How to find your ATV Vin Decoder
We completely understand that you do not want to spend the time memorizing your ATV VIN. Hell, a lot of us might not even know that something like that exists. However, knowing where on your ATV, the Vin is etched out, might be extremely beneficial for you in the future.
What is the ATV Vin (Vehicle Identification Number)?
The ATV Vin is about 17 characters long and is etched on your ATV because it is somewhat of a code to your motorcycle. The VIN or the Vehicle identification number contains information on the manufacture details of your bike, it contains the year the model was built and related information. Just the same way a lot of us have a social security number for ourselves, consider that this VIN is the stamp of identity for your bike. It’s the same situation with cars. All cars also require VIN.
The VIN has an uncanny ability to appear in insurance cards, registrations, and all sorts of titles. This is why it becomes important to know exactly where it is on your bike. The other advantage of the VIN is the security that comes with it. If you are planning on selling your bike or buying a used bike, the VIN is going to tell you whether it has been in an accident or rebuilt or stolen or any other relevant information.
The VIN is a long combination of numbers and characters, but for easy readability, it is divided into 3 sections- the first 3 characters, the next 6, and the last eight. Let us understand this sequence better.
The first 3 character represents the World Manufacturer Identifier. The next 6 characters represent the Vehicle Description and explain the attributes of the vehicle through the manufacturer. The last eight characters tell you where the bike was manufactured from and the ATV’s serial number.
The first character is going to be the country’s code.
- USA
- Canada
S- England
W- Germany.
The second digit is going to be the manufacturer. So that means that ‘Kawasaki’ will get a K, ‘Honda’ will get an ‘H’. The characters 4 through 9 are going to vary according to the manufacturer, but they are what contain information about the engine size, the engine type, and even the kind of model. The 9th digit/character is what contains the accuracy check and is like a double-check for the previous characters that are authorized by the manufacturer.
The 10th digit that you are going to see, is going to be the code of the year, the 11th digit is the factory code and lastly, the 12th to 17th digits represent the serial number of the vehicle.
Where to find ATV VIN?
So, now that you have an idea of the importance of the VIN and what it really stands for, the next question obviously is, where do you find it? The VIN location is usually standard for almost all bikes and vehicles and you can usually find it on the steering neck. However, and this is something to be careful about, you can also find them on the motor, located near the cylinder.
You can easily locate it by turning the steering bar to the left and where the steering head goes through the frame, you can easily spot the VIN serial number etched out beautifully.
One thing that you need to know is that the location of the VIN depends on the manufacturer and every model will not have the same location for it. If you are lucky, the VIN is going to be located on the left side of the frame. There are other areas for locating the VIN and this is usually through the slit in the plastic hood, in some vehicles.
There are more difficult areas to locate the VIN and this can be found usually in the tail section OR the left side of the frame, as mentioned before. There can be other areas as well, such as close to the radiator or behind the wheel.
Below guides explains on how to find ATV VINs based on Manufacturers :
a. Finding ATV VIN in Yamaha ATV – Where to find your Yamaha ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
b. Finding ATV VIN in Polaris ATV – Where to find your Polaris ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
c. Finding ATV VIN in Honda ATV – Where to find your Honda ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
d. Finding ATV VIN in Kawasaki ATV – Where to find your Kawasaki ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
e. Finding ATV VIN in Arctic Cat ATV – Where to find your Arctic Cat ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
f. Finding ATV VIN in Suzuki ATV – Where to find your Suzuki ATV Vin Number Decoder ?
Conclusion
So, now that you know everything that you need to know about the VIN, and perhaps a little more information than you anticipated, you will be able to understand the benefits of the ATV VIN. Especially when you are planning to re-sell your vehicle or buying a used ATV, the VIN is what is going to be your seal of trust. The VIN is going to contain all the information that you need for it to be an informed purchase.