800/1500 Drifter

[zuzuman03]

well, im also trying to get rid of as much chrome as possible. i just happened to find my mirrors on the shelf at the shop. are the threads on the mirrors a typical spec? like could you take just about any mirrors and use them on the drifter? i found some really nice black ones on the cruiser customizing website that i really like.

i should hopefully have my air cleaner covers back tomorrow, then a fresh oil change over the weekend and i'll be set.

does anyone use the Amsoil motorcycle oil in their drifters? i just found a local dealer and picked up 4 quarts the other day. not cheap, but its good stuff.

[brotherzoo]

Does anyone know where I can find the tan solo seat that was an option for the 99 1500? Kawasaki can't get it and I am having no luck online. My other option is Cobra but I really like the solo option better.

THanks
WhiteFang

I've got one I might part with if you're interested.

[DevilDoc]

Hello, fellow Drifter owners. I am dropping a line to say hello and ask a couple of questions about mounting some bags on my bike. I have been looking at a few different bags and wanted to get some opinions. What bags do you all have mounted? Does anyone have hard bags? I am interested in the Saddlemen Desperado bags and the Viking Axe series hard bags. I really don't want to put bags on, but I need the space for work stuff. I have also searched and found some mounts from scootworks.com, but am not sure what they will fit. Has anyone used these? Just need some guidance before I start dropping all that hard-earned cash. Hope to here from you soon.

Ride hard. S/F.

[OhioDrifter]

[QUOTE=DevilDoc;1042655]Hello, fellow Drifter owners. I am dropping a line to say hello and ask a couple of questions about mounting some bags on my bike. I have been looking at a few different bags and wanted to get some opinions. What bags do you all have mounted? Does anyone have hard bags? I am interested in the Saddlemen Desperado bags and the Viking Axe series hard bags. I really don't want to put bags on, but I need the space for work stuff. I have also searched and found some mounts from scootworks.com, but am not sure what they will fit. Has anyone used these? Just need some guidance before I start dropping all that hard-earned cash. Hope to here from you soon.

Ride hard. S/F.[/QUOTE

Hi DevilDoc,

I have the Scootworks bag mounts on my 800. Pretty durable, I would believe that you could mount just about any bags you wanted on them. I've heard that you could actualy pick the back of the bike off the ground by the mounts. I directly bolted my bags to these & I'm satisfied with the setup.

Polly

[DevilDoc]

Thanks, Polly. I have found some hard bags that I like, and there was a pic on the VDR website of them mounted. Not the same mounts, but it looks nice. What bags do you have. My biggest concern is that leather bags will not be rigid enough to stay above the pipe. Hope to hear from you.

Thanks again.

[OhioDrifter]

DevilDoc,

I think my bags were made by River Road, bought them a couple of years ago. They are/were throwovers, with a zip off. They have a semi hard liner in the bottom, and backside of each bag. I just drilled holes in the back of each, through the liner. I made a small reinforcing plate that helps keep the bags secure. Ran the bolts through a hole in the plate, then through the back of the bag, then through the Scoot works mount. The bags are not really large, but can easily carry a six pack with room to spare.

[Mercury]

i just installed my bags on my scoot work brackets... heres what they look like:











These are edgeleather.com bags from 1cruiser.com

ed-sbr-107-s

kenny

[zuzuman03]

kenny, im going to have to ask what the hell that is sticking out of your ehaust pipe. is it a flame thrower?

as for my bike, i got my air cleaner covers back today from the powder coat shop and man are they sexy. got them on and changed the oil this evening. but after today, im not gona be able to dump any more $$ into the bike for a while. just found out this evening that im getting laid off again starting tomorrow. got laid off last fall and was off for 2 months, but im not sure how long it will be this time. o well, makes more time for riding and fishing. always much better then work anyway.

[Mercury]

kenny, im going to have to ask what the hell that is sticking out of your ehaust pipe. is it a flame thrower?

as for my bike, i got my air cleaner covers back today from the powder coat shop and man are they sexy. got them on and changed the oil this evening. but after today, im not gona be able to dump any more $$ into the bike for a while. just found out this evening that im getting laid off again starting tomorrow. got laid off last fall and was off for 2 months, but im not sure how long it will be this time. o well, makes more time for riding and fishing. always much better then work anyway.

sorry to hear about the job....

the thing out my exhaust is a method to read my A/F ratio by using an 02 sensor...

i am in the process of tuning the bike as well as i can before putting the exhaust back to normal - it was very rich

kenny

[PainlessWolf]

Thanks for asking too, ZuZuman, I was wondering as well. Bags look sweet, Kenny. Our 800's are some of the hardest Bikes to get Bags to mount and look good on. It's almost a Sin to hide that rear fender. I finally bought a windshield for mine today (after 3 years of dithering over it) and am now hoping the F&S Lightbar (if I find a new one) will fit with this Nat Cyc shield.
Painless Black Wolf
...Here for the Dawn...

2005 Drifter 800

[Mercury]

Thanks for asking too, ZuZuman, I was wondering as well. Bags look sweet, Kenny. Our 800's are some of the hardest Bikes to get Bags to mount and look good on. It's almost a Sin to hide that rear fender. I finally bought a windshield for mine today (after 3 years of dithering over it) and am now hoping the F&S Lightbar (if I find a new one) will fit with this Nat Cyc shield.
Painless Black Wolf
...Here for the Dawn...

2005 Drifter 800

thanks i like the bags too... hope tomorrow i get to try them....

kenny

[OhioDrifter]

Those bags look really good, Kenny

[Mercury]

thanks all I love um so far, today i had my lambda meter (to read a/f ratio) in there for the ride home bags worked out NICE!

kenny

[WhiteFang]

Grill Covers:

Has anyone used grill covers? There's one on Ebay that I'm looking at and was wondering if anyone has had problems with airflow, etc.

Thanks
WhiteFang

[Mercury]

Grill Covers:

Has anyone used grill covers? There's one on Ebay that I'm looking at and was wondering if anyone has had problems with airflow, etc.

Thanks
WhiteFang

what are grill covers?

kenny

[OhioDrifter]

Do you mean radiator covers? If so, I've considered one, but can't make a definate decision.

[zuzuman03]

well all the covers ive seen are chrome, which is one thing i dont want. ive seen a few nice ones online though. just not somethin i personally would put on. im sure it would be hard to keep clean. i know my radiator grill can get pretty nasty lookin after a nice ride.

[Mercury]

hey all you guys with iso grips and iso pegs, how to you turn them black?

man too much chrome in the world

kenny

[brotherzoo]

I also found some black mirors here:

KAWASAKI DRIFTER 1500 MIRRORS

and a pair of the bigger rectabgular black ones that are less expensive and offer a greater field of view, but I'll have to hunt up the link.

[brotherzoo]

Ah-Ha!!! Here they are.

OVERSIZED BLACK CASE MOTORCYCLE MIRRORS - JCWhitney Motorcycle Parts