The most renowned American motorcycle manufacturing company, Harley-Davidson, also known as just Harley, is located in Wisconsin. The company has expanded over the years via numerous subsidiary agreements, ownership arrangements, and economic dips, and the quality of its vehicles, along with competition from the outside world, has made them the world’s most renowned motorcycle manufacturer.
The bike’s manufacturer is always indicated by the first three characters. With Harley Davidson check online service, you can enter the VIN and get the answer in a matter of seconds. Let’s take a moment to analyze a few of the symbols and their significance.
Harley Davidson: Decoding VIN Numbers
In most cases, the code will start with 1HD, which originally stands for the USA, and HD for Harley Davidson. But this is the quickest and simplest section. The fourth symbol corresponds to the weight class: 1 stands for a heavyweight (≥ 901 ccs), 4 for a lightweight (≤ 900 ccs), and 8 for a sidecar. The next five symbols are showing the model, type of engine, introduction period, and a check number that is used to identify incorrect VINs. The number shown fluctuates and is based on a mathematical formula devised by the United States Department of Transportation. The next two symbols are the manufacturing year and the production plant. The final six numbers represent the motorcycle’s production number.
A unique character can inform the Harley Davidson VIN decoder whether the code is valid or not. If the motorcycle is stolen, the code is altered and the vehicle is marketed as a new model. If there are visible scratches or damages, the code has been tweaked. The smallest pigments and barely detectable lines must be paid special attention to. It is best to examine the data on the frame with the light shining on it.
Harley Davidson: Earlier VIN Numbers
Back in the 1920s, Harley standardized the VIN number format, which was incredibly simple. Figures and letters (from 8 to 11) made up the Harley VIN numbers through 1969. Before 1935, Harley also manufactured a number of single-cylinder versions with engine codes A, B, and C, as well as two two-cylinder motors with horizontally opposed cylinders with engine designations WJ and WF. The initials XA stood for a second horizontally opposed two-cylinder engine produced in 1942. Harley-Davidson developed three distinct models based on the same base, called the UH, UL, and ULH. Simply described, the UH is the base motor with the cubic inch capacity raised to 80 and the moderate pressure heads maintained.
When we deconstruct the VIN number even more, we learn that the letters that appear after the production date store most of the data about a certain motorbike. The very first letter, generally known as the engine code, defines the sort of motor that was first fitted at the factory.
The Takeaway
Some can say that information from a person’s DNA is also contained in Harley Davidson VIN numbers, indicating that you are a quite special person if you possess this legendary motorcycle. And while the codes may vary from time to time, the owner’s DNA remains consistent.
