FI means Fuel injected.

Is that what you mean?

 

I believe '04 and older 1500 Classics are Carbed. '05 and newer are FI. I don't suppose you have an owner's manual?

 

An easy way to check for FI or Carb on the bike, when you turn on your key look at the display. If its FI, a FI light will blink along with your engine light. 2000 was the first year they made a Classic FI. But the sure fire way to find out is by the V.I.N. If you have your registration handy check it out. the 7th digit from the left is what you need to look at. The Classic will be an E and the Classic FI will be a N.

 

If there's a fuel petcock you've got a carb. No fuel petcock then it's Fuel Injected.

 

I believe '04 and older 1500 Classics are Carbed. '05 and newer are FI. I don't suppose you have an owner's manual?

nope


in 2003 and 2004, the 1500's were carb'd. but the 2002 and 2001's were FI'd. In 2005 and beyond they were again FI'd.


why the swap back in '03 and '04? I have no idea but maybe they had a crapload of carbs sitting on the shelf they wanted to git rid of?

The FI have different frames than the Carb'd so in looking for aftermarket parts, sometimes it needs to be specific to the fuel system model.

 

My '04 1500 VN is FI. Look on the Gadjet site, they have a spec list.

 

My '04 1500 VN is FI. Look on the Gadjet site, they have a spec list.

what color is it, is it a nomad?

in 2004, the nomads were fi, the classics carbd

 

All the answers on how to figure out which you have are correct. In 2000 Kawasaki made both a Fi and a carb version of the Classic. Some things, many in fact are interchangeable between the two bikes, but not everything. Fuel tank and instrument panels are different as are the seats and a number of engine components. Also you'll find that specific intake parts will NOT interchange between the 2000 Fi an post 2004 versions as they used completely different throttle bodies and Fi controllers.

In either case, carb or Fi you've got yourself one fine motorcycle.

 

I understand that the carbed bikes have a seamed tank (4.3 gals) and the FI has a smooth tank (5.0 gals). The seam refers to the bottom of the tank.

 

If the bike is fuel injected there will be a "FI" printed somewhere on the speedodometer faceplate (where the speed numbers are on the speedometer)

 

I got one easier and better!!!
If its carburated then it should have a choke

 

Thats not always true. Some FI Bikes have a "choke" on the left switch housing thats actually a fast idle circuit. So not always the best way. But if it has a petcock under the tank = carb or a FI symbol on the speedo = FI. Quickest and easiest way!

 

Also if there is a choke it is carbed and none if FI. Pappie

 

I guess I should of made it clearer in my original question......do the parts of a Classic (that I have) fit the parts of an FI??? basically are they interchangeable in parts??

 

Everyone left out the most obvious way to tell the difference. If it's a carbed model, it will have a CARBURATOR.

 

I guess I should of made it clearer in my original question......do the parts of a Classic (that I have) fit the parts of an FI??? basically are they interchangeable in parts??

Umm, it's hard to answer that until you find out if it's FI or Carbed.

 

I guess I should of made it clearer in my original question......do the parts of a Classic (that I have) fit the parts of an FI??? basically are they interchangeable in parts??

The FI is a Classic. Two models of the Classic 1500 were made, the Fuel Injected model, and a Carbed model.

And no, most parts are not interchangeable, depends on what parts you are talking about.

 

The FI is a Classic. Two models of the Classic 1500 were made, the Fuel Injected model, and a Carbed model.

And no, most parts are not interchangeable, depends on what parts you are talking about.

Rims.....that's what I happen to be looking for now.....I need front and rear for a 2000 1500 Classic....I had found one that was FI last week and the guy didn't know if it would fit my bike since it wasn't FI but no it don't matter because the guy doesn't have the bike for parts any more....but it still good to know.....

By the way still looking for those rims......if anyone has any info pls let me know!

 

The 1500 Classic FI was available during the 2000-2002
model years then went on hiatus when the 1600 Classic
debuted in 2003 model year.

Meanwhile, the 1500 Classic carb was in production from
the 1996 through 2004 model years.

The 1500 Classic FI was resurrected for the 2005-2008
model years when the 1500 Classic carb was dropped.

However, the 2005-2008 1500 Classic FI was renamed
1500 Classic (FI designation was removed).

 

The 1500 Classic FI was available during the 2000-2002
model years then went on hiatus when the 1600 Classic
debuted in 2003 model year.

Meanwhile, the 1500 Classic carb was in production from
the 1996 through 2004 model years.

The 1500 Classic FI was resurrected for the 2005-2008
model years when the 1500 Classic carb was dropped.

However, the 2005-2008 1500 Classic FI was renamed
1500 Classic (FI designation was removed).

Very good info!!!

 

Mine is a Nomad. Something I don't think anyone has mentioned; when you turn on the key, do you hear a whining, whirring sound that rises in pitch for a few seconds, then stops? That's the FI pump spooling up to pressure.

 

and Just a heads up
both Carbed and FI 1500s have chokes

Well, I've never actually used it, but I do have one :mrgreen:

 

Rims.....that's what I happen to be looking for now.....I need front and rear for a 2000 1500 Classic....I had found one that was FI last week and the guy didn't know if it would fit my bike since it wasn't FI but no it don't matter because the guy doesn't have the bike for parts any more....but it still good to know.....

By the way still looking for those rims......if anyone has any info pls let me know!

The rims/wheels are the same. Also the 1500 Nomad rear wheel is a direct swap to a Classic.

 

and Just a heads up
both Carbed and FI 1500s have chokes

Well, I've never actually used it, but I do have one :mrgreen:

Except on an FI it is really not a choke, it's an enricher.

 

Well, except for March to April of 04....

The BEST thing you should do is get the VIN number, go to the Kawasaki website and punch it in. It will tell you WHAT style bike you have and WHAT recalls need to be performed on your bike. But like mentioned before, if you have a petcock, unless you don't know where that is. If you have a CARB unless you don't know the difference between that and a fuel injection manifold (the bowl on the carbs should help) and if you hadn't noticed a Fi light on the speedo, these ALL are plenty good clues.

BUT, it's pretty fun finding out things about your bike, if'n their the good things. I recently bought a F150. I decided after much thinking and a couple of trips to the store to cut a 2x6 to fit across the back of the truck in front of the wheel wells to stop the groceries from sliding forward. While measuring I noticed that there was an indentation on the far side, that matched the indentation on my side. Hot DANG, it's setup for a 2x4 or 6 or more for just the reason I was going to use it for! Now maybe that's standard, I don't remember it on my old F-150 but I didn't haul much more than dirt with it, but I was suprised. Great minds thinkin alike Me thinks.

Those kind of surprises are always good. Ok, so I measured twice and STILL cut the board to short, I'll get another. But my surprise was a lot better than thinking you've got a carbed bike, you're out on a lonely stretch of highway and the bike sputters from being out of gas so your reach over for the petcock to go to reserve and find out you have an Fi bike and you are SOL. I don't know if the 1500 Fi's have a fuel light or if that is part of the display, but my 900 has a fuel light that you used instead of getting those couple of mis-steps before you hit the petcock.

Oh, and hitting the petcock KNOWING that you have a carbed bike and finding it already on reserve? That sucks too. Big time.

I only had to push it about 3 miles...