In practice, the model year is encoded in the 10th character of a 17-character VIN. Decode that character using the standard year-code chart, keeping in mind it repeats every 30 years and may require cross-checking with other records to pin down the exact year.
Motorcycle VINs follow the ISO 3779/3820 standard for vehicles manufactured since 1981. The 10th position identifies the model year, while the other characters encode information such as the country of origin, manufacturer, vehicle type, and plant. Because the year code cycles every three decades, a single code (like A or B) can correspond to multiple possible years depending on the production era. For precise dating, you should corroborate the VIN reading with title documents, build or production dates stamped on components, or manufacturer records.
Reading the VIN year code: core steps
Use these steps to determine the model year from a motorcycle VIN, with emphasis on the 10th character and cross-checking when needed.
- Confirm the VIN length is 17 characters. If it's shorter or nonstandard, the bike may be pre-1981 or have an aftermarket VIN; dating will require alternate sources.
- Locate the 10th character in the VIN. This is the model year code.
- Note that the 10th character is a letter or digit that cycles every 30 years. It can represent multiple possible years depending on the production era.
- Consult a year-code chart to map the 10th character to the possible years (see below) and then narrow down using other clues (build date stamps, title records, or manufacturer data).
- Cross-check with additional records such as the title, original registration, service manuals, or dealership records to confirm the exact year.
These steps provide a practical approach to dating a motorcycle by VIN, but cross-referencing is essential for precision, especially with older or exported models.
Model year code chart
The following quick reference shows the standard 10th-character year codes and their corresponding years within the current 30-year cycle. The cycle repeats every 30 years, so the same code can indicate multiple possible years across different eras. I
Model year code chart (quick reference)
- A: 1980, 2010, 2040
- B: 1981, 2011, 2041
- C: 1982, 2012, 2042
- D: 1983, 2013, 2043
- E: 1984, 2014, 2044
- F: 1985, 2015, 2045
- G: 1986, 2016, 2046
- H: 1987, 2017, 2047
- J: 1988, 2018, 2048
- K: 1989, 2019, 2049
- L: 1990, 2020, 2050
- M: 1991, 2021, 2051
- N: 1992, 2022, 2052
- P: 1993, 2023, 2053
- R: 1994, 2024, 2054
- S: 1995, 2025, 2055
- T: 1996, 2026, 2056
- V: 1997, 2027, 2057
- W: 1998, 2028, 2058
- X: 1999, 2029, 2059
- Y: 2000, 2030, 2060
- 1: 2001, 2031, 2061
- 2: 2002, 2032, 2062
- 3: 2003, 2033, 2063
- 4: 2004, 2034, 2064
- 5: 2005, 2035, 2065
- 6: 2006, 2036, 2066
- 7: 2007, 2037, 2067
- 8: 2008, 2038, 2068
- 9: 2009, 2039, 2069
Important note: The 30-year cycle means the same code can refer to multiple calendar years. To determine the exact year for a specific motorcycle, you should corroborate the VIN reading with official documents or production data from the manufacturer.
Cross-checking and practical tips
VIN decoding is most reliable when combined with corroborating information. Use these strategies to confirm the model year accurately.
- Check the vehicle’s title, bill of sale, or registration documents for the declared year.
- Inspect physical date stamps on components such as the engine or frame if present; many manufacturers stamp build or production dates on these parts.
- Consult manufacturer databases, dealer records, or service manuals that match the VIN to a specific model year.
- Use reputable VIN-decoding tools or professional services that verify the year against multiple data sources.
By combining the VIN year code with official records, you can establish a precise model-year date even for bikes where the code could imply several possibilities.
Summary
To determine a motorcycle’s year from its VIN, locate the 10th character, which is the model year code. Decode it using the standard year-code chart, keeping in mind the 30-year cycle that causes the same code to recur in different decades. Always verify with title documents, production stamps, or manufacturer data to confirm the exact year. This approach provides a reliable way to date a motorcycle based on its VIN while acknowledging the potential for ambiguity without corroborating records.
How to tell what year a motorcycle is?
the 10th letter or digit on the VIN number gives you the year of the bike.
How do I find out what year my motorbike is?
So take a look at this chart that you can find right on Google just type in 10th digit VIN. And this chart will pull right up you'll see here that a K is a 2019. That's what my Harley.
How to get the year from a VIN?
The 10th character in the 17-character VIN represents the vehicle model-year. This standard applies to vehicles built in or after 1981.
What part of VIN tells year?
The third number or letter is used by the vehicle manufacturer to identify what kind of vehicle it is: car, truck, bus, etc. The 10th character of the VIN indicates the model year.