DrifterDon's
Evolving Drifter
'Spitfire'

1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter
Gooseberry Red
1500cc (90 ci) V-Twin engine
Fuel injected
Liquid cooled
Overhead cams
Five speed transmission
Shaft drive

It looked good in the ads

Looked even better on the first day of ownership.
Picked it up from the shop and put 100 gentle
kilometres on her. March 31, 2003.

Then I headed home and got ready for some
serious riding.

Inexplicably, items began to accumulate.
Crashbars first, retro mirrors, tank and fender
trim, backrest and rack.

First major outing was the Mayor's Awareness
Ride, May 25, 2003. More than 800 bikes
took part.

That was followed by the Ride For Sight on
June 14, 2003. About 900 bikes (three Drifters)
descended on Stettler, Alberta, for a weekend.

July 19 was the Vulcans to Vulcan ride to
(where else?) Vulcan, Alberta. This was my
first Show & Shine and she got
four votes for Best Motorcycle. Mine was
one of them.

She basked in unabashed admiration from
the throngs of people who attended the
Show & Shine in Vulcan.

You can't beat that breathtaking
Eastern Alberta scenery.

Near the end of July 2003, Spitfire was
starting to look individualized. The seat is
Mustang, rack/backrest is Road Krome, bags
are factory, windshield is National.

Back from vacation, I entered the Airdrie
Show & Shine on September 6. Got at least
one vote....

The following day, took part in Richard's Ride
for Asthma. The ride raised $6,000 for research
and ended up in Longview, Alberta.

September 14, 2003, was the Salvation Army
Toy Run, about 600 bikes took part. About $6,000
and three truckloads of toys were collected.

September 20, 2003, the now defunct MTA ( who were
a great group to ride with) headed to Standard, Alberta,
for a weekend campout. Some of us just went along for the ride.

Campground at Standard, Alberta

The following weekend, the MTA descended on
That's Crafty tea house and craft shop near
Rosebud, Alberta, for the best cinnamon buns
in the known world.

Two Drifters made the Cinnamon Bun Run, mine and
Renegade Drifter, also a '99 1500, but tricked out
quite differently.

October 6, 2003 - The Autumn Colour Run
up Highway 40 in the Alberta Rocky Mountains
(fully recorded elsewhere in this chronicle.)

2004 - Cosmetic changes:

Light bar

Exhaust modifications

Heatshields blacked out

2005 - Dunlop CruiseMax Wide White Walls

The bike has caught the eye of many admirers including Harvey The Hound, mascot of the NHL Calgary Flames. (Salvation Army Toy Run, September 2005.)

June 2006 - Sturgis

Hmmmmm, no Drifter stuff...

Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer, SD

Spring 2007