Howdy. I just purchased an older Kawasaki Bayou 300 4X2 from my nephew. It came with no papers or books. It needs a few parts, but I don't know what year it is! The VIN on the lower left frame rail reads JKALF8B17V??48535 (The ?? is because of frame damage. The first damaged digit seems to be either: B, D, P or R. The second damaged digit is totally gone. Can anyone ID the year of this machine? (I've ordered a shop manual, but it hasn't yet arrived, and I'm not sure if it will decifer the VIN or not. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Tony

 

It is 1997 model. The ?? you are referring to is B5 so it should read:
JKALF8B17VB548535
This is true if and only if the quad is 2WD Bayou.

 

Thanks for the reply and the answer. First: yes ... it is a 4X2 Bayou, but now I'm a bit more confused.
I was on Babbitt's online looking for parts, and they had a lengthy list of Bayou model numbers vs. year of mfr. An abreviated list is shown here:
KLF 300-B1 (1988)
KLF 300-B2 (1989)
KLF 300-B3 (1990)
KLF 300-B4 (1991)
KLF 300-B5 (1992)
KLF 300-B6 (1993)
KLF 300-B7 (1994)
KLF 300-B8 (1995)
KLF 300-B9 (1996)
KLF 300-B10 (1997)
KLF 300-B11 (1998)
KLF 300-B12 (1999)
KLF 300-B13 (2000)
KLF 300-B14 (2001)
KLF 300-B15 (2002)
KLF 300-B16 (2003)
KLF 300-B17 (2004)
(and the list of KLF 300-Bxx stops there)

Looking at my VIN, I know it contains B17 (and therefore also contains B1). If you are correct about my damaged numbers being B5, then I have several options (B1, B5 & B17) .... but none of them (according to Babbitts list) correspond to 1997. ?????? I looked at several exploded views of parts for the B1 and the B17 (but not yet for B5) and I've ruled out B1 (1988). B17 (2004) seems to be a good match, but as I said, I haven't yet looked into B5 (1992) or B10 (1997).
I was hoping that a response would confirm that my Bayou was indeed a B17 (2004) model. Your reply only fuels my uncertainty.
My question to you now is: How sure are you of your answer, and how were you able to know what the damaged digits were? ... and why does your response relate B5 to 1997 yet Babbitts list shows B10 (1997) and B5 (1992)?
Again ..... any reply and information (no matter how confusing) is appreciated.
Thanks again
Tony.

 

Hayashi,
Read my other reply first (with the list of KLF's)
I got back onto Babbitts and looked at dozens more parts diagrams. The decals shown for the 1997 model (KLF 300-B10) seem to match the decals on my tank. They also seem to be the only year that particular style decal was used. (Do they change them EVERY year?)
So, I don't know how you guessed 1997, but that seems to be the match (although I still think the B5 might be wrong ... and it might be B10 instead). Considering the area that is damaged on the frame, I suppose it's possible that B10 could fit into that (damaged) space.
What are your thoughts?

Thanks again.

 

what if it is 4x4 and is there any other way to identify if bottom of frame is busted up so to find replacement

 

The 2WD versions have a rear differential, and the 4x4s do not. Of course the 4x4s have a lot of other obvious stuff in and around the front axle.

 

Don't get too hung up on the model year. Most parts didn't change from 1988 to 2004, so lookup whatever parts you need and check if and when they did alter. Those that did are often blindingly obvious like the rear brake linkage.

PS. Just checked for another post on here and model year for every VIN is the tenth digit, that is V which is code for 1997.

 

I have a Kawasaki bayou 300 C, I have part of the vin but I’m guessing on the rest, I do have a pic of it and need help to find out the yr of my bayou

 

can you help me ID my VIN. It appears to me as a B18?

 

I have the same problem in finding what year and exactly what kind of Bayou I have I can't make out most of the VIN numbers but I believe it's somewhere between 1986 and 1990 I think it's an 89 it has a differential and it's two-wheel drive and I believe it is class B. Is there another way to tell what year and what class this Bayou is?
I would just like to know I ordered a Clymer repair manual that covers Bayous from 1986 through 1998 and it pretty much has everything I need. I did however run into a few problems with some parts. What I need to know now is the tires this Bayou still has the original tires on it it has 10-in rims all four and I would like to put new tires on it what I needed to know is do I have to stick with the same tire size that's on it or can I change it because I don't have a whole lot of money so I'm trying to get decent tires at a good price and I can buy different size tires cheaper if I could put them on 10-in rims but I don't know that I'm trying to find out I need to know what size tire can I get for the front and back the back tires are 24x11x10 and the front tires are 22 x9x10 can I like say put a 22x7x10 on the front and a 24x9 x10 on the back if someone could help me I would appreciate it