What year is my Honda motorcycle/scooter?
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What year is my Honda motorcycle/scooter?
THE QUICK WAY:
1. Find the last number in your Japanese market Honda's "white sticker" or the 9th digit in your U.S. market Honda's VIN (vehicle identification number).
2. Reference the year table (at the bottom) to determine the year of your bike.
If you're unable to figure out any of the steps, read below for more detail.
As an owner of around 40 bikes in Cambodia, I have found that many sellers lie about the model year because they either a) want more money from you because it's newer, or b) have no clue. While it is true that it is a lot more difficult to tell the model year on bikes since parts are easily interchangeable, I have found that mistaken sellers without fail, have erred in their favor 100% of the time. I have never had a mistaken Khmer seller tell me an 05' was a 02' for example.
Trying to identify the ACTUAL year of your motorcycle might be more difficult than you think, especially with the availability of up to date parts to "convert" what year your bike is, and the fact that many import documents related to most motorcycles only determine what year the bike is NOT strangely.
i.e. Notice how the document says "USED HONDA CUSTOM 50CC Y: BEFORE 2005" So obviously all this means is that your bike is not newer than 2005 which could mean...anything.
So rather than have to trust your friendly local bike seller who is always honest (and knowledgable), here's is the VIN decoder guide for some popular bikes in Cambodia. This will help you be able to determine by a look at the registration card (under chassis number) what year your bike is, and if the seller is being upfront and honest with you.
To identify a Honda by it’s ID number, is not straightforward unfortunately as it varies between countries. Here is the basic process of ID for a U.S. market bike and Japanese market bike as best as I can summarize.
Learn your motorcycle’s MODEL NUMBER or FRAME NUMBER. Not model name. i.e. Scoopy is the model name, CHF50 is the model number.
Find the YEAR INDICATOR DIGIT.
**SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR INFORMATION TABLES**
How do you know what market your bike is? That is difficult to determine as Khmer sellers often have no idea, so the “best” answer is to determine via some digging via Google unfortunately. However, here are some basic tips to get you in the right direction.
**This is by no means a complete list, just what I’ve observed while shopping last week**
Common models usually specific to Japan:
FTR 223, SL230, CB223, AX1, Baja 250, XR230, XL230
Common models to the U.S. but not exclusive to U.S.:
XR400, XR650, CRF230, CRF250
Once you’ve ID your Honda as a U.S. or Japanese market, now to decode the number.
U.S. market:
If your bike is a U.S. market bike, your VIN should look like this.
How to decode your 17 number Honda Motorcycle ID number
So… (JH2RC380PM200xxx) as the example
This means that this bike is a
JH2 = Honda manufactured in Japan
RC380 = Nighthawk 750
P = 1993
M200xxx = serial number (which one in production one)
For a Japanese market bike:
Japanese bikes are a lot easier, as they often have a white sticker on them **somewhere**, and I really mean, somewhere. Sometimes under the seat, sometimes on the center post of the frame, sometimes on the inside of plastic farings. Usually the petrol tank or center frame post is where I look first.
They look like this. If you can not locate this sticker anywhere, it is a sign the bike has been in some serious accident or rework and had the sticker removed for a reweld or repaint/both. If you see the sticker with paint on it as well, walk away.
The way they are read is like so.
Model number - Year (represented by a digit)
Color code: XXX
and the frame would say:
Frame number - serial number
i.e. AF53 - xxxxxxx
So to decode this sticker, the easiest way is to look at the last digit and then reference it to the year chart at the bottom.
“SNC50” and the year digit says “1”.
This means the bike is a Giorcub 50 (model number SNC50), and the year is a 2001 (1).
The other sticker is a Spacy 125 (model number CHA125) and the year is a 1995 (S).
This by no means a complete comprehensive guide, but rather a starting point. Hondas are built all over the world, each with their own VIN systems, so it can’t possibly contain all numbers. However, if you now wonder what you bike is, at least you have an idea now of how Honda labels their vehicles.
-Akira S. (AE86)
Picture of a table
List of frame numbers if you are still having trouble ID your motorcycle: Sometimes with a frame number you can search on the internet for production dates.
4 digit = Frame number
5 digit = Model number
TC50 Canopy
TA02
SH125
JF09 ??
JF10 ??
JF23 2009 - 2013
JF41 2013 - present
SH150
KF04 2001 - 2004
KF08 2005 - 2008
KF10 2009 - 2011
CRF 150
KE03 2007 - 2013
FTR
MC34 1997? - current
CB223
MC40 ??
SL230
MD33 1997 - 2004
XR230
MD36 ??
CB250 (Nighthawk)
MC24 (unsure if accounts for first generation models)
CR250
ME03 1981 - 2007
CRF250
ME10 2004 - 2013
CMX250 (Rebel)
MC13 1996
MC32 1997 -
NX250 (AX1)
MD21 1988 - 1990
MD25 1991 - 1995
VTR250
MC33 2009-2011
XL 250 Degree
MD26
XR400
NE03 1996 -
XL 600 Transalp
PD10
XL 650
RD10
RD11
Nighthawk 750
RC380
Model Year Digit
(the digit after the model number on the “white sticker” of Japanese market Hondas, or the 9th digit in U.S. market vehicles)
D 1983
E 1984
F 1985
G 1986
H 1987
J 1988
K 1989
L 1990
M 1991
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
A 2010
B 2011
C 2012
D 2013
All about motoring in the Kingdom of Wonder
Author: Akira S. (username: AE86)
Author: Akira S. (username: AE86)
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