another new guy question about manufacturing sequence and model years

[anotheroldtrailrider]

Sorry if this has been beaten to death before, but I just added a Mach II RS to my small collection of bikes am sorting out the model year.  The vehicle serial number - 23L01067 - tells me it's a 200 and was manufactured in December of an even year.  (The engine number agrees it's a 200.)  The frame stamping has the 175 numbering sequence, but I understand the frames already stamped with 175 sequence numbers were used up before the new frame number series was started, so am I correct that probably means it's an early production model of the 200?  If it was manufactured in December of 68 it would probably have hit the street as a '69, and if manufactured in Dec of '70 it would probably be a '71 - I thought the 200's came out earlier than that, so my question is: when was the change from the 175 to the 200, and were they ever produced at the same time?  Lastly, are there any records of how many were produced in what years?  When I get the title resurrected I'd like to have it reflect the correct model year even though it was common in that era to title bikes/cars as the year they were registered, not necessarily the year they were manufactured.

[RayK]

Hi AOTR
Try this
https://bridgestone.skew.org/serial_numbers.html

Cheers
RayK from Australia

[srpackrat49]

Well  i have 2 1970 TAKA   and one has this #  00002   i think that one is a keeper !!!!!

[anotheroldtrailrider]

Thanks, Ray - yeah, the serial and engine numbers confirm it's a 200, but what was the first model year for the Mach II RS?  The TA1 frame stamping should mean it was an early model...  I can't wait to get this thing sorted - I've wanted a little two stroke for years and this should be an excellent one.

[BRT-GTR]

        According to Graham Weeks',  History of Bridgestone, on this site, the 200 went into production in 1968 replacing the 175. Another clue is the paintwork colour, a 1970 model should have the tank finished in green/pale yellow or gold/black grahics, assuming your bike has its original tin ware.                                                                                       Brian.

[anotheroldtrailrider]

Thanks Brian - that matches perfectly what I expected, production in Dec of 68 would have it at the early end of the series as indicated by the still-175 numbered frame.  Being manufactured in Dec of '70 just seemed too late to still be using that frame numbering.  Mine's blue - I think that also agrees with the '68 model?