Old post but I hope you got your answer. The SJE had 98 horse I believe while the standard f3;had 96

yes... The SJE was limited. Approx 1000 were made all 3 years. 600 a year came to us and 400 or so went to Canada. Believe it or not the 97 and 98 year edition were actually illegal in the United States. The reason being in early 1997 the United States banned all public cigarette advertising.... And just what did the F3 SJE have on it? Cigarette advertising! Honor was granted a waiver from the US Government to not only import that model year F3 but the 1998 that had already went into production in Japan as the 1998.

 

I believe the last 4 of the Vin will give you the build number. I had two and I think my 2nd one was like 0608. My nephew used to race AMA and Miguel Duhamel back in the mid to late 80's. I gave my son my last SJE in 2017 when he turned 16 as I was having wrist complications from my military service and could no longer ride. My son Daemon Michael Link rode her for 2yrs before he died in February of 2020 at the tender age of 18.😔

 

The last 4 of the Vin are the built number.There were no knockoffs made of that bike.... Honda themselves made a kinda color equivalent scheme to her but it was pastel colors and definitely no smoking Joe. No plum crazy purple nor Joe camel decals.... Nor fake Miguel Duhamel signature up by the gas tank!