TOPIC:

Hi all!  Some of you may remember me from a while back.  I have a 1977 KZ-1000A1 that I put back in running order and last year decided to offer it for sale.  As it turned out I wasn't able to sell it as I assume I was asking too much for the bike.  Winter came and I let the ad lapse and decided to try it again this year and once again put the bike up on Cycle Trader.  I have had several interested people respond to my add, but only one that seemed serious.  The deal was almost closed until I gave him the frame number.  He apparently compared it to the engine number that I had listed in the ad and he called me and said he wasn't interested in buying the bike because the numbers were too far apart and the engine had probably been replaced at some point.  Well this surprised me as I had no knowledge of the engine being anything but what came from the factory.  I also know that comparing frame to engine numbers is risky business when trying to determine anything but year of manufacture.

The engine number on my bike is KZT00AE007509.  The frame number is KZT00A-502280.  Comparing these numbers does anyone notice anything amiss here?  Is the spread too great between the numbers to indicate an incorrect replacement engine?  I guess in all the time I have owned this motorcycle this issue has never come up, so what this potential buyer, who claims too be very experienced, said to me really set me back on my heels.  Any comments would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Rick H.

Check your motorcycle under zedder.com (bike info) for KZ1000-A1 and you will note that all your numbers (frame and motor) fall within the range of expected VINs. The previous interested person probably thought that there was the congruence (frame and motor VINs were generally within 200 numbers of each other) as seen in the Z1 series from 1973 to 1975.  In 1976 and later, frames were made in the USA and Japan but all motors were produced in Japan.  So, Japan production and USA production each had their own production numbering (USA started with a '5')...so, the earlier frame/motor congruence seen in the Z1 series stopped.  

The ("L") mark frame and engine numbers are ok for bikes made in Lincoln, Nebraska. Your numbers are correct and legit!

 

Good to see you back Scirocco, it's been a while

Yes, my health condition give me a hard time.

Wookie58 wrote:

Good to see you back Scirocco, it's been a while

 

My thoughts as well. Great to have ya back.

Rick H. As mentioned by Mcdroid, once production began in 1975 in Nebraska the engine and frame sequences got out of skew. You like to see an early frame matched to an early engine but even that is a pike dream. As long as you don’t have a later frame with an early engine, and the numbers, as yours do, fall within the production years parameters alls good. Must have been one of those internet experts!!!

Thank you to all and I mean THANK YOU!!  I knew you guys would have answers I wouldn't or didn't know.  I was aware of the screwed up engine and frame sequences but I never had a reason to suspect anything was messed up with my KZ so I didn't worry about it.  Either he was trying to get out of a sale or maybe he was trying to swing a lower price.  Who knows, but thanks to all.

Rick H.

Scirocco wrote:

Yes, my health condition give me a hard time.

I hope using the past tense “gave” means you’re on the mend. We missed ya.