Missing VIN

Well a couple of possibilities to explain why you have a 12 digit serial number instead of the 17 digit VIN.
1) Your bike was imported from a country that was not using a 17 digit VIN in 1985
or
2) Your bike is not actually a 1985 model.

Agreed photos of the bike and the 12 digit number would help. Are we talking about a KZ or GPZ model by any chance?

The VIN or serial number were always found on the headstock AFAIK for all Kawasaki bikes.

According to your frame serial number you have a 1981 KZ550C2 LTD. But that bike was chain drive so it looks like someone converted it to shaft drive. Can you post the engine serial numbers?
That's a nice Suzuki in the background, is that the 250cc?

Ok that makes more sense Martin. But CCHRATX said it was shaft drive so I am not sure what is going on there.

Yes I had checked on CycleChaos and the frame number would indicate a 1981 KZ550 C2 LTD.