How To Read A Harley Davidson VIN number, Manufacturer Identification Number
- By George
- February 10, 2019
- Comments Off on How To Read A Harley Davidson VIN number, Manufacturer Identification Number
1930 To 1961:
The vehicle identification number, manufacturer identification number, or VIN for short, on 1930 to 1961 Harley Davidson motorcycles is located on the engine’s left case. The VIN consists of 8 to 10 alphanumeric characters with the first two numbers being the year, the next 2 to 4 letters being the model abbreviation, and the last 4 numbers being the production number. An example might be:
| Year | Model | Production Number |
| 52 | FL | 0954 |
1962 To 1969:
Harley Davidson motorcycles manufactured from 1962 to 1969 have a VIN that followed a similar format as motorcycles manufactured from 1930 to 1961, the only difference being the production number. If a model has a 4 digit production number, than the first digit is even for even years, and odd for odd years. If a model has a 5 digit production number than the first 2 digits are even for even years, and odd for odd years.
1970 To 1980:
Harley Davidson motorcycles manufactured from 1970 to 1980 have a VIN with 9 alphanumeric characters located on the frame and engine, and they are matching strings or numbers. The only exception are on motorcycles manufactured from January, 1, 1979 to February 7, 1979, where the VIN on the frame and engine do not match. The affected models during this time period have a engine number with 10 characters instead of 9. For legal reasons, it doesn’t matter what string is stamped on the engine and the law will only recognize the VIN stamped on the frame. The 9 character VIN has the following format: the first 2 characters are the model code, next 5 numbers are the production number, which always starts above 10,000, and the last 2 characters are the year code. See charts below:
| Model Code | Production Number | Year Code |
| 2A | 10,868 | H5 |
Year Codes:
| H0 = 1970 | H1 = 1971 | H2 = 1972 |
| H3 = 1973 | H4 = 1974 | H5 = 1975 |
| H6 = 1976 | H7 = 1977 | H8 = 1978 |
| H9 = 1979 | J0 = 1980 |
Model Codes:
| 1A = FL, FLP 1200 | 2A = FLH 1200 | 3A = XL, XLH 1000 |
| 4A = XLCH 1000 | 5A = GE 750 | 6A = SS 350 Sprint |
| 7A = SX 125 | 8A = M65-S | 7B = ERS |
| 8B = MSR 100 | 2C = FX 1200 | 3C = SX 350 Sprint |
| 5C = MC 65 | 6C = SR 100 | 1D = LE Sidecar |
| 2D = X90 | 4D = XLA | 5D = SX 175 |
| 6D = SX 250 | 7D = MX 250 | 9D = FXE 1200 |
| 4E = XLS 1000 | 5E = FXEF 1200 | 6E = FXEF 80 |
| 7E = FLHS 1200 | 9E = SS 250 | 2F = FXS 1200 |
| 3F = SXT 125 | 4F = SS 175 | 6F = SS 125 |
| 7F = XLCR 1000 | 2G = XLT 1000 | 3G = FLH 80 |
| 5G = FLT 80 | 6G = FXE 80 | 7G = FXS 80 |
| 9G = FXWG 80 | 1H = FXB 80 | 2H = CLE 80 Sidecar |
| 3H = FLH 80 Classic | 5H = FLHS 80 | 6H = FL 80 |
| 7H = FLH 1200 Police | 8H = FLH 1200 Shrine | 9H = FLH 80 Police |
| 1K = FLH 80 Shrine |
1981 To 2017 (Present):
All Harley Davidson motorcycles manufactured from 1981 to present have a 17 alphanumeric character VIN stamped on the frame. The format of the VIN is as follows: The first three characters are the World Identification Number, which identifies what part of the world the bike was manufactured for sale, the forth character identifies the weight class, the 5th and 6th characters identify the model code, the 7th character identifies the engine class, the 8th character identifies the introduction period, the 9th characters is the VIN check digit, the 10th character is the model year, the 11th character identifies the manufacturing plant, and characters 12 through 17 are the production number. See charts below.
Example VIN:
| World Mfg ID: | Weight Class: | Model Code: | Engine Type: | Intro Period: | Check Digit: | Model Year: | Mfg Plant: | Production #: |
| 1HD | 1 | JL | 5 | 1 | 7 | 9 | Y | 069628 |
1HD – For sale in the United States
5HD – For sale outside the United States
932 – Manufactured in Brazil, and only sold in Brazil
MEG – Manufactured in India, and only sold in India
1 – Heavyweight (greater than 900cc)
4 – Lightweight (Less than or equal to 900cc)
8 – Sidecar
Touring Model Codes:
| AA – FLH | AB – FLHP | AC – FLH |
| AD – FLH Classic | AE – FLT | AF – FLTC |
| AH – FLHP Deluxe | AJ – FLH Heritage | AK – FLHS |
| AL – FLH Shrine | DA – FLT FLHTP | DB – FLTC |
| DC – FLHT | DD – FLHT | DE – FLHTC |
| DF – FLHTP | DG – FLHTC Shrine | DH – FLTC |
| DJ – FLHTC | DK – FLTC Shrine | DM – FLTCU Ultra |
| DN – FLTCU Ultra | DP – FLHTC | DS – FLTCU Ultra Shrine |
| DT – FLHTCU Ultra Shrine | FA – FLHRS FLHS | FB – FLHRI FLHR |
| FC – FLHTCUI FLHTCU | FD – FLHR | FE – FLTCUI |
| FF – FLHTCI FLHTC | FG – FLHTCUI | FH – FLHPI |
| FL – FLHTCUI FLHTCU | FM – FLHTPI | FP – FLTR |
| FR – FLHRCI FLHRC | FS – FLTRI | FT – FLHPEI |
| FW – FLHR Shrine | KA – FLHX | KB – FLHX |
| KE – FLHTK | KG – FLTRU | KH – FLTRX |
| KR – FLHXS | KT – FLTRXS | KX – SIDECAR TLE ULTRA |
| MA – FLHTCUTG Trike | MB – Trike | PF – FLSTDSE |
| PG – FLHRSEI2 | PR – FLHTCUSE7 CVO | PY – FLSTSE3 CVO |
| PZ – FLHXSE CVO | MC – FLRT |
Dyna Model Codes:
| BA – FXE | BB – FXEF FXSTDI | BC – FXS |
| BD – FXB | BE – FXWG | BF – FXSB |
| BG – FXDG | EA – FXR | EB – FXRS |
| EC – FXRT | ED – FXRP Windshield | EE – FXRDG |
| EF – FXRP Fairing | EG – FXRS SP | EH – FXRD |
| EJ – FXRC | EK – FXRP Police | EL – FXLR |
| EM – FXRS CON | ES – FXR | ET – FXR |
| EV – FXR | GA – FXDB D | GB – FXDB S |
| GC – FXDC | GD – FXDL | GE – FXDWG |
| GG – FXDS CON | GH – FXD | GJ – FXDX |
| GK – FXDP | GL – FXDXT | GM – FXDI |
| GN – FXDL | GP – FXDWG | GR – FXDXI |
| GT – FXDC | GV – FXDC | GX – TL |
| GY – FXDF | GZ – FLD | PB – FXDWG |
| PE – FXDWG3 | PS – FXDSE | PX – FSDFSE |
| VA = FXDBP |
Softail Model Codes:
| BH – FXST | BJ – FLST FLSTC | BK – FXSTC |
| BL – FXSTS | BM – FLSTF | BN – FLSTN |
| BP – FXSTSB | BR – FLSTS | BS – FXSTD |
| BT – FXSTB | BV – FXST | BW – FLSTC |
| BX – FLSTF | BY – FLSTC | BZ – FXSTSI |
| DV – FLSTN | JA – FXSTB | JB – FXSTDI |
| JD – FLSTN | JE – FLST | JF – FLSTI |
| JG – FLSTF | JH – FLSTC | JJ – FXCW |
| JK – FXCWC | JL – FXSTC | JM – FLSTSB |
| JN – FLSTFB | JP – FXS | JR – FLS |
| JT – FLSTFBS | PF – FXSTDSE | PH – FXSTDSE |
| PL – FLSTFSE | PN – FLSTFSE | PT – FXSTSSE |
| PY – FLSTSE | YB – FLHCS | YE – FXER |
| YG – FLFBS | YH – FXBRS | YJ – FXBB |
| YL – FXFBS | YN – FXLR |
Sportster Model Codes:
| CA – XLH | CB – XLS | CC – XLX |
| CD – XR-1000 | CE – XL 883H | CF – XL 883 Deluxe |
| CG – XL 1200C | CH – XL 1200S | CJ – XL 883C |
| CK – XL 883R | CN – XL883 | CM – XL883L |
| CP – XL883C | CR – XL883L | CS – XL883R |
| CT – XL1200C | CV – XL1200R | CW – XL1200L |
| CX – XL1200L | CY – XL50 | CZ – XL1200N |
| LA – XR1200 | LC – XL1200X | LD – XR1200X |
| LE – XL883N | LF – XL1200V | LH – XL1200CP |
| LJ – XL1200CA | LK – XL1200CB |
Street Model Codes:
| NA – XG500 | NB – XG750 | NC – XG750A |
VROD Model Codes:
| HA – VRSCA | HC – VRSCR | HD – VRSCD |
| HF – VRSCA | HH – VRSCDX | HJ – VRSCX |
| HP – VRSCF |
Trike Model Codes:
| MA – FLHTCUTG | MC – FLRT |
Engine Class:
| A – 1130 Revolution | B – 1450 Fuel Injected Counter Balanced | C – 1550, Milwaukee 8 107 |
| D – 1550 EFI, Milwaukee 8 107 | E – 1690 EFI | F – 1690 Balanced EFI |
| G – 1246 Revolution EFI | H – 1246 (2001-2009), 1000 Ironhead XL | J – 1246, Milwaukee 8 107 |
| K – 1340 Shovelhead, Milwaukee 8 114 | L – 1340 Evolution | M – 883 Evolution XL, Twin Cam 103 |
| N = 1100 Evolution XL | P = 1200 Evolution XL | A = 500cc Liquid Cooled Revolution X |
| R – 1340 Evolution Fuel Injected | S – 500 Single | V – Twin Cam 88 Carbureted and 103B |
| W – Twin Cam 88 Fuel Injected | Y – Twin Cam 88 Counter Balanced – Carb | Z – 1130 Revolution |
| 1 – 1450 EFI | 2 – 883 ESPFI | 3 – 1200 ESPFI |
| 4 – 1584 ESPFI | 5 – 1584 ESPFI, Twin Cam 96B | 6 – 1200 |
| 8 – 1800 ESPFI | 9 – 1800 ESPFI H 1250 ESPFI | B – 749cc Liquid Cooled Revolution X |
Introduction Period:
| 1 – Domestic (Normal) | 2 – Domestic (Mid-Year) | 3 – California (Normal) |
| 4 – Domestic (Mid-Year) | 5 – California (Mid-Year) | 6 – California (Mid-Year) |
| A – Canada (Normal) | B – Canada (Mid-Year) | C – International (Normal) |
| D – International (Mid-Year) | E – Japan (Normal) | F – Japan (Mid-Year) |
| G – Australia (Normal) | H – Australia (Mid-Year) | J – Brazil (Normal) |
| K – Brazil (Mid-Year) | L – Asia Pacific (Normal) | M – Asia Pacific (Mid-Year) |
| N – India (Normal) | P – India (Mid-Year) |
Model Year:
| A – 2010 | B – 1981, 2011 | C – 1982, 2012 |
| D – 1983, 2013 | E – 1984, 2014 | F – 1985, 2015 |
| G – 1986, 2016 | H – 1987, 2017 | J – 1988, 2018 |
| K – 1989, 2019 | L – 1990, 2020 | M – 1991, 2021 |
| N – 1992 | P – 1993 | R – 1994 |
| S – 1995 | T – 1996 | V – 1997 |
| W – 1998 | X – 1999 | Y – 2000 |
| 1 – 2001 | 2 – 2002 | 3 – 2003 |
| 4 – 2004 | 5 – 2005 | 6 – 2006 |
| 7 – 2007 | 8 – 2008 | 9 – 2009 |
Manufacturing Plant:
| B – York, PA | D – Manaus, Brazil | E – Buell East Troy |
| J – Milwaukee, WI | K – Kansas City, KS | N – Haryana, India (Bawal District Rewari) |
| T – Tomahawk, WI | Y – York, PA |
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.