Even bikes sold in the U.S. were sometimes titled as the next model year, I've often mentioned my leftover k2 cb500 was re-titled as a 1973. Later, Honda lost a class action lawsuit in New York and repaid me $37. Later, I realized it had the small gauges and the rest of the 73's I saw had the big ones.
Apparently that's how I got a 1970 sandcast sold at Christmas in 69, it the first 750 sold at our local shop and the second one was a 1969 diecast. The guy that assembled them still owns the 69 and remembered who bought mine new. I'd prefer my title to say 69 also but the buyer was probably asking for a 70 and got it.