800: Reasons To Be Grateful

[Zoar]

Be careful, there,  Chief will be charging you for advertisement.... 

Geee, and here I thought the free pizza I agreed to give to Drifter peeps was going to be fair compensation for any free mentions here on this forum? 

Tit for tat.

Drifter riders only. All else pay. One thing I found out actually now being  in the food industry is --- margins are razor thin and you really don't make much if any money. And yes most restaurants do go out of business for that reason. I know it is glamorous right now to have a food truck or be making food for people, but staying in business is a the grim reality. A famous restaurant bar locally called "The Rongovian Embassy" just gave out a surprise announcement that they are closing their doors. They had some of the purported "best restaurants managers" in the area, too, running it. Now it's Belly UP.  I have learned when margins are as thin as they are it does not take much to render the operation to become not feasible. But the good news --- I paid cash for my Drifter 800 BEFORE the season and so was not dependent on the financial success or lack of for this food business to fund the acquisition of my motorcycles. I only know it prevented me from riding my beloved 800 all summer. So, I will not run it the same way next year as this past season. I need to figure that out over the winter and spring.  For now I am riding my 800 and my Ducati as much as I can and love the time I can put in the saddle during these autumn days in the Finger Lakes. Still have to work my other business but at least I have some time to ride. In fact, I hope to get some Drifter time in tonight!!! Can't wait!

[CDNRatMan]

   Chief is not like that.......now a few others I bet would....like the grumpy old guy there...........PC....him if it was up to him he would charge......lol.........

Bike is still on the lift, it was there this summer, well need to take a road trip to 0hi0 and give you a hand......oh wait mine is in the house so time to start my winter projects..........

[greenbarn]

Cool. Pi Truck is the name. I love branding. The more it gets repeated the more effective the branding.

Pi Truck is all about making amazing wood fired oven pizza and providing an experience of watching the pizza being made with all the details and methods borrowed from years of real Italian wood fired oven pizza making combined with some modern techniques! And yes all the electricity is provided from solar panels so the experience is not ruined with the droning noise and fumes from a gasoline generator which is the means for making power used by 95% of food trucks on the planet. Pi Truck is a unique experience and the pizza is by far one of the best and perhaps the best pizza you might ever eat, anywhere, ever.

Be careful, there,  Chief will be charging you for advertisement.... 

[greenbarn]

I also think the wind has more an effect on the 800 then on a 1500, the 800 is lighter and does sit a tad higher then the 1500.
Someone like GreenBarn who has both bikes should do a test ride for us and see what happens......

But Alas, the 800 is still on the bike lift...   

[CDNRatMan]

 The tire size on a stock 800 are as:

800                                     1500
Front 130/90 - 16                    130/90 - 16
Rear  140/90 - 16                    150/80 - 16

They are pretty close, but the main difference in my mind for most things is the weight. The 1500 is about 670 lbs and then the 800 is a mere 580 lbs. Round out this is about 100 lbs difference. I have noticed when riding with the heavier bikes that they tend to follow the road a bit better. I have lots of tar snakes up here and I find it is not so much the front tire following them but the whole bike. Down in the states were they have the roads grooved, I found my bike wandered on the grooves more then the heavier bikes. I found with the new Metz 888's that the snakes sing as you ride over or along top of them. Really bad if they are hot, the snakes that is on a hot day they seem to roll under the tires.
I also think the wind has more an effect on the 800 then on a 1500, the 800 is lighter and does sit a tad higher then the 1500.
Someone like GreenBarn who has both bikes should do a test ride for us and see what happens......

[RockinRollin]

I rode a 750 Honda Shadow for years and sold it when I bought the Drifter, I wish I still had the 750. The 750 was much better in town. Do the 1500 and 800 have the same front tire? I ask because the Shadow had a very narrow tire and when on the highway it would grab the tar snakes and pull side to side. In case you think I've got a vendetta against snakes I'm talking about the tar filled cracks on the roads.

[CDNRatMan]

     I am really looking forward to my free sample and then just sitting around and talking Drifters with all the other Riders I can convince to met  me there........

[Zoar]

Sorry

PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck

make you feel better......lol........

now i'll be really doing this to mess with you..........

Cool. Pi Truck is the name. I love branding. The more it gets repeated the more effective the branding.

Pi Truck is all about making amazing wood fired oven pizza and providing an experience of watching the pizza being made with all the details and methods borrowed from years of real Italian wood fired oven pizza making combined with some modern techniques! And yes all the electricity is provided from solar panels so the experience is not ruined with the droning noise and fumes from a gasoline generator which is the means for making power used by 95% of food trucks on the planet. Pi Truck is a unique experience and the pizza is by far one of the best and perhaps the best pizza you might ever eat, anywhere, ever. 

[CDNRatMan]

  Sorry

PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck
PI Truck

make you feel better......lol........

now i'll be really doing this to mess with you..........

[Zoar]

  I'll post the date and meeting place then we can ride en-mass into the location of the Pi Wagon for our small loaded pizza each for free well not for free for riding Drifter Motorcycles......lol........Zoar you might need to float a loan here for the summer.....lol....

Oh hey question is that one free pizza per visit or per season or per lifetime........

Pi Truck.
Pi Truck.
Pi Truck.

[CDNRatMan]

   I'll post the date and meeting place then we can ride en-mass into the location of the Pi Wagon for our small loaded pizza each for free well not for free for riding Drifter Motorcycles......lol........Zoar you might need to float a loan here for the summer.....lol....

Oh hey question is that one free pizza per visit or per season or per lifetime........

[Old Drifter]

All you southerners are the same whining about the weather.........

It will be summer soon and I'll be heading to the finger Lakes area for my free pizza..........

CDNRatMan, let me know when you're leaving, I'll meet you there. 

[CDNRatMan]

  All you southerners are the same whining about the weather.........

It will be summer soon and I'll be heading to the finger Lakes area for my free pizza..........

[Zoar]

I agree.  Like Larry said, the 800 isn't as comfortable for 2-up.  Other than that, I like my 800 a lot, and it's a great bike.

That Pizza Pi is sounding good....

The 800 makes me smile every time I take off on it.

I live in some great country here in Finger Lakes region of NY state.  I hope to explore a lot more of these roads soon. One major stumbling block is late fall winter  weather. That kinda' puts a damper on a lot of bike riding.

However, I plan to keep my bike ready for any available days all winter for some riding. One OTHER thing about this area. Jan 1 can be 60 degrees and beautiful!

Have 800, will travel.

[greenbarn]

Yes, not to worry, it will be free pizza for your 8 hours of riding and all the free publicity you will be providing the Pi Truck, (by the way, it is called the Pi Truck) between now and then. And any other Drifter Riders that accompany you. Free pizza for all Drifter riders. To make up for the loss all Harley Riders pay double!  Hehe.

Pi Truck.

Interesting you should post about the smug trepidation people have about the 800 being big enough for travel. They are smug and they are so sure it is not possible to travel with an 800.

Who did this to them?

I agree.  Like Larry said, the 800 isn't as comfortable for 2-up.  Other than that, I like my 800 a lot, and it's a great bike.

That Pizza Pi is sounding good....

[Zoar]

I really like it when another "biker" asks me what size the engine is.......

800 cc's      Really, yes.........   ok so you don't travel a lot on it then.........

Then I tell them were I have ridden it to and back, and mention that I have never had the bike on a trailer..........

I think a few would want to call me a liar but are not sure......glad I take lots of pictures..........

Next year a picture of my sweet red machine parked next to the Zoar Pizza Truck were I'll be eating my free pizza......I ride 8 hours it better be a free pizza........

Yes, not to worry, it will be free pizza for your 8 hours of riding and all the free publicity you will be providing the Pi Truck, (by the way, it is called the Pi Truck) between now and then. And any other Drifter Riders that accompany you. Free pizza for all Drifter riders. To make up for the loss all Harley Riders pay double!  Hehe.

Pi Truck.

Interesting you should post about the smug trepidation people have about the 800 being big enough for travel. They are smug and they are so sure it is not possible to travel with an 800.

Who did this to them?

[CDNRatMan]

  I really like it when another "biker" asks me what size the engine is.......

800 cc's      Really, yes.........   ok so you don't travel a lot on it then.........

Then I tell them were I have ridden it to and back, and mention that I have never had the bike on a trailer..........

I think a few would want to call me a liar but are not sure......glad I take lots of pictures..........

Next year a picture of my sweet red machine parked next to the Zoar Pizza Truck were I'll be eating my free pizza......I ride 8 hours it better be a free pizza........

[Zoar]

Great post and thank you for some verifying of your own factual experiences, such as towing a trailer.

I know, I am off the grid and use solar power and it is flabbergasting how many people immediately say to me--- "That Solar shit doesn't work!" or "You can't live off the grid, it just doesn't work."

Well, there are no power lines coming from the gird on to my property. I have solar panels and batteries.  I have successfully lived this way for 12 years.

It works.

And so does my 800 Drifter. It works great and is one of the best purchases I can say I ever made.

[LarryInSeattle]

I have something to say about the Drifter 800.  It has enough power to do what we need to do on the road, which is to get from one place to another.  It does it with style and class.  I toted a trailer with mine and could still keep up with the other boys.

The disadvantages I had with the bike is this:  Two up, it wasn't as comfortable as my big bike.

I kept everything stock on the bike and I am glad I did.  The looks of the 800cc can be improved by "making it your own" so to speak, but when it comes to resale, they sell better stock.

I bought mine with 6,000 miles on it and sold it with 11,000 miles on it.

Testimony to the size of the bike:  After I sold the 800, I missed the mid sized cruiser and bought an 07 Kawasaki Custom LT 900cc with fuel injection and belt drive.   It has stock floor boards, heel toe shifter, windshield and saddle bags.  It feels just like my Drifter, but it doesn't get the looks that the 800 did.   I found an 07 in Sept 2016 with 182 miles on it.  Yes, 182 miles.  I now have a whopping 600 on it.  I paid $2500.  The knock on the 900 is "not big enough."  "Girls or first time buyer bike"    Bullshit.

They did put a 5.3 gallon tank on the 900.   The 900 feels just like my 800cc in seat height, position and comfort level.  My girl friend still won't ride very far on this one either.  (she is 61 and in America, we do believe in choice.)

The guy who bought my 800 lives close by.  When he rides by, I just smile and have fond memories of my 800.  I don't regret selling it.  I learned a long time ago that I shouldn't love something that can't love me back.  However, when he found out how much I was selling it for ($3500) he bought it immediately that day.  After a few months of riding it, he sold his 2008 HD.  He is a smaller framed guy and he said, "it fits me perfectly."  I am taller and come in at 260 lbs and I told him, "it fit me well too."

[Zoar]

I would love to leave you worrying all winter about this, but we are talking about the summer of 17 just to be fair.......we need time to plan this out, we just need a place next to the food truck to pitch our tents.....park the bikes, have a washroom, and a place to sit and eat.........

Did I miss anything GB?

You guys can stay at my place. I have a Gypsy Wagon Guest House for one of you and plenty of room to pitch a tent OR I may have my Tree House Guest House done by then so there will be two structures with very comfortable beds for you guys to stay!

No problem!

[CDNRatMan]

  I would love to leave you worrying all winter about this, but we are talking about the summer of 17 just to be fair.......we need time to plan this out, we just need a place next to the food truck to pitch our tents.....park the bikes, have a washroom, and a place to sit and eat.........

Did I miss anything GB?

[Zoar]

GB I fear that if you and I show up at the food truck......poor Zoar would have to work for a full weekend to make it pay, he can only give out so much free food.......
Now if we knew the exact location I could be closer on my time and distance appreciation. So going by the map on his profile.....
From Richwood to him is about 7 hours, 728 km
From North Bay to Zoar is about 8 hours 714 km
We could leave at the same time and see how close we can get to arriving at the same time other then I have Customs to clear in Buffalo........might be a good weekend ride.......lol......

I am correct that he did say free food for anyone showing on a Drifter.........

And just so you guys are fully understanding the situation, the food truck is closed for the season however if you guys drove in I would fire up the wood stove on the truck and make you guys FREE pizza and we would have a mini Drift-In. Yes, absolutely. I just need some advanced notice. My climbing robot company sometimes requires me to travel. I would hate to be in Japan or even worse in Ohio when you guys are pulling in my driveway to get some pizza Pi.

[CDNRatMan]

  you would have to ride the 800....lol......an over night trip and free food, sounds like a plan to me.......

[greenbarn]

Yea, that's what he said...

So sounds like I can sleep in 2 hours longer than you, and still we can show up the same time....

[CDNRatMan]

  GB I fear that if you and I show up at the food truck......poor Zoar would have to work for a full weekend to make it pay, he can only give out so much free food.......
Now if we knew the exact location I could be closer on my time and distance appreciation. So going by the map on his profile.....
From Richwood to him is about 7 hours, 728 km
From North Bay to Zoar is about 8 hours 714 km
We could leave at the same time and see how close we can get to arriving at the same time other then I have Customs to clear in Buffalo........might be a good weekend ride.......lol......

I am correct that he did say free food for anyone showing on a Drifter.........