The First Three Characters
This first section renders information in this order: the country of origin, the manufacturer, and a third character showing either a “1” or an “A” to indicate “motorcycle.” "1" or "4" signifies it is American made; "2" means Canada; "3" means Mexico; and Japan, Korea, England, Germany, Italy and Brazil are "J," "K," "S," "W," "Z" and "9," respectively. The second character represents the manufacturer. All Yamaha bikes should have "C" there. The third digit, which identifies the division that manufactured it, Yamaha will be A.
The Next Five Characters
The second section is called the vehicle descriptor section. The fourth place in the VIN code indicates the vehicle category:
- C = scooter
- B = business model or commuter
- N = single cylinder sport/street
- G = multiple cylinder sport/street
- F = family
- S = off road
- V = v-type engine, street, V2/V4/V6/V8, etc.
In the fifth place, you will see a letter indicating engine displacement:
- A = 49cc and less
- B = 50-69cc
- C = 70-79cc
- D = 80-89cc
- E = 90-99cc
- F = 100-124cc
- G = 125-149cc
- H = 150-199cc
- J = 200-249cc
- K = 250-399cc
- M = 400-499cc
- N = 500-599cc
- P = 600-699cc
- R = 700-749cc
- S = 750-849cc
- T = 850-999cc
- U = 1000-1099cc
- V = 1100-1199cc
- W = 1200-1299cc
- Y = 1400-1499cc
- Z = 1500cc and up
The sixth place will have a digit for engine type:
- 1 = 2 stroke single
- 2 = 2 stroke twin
- 3 = 2 stroke triple or four
- 4 = 4 stroke single
- 5 = 4 stroke twin
Next in the sequence, the seventh spot, indicates design sequence while eighth is for model version. In the ninth space is a check digit mandated to verify the accuracy of the VIN code. This place does not render any specific information about the motorcycle itself.
Year Code and Manufacturing Plant
In the tenth and eleventh spaces will be the year code and an indication of the plant the motorcycle was manufactured respectively. The year codes are as follows:
- 1999....................X
- 2000....................Y
- 2001....................1
- 2002....................2
- 2003....................3
- 2004....................4
- 2005....................5
- 2006....................6
- 2007....................7
- 2008....................8
- 2009....................9
- 2010....................A
- 2011....................B
- 2012....................C
- 2013....................D
- 2014....................E
- 2015....................F
- 2016....................G
The Last Eight Digits
The motorcycle’s serial number takes up the last eight places in the VIN number. These are assigned sequentially as the motorcycles finish assembly.