What is a VIN Number, how to Use it?

Modern Suzuki VIN number on the frame.

What is a VIN number and what is its purpose?

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your motorcycle provides crucial information about the model, country of origin, and year of manufacture. Depending on the manufacturer, model year, and country, VIN locations on your motorcycle frame can vary. Modern motorbikes typically have the VIN stamped on a little black and silver plate near the headstock (steering neck) or on a frame rail. The VIN must match the motorcycle's registration; otherwise, the registration is not legal.

Note: Most vehicles nowadays have 17 digits as VIN numbers. However, some Japanese or exotic imports may have only 11, 12, or 13 digits stamped on the frame instead of a regular VIN plate.

If you are unsure of your motorbike's year of manufacture, especially since older registration cards in Cambodia might not list it, you can check the VIN online and decode it (or the frame number if a regular VIN plate is missing). Modern international VINs are 17 digits long (since 1981 in the USA), while older and exotic motorcycles may have 11 or 13-digit VINs. Japanese imported motorcycles often have an 11-digit VIN, which can be challenging to decode as they do not include the year of manufacture, making it difficult to find this information (contact Chris from Mototom Cambodia to find such info).

The VIN number helps you identify legitimate registration and easily find parts (especially when ordering online through websites such as CMNL).

The engine number on the bottom or side of the engine can help you determine if the motorbikes have their original engine or if it has been swapped.

Here are a few websites where you can check your VIN number online. Be cautious of anyone misrepresenting the year of manufacture or providing illegal registration (as some motorbikes might have incorrect plates or registration cards).

Check your 17 digits VIN with the following websites:

• cyclepedia
• dmv/motorcycle-vin-decoder
• faxvin
• vincheck

For other VIN or if you don't find the right info you can ask Mototom for help.

Codes for the 10th digit of a 17 digits VIN (year of manufacture)

​Let's decode the VIN of your motorcycle (eg: JH2RC46A4XM105329):

J- The first character is for the country/manufacturer factory location (here made in Japan, Hamamatsu Shizuoka plant).
H- The second shows the manufacturer (here Honda).
2- The third indicates the vehicle type.
RC46A- Characters four through eight detail the brand, type, engine, model, and series.
4- The ninth character is a security code.
X- The tenth represents the model year.
M- The eleventh identifies the assembly plant.
105429 - The last six numbers = the serial number.

Visit Wikipedia for more historical details about VIN numbers.