Kawasaki VIN Decoder

Kawasaki is one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world and a strong rival for well-known brands like Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki. Kawasaki Heavy Industries was founded in 1896, but the company stepped into the motorcycle business only in 1960, after taking over Meguro Motorcycles.

The subsidiary company Kawasaki Motors blew away the press in 1983 after introducing the liquid-cooled, 4-cylinder Kawasaki GPz900R Ninja. This was the beginning of the legendary "Ninja" series, which today also includes the 310-hp supercharged Kawasaki Ninja H2R. Currently, the company offers motorcycles, ATVs, jet skis, and utility vehicles.

What’s a Kawasaki VIN number?

A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character combination used in vehicles for identification purposes. The current VIN format was issued by the NHTSA in 1981.

Each Kawasaki motorcycle has a VIN code necessary when registering or insuring a bike. That’s why a Kawasaki VIN lookup can reveal information about owner changes, mileage discrepancies, damages, and other essential bits.

What does a Kawasaki VIN number contain?

Each of the 17 characters in a VIN code represents a particular piece of information. For instance, the 10th character shows the model year ("1" means 2001, "B" means 1981 or 2011, etc.). This is one of the simplest bits to reveal.

For quicker decoding, you can divide a VIN into 3 main sections:

• World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). The first 3 characters show the country, manufacturer, and vehicle type;
• Vehicle Description Section (VDS). This section consists of characters 4-9, revealing the brand, engine type, body style, and including the check digit;
• Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS). The last 7 characters show the model year, assembly plant, and include a 6-digit serial number.

A simple Kawasaki VIN lookup can reveal all this information, while a history report can show essential facts about the motorcycle’s history.

Where to find a Kawasaki VIN number?

A motorcycle VIN number is like your personal ID, and faking it is illegal. Manufacturers usually put the VIN number on irreplaceable or rarely replaceable motorcycle body parts. This number can be stamped into metal or printed on a sticker. The exact Kawasaki VIN location depends on the vehicle’s type:

• Motorcycles – on the steering head, below the handlebars;
• ATVs – on the left or the right front frame rail behind the wheel;
• Utility vehicles – on the forward frame rail below the seat, on the driver seat frame rail, or near the front of the vehicle.

You can also find a VIN number on the vehicle’s registration document. If you can’t locate the VIN on your Kawasaki bike, refer to the owner’s manual for detailed instructions.

What Kawasaki models work with our VIN decoder?

Our Kawasaki VIN Decoder works with all motorcycles manufactured since 1981 (any that use the 17-character format). You can use the carVertical Kawasaki VIN Decoder for checking all current Kawasaki motorcycles, including:

• Hypersport – Ninja H2R, Ninja H2, Ninja ZX-6R, Ninja ZX-10R, Ninja ZX-14R, Ninja 400, Ninja 650, Ninja 1000SX, Z H2;
• Naked bikes – Z125, Z400, Z650, Z900;
• Retro sport – Z650RS, Z900RS;
• Classic – W800;
• Adventure touring – Versys-X 300, Versys 650, Versys 1000, Concours 14;
• Cruisers – Vulcan S, Vulcan 900, Vulcan 1700;
• Dual sport – KLX 230, KLX 300, KLR 650.

Many Kawasaki motorcycles were discontinued at some point. However, our VIN decoder will also work with many other Kawasaki models that aren’t on this list.

Kawasaki motorcycle history check: what can you learn with a Kawasaki VIN number?

You can use a Kawasaki VIN number for a free decoder check (to confirm basic information). But you should also get a full motorcycle history report to reveal more sensitive information. While Kawasaki motorcycles are reliable, many bikes, especially from the Ninja lineup, end up salvaged because of inexperienced owners. You should check the bike’s VIN number before buying it and learn about:

• Fake mileage
• Salvage title
• Servicing
• Damage history
• Thefts
• Original equipment

Don’t give the seller the upper hand in negotiations – get a history report if you’re buying a Kawasaki motorcycle. Even the seller doesn’t always know about the issues previous owners had, so a revealed history may be a great dealbreaker.

Check motorcycle VIN by make:

• Suzuki VIN decoder
• Ducati VIN decoder
• Harley Davidson VIN decoder
• Yamaha VIN decoder