TOPIC:

hardrockminer wrote:

There was no attempt to match engine and frame numbers from the 76 model onwards.  There might be records of the engines sent to the US for assembly into US made 900's, which had a frame S/N beginning with a 5.  But I don't know if those records exist and if they are commonly available




I would not disagree with your statement but do think that if you have  an early 1976 Bike VIN and I believe they started at around Z1F -500,000  (mine is 5007_ _) Then you should have an earlier # on the motor which I believe started around Z1E 086000 (my motor is Z1E-88923 )
 

OK, I see what you were thinking.  You probably know only about 10,000 bikes were made in the USA that year and half were LTD version.  Those were the only bikes with S/N beginning with a 5.  Far and away the majority of KZ900's were built in Japan with the old S/N designation, following the Z1B's.  All of the engines were assembled in Japan and I imagine they sent them to Nebraska in lots.  So yes, early S/N frames probably saw early S/N engines, but there would be likely be large gaps between engine shipments.

Originally this was called a '76 but without the S/N it's impossible to determine where it was assembled.  Turns out it was a '77 so the question is moot.