Kawasaki Drifter 800 - Page 3

nachtflug · 07-22-2011, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkster70

Thanks! Yeah, I've been actively looking for about 3 years. I wanted one that was intact with all the factory badges in place, etc, and no holes drilled where they shouldn't be.

I've really been enjoying it.

mine was a friends. he wanted to ride with Rolling Thunder but it was too big for him and after one unplanned excursion into a field with no injuries and a busted windshield his wife put a quick end to his brief riding career.

his loss my gain.

$1500 for a 2001 with 7000 miles. I like it a lot but hey what could I do he practically begged me to take it off his hands and that was his price to me I didn't talk him down. a friend told me the Drifters were 2 inches longer than the Vulcans so it's not quite as nimble as a 800 Vulcan but it certainly is a solid bike and I concur with the future collectibility.

kirkster70 · 07-23-2011, 02:45 AM

WOW!!!!! $1500? Yep, you got a smoking deal, that's for sure! Your 2-up seat is worth quite a bit. Apparently from what I can find online, the OEM dual seat was only available on the 800 for one year - 2000. Also in 2000, sky blue was offered only on the 800, not on the 1500. I'd say that bike along with the original gooseberry 1999 1500, both in black out trim should be the first models to skyrocket in price.

I paid $4200 for mine, which is top condition NADA / KBB. I felt that was fair, as did the seller. Shoot, if I could find one @ $1500, I wouldn't have to sell another toy first! Good score!

...still on the hunt for an OEM 2-up seat....

nachtflug · 07-23-2011, 05:38 AM

you think that my seat is OEM? I figured it was after market.

mac62 · 07-23-2011, 06:39 AM

Cool bike, man. At that price, you pretty much had to do it. I bet it tours well too.

kirkster70 · 07-23-2011, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtflug

you think that my seat is OEM? I figured it was after market.

Yeah, I do. Corbin actually made them for Kawasaki. The 2000 800 had one stock from the factory, (as did the '99 and '00 1500) but you could order it as an option on later years. The seat rail is worth some coin, too. The seat rail is interchangeable between 800 and 1500, but the seats are not interchangeable between bikes due to how they mount. Kawasaki no longer offers the seats for sale. Corbin still makes seats you can order through them for around $600 and up (no seat rail) depending on material, backrest(s), etc. Personally, I like the seat rail, so I'm still searching for OEM.

There's a really nice Drifter pictorial I stubmbled across online showing all the colors and specs. I'll try to find it again and post up. It's a big help when searching for a part.

My solo seat has what looks like a tribal flame embossed in the rear, and when I bought it I thought it was aftermarket, but it is OEM.

If you go to searchtempest dot com, and do a search on kawasaki drifter and wade through the pages, there's a guy selling a solo 800 seat for $75.

Then there is an ultra cool '04 Drifter in FL with a paint matched Motorvation sidecar for like $6800. That looks fekkin' nice. I know those sidecars go for more than 5k alone, so that's a deal right there if you're into hacks.

anonny · 07-23-2011, 02:09 PM

I had a friend buy one recently (for a great price) and I gotta say even though I am not a vtwin cruiser kinda guy I woulda bought that puppy up, cool bikes.

kirkster70 · 07-23-2011, 06:45 PM

Thanks. I'm not really a cruiser guy myself. This is my first cruiser ever. I have to admit that I am enjoying the heck out of it. I can't decide which I like more - the fenders, or the beach bars.

kirkster70 · 07-23-2011, 06:51 PM

Drifter Seats
	OEM Two-up on a 1500. This seat was OEM on 1999 and 2000 1500 and 800 Drifters only. 1500 - PN 53001-1886-MA 800 - PN 53001-1898-MA
	OEM Solo on 800. This seat was OEM on all 1500's and 800's from 2001 until 2006. 1500 - PN53001-1991-MA 800 - PN 53001-1949-MA
	OEM 2-up with Mustang Cover w/ fringe. Mustang
	OEM 2-up with Mustang cover - no fringe. Mustang
	After 2000, Kawasaki sold 4 versions of this seat. This is a Corbin seat using Kawasaki pans and was covered by Corbin in vinyl. Besides the black 1500 and 800 versions there were also tan versions. These were sold by Kawasaki as an aftermarket upgrade. The seat also came without fringe. 800 K53001-059 - Plain K53001-060 - Studded 1500 K53001-023 - Plain (no longer available from Kawasaki) K53001-022 - Studded (no longer available from Kawasaki)
	This is the Tan version of the above Kawasaki sold Corbin saddle. No Longer Available from Kawasaki.
	This is a Corbin solo for an 800. Corbin
	This is the underside of the above seat
	Corbin solo for 800 - no studs. Corbin
	This is the Corbin solo saddle for the 1500. As with all Corbins this seat could be made from many different color and types of leather. Corbin
	The seat on the left is a Corbin seat purchased from Corbin. The seat on the right is a seat covered by Corbin on Kawasaki pan and sold as an aftermarket accessory by Kawasaki, and labeled by them as a Corbin.
	This is a Corbin 2-up in brown leather with studs and fringe. This one is on a 1500. Corbin
	This is a Travel Horse solo sold for both the 1500 and 800. Travel Horse
	This is the brown version of the Travel Horse seat. Travel Horse
	This is a two up saddle made by Travel Horse. Travel Horse
	The seat on the left is a Heather's Leather chummie saddle, the seat on the right is a HL solo. HeathersLeathers
	Another Heather's Leathers seat. HeathersLeathers

If you have a seat not shown, or find any errors on this page please let us know. We'd also like pics of your seat including the bottom of the pan.

07-23-2011, 02:45 AM	#32
kirkster70 moto junkie Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Oddometer: 1,643	WOW!!!!! $1500? Yep, you got a smoking deal, that's for sure! Your 2-up seat is worth quite a bit. Apparently from what I can find online, the OEM dual seat was only available on the 800 for one year - 2000. Also in 2000, sky blue was offered only on the 800, not on the 1500. I'd say that bike along with the original gooseberry 1999 1500, both in black out trim should be the first models to skyrocket in price. I paid $4200 for mine, which is top condition NADA / KBB. I felt that was fair, as did the seller. Shoot, if I could find one @ $1500, I wouldn't have to sell another toy first! Good score! ...still on the hunt for an OEM 2-up seat.... kirkster70 screwed with this post 07-23-2011 at 08:49 AM

07-23-2011, 06:39 AM	#34
mac62 One more thin gypsy thief Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Royston Vasey Oddometer: 4,617	Cool bike, man. At that price, you pretty much had to do it. I bet it tours well too. __________________ "Oh yeah? Well how about I just kick your ass?" -Mahatma Ghandi, 1946

07-23-2011, 02:09 PM	#36
anonny What could go wrong? Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Beautiful Revelstoke BC Oddometer: 4,960	I had a friend buy one recently (for a great price) and I gotta say even though I am not a vtwin cruiser kinda guy I woulda bought that puppy up, cool bikes. __________________ Kawasaki H1 build thread 71- 450 Honda CL re & re Just another pathetic sheep following the herd

07-23-2011, 05:38 AM	#33
nachtflug ^OP infidel Joined: Jan 2002 Location: New York Oddometer: 42,857	you think that my seat is OEM? I figured it was after market.

07-23-2011, 06:45 PM	#37
kirkster70 moto junkie Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Oddometer: 1,643	Thanks. I'm not really a cruiser guy myself. This is my first cruiser ever. I have to admit that I am enjoying the heck out of it. I can't decide which I like more - the fenders, or the beach bars.