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Jumping back to the 1920’s we see Harley standardizing on a very straightforward format for their VIN numbers. Harley-Davidson VIN Numbers Prior to 1970 In 1981, when Harley switched to the new 17-digit VIN standard, they stopped stamping a matching VIN on the motor and began using a truncated version of the VIN on the motor which still allowed for matching the motor to the frame but only used 10-digits. From 1970 - 1980, Harley continued to stamp a matching VIN on the motor (except for early 1979 models), so that the motor could be matched to the frame. Starting in 1970, The official VIN location moved to the frame neck, and it has remained in that location ever since. It is important to note that the VIN number was not stamped on the frame on these early models and that any numbers found on the frame are casting numbers that were identical on every frame of the same model/year. It will be hand stamped on the left side motor case, just under the cylinders on a raised boss. If you are looking at a 1969 or older machine, the VIN number is only going to be located on the motor.
#BUELL ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER HOW TO#
Locating the VIN on a Harley-Davidson Motorcycleīefore we get into the details of how to decode these VIN numbers, let’s start out with where to find them. The last change came in 1981, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mandated that all vehicle manufacturers adopt a 17-digit VIN and Harley switched to this new standard which they still use today. For the 1970 model year, Harley revamped their VIN numbers and for a brief ten-year period used this different arrangement.
![buell engine serial number buell engine serial number](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c5/15/8a/c5158aeeb4ec30e0d980e558bcd53adf--harley-panhead-vin.jpg)
At that point Harley began using an easily decipherable string of numbers and letters that saw continued use until 1969.
![buell engine serial number buell engine serial number](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RVFowCRXcic/hqdefault.jpg)
#BUELL ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBERS#
From the very beginning, Harley has been stamping their engines with unique serial numbers, but these early serial numbers didn’t conform to any real standard until the 1920’s. Whether you are scouring the country for rare motorcycles, or you just want to know some basic information about a bike you saw in a parking lot, understanding how Harley-Davidson formats their vehicle identification numbers (commonly referred to as VIN numbers) will give you the 411 on exactly what type of Harley you are looking at.
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