VIN is also known as a body number, VIN code, or VIN number. The VIN serves as a vehicle’s digital fingerprint. The vehicle’s model, characteristics, technical specifications, maker, model, location, and year of manufacturing are all disclosed by the code. Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is a term used by all vehicle companies.
Since there was no market-wide standard at the time, several businesses used their own VINs. The US National Highways Traffic Safety Administration did not standardize it until 1981. Vehicle identification numbers (VINs) are required by law to be 17 characters long, and it is impossible to discover two motorcycles with the same code.
So, how do you check the VIN number? It’s on the steering neck. Some VINs are inscribed near the motor’s cylinder bottom. Swing the handlebars to the left and look at the right side of the motorcycle frame where the head of the steering dives into the frame to view it.
It’s not necessary to memorize the number, but it can be useful to know where it is located on your bike. It can be found on things like insurance cards and titles, and even registration.
When purchasing motorcycle parts, a VIN becomes very significant, and sales representatives even request it. It helps to always know where the documentation is for your motorcycle. Although the VIN’s characters are divided into three sections, they are engraved as one long line.
The information on your dirt bike’s VIN is listed below:
Table of Contents
What Is a VIN Number?
The World Manufacturer Identifier is the 1st three characters (WMI). The 1st symbol depicts the region in which the manufacturer’s headquarters are located or the location of the motorcycle’s factory.
Information about the maker is shown in the 2nd character. For instance, an “H” will be used to symbolize a Honda motorcycle. The 3rd symbol denotes the vehicle’s type.
The kind, brand, stylistic choices, and engine size are indicated by the 4th through the 8th symbols. The characteristics of a particular dirt bike are contained in this character group, which is referred to as the Vehicle Descriptor Section.
Due to regional laws and other issues, every manufacturer has implemented its own special VDS systems. Off-road vehicles will have an “S” as the first digit, while single-cylinder sport-street vehicles will have an “N” as the first digit.
The model version and model variation are represented by the following two characters.
If the bike in question is the initial iteration, the 7th digit can be a “1”. The 9th sign is a check number generated by a formula using all the other VIN digits. The 9th sign was employed by the manufacturers to look for fraudulent vehicle identification.
The manufacturing year will be revealed by the 10th sign. The 10th digit on models sold before 2001 is a letter. Those created afterward employ numerals. A 2003 motorcycle, for instance, will have 3 as the 10th digit.
The manufacturing year is different from the model year. The bike will be given a 2019 date even if it was made, for instance, in November 2018 but arrives at the showroom in March 2019.
The bike’s manufacturing plant is more precisely identified by the 11th symbol.
Note: The symbols from 12 to 17 are highly distinctive to a particular bike since they show the precise moment the vehicle left the assembly line. They serve as a manufacturing number indicator and can aid a manufacturer in locating the precise bike.
How Important a VIN Is?
The most crucial set of numbers used to identify a motorcycle is its VIN. The “life events” of a motorcycle, such as its creation, registration, inspection, insurance coverage, recall, purchase, and warranty claims, are often stored in the code. Using the VIN, these events are recorded in numerous databases and registers.
You may access the bike’s specific information, such as how many owners it has had, by just checking the motorcycle’s VIN. Knowing if a dirt bike has been stolen or involved in an accident is crucial for consumers since it affects their purchase decision.
How to Find the Vehicle Identification Number on a Dirt Bike?
On motorbikes and dirt bikes, the VIN is often located on the steering neck. Several of them have markings on the motor that are located around the base of the cylinders. Turn the handlebars of your motorcycle to the left to search for it on the right side, where the steering head protrudes through the frame.
Note: On the metal, the number will be carved vertically. Other off-road vehicles, including ATVs, have a more complicated VIN search process because it varies on the manufacturer.
The VIN will also be listed on a motorcycle’s registration documents, title, and insurance evidence.
VIN and Engine Number
The VIN is distinct from an engine number. It is inscribed on the right side of the engine case, next to the Kickstarter, and has 11 digits.
The Bill of Sale should not mention the engine number because it is different from the 17 VIN code. Legal processes should only use the VIN.
What Happens if the VIN Has Fewer Than 17 Characters?
Dirt bikes having VINs under 17 symbols were most likely manufactured before 1981 and won’t decode. It’s possible that some data providers have the bike’s past history. Because there is a possibility that the information is lacking, it is recommended that you use a model that is more recent.
Should I Provide My VIN Number?
There are a lot of false opinions in dirt bike communities. It’s possible that you have heard that sharing your VIN is not a good idea. But, a VIN number is not the same as your social security number.
The recipient and the purpose of the information exchange will determine this. When you intend to sell your dirt bike, an interested buyer will require your VIN.
This is due to the significant information in the code that may have an impact on their decision to buy the bike. Giving your VIN to prospective consumers is therefore not risky.
They will normally want the VIN if you are selling the motorcycle to a dealer. In essence, the code contains all the crucial information a dealer needs to know in order to sell the motorcycle. Nothing about you personally is disclosed by your VIN.
VIN and Bike Robbery
You can count on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to verify and double-check whether or not a used dirt bike you are considering purchasing has been reported as stolen. A Manufacturer Certificate of Origin also called the Certificate of Origin, should be in the ownership of the original owner (CCO).
This paperwork is accessible to the owner of the dirt bike despite whether or not they registered the vehicle. The dealer supplies the paperwork, which includes the model’s VIN. Proceed with extreme caution because the motorcycle may have been stolen if the person selling it is not the rightful owner and there is no documentation available.
You can determine whether or not the motorcycle has been stolen by entering the specified VIN into various databases and seeing what comes up. When looking for stolen bikes, no measure is perfect.
Regardless of whether a motorcycle has been reported stolen, it could take some time before it is added to a database, and until then, you might wind up buying it. It usually takes the police a few days to register the VIN of a stolen motorcycle.
If it has insurance, it usually takes some time for the insurance company to notify the authorities. Most websites were initially created to expose stolen automobiles, but they frequently include data about bike VINs as well.
Several websites where you can look for stolen bikes are:
- The Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly operate a VIN decoder page (DOT)
- As a non-profit organization, the National Insurance Crime Bureau maintains a database of stolen vehicles. It was created from the criminal units of various insurance firms.
- National Motor Vehicle Title Information System: The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the Department of Justice jointly operate this website.
When intending to buy a used dirt bike, the majority of consumers consider the VIN. You must pay a fee to commercial services in order to run a bike’s VIN.
The records will list each bike’s previous owners. You can use it to verify the details the vendor gave. You will also be informed whether the motorcycle has been in an accident by the records.
Due to the difficulty of reselling stolen motorcycles, VINs aid in the detection of dirt bike theft. Nevertheless, thieves are capable of altering VINS, so you must exercise extreme caution.
Conclusion
All vehicles, including dirt bikes, have been required to have the same 17-digit long VIN since 1981. Everything necessary for the importing of a motorcycle has been encoded. A motorcycle’s model, maker, country of origin, assembly component, model year, type, engine size, and production number are all listed in the VIN.
When purchasing a used dirt bike, VINs are frequently used. Any incidents and inspections of a certain dirt bike are visible to the buyer. You will need to run a VIN through certain databases in order to collect all the information because it is difficult to decode a VIN on your own.
VINs are frequently utilized in stolen bike databases, allowing you to determine whether the bike you want to purchase was the victim of theft. You can use a VIN code to check the accuracy of the information a vendor has provided for you.
A stolen motorcycle costing you money would be terrible. Once you’ve determined the vehicle’s mechanical condition, ask the seller for the VIN or look it up on the motorcycle’s body. This approach is not infallible, though, as criminals can change the coding.