1500 or 800?

[pcarrell]

From what I understand, all the 1500 seats are able to be mounted on all years of the 1500, and the same goes for the 800.  The 1500's and the 800's aren't interchangable though.  And to mount any of the 2up's does require the horseshoe bracket assembly.  See this link for more info: http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm/Module/Main/TypeID/26/Type/Motorcycle/MakeID/3/Make/Kawasaki/YearID/42/Year/2001/ModelID/2933/Model/Vulcan_1500_Drifter/GroupID/70600/Group/Optional_Parts

[Lupee2u]

Hey GaCollier,

There are plenty of seats available after 2000. The key in terms of the 800 is the Mounting Bracket that holds the (extended) seat. It is different than the bracket that you're using for the solo seat.

Lupee

[pcarrell]

Sure......The 1500 seats are all interchangable and the 800 seats are interchangable.  You can't use an 800 seat on a 1500 or vice-versa though.

On the 1500, while the standard seat was a solo after 2000, Kawasaki Fire & Steel did offer a Corbin covered 2 up as an option.  I have one and they're nice.

See this link for more seat info: http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/drifterseats.html

[gacollier]

Great post Lupee, thanks much.

Quick (but likely stupid) question... It looks like the 2 up seat was only available up to 2000. Can you get a 2 up seat for later model bikes?

[Lupee2u]

I own an 02 Drifter 800 with 40k on it. I have ridden cross country in everything but snow. I'm 6' 225lbs. I maintain it myself and have from the beginning. I have not ridden a 1500 extensively so I have no comparison.

Here a few pros/cons from stock version I have encountered; some I remedied.

Pros; Lighter more agile, Swing arm suspension absorbs 80% of shock from road, Braking is faster/more controlled, Sitting position is upright and back. THE LOOK!

Cons: Fuel Tank too small, Two-up Seat places weight of passenger on you when braking, Parts (not much in aftermarket, less than 1500).

Maintenance: Minimal. Over the course of 6 yrs I have spent more time cleaning the white walls than actually maintaining the bike. Chains, tires, brakes, oil, lubrication, fluids are all standard stuff on any bike (with chain). By doing the maintenance yourself you can ensure your own safety when riding. I can't speak for the 1500's but this is a very well made bike that has had no major repairs required.

In the end, no bike I have ever ridden off the floor from dealership has been as overall satisfying. Also, no bike I have ever owned didn't require some "tweeking" to make it more suitable to my needs at the time.

Good luck with your decision.

[pcarrell]

There's a lot that can be done to hide that shaft.  On the other hand, thats just one of the things that make our bikes better then the more expensive "copies"!

[gacollier]

Thanks guys. Great info. I guess for me it will likely be the maintenance issue. I tend to hang onto bikes for a while and put a lot of miles on them. (6 years on my ZR-7S and 30K miles. 8 years for the bike before that with about 42K miles. Also 2 up riding will be a must. I've owned a shaft driven bike before and they are great, but for the 1500 I really wish it were a belt or even chain just for the look.

[pcarrell]

If it was just me cruising the country roads of Indiana to and from work, I'd probably be on an 800 myself.  I like the looks enough that it probably would have outweighed the maintinance issue.  It was really the touring issue, combined with the maintinance issue, that swung it the most.  As for insurance, I pay about $800 a year, and I ride year round.

[drifter800]

Personaly i ride the 800 and love it. Maintenance? Not a big deal. 35000 K/M and no issues at all. I ride solo 95% of the time thou and only 2 up for short distances. Maybe a few hundred miles say or short rides around town. Personaly it has enough power for my riding style althou i'm thinking of adding the knn filter and jetting. I do seem to be looking for that 6th gear sometimes on the hiway because of the revs but after a few miles at 70 mph, you get used to it and has lots more left on tap. Mileage. i think is great. 55+ MPG. Being a nostalga freak, i don't mind oiling the chain and i do prefer the looks over the 1500. A little lighter around town and around here a lot cheaper for insurance which is a huge issue here.Anything over 1000 cc, they realy sock it to ya for insurance here. I pay 1400 just for the summer months. ouch.

[pcarrell]

Man, I was just like you!  I like the look of the 800, but the 1500 had less maintinance.

To narrow it down, I looked at the kind of riding I wanted to do, and I realized that I wanted a bike that the wife and I could ride comfortably, and haul enough gear to go for a week or so.  Then I got to thinking about riding those long distance trips, and riding the hiways with the big trucks.  I remembered riding back in the late 70's and early 80's on my old Honda 550SS, and how on a two lane blacktop a semi would about blow me away.  But I also remembered how nimble and agile that bike was.  I could carve a corner like nobody's business!

Then I got to thinking about the maintinance issue.  I thought about it, and I'm WAY too busy to be foolin' with maintinance issues.  I'd rather use that precious free time of mine to ride.

In the end, you probably guessed it by now, I chose the 1500.  I'm happy with that choice too.  Whenever I want to ride, it's ready to go.  I just saddle up and go.  It was not an easy choice to make though.  The 800 looks so good, and it'll outcorner a 1500 most any time.  It also gets up outta the hole quicker.  Less weight to push around, ya know?

Oh, one other thing that played a minor factor in my choice was that the 800 is kinda high strung in 5th gear on the highway.  The revs are a bit high causing fuel mileage to be lower then optimum.  From what I've gathered, Scootworks offers a sprocket that fixes that, but then I'm back to more wrenching on my limited schedule.

In the end, there really isn't a wrong choice.  Making a right or wrong choice is the wrong way to look at it.  It's more a case of what is the optimum choice for you, personally.  For me, the 1500 was a good match.

[chief]

I wanted exactly the same thing. I had a hd RK and wanted a shaft drive, liquid cooled, EFI v-twin... the 1500 met those specs, plus the looks got to me quick.

The 800 and 1500 are almost entirely different bikes except for the fenders. I am always surprised how much difference there is.

The 800 has a bit of a different look - I actually like the look a bit better.

If you compare the specs all those sorts of questions are answered. 800/1500 riders all think their's is best!!

Personally, I rode two up and loaded down - I wanted the extra hp the 1500 has, plus I didn't want a carb and chain. We rode it a lot on the interstate as well. (We have a GW for that stuff now - so the drifter is solely my riding alone bike.)

I'd go for the 1500 again. BUT... I am really thinking of getting an 800 TOO!...  wife doesn't think so... 4 bikes and 1 rider is hard to explain! (I'm putting together the stuff for a bobber which will be #3).

Cheers.

[gacollier]

Great forum! I've been poking around for a while. I realize that this is a very difficult question to answer, and tends to be subjective, but I'm very much thinking of purchasing a used drifter. Outside of magazine articles and printed specs, I'm wondering what the real world differences are between the 800 and 1500? For the 800 folks, if you had it to do over again would you opt for the 1500 and vice versa. I like the look of the 800 better than the 1500 but I like the technological advantage of the 1500 (or at least how it appears on paper). I currently own a carbureted, chain driven, valve adjustment required bike (2001 ZR-7S), and I'd rather not have the headache for my next bike. Also, I'm wondering if the 800 is physically smaller than the 1500, (I'm 6' 195 lbs).

Thanks!

Greg