Kawasaki VIN decoder
Enter a Kawasaki VIN to see the model, year, engine, factory and open safety recalls. Free, with official NHTSA data.
About Kawasaki VINs
Kawasaki motorcycles built in Japan usually start with JKA or JKB. Side-by-sides and ATVs such as the Mule and Teryx are largely built in Lincoln, Nebraska and have their own codes. All road and trail models use the standard 17-character format.
Kawasaki is part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
Good to know
- On motorcycles the VIN is stamped on the steering head; the engine number is on the crankcase.
- On a Mule or Teryx look for the VIN on the frame near the front, often behind a front wheel.
- Jet Skis use a hull identification number, not a VIN.
Kawasaki manufacturer codes (WMI)
The first three characters of a VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA lists 7 codes for Kawasaki. The first character shows the region where the vehicle was built (1, 4, 5 USA; 2 Canada; 3 Mexico; J Japan; K Korea; W Germany; Z Italy).
| Code | Manufacturer | Country | Vehicle type | Also used by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JK1 | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | – | Motorcycle | – |
| JK8 | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | Japan | Motorcycle | – |
| JKA | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | United States (USA) | Motorcycle | – |
| JKB | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | United States (USA) | Motorcycle | – |
| MAA | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | India | Motorcycle | – |
| MH4 | Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. | Indonesia | Motorcycle | – |
| ML5 | Kawasaki Motors Enterprise Thailand Co., Ltd. | Thailand | Motorcycle | – |
How to read a Kawasaki VIN
| Position | Meaning | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Manufacturer code (WMI) | Maker, brand and country, as in the table above. |
| 4-8 | Vehicle descriptor | Model, body, engine and safety equipment. Each maker sets its own layout here. |
| 9 | Check digit | A calculated digit that catches typing errors and fake VINs. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or number for the year (see the table below). |
| 11 | Assembly plant | The factory code, set by the maker. |
| 12-17 | Serial number | The production number of that vehicle. |
Model year codes
The 10th character of a Kawasaki VIN is the model year. Letters I, O, Q, U, Z and the number 0 are never used. The codes repeat every 30 years.
Kawasaki models in the NHTSA database
NHTSA lists 223 model names under Kawasaki. Decode a VIN to see which one yours is, with its exact trim and engine.
Kawasaki models with years and recalls
- Kawasaki Z7 2026–2027
- Kawasaki W175 2026–2027
- Kawasaki KLE500 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Teryx5 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Z1100R 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Z650 S 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR 2026–2027
- Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR 2026–2027
All Kawasaki model names
- 1100 LTD
- Bayou 220
- Bayou 250
- Bayou 300
- Brute Force 300
- Brute Force 450
- Brute Force 650
- Brute Force 750
- Concours
- Concours 14
- EL250 Eliminator
- Eliminator
- Eliminator 125
- Eliminator 600
- EN450
- ER-6n
- GPZ 305
- GPZ1100
- KDX50
- KDX200
- KDX220R
- KDX250
- KE100
- KFX50
- KFX80
- KFX90
- KFX400
- KFX450R
- KFX700
- KL250
- KLE500
- KLR250
- KLR600
- KLR650
- KLX
- KLX110
- KLX110L
- KLX110R
- KLX125
- KLX125L
- KLX140/KLX140R
- KLX230
- KLX230R
- KLX250
- KLX250R
- KLX250S
- KLX250SF
- KLX300
- KLX300R
- KLX300SM
- KLX400R
- KLX400SR
- KLX450R
- KLX650
- KLX650R
- KT112
- KX60
- KX65
- KX80
- KX85
Show all 223 models
- KX100
- KX112
- KX125
- KX250
- KX250F
- KX250X
- KX252
- KX450
- KX450SR
- KX450X
- KX500
- KZ250
- KZ305
- KZ440
- KZ550
- KZ650
- KZ700
- KZ750
- KZ1000
- KZ1100
- LAKOTA
- LE650
- LX300D
- LX300E
- Mojave 250
- MULE 520
- MULE 550
- MULE 600
- MULE 610
- MULE 1000
- MULE 2500
- MULE 2510
- MULE 2520
- MULE 3000
- MULE 3010
- MULE 3020
- MULE 4000
- MULE 4010
- MULE MX
- MULE PRO-DX
- MULE PRO-DXT
- MULE PRO-F
- MULE PRO-FX
- MULE PRO-FXR
- MULE PRO-FXT
- MULE PRO-MX
- MULE SX
- Ninja 7
- Ninja 250R
- Ninja 300
- Ninja 400
- Ninja 500
- Ninja 500R
- Ninja 600
- Ninja 600R
- Ninja 650
- Ninja 650R
- Ninja 750R
- Ninja 900
- Ninja 1000
- Ninja 1000SX
- Ninja 1100
- Ninja 1100SX
- Ninja e-1
- Ninja H2
- Ninja H2 R
- Ninja H2 SX
- Ninja ZX-4R
- Ninja ZX-4RR
- Ninja ZX-6
- Ninja ZX-6R
- Ninja ZX-9R
- Ninja ZX-10R
- Ninja ZX-10RR
- Ninja ZX-11
- Ninja ZX-12R
- Ninja ZX-14
- Ninja ZX-14R
- Police 1000
- Prairie 300
- Prairie 360
- Prairie 400
- Prairie 650
- Prairie 700
- Ridge
- Super Sherpa
- Super Sports
- Teryx
- Teryx4
- Teryx4 750
- Teryx5
- Teryx 750Fi
- Teryx KRX4
- Versys
- Versys-X 300
- Versys 650
- Versys 1000
- Versys 1100
- Voyager 1300
- Voyager XII
- Vulcan 88
- Vulcan 500
- Vulcan 700
- Vulcan 750
- Vulcan 800
- Vulcan 900
- Vulcan 1500
- Vulcan 1600
- Vulcan 1700
- Vulcan 2000
- Vulcan S
- W175
- W230
- W650
- W800
- Z7
- Z7 Hybrid
- Z125 PRO
- Z400
- Z500
- Z650
- Z650 S
- Z650RS
- Z750S
- Z800
- Z900
- Z900RS
- Z900RS CAFE
- Z1000
- Z1100R
- Z e-1
- Zephyr 550
- Zephyr 750
- Zephyr 1100
- ZG1000
- ZG1200
- Z H2
- ZL600 Eliminator
- ZL900 Eliminator
- ZL1000 Eliminator
- ZN700 LTD
- ZN750 LTD
- ZN1100
- ZN1300
- ZR-7
- ZR-7S
- ZR1000KL
- ZR1200-B1
- ZRX 1100
- ZRX 1200R
- ZRX1200S
- ZX-6R
- ZX-6RR
- ZX-7R
- ZX-7RR
- ZX-12R
- ZX700
- ZX750
- ZX750-F1
- ZX1000
- ZX1002
- ZX1002N
- ZZR1200
Vehicle types NHTSA lists for Kawasaki
Motorcycle
Where to find the VIN on a Kawasaki
Steering head
Stamped on the frame tube behind the forks, often with a label next to it.
Frame
Some models also carry it on the frame near the engine mount.
Papers
On the title and registration.
Kawasaki recalls by VIN
Every decoded Kawasaki VIN on VinGear shows the safety recalls NHTSA lists for that model and year. To know whether the repair was already done on your vehicle, ask a Kawasaki dealer or use Kawasaki's own recall lookup with the VIN.
Kawasaki VIN decoder questions
How do I decode a Kawasaki VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN in the box at the top of this page and press Decode VIN. You get the model, year, engine, factory and safety recalls from NHTSA, free.
Is this Kawasaki VIN decoder free?
Yes. Decoding and recall checks are free with no sign-up. The data comes from NHTSA, the US vehicle safety agency.
What do the first three characters of a Kawasaki VIN mean?
They are the manufacturer code (WMI): maker, brand and country of manufacture. NHTSA lists 7 codes for Kawasaki; the table on this page shows them.
Does a Kawasaki VIN show options or the owner?
No. The VIN codes the model, body, engine and factory, not options or colour. It never shows the owner, and VinGear does not look up owners.