Bike Identification Mystery!!

RZ-RD-RZV.... and everything in between

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Potsie
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Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Manchester. England.

Bike Identification Mystery!!

#1 Post by Potsie » Thu May 27, 2010 4:32 am

I have what I think is a Japanese import RZV500R. I have a Japanese Bike Licence indicating that it was manufactured in 1985 but not first registered until 1998.
My UK DVLC V5C Form says that the bike was first registered in the UK in 2004.

It has an alloy frame and the fuel level indicator feature. The front and rear ends have recently been changed by the previous owner to FZR1000 and it has aftermarket expansion chambers. There is no grabrail either.

Now the mystery bit......the Frame and Engine numbers are matching and are the same on all the documentation but start with 1-GE and not the expected 51X. I thought that the 1-GE series related to the later UK bikes with steel frames only!

Any ideas anyone?

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Grumpy
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#2 Post by Grumpy » Thu May 27, 2010 5:18 am

Calling Steve Jackson :shock:
This ones's for you :???:
The older I get, the faster I was!


Bikes:
RZV500R
RD350LC (x2)
KH500
RD350N2
CB500/4 K1
CB400/4 F1
Ducati Monster 1100

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jackson.40
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#3 Post by jackson.40 » Thu May 27, 2010 11:49 am

Hello :grin:
Can you post up or send me a photo of the engine number and frame number.That will tell me if they are factory stamps,which i doubt the frame number will be.

Potsie
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Location: Manchester. England.

#4 Post by Potsie » Thu May 27, 2010 12:36 pm

Yeah, I will see what I can do......I am working away from home at the moment so the bike is in my mate's garage for 'fettling' ie. getting it started and MOT tested!!

Watch this space!
Cheers!

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rztom
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#5 Post by rztom » Sat May 29, 2010 8:53 pm

Nice avatar, Grumpy..... :cool:

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Grumpy
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#6 Post by Grumpy » Sun May 30, 2010 8:19 am

Yes Tom, That's one motorcycle that commands a whole lot of respect :shock:
(not to mention the rider :smile: )
The older I get, the faster I was!


Bikes:
RZV500R
RD350LC (x2)
KH500
RD350N2
CB500/4 K1
CB400/4 F1
Ducati Monster 1100

Potsie
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Manchester. England.

#7 Post by Potsie » Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:12 am

Just got around to taking a photo of the frame number! So, can anyone shed any light on this apparent anomaly??

Image

Image

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Andrew
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#8 Post by Andrew » Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:22 am

:shock:

I see what you mean...
???
Andy (UK)
RZV500R
FRC
Faster Faster !!!

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Andrew
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#9 Post by Andrew » Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:23 am

P.S. Could it have been restamped???
Andy (UK)
RZV500R
FRC
Faster Faster !!!

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jackson.40
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#10 Post by jackson.40 » Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:33 pm

Image



Image

No mystery really.
The top photo is the original stamp and as you can see the font on the second photo is nowhere near the same.The fact it was first registered in 1998 gets the alarm bells ringing.Can you get a photo of the engine number?.The engine number would possibly make it an original rd500 Austria/German bike from my records.Someone has either restamped an old frame or stamped a new frame with the engine number they had.

Potsie
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Manchester. England.

#11 Post by Potsie » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:29 pm

Yeah, the font is different!
Apologies, but there was a typo in my original post....the bike was first registered in 1988 and not 1998! I suppose that doesn't make much difference though, the frame number appears to be re-stamped!

I will take a photo of the engine number.....

Cheers

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Grumpy
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Location: Northern Ireland

#12 Post by Grumpy » Fri Jul 02, 2010 2:38 pm

If it's an RZV it won't have one :grin:
The older I get, the faster I was!


Bikes:
RZV500R
RD350LC (x2)
KH500
RD350N2
CB500/4 K1
CB400/4 F1
Ducati Monster 1100

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