What have I bought?

Hello all, I have just bought a one owner 1982 Kawasaki KZ-1000J model. At least that is what the VIN tells me, but two things are different from the J models. Kawasaki states that the J model vin's start like so JKAKZCJ14A########...... However mine is JKAKZCJ12CA011727. Mine is also Black with red and Gold stripes which was not a J model color in 82. To make matters more interesting my side covers say 1000R not KZ-1000. The tank and side cover paint is obviously original as the stripes have faded a bit and the bike while looking very good for a 25 year old bike is still obviously an unaltered original. The engine is part black the heads and cylinders, while the bottom end is the standard shiny aluminum cases and covers. It runs great and has 19988 actual miles. Can anyone shed light on this bike? Also the seat is a deep king and queen that looks exactly like the one on the Eddie Lawson replica.

Thanks
Steve

Hello Steve. Sweet bike...nice find...treasure the bike as clean J models are getting pretty uncommon. You do, indeed, have a 1982 J model...to verify, check www.zedder.com as another resource to Mother Kawasaki. The black paint scheme is also a 1982 (USA only) edition. I suspect the previous owner had a recreation of an S model in mind...a modified J model is what Eddie Lawson won on back in the early 80's. To expand on this, to commemorate this feat (translates to 'rake in more profits') Kawasaki released the Eddie Lawson Replica between 1982 through 1984). The vast majority of folks now take a certain Kawasaki model (1981/2 GPz = B models) and fashion an ELR (= R model) (because bona fide R models can go for upwards of US$10,000 in quality shape). Kawasaki B models generally resemble R models. However, the bike that Eddie Lawson actually won on was a highly modified J model and in 1982 Kawasaki made available 27 race ready J models (= the fabled S model). I suspect that is the image the previous owner was aiming at.




EDIT: and to answer your question, the difference between your VIN and their VIN is a variable digit that changed with every bike.

Post edited by: Mcdroid, at: 2007/06/24 07:58