How to Read a Yamaha Motorcycle VIN Number
If you need to buy parts for your Yamaha motorcycle or you want to call a motorcycle shop to get repair information, you have to know how to read the vehicle identification number (VIN) of your bike correctly. It also can be interesting to know what it means for your own reference. It may seem like a simple task, but it can be tricky, especially, the first step--finding it. Not all bikes have the VIN in the same place, and older bikes’ numbers can be hard to read because of wear.
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Instructions
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Find the VIN on your motorcycle. If you have a traditional motorcycle, it will be on the right side of the steering stem, just below the handlebars. If you have a scooter, check the stem. If it’s not there, it will be on a metal plate affixed to the frame.
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Make sure none of the digits are missing from the VIN. All Yamaha motorcycles made after 1982 have 17-digit VINs. If yours appears to be shorter, some of the digits probably have worn off. Rub the gaps in the VIN with the side of a crayon.
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Determine what your VIN means by the order of the characters. The first character will tell you where your motorcycle is made. "1" or "4" signifies it is American made; "2" means Canada; "3" means Mexico; and Japan, Korea, England, Germany, Italy and Brazil are "J," "K," "S," "W," "Z" and "9," respectively. The second character represents the manufacturer. All Yamaha bikes should have "C" there.
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Find the third digit, which identifies the division that manufactured it.
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Find digits four through eight, which identify the features of the bike.
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Find the ninth digit, which is a security key to ensure that the VIN is valid.
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Find the 10th digit, which indicates the model year. These digits run "J" through "Y" for 1988 through 2000 and then switch to a numerical system.
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Translate the final seven digits as follows: Digit 11 is the plant where the bike was assembled; digits 12 to 17 signify the order in which the bikes came off the assembly line.
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Tips & Warnings
If you can't find your motorcycle's VIN, consult your owner’s manual. Sometimes the number is covered up and out of sight.
If your bike is vintage, call Yamaha at (800) 962-7926 to see how long your VIN should be.
To find out what your VIN means, plug it into an online decoder (see Resources).
Resources
- Photo Credit motorcycle image by Bionic Media from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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only have nine numbers so not helpful.
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I have only 15 digits, so is useless... To bad. The same rule with 17 digits i find it everywhere....
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useless
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callmechaz
Oct 27, 2010
Frankly, most of what I have looked up on eHow is so erroneous that I can tell it is wrong even when I am seaarching for answers--that's a bad kind of wrong! Item 7 above is a perfect example--you can't POSSIBLY fit the years 1988 to 2000 between letters J through Y! I spend more time posting corrections than getting answers. There is so much bad information posted on eHow that I will never again waste my time reading a post 'cause I will always wonder. Nice concept, but with no peer review (that I can see) this junk stay posted and misleads people. Terrrible job, eHow. -
Lisa Swisher
Oct 19, 2010
I have what is left of a 1970's motorcycle with only 6 numbers to go by. Any ideas or help? I would appreciate any help possible as there is a lot of memories and emotion tied to this bike and would like to try and restore it for my husband.
