Kawasaki Drifter 800

Nineteen thirty-nine was a good year for motorcycles. Indian Motocycles ruled the roost with big twins that sprouted beautifully overgrown fenders and acres of floorboards. And these didn't ooze much chrome at all, similar to the bike here. You know where Kawasaki found those impossibly full-figured curves and why this 800 had to have floorboards. And the angled, cantilevered seat looks like it must have been fashioned in some distant sprung-saddled past. But if you turn the key, the twin jugs grunt to life instantly with the prod of a button, not a leap on a kickstart lever, and with nary a belch. And if you yank on the front brake lever, a squeal from the tire tells you that you have a disc brake to contend with now. Though this imposter might look like a crotchety old Indian, it undeniably feels like a modern Kawasaki.

You can trace the Drifter's style to the Indians of the late 1930s and early 1940s--you know, the Indians everyone thinks of when they think "Indian." Tapping into that nostalgic nerve seemed sure to make a big splash in the cruiser pond; Kawasaki accomplished that when it unleashed the ultra-retro styled 1500 Drifter in 1999. For the end of the 20th century, Kawasaki has seen fit to wade into the increasingly popular cruiser middleweight class, with an additional model--the midsized Vulcan 800 Drifter. And the ripples are beginning again....

Though we haven't seen it on these shores before, the 800 Drifter's been cruising European cobblestones for more than a year. Kawasaki apparently felt the Euros would be much more appreciative of a smaller-displacement model right out of the crate. We have no complaints, because it looks like that year was put to good use in refining the Stateside version--we're glad Kawasaki gave us smarmy Yanks a second chance.

Kawasaki's stab at a smaller stylistic exercise is well-executed, and not surprisingly, well-priced. At $7299, it's not the budget bike for its class, but then that's probably the point. Like the bigger Drifter, the 800 flaunts luxurious pre-war styling with full, sweeping fenders and a blacked-out finish on the fork, jugs and much of the metalwork. And while both have V-twin engines with similar liquid-cooling systems, the similarities mostly end there.

For one thing, the 800's more attractive. The rear end, for instance, is better served with the design of the 800's triangulated, single-shock swingarm, which more effectively conceals the rear shock for a hardtail sleight-of-hand. The 1500's twin shocks and taller seat interrupt the unique curves of the Drifter concept. The 800's underlying design embraces the overall design more concisely.

The Vulcan 800 Drifter also shares a similar double cradle frame with its Vulcan 800 and 800 Classic stablemates, but lest you think the Drifter is a pile of exquisite bodywork on the back of a Classic, know that it's also a significantly modified skeleton. For example, the frame is lengthened in the steering head for 31.5 degrees of rake and 6.2 inches of trail, and the downtubes are substantially beefed up for more structural strength. The result is a stable, solid ride with responsive steering and sure tracking. The Drifter's shoes are the same as the Classic's; 16-inch wheels, each with 48 shiny spokes arrayed within chromed steel rims, and shod with Bridgestone rubber.

The bike isn't intimidating, either. The cantilevered dual seat is a user-friendly 28.9 inches off the ground, and if you're vertically challenged like I am, you'll cackle when you see your feet planted on terra firma. The seat is initially comfortable, though it tends to close in on your butt on longer hauls. A popular complaint among testers was that the saddle didn't extend deeply enough and the stepped back portion of the seat didn't allow one ample room to slide back. The seat was the single factor that kept taller riders from having much fun with this pretty middleweight for very long. Passengers will appreciate a grab rail curving along the back of the saddle, however. This steel bar also has a black finish, subtly adding yet another prewar styling touch.

Taller riders be damned--my 5-foot-7-inch mass, in fact, settled nicely onto the floorboards (placed just where you want them if you're five-foot-seven) from the seat, and rider ergonomics were generally comfortable. The handlebar width was a relaxed 33 inches wide, and the low rise of the bar allowed for an easy grip without stretching, with good access to all controls and steering inputs. The steering, in fact, is much better than I expected, and better than the bigger Drifter. Though initiating a turn required a bit of muscle, the bike tracked solidly after that, and responded obediently in the turns.

All that bodywork actually handled pretty well in the tight stuff, and the bike seemed quite happy at speed. It was when we really started pushing the lean angle that things got noisy. When you crank the bike over into a turn, the grinding sound you hear is a floorboard scratching asphalt. Since the Drifter is the only one of Kawasaki's 800s to carry floorboards--and it carries them low--chances are you will get to hear that sound. (As one tester pointed out, the "floorboards are literally the lowest point of this bike".) I liked the floorboards, especially on longer rides, and didn't feel they interfered too much with the feel of this ride. They will, however, make you think twice about carving tight arcs on curving roads with the smaller Drifter. That is unfortunate, because the rest of the bike seems quite amenable to such tomfoolery.

A look under the seat reveals a powerful, uncluttered 805cc V-twin--the same single-overhead-cammed heart that beats in the Vulcan 800 and 800 Classic, tuned a bit softer--with cylinders painted a rough-cast black. The 55-degree V-twin is arranged like a still life in the engine bay, with the air cleaner cover acting as a chrome bull's-eye, and the blacked-out cylinders, fins and all, retreating into the background. The heads are polished metal, and under those shiny covers are four valves per cylinder, gulping big breaths of air for better power and torque.

Starting this motorcycle is a simple proposition. Simply drop your left arm behind the rear cylinder and it will find the ignition switch all by itself. The choke knob is above the switch, and though you might have to search for it, you will need it--this Drifter is carbureted and fairly cold-blooded. Early morning starts require some warm-up to get it into full song, but once it gets going, the going's very good; power delivery from the 805cc mill is righteous and smooth.