tire change, is find the latest and greatest for a replacement. So, does the new tire get the same PSI as original?.. maybe. Tires have come a long ways since your bike was new in 2000. Better tread, better reinforcement= higher psi (usually)
There are pages upon pages on all the bike forums on the best tires and tire psi. I think i have read most of them. One posting of interest was a fellow that used an infrared heat gun to take readings on his tires after a good run and adjusted his pressure for the coolest running scenario.
What I do personally is read the specs right on the tire. It will give you a max psi at max load. I run 10% under that max.

But take this with a grain of salt, as i am a mechanic of 35 years and like Mittico says "you can't trust any of us"......... Thanks for that Mitt
He is correct though. My life motto is "trust no-one but yourself"
And that is a little "iffy" at times
Rob
Rob

 Up here in Canada I am getting 170 kms on main before switching over. Converts to 106 miles.
Fuel consumption for me equates to 50mpg( Imperial) and US gal is about 4/5ths of ours. so ya, about 35-40 mpg's US
2001 800 drifter with original pipes, K&N air filter, rejetted carb and half- Gramped air box.

I"ll chip in some comments also.
I agree with T &M about the bike being easy to handle. The Drifter is a deceiving bike as it looks bigger than an 800cc should be.
A lot of us learnt how to ride without a course and although i have never taken one , i hear that they are beneficial even to experienced riders.
Oddly enough I have been learning a lot through You-Tube videos. Check out some of these and maybe get an insight on your issues.
Still may be a bike issue. A low front tire will give you a wallowing situation. Try raising the idle a bit. You may have partial stalling going on. Most of my slow speed falls were due to a stall. Maybe your clutch lever needs adjusting?
Also could be in your head. You  may have psyched yourself out that this is a tipsy lug of a thing and has hurt you already. Gotta get that outta your head. I know it's easier said than done. Took me a month of riding to get back up to hyway speeds after my deer collision.
Just keep telling yourself that "others can do it, so I can too"
R

Good to hear that it went to someone that will appreciate the machine. Am going through something similar with my Virago that i am selling. I purposely worded the ad for collectors or ex Virago owners preferred. Probably why I haven't gotten many hits on the ad but I took good care of it and don't want to see some goof getting her.
Good luck on your next scooter, Tom.

Nice going Tom.
Got me thinking about getting another bike and look what i ended up with.
Now I am selling off  one my girls ( Virago xv1100)

Nice looking scooter.
Good luck on the dealing

Don't worry there is always another one waiting for you somewhere.
Tell your wife that I said it was ok for you to have multiple bikes as it will keep your mind off of other women. I have been married for 40 years and now own 5 bikes. Having separate bank accounts also helps with this. Although, if you ad up the values of all 5, I am still under the cost of (1) top of the line Harley. Because I am thrifty (Cheap) I go after older bikes at a bargain price and do my own mechanical.
A Valkrie you say? One of the bikes on my "would like to own" list....... along with a Honda Rune and a Yami v-max.
Have owned a few in my day and have only fell in "love " with a few.
My Drifter is on the list.
R

 It's been nice conversing with you Tom. Just remember a bike is only a material thing that doesn't last forever and they make new ones everyday.
I know that you will miss it, just as I have missed all the bikes i have bought and sold.
And speaking of bikes I have owned .....I had a yami royal star venture about 3 years ago. A beautiful machine, lots of power and smooth riding on the hyway but a nightmare in parking lots. I got rid of mine because of the 900lb mass and was extremely top heavy with full tank of fuel. Don't want to spook you but be ready for this. Mine came lowered and fit me well but unsteady at slow speeds. I never did drop the bike but was always on edge.
if you have any questions about the bike let me know as I knew that rig inside and out before I did the MPNMRR  ride across Canada. Even still have the special tool to change the valve cap shims.
Check for a leaky rear shock and coolant coming out of the fake cooling fins on the cylinders ( not a big deal to fix) Also check that you have a good tire with a high load rating on the back, especially if you are carrying a passenger. With you, a passenger and a fuel tank of fuel you will be pushing the 1000lb mark.
Rob F