Kawasaki Ninja - Do I have a 2011 or 2012?

[davevi]

I bought a Kawasaki Ninja from a local guy. Recently my Thai friend looked at the Green Book and told me it said the model was listed as 2011. This is a potentially big problem. I bought, and have a contract for, a 2012 250r Ninja.

I've looked on Kawasaki's website but their VIN search does not cover bikes made for the Asian market.

I've looked at several web sites that claim to tell you how to decipher the 10th character of the VIN to get the model year but they don't seem to be correct for the Asian market.

So, how can I tell the model year I own for sure?

The story I was told by the guy who sold it to me is that the bike was purchased "as one of the first "2012" models in Thailand". That story seems to check out because the green book in the back pages shows an October 2011 initial purchase.

The VIN's 10th character is "K".

So do I have a 2012 or 2011 model of Ninja?

Is there some official place I can go to put in the VIN (I can't read Thai) to confirm the model year as 2012.

[NomadJoe]

In Thailand the books will reflect the date the vehicle was purchased, not the model year. I have a 2013 Ninja but the book says 2012. The book is wrong.

If it looks like this it is a 2011:

If it looks like this it's a 2012:

Also, the 2009- 11 model years have an "R" after 650. The 2012-13 do not.

If the big photos mess up your margins, upgrade your browser.

Edited December 8, 2013 by NomadJoe

[Beardog]

The easiest way to tell is the cosmetics on the bike the gas tank changed in 2012-2013-& 2014 when it comes out . The front fork cosmetics are the same story. Got a picture of the bike? Very easy to tell unless the bike was wiped out & they changed the entire faring & plastics on the bike. Even the frame was slightly changed in 2012.

Nomad is right . The bike can be a 2009 sold in 2013 & it will appear as a 2013 bike.Just compare your bike to a 2012 if the tank forks & frame look the same as a 2012 it is a 2012. the 2009-2011 are definitely different. I believe the 2012 models also come with the chipped key for anti theft as well.

[VocalNeal]

So the split seat is the biggest clue?

[ll2]

i received my cbr500r on January 2013 but in my book it is stated as 2012 model as i paid deposit on december 2012 and bike was made in December 2012.

In thailand, mostly it is this way.

But, if they gave you the old model as the new one, that is a problem of course.

[cornishcarlos]

In Thailand the books will reflect the date the vehicle was purchased, not the model year. I have a 2013 Ninja but the book says 2012. The book is wrong.

If it looks like this it is a 2011:

If it looks like this it's a 2012: u

Also, the 2009- 11 model years have an "R" after 650. The 2012-13 do not.

If the big photos mess up your margins, upgrade your browser.

Ok black is 2011 & green is 2012..

So what color you got OP?

Edited December 9, 2013 by cornishcarlos

[Beardog]

Yes the seat got changed into a 2 piece -The frame has 2 bars instead of one (near tank) The tank now has the ignition key integrated into the tank & the front forks have a plastic housing on it now. The front blinker assembly is also smaller. You can easily tell the difference by looking at the 2011 picture & the 2012 picture.

[Ninja4me]

Is it just me ??? as I read the OP's post he is asking about 250R not 650...

With 650 it is very easy to tell the difference. But when it comes to the 250R it is really hard. Same engine, same specs same everything. I think that I would send the chassis and engine number to kawasaki and ask them for info if I felt that it was really important to know.

[yankee99]

In Thailand the books will reflect the date the vehicle was purchased, not the model year. I have a 2013 Ninja but the book says 2012. The book is wrong.

If it looks like this it is a 2011:

If it looks like this it's a 2012:

Also, the 2009- 11 model years have an "R" after 650. The 2012-13 do not.

If the big photos mess up your margins, upgrade your browser.

If it looks like that he wouldnt be worried as he talking about a 250 right?

[NomadJoe]

^ Sorry guys. My bad. I don't know how I missed that. 250 not 650. I don't know the answer to that, but if it was bought after October it's usually the next model year, and the fact that the Thai DLT doesn't (can't) put anything in the book other than date purchased becomes an issue. I know of cases where people actually request the dealer to hold the paperwork until Jan 1st to have the correct model year listed.

[Beardog]

The only possible noticeable change on the 250's would be the instrument cluster itself. From what I was reading all the outside except for minor cosmetic changes & striping kits used the outside pretty much looks the same from 2008 & up. I think the instrument cluster in 2012 may have gone to digital over the older mechanical spedo set up. I was looking up the differences in clusters but I just got the call to pick up my newly painted Tank & fender for my 650 Kawi.So Op do a search for instrument clusters. It may be the only way to tell on a 250 Ninja. The striping kits are not enough to go by as they may have been swapped out do to availability.Amazing that the 650's change in model years & not the 250's

[davevi]

Thank you to everyone who posted replies to this topic. Your information was very helpful.

When my Thai friend told me about the year in the Green Book I suspected that the date listed was the date sold, and not the model year, but I needed to be sure. And based on the responses and information shared here to my original post it appears that this is the case. Additionally, since the bike was purchased in late October 2011 this matches information posted here that the model was 2012, though the bike was purchased in October 2011.

My concern about the model year was based on being honest and ethical.

The bike is for sale and I have an interested buyer. When I started to collect the paperwork to prepare for the sale (which isn't yet final in case anyone is interested in a really nice 2012 Kawasaki Ninja) I asked about the "11" in the top right corner of the book (just after some Thai characters) -- because I thought maybe this was the model year. I'd been ripped off badly on a motorbike that I purchased after moving here so I've learned over time to be careful with paperwork.

I don't have contact with the original owner, and cannot ask him any questions about the bike, but I do know he kept the bike in top condition, always, and that he never told me anything about the bike or the many, many expensive options he added, that wasn't confirmed as true.

But you never know, and for my own benefit and that of the next owner, I needed to be sure that the Ninja I was selling as a 2012 was indeed a Model Year 2012, especially if there was anything in the Green Book that would cause confusion or questions.

I think now I am comfortable that I was sold a 2012 Ninja just as my contract stated, and just as the original owner told me.

[Beardog]

Thank you to everyone who posted replies to this topic. Your information was very helpful.

When my Thai friend told me about the year in the Green Book I suspected that the date listed was the date sold, and not the model year, but I needed to be sure. And based on the responses and information shared here to my original post it appears that this is the case. Additionally, since the bike was purchased in late October 2011 this matches information posted here that the model was 2012, though the bike was purchased in October 2011.

My concern about the model year was based on being honest and ethical.

The bike is for sale and I have an interested buyer. When I started to collect the paperwork to prepare for the sale (which isn't yet final in case anyone is interested in a really nice 2012 Kawasaki Ninja) I asked about the "11" in the top right corner of the book (just after some Thai characters) -- because I thought maybe this was the model year. I'd been ripped off badly on a motorbike that I purchased after moving here so I've learned over time to be careful with paperwork.

I don't have contact with the original owner, and cannot ask him any questions about the bike, but I do know he kept the bike in top condition, always, and that he never told me anything about the bike or the many, many expensive options he added, that wasn't confirmed as true.

But you never know, and for my own benefit and that of the next owner, I needed to be sure that the Ninja I was selling as a 2012 was indeed a Model Year 2012, especially if there was anything in the Green Book that would cause confusion or questions.

I think now I am comfortable that I was sold a 2012 Ninja just as my contract stated, and just as the original owner told me.

Do you have a picture you can post of what the spedo cluster looks like. I believe that was one of the only visible changes they made to the 2012-2013 model

This is a 2008-2011 cluster is yours digital? or mechanical as shown here.

[davevi]

Thank you to everyone who posted replies to this topic. Your information was very helpful.

When my Thai friend told me about the year in the Green Book I suspected that the date listed was the date sold, and not the model year, but I needed to be sure. And based on the responses and information shared here to my original post it appears that this is the case. Additionally, since the bike was purchased in late October 2011 this matches information posted here that the model was 2012, though the bike was purchased in October 2011.

My concern about the model year was based on being honest and ethical.

The bike is for sale and I have an interested buyer. When I started to collect the paperwork to prepare for the sale (which isn't yet final in case anyone is interested in a really nice 2012 Kawasaki Ninja) I asked about the "11" in the top right corner of the book (just after some Thai characters) -- because I thought maybe this was the model year. I'd been ripped off badly on a motorbike that I purchased after moving here so I've learned over time to be careful with paperwork.

I don't have contact with the original owner, and cannot ask him any questions about the bike, but I do know he kept the bike in top condition, always, and that he never told me anything about the bike or the many, many expensive options he added, that wasn't confirmed as true.

But you never know, and for my own benefit and that of the next owner, I needed to be sure that the Ninja I was selling as a 2012 was indeed a Model Year 2012, especially if there was anything in the Green Book that would cause confusion or questions.

I think now I am comfortable that I was sold a 2012 Ninja just as my contract stated, and just as the original owner told me.

Do you have a picture you can post of what the spedo cluster looks like. I believe that was one of the only visible changes they made to the 2012-2013 model

This is a 2008-2011 cluster is yours digital? or mechanical as shown here.

The spedo changed from analog in 2012 to digital in 2013. I've confirmed this with my friend who owns a 2013 Ninja 250r. It's a small but welcome change.

As for my gauge it was analog and matches the description I found on Kawasaki's website. Unfortunately I don't have the ability to post a picture of it because it was replaced after the original owner purchased the bike in October 2011. The replacement gauge set is a Koso RX2. I was not given the original gauge part.

Based on all information I am comfortable that I own a 2012 Ninja.

[Beardog]

Thank you to everyone who posted replies to this topic. Your information was very helpful.

When my Thai friend told me about the year in the Green Book I suspected that the date listed was the date sold, and not the model year, but I needed to be sure. And based on the responses and information shared here to my original post it appears that this is the case. Additionally, since the bike was purchased in late October 2011 this matches information posted here that the model was 2012, though the bike was purchased in October 2011.

My concern about the model year was based on being honest and ethical.

The bike is for sale and I have an interested buyer. When I started to collect the paperwork to prepare for the sale (which isn't yet final in case anyone is interested in a really nice 2012 Kawasaki Ninja) I asked about the "11" in the top right corner of the book (just after some Thai characters) -- because I thought maybe this was the model year. I'd been ripped off badly on a motorbike that I purchased after moving here so I've learned over time to be careful with paperwork.

I don't have contact with the original owner, and cannot ask him any questions about the bike, but I do know he kept the bike in top condition, always, and that he never told me anything about the bike or the many, many expensive options he added, that wasn't confirmed as true.

But you never know, and for my own benefit and that of the next owner, I needed to be sure that the Ninja I was selling as a 2012 was indeed a Model Year 2012, especially if there was anything in the Green Book that would cause confusion or questions.

I think now I am comfortable that I was sold a 2012 Ninja just as my contract stated, and just as the original owner told me.

Do you have a picture you can post of what the spedo cluster looks like. I believe that was one of the only visible changes they made to the 2012-2013 model

This is a 2008-2011 cluster is yours digital? or mechanical as shown here.

The spedo changed from analog in 2012 to digital in 2013. I've confirmed this with my friend who owns a 2013 Ninja 250r. It's a small but welcome change.

As for my gauge it was analog and matches the description I found on Kawasaki's website. Unfortunately I don't have the ability to post a picture of it because it was replaced after the original owner purchased the bike in October 2011. The replacement gauge set is a Koso RX2. I was not given the original gauge part.

Based on all information I am comfortable that I own a 2012 Ninja.

Well no matter what that is a hell of a speedo cluster & will enhance the sale of the bike as it was $300-$400.00 U.S. for the cluster.