Where are the Drifters?

[ChilliDrift]

WIBD. Thanks PC.. interesting stuff for sure. How long have you owned your Drifter?

[pcarrell]

Hey PC,,you stated very few have relocated the radiator.. where in the heck do they put them?

I've heard of 2 guys that relocated them to the area between the transmission and the rear tire after the goats bladder has been removed.  Neither one of them was able to completely solve cooling problems though.

[made2care]

I travelled 16 hrs to pick up my drifter(sleeping beauty) and prior too that had never seen one, and still have not seen one other than mine.
Had her parked the other day at the local store in town. Older gentleman pulls up, gets out and circles my bike several times. asked if she was an indian and the conversation started.
These are pretty rare where I live . I frequently get long looks when I am riding around town and elsewhere. great feeling!!

[ChilliDrift]

Its my damn literal logic,,, I'm a natural born straight man. Easy to get one over on me.

now then... where did I put my meds   

[CDNRatMan]

  Chilli I think that was one of them retorical statments not for real.

perhaps they put the rad between the forks......

but do the indians not have the lifter arms on the side of the ciylinders like an H-D, or am I wrong? Now I'll have to go and look after make that statment.....

[ChilliDrift]

Easiest way I've found to tell "on the fly", is look for a radiator.  Indian's don't have them, and VERY few drifters have moved them to hide it.  The cover over the brake caliper on the front fender is another good one.  Indian's have that caliper hangin' out in the wind.

Hey PC,,you stated very few have relocated the radiator.. where in the heck do they put them?

[CDNRatMan]

..I love the look and sound of mine it will probably be the last bike I ever buy..

sentiments of a lot of us for sure....

seems not many were sold in NA, and Canada for example is so large and the majority of people live down south so there is more down there in the north country....

[Troll]

I have a tendency to hang onto things for long periods. I ran my '78 ElectraGlide for 32 years, 250,000 miles, and my '80 TourGlide for 15 years and 200,000 miles. During that time I saw some Drifters, but didn't think much about them, other than they looked nice...I had a rider ed student tell me his brother in law had a 1500 Drifter for sale, quite by accident. I was looking for something a little easier to ride after surgery, but I didn't mention it to him. I had carpal tunnel surgery in 2007, and it made things worse. I sold my E-Glide and replaced it with a 2000 W-650 Feb. of '09, and then the Drifter came along in Aug. of '09....I've put 32,800 miles on the Drifter since I bought it, and 11,000 on the W since I bought it....If they hold up as well as the H-Ds, then they are going to be my last motorcycles....unless I buy a third one....

[chief]

The big fenders aren't for everyone. I try to stay aware of new models of various bikes, but I didn't know Drifter existed until late 2001!  I searched the State of TN, every Kaw dealer, and only found TWO in stock. If they don't show them, they don't sell them. The shadow is cheaper, smaller and looks more contemporary. I think all of that had something to do with it.

[John Hopkins]

That sounds strange to me, the fact seems to be that Drifters are a very rare breed in America, I would have thought that because they are cheaper new than a lot of other bikes and because there are so many bikers in America and that they have a classic look that there would be more of them sold than Honda Shadows..I love the look and sound of mine it will probably be the last bike I ever buy..

John.

[pcarrell]

That's true!

[49Reo]

Funny; with a lot of bikes,(and vehicles) if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Not so with the Drifter; it's like every one you see, it's "WOW! what a gorgeous bike!

Regards and such,
49Reo

[pcarrell]

I've only seen 5 or 6, besides my own.

Brillo lives near by me and we both have ours wrenched on by the same shop (when we aren't twisting our own wrenches Fattys Cycle is the BOMB!).  I saw his there one time.  Somehow, even though we only live 15 or 20 miles apart, we never seem to catch up to each other.

Sandy (AnnieOakley) and I put together a small Indiana drift In a few years ago down in Nashville, Indiana (GREAT riding country!).  Saw her ride and a couple others there.

Then I saw a red 800 peeking out of some guys garage a few miles from here a while back.  Turns out it was the guys brothers bike or something.  I guess the guy came and got it, because I never saw it again.

I also saw a champagne colored  2000 1500 on the hiway once, but he was headed the other way so there was no chance of catching up to him.

That's about it........we are a rare breed!

[jmbo]

I live in "Harley Country" near Milwaukee. We are on one of the main routes to the back roads area in SE Wisconsin.  Every summer weekend I will see hundreds of bike ride by.  As you would expect ninety percent of these are Ha-Ha-Harleys.  To date I have seen exactly two Drifters. That's it! Two.  Well now three including mine.

Even though this is the home of HD we have a huge non-Harley bike show called Rockerbox.  Every year they block off several blocks in mid Milwaukee and fill it with classic, vintage, and modern Euro/Asian bikes. Quite a thing to see especially in HD country.  Seven city blocks with three rows of bikes handle bar to handle bar and that only the show.  Even more bike line the surrounding streets and parking lots.  But to the point last year I saw my first and only Drifter at the show.  I expect there will be at least one more next year.

[45 Bravo]

My quickest way to tell depending on the angle I see the bike from is the radiator first, or the silver soccer ball behind the drivers right foot..

Or from the left side from the rear of the bike I look at what would be the "primary" drive cover.

It is a lot smaller on vulcans since the gearbox is inside the engine, not behind it..

Just my .0012cents worth..(2 cents after taxes =.0012cents....)

45 Bravo

[pcarrell]

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.

Easiest way I've found to tell "on the fly", is look for a radiator.  Indian's don't have them, and VERY few drifters have moved them to hide it.  The cover over the brake caliper on the front fender is another good one.  Indian's have that caliper hangin' out in the wind.

[ChilliDrift]

I had my first Drifter sighting down in Nelsonville, Ohio 2 weeks ago. Looked like a 1500.

I bet that was me my friend. The better half and I were at a Abrios in Athens for lunch, we live in Chillicothe.. We went to drive through the square  in Nelsonville and it was closed for a local event. We need to get together for an oHIo Drift in.

[Boaski]

I had my first Drifter sighting down in Nelsonville, Ohio 2 weeks ago. Looked like a 1500.

[49Reo]

2 thumbs up for your "rant". You are 100% correct; booze and bikes (vehicles too for that matter) don't mix. I try stay at the back of a pack when on those runs where there are more than 2 or 3 bikes; I would rather stay out of the way and let them "Macho up" without being involved.

Some nice looking bikes there; especially the last one!!!

Regards and such,
49Reo

[CDNRatMan]

I would have to agree with you 100% on most of your rant. My brother in law has a pair of Harley Chaps...$400.00 I bought a pair off Amazoncom Jafrum for $39.00, figured if I got one summe rI got my moneies worth.....mine are thicker and better made then his Harley ones made in China ones....lol

and a very nice picture of your ride....

[45 Bravo]

Well, there was a poker run this weekend, supporting a local organization.
I did not participate as it is not one I choose to support, but I was at the bike shop when it departed and returned..

It  was scheduled to make 5 stops "at old stagecoach stops around the county"

The cost was $25 a head to ride, they were back at the start point in 1 hour & 5 minutes.
that was too fast and short of a ride for the cost in my opinion.

There were about 20 bikes, about half rode 2 up..
Mostly Harley's, 1 Beemer, 2 or 3 old yamahas (1980's) and 2 vulcans.

After my buddy had his new rear tire installed (thats why we were at the shop to begin with)
We rode the back roads to tupelo,  went to Elvis's birthplace.
Had a burger, and rode the twistys back to town.

Good weather, good friends, saw a lot of bikes, but just my drifter...

Oh it got lots of attention before the ride started, all positive, I answered lots of questions..
The 2 Vulcan riders never knew about the drifters until yesterday.

45 Bravo

[ChilliDrift]

And a semi nice looking, Honda vtx1300 sitting on the side of the road in a guy
45 Bravo
[/quote] i think I saw that Vtx in the weeds by the rd when I went down to Memphis to see my Sister off of rte 40. It just looked odd sitting
there by the driveway facing the highway. Maybe they bought a Drifter and are turnibg the Honda into a mailbox or a trellis for growing morning glories.

[CDNRatMan]

   We are planning a 300 km ride tomorrow as a fall leaves ride and look at the changing colours of the leaves.....lol they have already changed.....about 2 months left before I will park my ride...never wait till it is to late.....and before the snow is on the ground because it will come fast. We are about 5 hours east of SSM. Most of my military time since 72 has been north of 55 and in the bush....love the isolation but I am really happy here and some awesome riding around here for a small northern town.

if anyone is ever passing by or close should drop a line and we could met and do a bit of a ride.

[56Drifter]

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 ....

Oh crap man...you must not get much ridin' weather up there... I used to be stationed up in Sault St. Marie, Mich.area in 1975-77 at an Air Force Base called Kincheloe (Carter closed it in 77) and there wasn't much summer up there. I remember working in -20,-40, and even -60 BELOW ZERO on B-52's !!! I'm originally from Detroit but I got smart and after I left the military i moved to San Antonio,Tx. Now I'm thinking of moving to Chattanooga, Tn. Just LOVE that area...great town and the Smokey Mts. there. Still decent riding weather there too but not as long as Texas i would imagine.
Let's KEEP THEM DRIFTERS ON THE ROAD AND MAKE EVERYONE DRROOOOOL.. HEHE...later.. -MIKE

[45 Bravo]

My wife and i went for a short ride, (100 miles, up to Tn. buy a Lottery Ticket,) and just spend some time together.

No Drifters sighted, no Indians, several Harleys, a few wings, and one guy on a clean late 70's Honda cb750F super sport (the 4 into one chrome trombone).

And a semi nice looking, Honda vtx1300 sitting on the side of the road in a guys front yard half covered in weeds, out near the road like it was for sale..

We rode through the 3 towns where other Drifters in this area live, but none sighted.
But the weather was nice and cool, dodged a few showers, but had a good time.

45 Bravo