Where are the Drifters?

[ChilliDrift]

I had two instances of Indian dissapointment from guys walking up recently. On guy walked up with a big smile... as soon as he got close enough to the tank to read the eblem. he just stood there with this big goofy lookin smile on his face. He was speechless. I asked.. Do you ride? He said he had a Harley. I said oh yea? He said it was a Roadster, I said oh yea, the XL1200R. Still with the goofy smile on his face and looking at the bike. I just said.. Its a Drifter... a Vulcan.  He said nothing else and still with the big dumb founded grin on his face he walked off.  I guess there are just lots of people who just never saw one. Another guy saw me pull into a restraunt in Elizabethtown Ky. Came and found me to ask what kind of bike it was. When I told him, he said "oh".  And that was about it.  LOL     I purchased some KAWASAKI traditional emblems a while back, while looking for Drifter emblems.   Im thinking about painting the white lettering inside to the Grabber Red  sort of color that matches my stripes and switching emblems for awhile.  Just to see what happens.  Most of the time people have good things to say.  When we rider together for awhile.. And they see that what they can do performance wise. They come back and ask more about them.  I am starting to think that most of the Indians around where I am in Central OH are Drifters.  I have figured out that you can tell fairly quickly by looking at the engine/transmission casing.  At least I think that is right.

[45 Bravo]

There ya go, Keep them guessing...

45 Bravo

[Troll]

It was the fall "flood run" today. Literally thousands of motorcyclists and Bikers descend on the Great River Road from Illinois and Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It starts at 7 am and runs until 10 pm. They are everywhere, in small groups and packs of 50 or more....It took me 10 minutes to get through the town of Nelson, which is about 1/4 mile long....I  road about 250 miles today, and saw 4 bottle cap 'Indians", one blockhead scout, and just about anything else you could possibly imagine, including a guy riding a restored WL 45, but NO DRIFTERS except my own. I saw a guy on a black bottle cap riding through a town, I pointed at him, he waved back...and then the look on his face changed to a huge question mark....I'm sure he had no idea what he was looking at....

[CDNRatMan]

  My dad lived on University Ave in Windsor years back.....

Some place I read or saw something to the effect that there were only 900 Drifters in Canada, now not sure if that was all drifters or just the 800's.
I stopped at  Kawasaki dealer in Napanee area and they heard of them but never seen one, and at the dealer in Kingsotn the really cute and really young redhead behind the counter would not believe me I was riding a Kawasaki till she went out to look at it.
During my ride down to Kingston I saw lots of bikes and a veriety of makes but not one drifter.....

[aralph]

From Windsor, ON.
Had to go to Cleveland, Ohio to get mine back in April
Seen a few at Port Dover  in July.
Yet to see another in Essex County....

Regards

[49Reo]

I have been there, and i still enjoy the speed,and the rush of acceleration, but highways is just not were you act that much of a fool.

Someday he might figure it out.

45 Bravo

Hopefully in a painless manner.....

Regards and such,
49Reo

[drifter-paul]

I think there were 14 '99 Drifters sold in NSW (one state in 9 states/territories) , Australia. I've met or know of 6 of the owners. Saves buying theft insurance   

Less face it - we have discerning taste    (downside well - we aren't going to run into each other that much).

[45 Bravo]

I was coming back from doing some computer work this evening, stopped at a red light, and a guy pulled up next to me, driving a gsxr 750, He was wearing a full face helmet and a neon green mohawk hot glued to the helmet.

He popped his face shield, and said nice "Drifter", i said thanks, and complimented him on his suzuki, we talked for a minute, he said his dad had a 800 drifter, but it was not his style (obviously)  you don't see many green mohawks riding drifters.

the light turned green, I said see ya, and accelerated smoothly to 55, and stuck it there, he followed along for about a mile and apparently got bored (we were on a stretch of 2 lane highway between 2 towns about 10 miles apart.)

I heard him drop 3 gears and grab a fist full of gas, he passed me on 1 wheel, waving, and in a few seconds he was out of sight.

About 5 miles down the road he was sitting on the side of the road having a talk with a state boy..

I waved as i went past, cruising at 55..

I have been there, and i still enjoy the speed,and the rush of acceleration, but highways is just not were you act that much of a fool.

Someday he might figure it out.

45 Bravo

[KEN.]

God Morning All.....There are a least 2 drifters here in Sidney BC...1500 & ...800 (mine)
see a few as they head to the BC Ferry in Swartz Bay.....KEN.

[chief]

I used to live in Walnut, Ms.  no, Kawasaki won't tell us how many drifters they sold... don't know why.

[45 Bravo]

Well, I took off a little early tuesday to burn some vacation time, and go for a ride.

About 15 miles north of New Albany, In a town called Blue Mountain (there are no mountains in Mississippi).
There is a small shop there that sells classic vw Bugs, he started carrying bikes last year, I just never had a chance to stop in.
I pulled up a couple was looking at a vulcan 1500, the owner of the place said "look another drifter" as i pulled up.

He introduced himself (Sherman Smith) and come to find out he owns a 99 1500, he just doesn't ride it much.
He showed me photos of his drifter, and photos of 3 others he has sold to people in the area.
(He is a buy here pay here place, you put a down payment on a bike (from 100 - 500 depending on the price), he parks it in the show room, you pay as you can, and he rides it about 3 miles a month, to make keep it fresh until you pay it off, and take delivery.

So within 30 miles of me i can directly account for 6 drifters, mine, his, 1 he sold to a person in Blue Mountain, another in Ripley (5 miles from him), another in Myrtle (5 miles from me), and the last one is in Walnut MS. (He is in our Gallery here on the drifter website.)

So with all these Drifters, why is no one riding them but me?
The one i saw a few months ago at the red-light is the VDR member in Walnut (he posted photos in the gallery)

Does anyone have an idea of how many 99 1500's were sold in America?
or How many Total US sales of all drifters??

thanks.
45 Bravo

[DKtime]

sorry I screwed up the link... here's a good one...
Mount Cheaha State Park

[DKtime]

Well there were at least 2 drifters at Mount Cheaha State Park here in Alabama Saturday.
my wife was on the 800 and I was on the 1500.

[45 Bravo]

By "parking up front" I mean with the rest of th bikes in line.
I never park near the entrance of an establishment if I can avoid it.

When riding alone and parking in a auto space, I try to Park diagonally to take up as much of the spaces width as possible to approximate the width of a car. But also leave enough room that if another bike wants to park there there is enough room.

Well the weather was nice today. Rode about 200 miles, saw many hogs, several wings, a few yamahas, and 1 Suzuki intruder.

The only Kawasaki was the Drifter we went to see about in Florence al.

It's a 99 with 30,000 it does have custom paint. But only a solo seat and windshield.
He's asking $4,500. A little steep I think for the mileage.
And a reconstructed title.
Once we found out about the title the offer price stopped at 3,200.

Ride safe.
45 Bravo

While stopping for a water stop a guy on a road king (he even had "road king" on his helmet) in stick on letters.
Pulled up next to me said nice bike.  He got something to drink the came out and asked what was i riding. I i told him a Drfter  and explained the Kawasaki/Indian chief  thing.

He liked it in general and the we parted.

[CDNRatMan]

lol at all this....you need to know that there is no cure for stupid....some people are born that way and others work hard to get to that level........

[49Reo]

I hear ya.... seems like the only reason some people open their mouths is to change feet... I had the very same thing said to me one time; I pulled up on my Drifter, my son-in-law on his VFR 800, 2 Harley riders standing there: one would not even acknowledge us, (no great loss there) the older guy says "how do you like your Indian?" I looked at him and said" great," or some such, he said "you know its not a real Indian, don't you?" not much to say to that; some things aren't worth  responding to.

As to parking around the corner from the Harleys, where they parked at that particular coffee shop, the parking lot is quite narrow there, they were all parked in front of the door, (I NEVER park near the door; too many people afraid to take more than 5 steps at a time).

My cousin parked his vintage Beemer out front at that coffee shop when he first restored it; was across the lot from the door, (keep in mind the "5 step rule" mentioned above) some lady thought she could squeeze in beside him, knocked his bike over, cost him one new (and hard to find) taillight, had to repair part of the fairing, and of course some paint.

Some peoples comments (and actions) are hard to comprehend; as one of our Forum members put it, when asked when he was going to "move up to a Harley", responded; " I owned a Harley once, been moving up ever since!"

Regards and such,
49Reo

[45 Bravo]

Not me Rio, I pull right up front, and park it in line like the rest of the bikes.

SO FAR, I have not had any negative comments from any riders of any motorcycles, Harley or otherwise.

The only negatives have been generic anti-motorcycle comments from car drivers, and 1 mechanic.

The mechanic story: I stopped for breakfast at a diner near my house (the SHOP TALK Diner) with a classic 50's theme, it is in front of a autoshop, one of the mechanics finished his breakfast, and on his way out stopped to look at my Drifter.
After several minutes of walking around, looking close, and finally looking at the factory tag that says kawasaki on the neck, he stood up and looked around with a satisfied look on his face...

Here is the strange & disturbing part, he waited there by my bike until i came out (about 5 minutes or so) then when i walked up to my bike he said just as serious as he can be "You do know that is not a REAL Indian" (he emphasized the word REAL).
I said excuse me? He went on to say he wanted me to know that it wasn't a real indian.. I could not believe this fool, I asked him "you do realize I bought this bike, made monthly payments on this bike, registered it & insured it in my name, i think i might have seen the word kawasaki on there someplace".

He just said " just thought you should know it ain't a real indian.." then he walked over to the auto shop to go to work.

Now this man is a mechanic, and is POSSIBLY working on someones car as we read this...

45 Bravo

[49Reo]

I rode to a town about 70 miles from home the other day for coffee; was meeting my cousin there. I pulled up in front of the coffee shop of choice, there were 7 Harleys and 1 Victory all in a row. I parked my Drifter,(around the corner from the other bikes) while being eyed up by those who owned the other bikes. Not one person said anything, but within 5 minutes, one guy got up to go out for a smoke; (can't smoke in public buildings up here) he went out the door farthest from my Drifter, lit his smoke, and oh-so-nonchalantly sidled all the other way around the building to where my Drifter was; within 2-3 minutes, all the rest of his group followed suit; out the far door, sidled around the building to my bike, and stood looking it over for about 10 minutes. The only thing that took their interest was when my cousin pulled up on his vintage Beemer; that drew a couple of them away. It was kind of funny; seeing all these guys (and women) feigning dis-interest but all standing around eying it up.  That is about the only time I have parked the Drifter and NOT had people asking about it. Oh well, to each their own. I have my Drifter, and they only have Harleys.

Regards and such,
49Reo

[CDNRatMan]

  how true.....I have lived in this town for 12 years and always am looking at bikes, never seen a 800 drifter in town yet, know that there is perhaps a couple of 1500 but never counted them. Today was chased around the mall parking lot by a guy who wanted to see my " Indian" I told him twice it was a Kawi...he said I was lieing to him.....ok ....

[montreal_drifter]

We're a rare breed gents!  I still have yet to see a drifter in real life other than my own. I haven't been riding that long but have always been passionate about bikes. I love the edge it gives us when we meet fellow riders.  They're always glad and interested to see a "rare" bike. Let's continue to to show our colours and fenders. )

[klake1]

I live in Bismarck, ND and there are two other Drifters besides mine, one is a white 1500 and the other is a black 800. There is also a 99 or 00 1500 with a side car at a town 45 miles to the north that I saw on a bike run as we we going through town, he had dog with him in the car with goggles on.

There are very few out there but not many and having two on the same block or patch of road at the same time is almost unheard of.

I have to drive on the interstate for my job and I always keep an eye out for Drifters I think that I saw one last year, but most of what I am seeing that could be Drifters are Indians (there is a dealer in Fargo).  There are not that many Indians out there either.

There have been alot of bikes on the road the past few weeks because of the Stirgis bike rally going on right now and those numbers will subside after this weekend, according the the lstest numbers six bikers have died so far this year, I alway say a prayer for safe passage as they travel the biways and highways.

[chief]

Was at the Bunganut Pig in Franklin, TN last night. There was a 99 1500 sitting in the parking lot... never found the owner. I WAS wearing one of my Drifter hats... so he never found me either. I have only see 2 Drifters in this area since 2002... so.. .

[Varooom]

Years ago, when I was touring up ME, a guy pulled up next to me at a gas station and asked me if I was riding a new Indian. After I explained, he took me to his place and showed me his '48.  We're out there and he is too.  It's just right place; right time.  Ride more!

[chief]

LOL... we travel constantly... I see maybe one a year. We took a 15 day, 5000 mile trip a while back... NO Drifters observed. These are simply RARE bikes... which is a good thing IMHO!

[49Reo]

I have only seen 2 here in BC.; one on Vancouver Island 2 years ago, and one 2 hours from where I live belonging to a fellow I know, Buck, (and don't you know there is a story behind THAT nickname!!!) which is the first Drifter I ever saw. Not too many of them around.

Regards and such,
49Reo