VIN number?

[leggman1]

The local county clerks office has forwarded a letter to me from the state authorities requesting a 17 digit vin number for my 1981 Yamaha xs1100 motorcycle. They said it is located on the lower part of the frame???
I called the clerks office and they requested I come in and drop off a affidavit stating that such a number does not exist? I told them the only number I am aware of is the number on the sticker on the neck of the frame.
Am I missing something or do they just not know what they are talking about?
The pic below shows all I think I have.

[JeffH]

DMV programmers just messed up. You shouldn't have gotten flagged. They 'should already' know that these vintage machines don't have 17 digits like modern vehicles.

The number you identified on your steering head (and stamped on engine too) is the number DMV needs. That is the number you need on Title and Registration.

Just a hassle for you to straighten them out.
"Dear DMV, bike is old and has a 9 digit serial VIN number" per the attached photo.

Jeff

[BA80]

+1....You get a job at the DMV if you can't do anything else.

[MPittma100]

Vin

I have had 2 1981 Venturers in the past. One had the short VIN and one had the longer one.

Looking at your picture, it would appear that the manufacture date of 5/80 indicates a 1980 year model but the 4R0 says 1981? No doubt the bike was produced prior to the 1981 VIN requirement.

[Ranger_xs1100]

confusing

My 79 and 80's all have had the short VIN stamped into the neck and the engine as well as on the white neck label and also on the title.

The 81LG that I just purchased has the short VIN stamped on the right side of the frame neck and the engine. But it also has a long 17 digit PIN on the white label on the left side of the frame neck and also on the title

(the long VIN begins with JYAxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

The short VIN is embedded in the long vin.

Maybe they started using the long VIN in 81?

[Ranger_xs1100]

oops

I meant 81 LH not 81 LG!

[motoman]

Had similar issue when I bought my Venturer new. The earlier Venturers had less numberings for vin. than the later Venturers, as explained by dealer. Still 4RO, but more amount of numbers. Things even went as far as DMV even sent Colo. State Patrol vin. inspector to dealership there in Durango to inspect the vin. before I rode it out the door of dealership. Interesting, I still remember that day and the rhetoric involved with the dealer and inspector...it DID get a bit 'heated' in conversation watching those two, to the extent that dealer told him if any acid testing of vin was done, Colo. State Patrol just bought the bike($4,995.00), with law-suit if necessary. Interesting conversation to say the least!

[leggman1]

I took them a letter I wrote stating that all there was is the 4ro number and they didn't question it. Case closed (for now)