Asia VFR800 decode the vins please

The Chassis # RC46-1400069
Engine # RC46E-1400062

Seller says it is a 2007.

Registration says 2010, which he says was a mistake by the transport office.

I believe it was manufacured in Japan. Pictures here...

Honda VFR 800 FI VTEC RC 46 Interceptor | Motorcycles for sale Davao Del Norte | AyosDito.ph

Help please, dont want a pig in the polk.

Mooch tnx,

:smile:

 

There are some aesthetic changes from 2005 to 2006 onward VFR800.Clear signal lens is one of the tell tale sign of 2006 VFR800.Of course the owner could have easily swopped for orange-tinted lens if he preferred.

 

Aggh it looks like you have missed the critical bit. You really need to copy down the full 17 digit vehicle identification number (VIN). You skipped the important numbers/letters which should be between the RC46 and the 1400062. Go back and write down everything on the plate which is attached to the side of the frame on the right side of the bike just below the tank. Then check your findings here.

Honda Rebel VIN Vehicle Identification Number Decoder

As you will see, the year of manufacture code should be the 8th number/letter from the end. A 2004 model would be 4, so 9 would be a 2009 model (from 2010 they go back to incremental letters - BUT never use letters i, o or q to avoid confusion with numbers).

From the pictures that certainly looks like a pre 2006 "model year" bike, but it is still quite possible that it was only registered in 2007. Just like in Europe, I guess dealers choose to hold off paying the taxman to register new bikes which they have in stock, until they actually have a buyer. Certainly on changeover year models it is quite common for earlier stock to sit unregistered in dealers showrooms - sometimes for years - as buyers tended to only want the latest model unless a big discount was offered.

Official "2006 Model Year" bikes should have a heap of revisions including the revised vtec engagement settings and is most obviously spotted by the use of clear lenses on the indicators. The pre-2006 models had amber lenses. As the two components were physically the same, I guess it is possible someone retrofitted the earlier style lenses onto a later model, but you would have to ask why - has it had a crash and new (earlier style) bodywork fitted?

Hope that helps





SkiMad

 

Thanks, you are a great help.

 

Further complications.

Pictures show only RC46-1400069 as the chassis number. So is this a fake bike, or what.

 

Looking in the wrong place - that is not the full VIN only a bit. On the left side of the bike on the open section of frame there should be the official Honda VIN plate - sort of by your right knee when riding. The same full 17 digit number should also appear on legitimate registration papers - and is an important thing to check. Have a look at these pictures which shows the normal location of the plate I am talking about and an example of what they look like close up.



If that official Honda VIN plate is missing then you have got to ask yourself why? I know the odd track-day junkie will shed every last ounce from their bike so a missing VIN plate can be explained - but for a street bike I would be very wary that someone is trying to sell you a stolen vehicle. I can't think Honda made a unique model for sale in the Phillipines which did not include that label when it left the factory - as it plays an important role for Honda keeping track of all the vehicles they manufacture. Obviously if you have stolen the bike, it will be one of the first things to remove...

I hope that is clear





SkiMad

 

Very clear! And thanks for the guidance. PH is the world's scam headquarters.

I think it is not stolen, coming from Japan as surplus, but they want to disguise the year.

One more thing, is it possible to back down the mileage numbers on VFRs?

I think you saved me from buying a mistake. :redface:

Thanks again, much appreciated.

 

There's also the fact that from 2006 onwards honda used that lovely shiny deep red on the fairing. It may well be just a bike registered late. Like my bike is an A2 model but is registered on a 2003 plate

 

Sad to say, the Bike in question had the VIN plate removed, so no deal for that one. Ha ha, however it was legally registered in the Philippines LTO!

Found a second bike for sale, VFR800 2007. Ask for the VIN, and he was surprised when I told him, it's a 2004. It was low mileage, like 6,000Km, again Hahaha. He was asking about $6,050 for the bike. I passed.

Seems that when a used bike is imported into the Philippines, they use the import years during registration. So a bike born in 2003, and imported in 2008, becomes a 2008 bike on the official papers. Be careful in the Philippines when buying here.

Also found a bike with a ZERO as the year number on the VIN. Yes, that number is never used on the 10th slot of the Vin. So it is an any year bike, and an excellent reproduction of a Vin plate.

So maybe I cannot find a VFR to buy. Oh well, carry on as we say.

BTW: In Asia, we can counterfeit anything

 

It also came int he typical Honda red here in Canada.. Also, that mileage is supsct. If they are passing that off as original, walk away. That odometer has gone over the 100,000 km mark and on its second time around. Not that I would worry about that . Mine has 168,000 km and other than a little issue I am ironing out right now, it is good to go.

 

As for VIN plates, go look at a VIN plate that you are confident is a true factory added plate. Very closely examine the rivets holding that plate on. Take a close up picture if you must. Those rivets are very unique to each make of vehicle and are not simple rivets you buy at the hardware store. In Canada and the USA anyways, maybe many other places, it is a crime to remove or alter the VIN plate. That is what prompted the special rivets in the first place many years back. There is also a hidden VIN somewhere else on the vehicle. I just don't know where that may be. They move this often and sometimes you need a mirror to see it. Again, a measure to combat auto crime.

 

VFRs don't sell too fast......like mine it says Year of Manufacture is 2005, registered in 2007 by the first owner. But found out my colour code is for an 06. Also my signal covers are clear not orange and when I changed my brake pads, used an 05 EBC brake pads it did not fit, had to use an 06.

 

I also looked at a bike that had "zero" for the year code. Well, that doesn't exist.

So the conclusion was it was a fake VIN plate. The owner bought from a reputable dealer in Manila. Ha, is there such a thing in the Philippines? :topsy_turvy:

 

A year end mis-match happens quite often - especially when they change model specs. Things like production line delays etc mean that Honda can only estimate what pieces will be used up during the production year. Late 2005 was the actual year they started to make the post facelift "2006" models. Looks like you have one of the early ones manufactured to 2006 spec but physically made in 2005.

There is nothing inherently wrong with a delay in registration - dealers won't want to pay to register a vehicle until they have a buyer - I know one dealer who still has a brand new unregistered RVF750R hidden away with just 1km showing on the clocks - its their pride and joy!

As for year code 0 that is a pretty strong clue that there is something wrong with the bike's history. As you know the Honda year code ran year 2000=Y and year 2001=1.

If you are still interested in buying that bike, then you could send pictures to Honda in Japan and seek their advice. They may be able to tell what VIN number the engine number and frame codes should have been attached to!

It may be something innocent like the bike is a post accident salvage model repaired using a spare non-sequence frame - in which case it would explain why the VIN is missing. The engine number should still provide a clue to the identity of the original vehicle.

Or it could simply mean it is a stolen bike which someone has attempted to cover up the true identity by removing the official VIN plate.

Take care




SkiMad