Nice sled. My cousin loved his Kawasakis. I had a Kawy/SnoJet Astro that had to give away because I ran out of time and cash trying to fix it. I miss that thing. You drag that to a show and it turned heads. Arctic Cat assembled all the old Sno Jet based Drifter/ Astro chassis machines for Kawasaki under contract. Kawasaki built the Invader based machines at the ATV plant in Nebraska. They had a strict five year plan to either grow and make serious money and be a player or go home after five years. Sadly they folded shop after 1982. The sled division never really turned a big profit. No doubt Arctic Cats Bankruptcy in 1981 helped them quit the market. Behind the scenes the blame game was played. Kawy people insinuated that Cat workers left sand or filings in Kawasaki motors. Cat employees have told me that Kawy owed Arctic money and had trouble delivering parts to the Cat plant on time because of money issues. With the market shrinking rapidly at the time I’ve no doubt that dirty pool was played by some. It’s human nature. Today we have manufacturing suing each other at the drop of a hat. All trying to eat more pieces of a shrinking pie.
Seems like I remember 80 or 90 mph . We aren't young enough anymore to try it out. (wish I was 20 again!!) I do have an Invader (440 liquid) maybe next season ill dig that one out of the barn and clean it up. I feel we were really privileged to have lived through the era when these sleds were new and it seemed like every neighbor had a different make or model!!
That is a 1980. I just bought one that looks just like it. Haven't gotten to ride it yet all our snow melted but more is on the way. Good to hear you say its been dependable. Nice looking snowmobile!
I love these old machines! I find these older machines are excellent for narrow trails in the bush. A lot of the newer machines are just too heavy and cumbersome for narrow bush trails. Thanks for this video. This is a nice machine! I wish Kawasaki still made snowmobiles.
i had a 78 intruder 440 fan...put 1800 miles on it in 77,78,79. fun times .went to yellowstone one year from jersey.. did not want to rent their stuff .
Kawaksaki Invader's were my favourite....Intruder's were damn nice too. Actually all the Kawi's were nice looking. The Drifter the Intriguer and the 550 Interceptor (extremely rare) . That's a very nice Intruder ..... what kind of top speed could u get out of these?
Yes they built their own clutches which they used on all the Intruder, Invader, LTD, 4/6, and Interceptor models. They used the Arctic Cat Hex clutches on the Drifters, Intriguer and Inviter models
I had the same sled but mine had a liquid cooled 440 and was date stamped july of 80 but my sled was called an intruder but it looked all the same other than the Diffrent engin
Those were great sleds. My father had 79 440 L/C Invader. It was fast but bumpy as hell !Kawasaki went bankrupt trying to build high quality sleds.I'm into the classic sleds now.You should check out my channel . I subbed yours. Mark Bow
Nice sled. My cousin loved his Kawasakis. I had a Kawy/SnoJet Astro that had to give away because I ran out of time and cash trying to fix it. I miss that thing. You drag that to a show and it turned heads. Arctic Cat assembled all the old Sno Jet based Drifter/ Astro chassis machines for Kawasaki under contract. Kawasaki built the Invader based machines at the ATV plant in Nebraska. They had a strict five year plan to either grow and make serious money and be a player or go home after five years. Sadly they folded shop after 1982. The sled division never really turned a big profit. No doubt Arctic Cats Bankruptcy in 1981 helped them quit the market. Behind the scenes the blame game was played. Kawy people insinuated that Cat workers left sand or filings in Kawasaki motors. Cat employees have told me that Kawy owed Arctic money and had trouble delivering parts to the Cat plant on time because of money issues. With the market shrinking rapidly at the time I’ve no doubt that dirty pool was played by some. It’s human nature. Today we have manufacturing suing each other at the drop of a hat. All trying to eat more pieces of a shrinking pie.
One word...MAGNIFICENT.
Yep!
Seems like I remember 80 or 90 mph . We aren't young enough anymore to try it out. (wish I was 20 again!!) I do have an Invader (440 liquid) maybe next season ill dig that one out of the barn and clean it up. I feel we were really privileged to have lived through the era when these sleds were new and it seemed like every neighbor had a different make or model!!
Awesome!!
That is a 1980. I just bought one that looks just like it. Haven't gotten to ride it yet all our snow melted but more is on the way. Good to hear you say its been dependable. Nice looking snowmobile!
You have some nice scorpions there also!
I love these old machines! I find these older machines are excellent for narrow trails in the bush. A lot of the newer machines are just too heavy and cumbersome for narrow bush trails. Thanks for this video. This is a nice machine! I wish Kawasaki still made snowmobiles.
Thanks for looking! Yea it's one of my favorites. Solid snowmobile!
80 intruders just a little slower than the invader, which other than the tigger 6000 was the best looking sled EVER built!
Jmhofo by the way Arlyn!
Nice kawi! I've got the same year and condition of machine as well. Missing the electric starter though. Fun to ride and dependable.
i had a 78 intruder 440 fan...put 1800 miles on it in 77,78,79. fun times .went to yellowstone one year from jersey.. did not want to rent their stuff .
never got to Yellowstone snowmobiling. Alwas wanted to go. Spent most of my riding out here on the flat prarie. Thanks for looking!
That's in great shape
I swore we got those 440 intruders close to 80 mph but i was younger
Yea,'Im to old to(wind it out) anymore. But back in the day!
Friggin sweet, bud.
Had a1977 340cc. I was a king in 1979
Great sleds
Sweet.
Kawaksaki Invader's were my favourite....Intruder's were damn nice too. Actually all the Kawi's were nice looking. The Drifter the Intriguer and the 550 Interceptor (extremely rare) . That's a very nice Intruder ..... what kind of top speed could u get out of these?
I wonder if Kawasaki really made their own clutches back then. Wouldn't be surprised but just never heard of one.
I dont know that, ill look at the cutch see if it has kawasaki on it.
Yes they built their own clutches which they used on all the Intruder, Invader, LTD, 4/6, and Interceptor models. They used the Arctic Cat Hex clutches on the Drifters, Intriguer and Inviter models
I had the same sled but mine had a liquid cooled 440 and was date stamped july of 80 but my sled was called an intruder but it looked all the same other than the Diffrent engin
Those were great sleds. My father had 79 440 L/C Invader. It was fast but bumpy as hell !Kawasaki went bankrupt trying to build high quality sleds.I'm into the classic sleds now.You should check out my channel . I subbed yours. Mark Bow
they stopped building them because we got 5 years of no snow
carb size was 38 i think
Thats probably right.. They are good size! Thanks for looking!
It's an 1980