Sin City Cycles Unofficial
Harley Davidson Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Guide

Contents:

Do The Numbers Match?

VIN # Location and General Information

Model Year Designaion All Years

Model Designation Sportster

Model Designation Four Speed Big Twin

Model Designation Five Speed Big Twin

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Do the numbers match?

When you are buying a bike from someone, always, and I mean ALWAYS check the numbers on the bike against the title. They must match EXACTLY. You could find a typographical error on the vin#. If you are registering in the same state as the title, it may not be too much trouble to fix, but, on an out of state title you will most certainly be in for a major battle.

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VIN Number Location and General Information

Mid 1930's - 1961

Engine number is the VIN and is located on left case. No frame number

First two numbers are the year

Letters (up to four) are the model

Last numbers are the production number

1962 - 1969

Engine number is the VIN and is located on left case. No frame number

First two numbers are the year

Letters (up to four) are the model

Last numbers are the production number

If production number has four digits, the first number will be even if the year is even, odd if the year is odd

If production number has five digits, the first two numbers will be even if the year is even, odd if the year is odd

1970 - 1980:

Numbers on both frame and engine. From the factory, the numbers on the frame and engine matched exactly*. (There is an exception to this. See "The 1979 Exception" below). The legal vin number is on the frame. This is a little confusing and is where many people get into trouble. Contrary to what many people think, on any Harley Davidson® made from 1970 up, the title does not go with the engine. You could feasibly have mismatched numbers on the engine. You can swap engines in your bike just like your car and as long as the engine numbers have not been altered or reported stolen it would be perfectly legal, although it may devalue the bike.

First two digits are model code

Third through seventh numbers are the production numbers (always five numbers over 10000)

Last two digits are the year code

The 1979 Exception

Oddly enough, on some 1979 bikes the engine number did not match the frame number. For only about a month, starting on production date 1/9/79 frame VIN 43000H9 and ending with production date 2/7/79 frame VIN 48199H9, the engine was numbered with a "crankcase number" instead of the VIN. This number did not match the VIN in any way. After "input was received" that the new numbering system would raise suspicion from dealers, insurance agencies, owners, police, etc., Harley went back to the old system. Obviously, the title numbers must still match the frame.

1981 and later:

17 digit vin# number on frame. abbreviated vin# on engine. Title must match the Frame number. Example: title and frame number is 1HD1BDK11BY123456. Engine # would be BDKB123456. All the things I said about 1970 - 1980 frame and engine legality apply here also.

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Model Year Designation All Models

1969 And Earlier

First two digits as read are the year built

1970 - 1980

Last two digits as described below are the year code

example: 9D12345 H8 was made in 1978

1981 And Later

10th digit as described below is the year code

example:1HD1BDK10 DY123456 is a 1983

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Model Designation for Sportster®

1970 - 1980 Sportster®

First two digits are the model code

example: 4A12345H1 is a XLCH

1981 - 1985 Sportster®

5th and 6th digits are the model code

example:1HD1 CAN15GY123456 is a XLH1100

1988 - 1996 Sportster®

5th, 6th, and 7th digit is the model code

example: 1HD1 CAP15LY123456 is a XLH1200

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Four Speed Twin Model Designation

1970 - 1980 4 speed big twin

1981 - 1985 Four Speed BigTwin

5th and 6th digits are the model code

example: 1HD1 BFK11BY123456 is a FXSB - 80

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Five Speed Big Twin Model Designation

1980 Five Speed Big Twin

First two digits are the model code

example: 5G12345J0 is a FLT

1981 5 Speed Big Twin

5th and 6th digits are the model code

example: 1HD1 AEK11CY123456 is a FLT

1982 - 2000 Five Speed Big Twin

5th and 6th digits are the model code

example: 1HD1 BHK11GY123456 is a FXST

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