Early Harley Davidson Serial Numbers
Finding out what year a Harley Davidson engine was made can be important for a number of reasons. However, decoding an engine’s vehicle identification number can be challenging and confusing. Hidden within a Harley’s engine VIN will be the year that engine was made. But the decade the engine was made will determine where the year is located on the VIN and what it looks like.
1960s and Older Engines
Harley Davidson Engine Serial Numbers
Look on left side of the engine case for the engine number. Harley engines that were made before or in the 1960s have the model year of the engine as the first two numbers of the engine number, which acts as a VIN.
Vintage Harley Parts, Bikes & Memorabilia This site is dedicated to pre-1929 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. In the beginning there were over 300 manufacturers — classic motorcycle names like Thor Indian, Excelsor, Henderson, Hendee, Pope, Merkel, Curtis, Crouch, Hedstrom — just to name a few — from board track racing to sidecars and package trucks. HD VIN Number Decoder. Although the Harley Davidson VIN number decoder provides the results in a few seconds, let's consider a few symbols from the code and their meaning. The first three characters always identify the manufacturer of the bike. The typical beginning of the code can be 1HD where 1 stands for the USA and HD stands for Harley. Example: 1A 13478 H7. 1A = Model Designation 1A = FL-1200 6E = FXEF-80 2A = FLH-1200 7E = FLHS-1200 3A = XLH-1000 9E = SS-250 4A = XLCH-1000 2F = FXS-1200 5A = GE-750 3F = SXT-125 6A = SS-350 Sprint 4F = SS-175 7A = SX-125 6F = SS-125 8A = M65-S 7F =.
Look for a four-digit production code in the last four digits of the VIN. For engines built between 1962 and 1969, there was a system put into the VIN to prevent tampering with or changing numbers in order to sell the engine as something it is not. The first number of the code will be even for even numbered production years and odd for odd numbered production years.
Look for a five-digit production code in the last digits of the VIN. For engines with a production code of five numbers, the first two numbers will be even for even numbered production years and odd for odd numbered production years. If there isn’t a two digit number that corresponds with the year at the beginning of the VIN, the engine was made after 1969.
1970s Engines
Harley Davidson Vin Number Breakdown
Check the last two digits of the VIN. Engines that were put on Harley bikes from 1970 to 1980 have the model year of the engine designated as the last two digits of the VIN number. The second to last digit will be an “H” or 'J' followed by a number.
Find the 'H' or 'J' in the second to last character position of the VIN. If the letter is an 'H', the engine was made somewhere between 1970 and 1979. If the letter is a 'J', the engine was made in 1980.
Look at the number that follows. This number corresponds to the last number of the year it was made. For example, an engine VIN ending in “H7” will be an engine produced in 1977. If the VIN doesn’t end with an “H” and a number or “J0”, it was made after 1980.
1980s and 1990s Engines
Look at the end of the VIN for a letter. Harley engines made between 1981 and 2000 have a 10-digit VIN which was abbreviated from the 17-digit VIN that was stamped on the frame of the bike. The last digit of the VIN designates the model year with a letter.
Look for letters B through K for engines produced from 1981 to 1989. The letter 'B' designates the production year of 1981; C-1982; D-1983; E-1984; F-1985; G-1986; H-1987; J-1988; and K-1989.
Letters 'L' through 'Y' are for engines produced from 1990 through 2000. An 'L' designates an engine made in 1990; M-1991; N-1992; P-1993; R-1994; S-1995; T-1996; V-1997; W-1998; X-1999; and Y-2000. If there isn’t a letter at the end of the VIN, the engine was made after 2000.
2000s Engines
Check the 10th digit in the VIN. For engines that were made after 2001, the 10th digit reflects the last digit of the last year. For example, if the 10th digit of the VIN is “4”, the engine was made in 2004.
Check the 11th character position for a “J”, “T”, “Y” or “K.” This letters signifies the plant where the Harley Davidson was manufactured.
Check if the letter is a 'J'. This means the engine was made in Milwaukee, WI. The letter 'T' means it was made in Tomahawk, WI; Y-York, PA; and K- Kansas City, KS.
The VIN code of the motorcycle can tell you as much information as the DNA of a human being. With the help of the Harley VIN decoder, you can find out the technical specs about the body of the bike, the engine type and the equipment that comes with the bike. However, the DNA remains unchanged while the codes of the bikes become different from time to time.
All the Harley Davidson bikes can be divided into three groups depending on the manufacture date and the way their VIN codes can be deciphered: Manual carrier selection manual.
- The first is the bikes that were produced from 1930 to 1969. The code consisted of eight symbols where the first two numbers indicated the manufacture year, the next two letters stood for the model and the last part was the production number. The VIN code was placed on the lest case. You can decipher the code on your own.
- The second group is the bikes that were produced from 1970 to 1980. The VIN code consists of 9 characters. The code includes such information about the HD bike as the model, the year and the production number. You can decode it on your own.
- And the third group is the bikes that have been produced since 1980. The VIN code is located on the frame. It consists of 17 characters that can be deciphered with the Harley Davidson VIN decoder.
The VIN decoder Harley Davidson is a tool that receives the code, takes one symbol and searches its meaning through the various database. If any symbol of the code is not presented, the decoder skips it and proceeds to the next ones. The law that requires all the manufacturers to use a single standard for generating VIN codes is implemented on the territory of the US. It's not obligatory in the countries of EU.
HD VIN Number Decoder
Although the Harley Davidson VIN number decoder provides the results in a few seconds, let's consider a few symbols from the code and their meaning. The first three characters always identify the manufacturer of the bike. The typical beginning of the code can be 1HD where 1 stands for the USA and HD stands for Harley Davidson. It seems that you don't need the decoder after you cope with the first symbols. However, this part is the shortest and the easiest one. Other characters provide a wide choice of combinations that represent the models and their specs.
There's a special character that can inform the HD VIN decoder whether the code is valid or not. If at least one symbol was somehow changed, the check digit will find it out. Why do people change the code? If the bike is stolen, the code is changed and it's sold as a completely another vehicle. It's better to look at the code on the frame and lit it with the flashlight. If you see any scratches or damages, the code was probably changed. Pay attention to the slightest shades and lines that are hardly visible.
Deciphering the code with a special Harley Davidson VIN decoder is free and you can do it with several items. You can check the VIN code when you buy a bike. In this case, you will compare the data from the site with the specs and equipment of the real bike. If something is missing, you will ask the owner about it. You can use the decoder for searching the parts for the motorcycle. We know that original parts are hard wearing and they can prolong the life of the HD.
Harley-Davidson Sample VIN
- 1HD1KED10HB661265 — 2017 Harley-Davidson FLHTK / ultra limited - (1.8 Li), Motorcycle - Touring
- 1HD1BFV14EB015825 — 2014 Harley-Davidson FXSB-103 Breakout (1.7 Li V2), Motorcycle - Custom
- 1HD1FC413AB618635 — 2010 Harley-Davidson FLHTCU (1584CC), Motorcycle - Touring
- 1HD1FS4158Y675467 — 2008 Harley-Davidson FLTR FLTR (1584CC), Motorcycle - Touring
- 1HD1FBW1X5Y614401 — 2005 Harley-Davidson FLHRI (1450CC), Motorcycle - Touring