How to decode the VIN number
 

NOTE: This info is based upon my short research on the topic. Info like the WMI is decribed in ISO 3780 (which you must pay for). The year code is decribed in ISO 3779.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is composed of 17 characters. The standard was originally defined in ISO Standard 3779 in February of 1977. Then it was revised in 1983. The ISO VIN is designed to identify motor vehicles of all kinds: cars, trucks, busses, motorcycles etc.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) contains three major sections:

• WMI - World Manufacturer Identifier (1,2,3 characters in VIN structure) If the manufacturer builds less than 500 vehicles per year than the third digit is "9". The WMI is described in detail in ISO 3780.
• VDS - Vehicle Description Section. It contains 6 characters (4th to 9th positions in VIN) and defines vehicle attributes specified by manufacturer.
• VIS - Vehicle Identifier Section. The last 8 characters of VIN define Year, manufacturer plant and serial (sequential) number of the vehicle.

The last four characters shall be numeric. The 10th position of the Vehicle Identification Number is a YEAR CODE.

ISO recommends that in VIN code capital letters A to Z and numbers 1 to 0 may be used, excluding I,O and Q in order to avoid mistakes of misread. No signs and spaces are allowed in Vehicle Identification Number code.
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Recap with examples:

Digits 1,2,3 are World, Manufacturer, Identifier
Digits 4,5,6,7,8 are Vehicle descriptor Section -- *Somewhat variable based on manufacturer.
Digit 9 is the check digit
Digit 10 is the Year code
Digit 11 is the Factory code
Digits 12,13,14,15,16,17 are the Vehicle Identification Sequence


Let's see how this splits:



First digit - Country code
U.S.A.(1 or 4), Canada (2), Mexico (3), Japan (J), Korea (K), England (S), Germany (W), Italy (Z)

Second digit - Manufacturer
Audi (A), BMW (B), Buick (4), Cadillac (6), Chevrolet (1), Chrysler (C), Dodge (B), Ford (F), GM Canada (7), General Motors (G), Honda (H), Jaguar (A), Lincoln (L), Mercedes Benz (D), Mercury (M), Nissan (N), Oldsmobile (3), Pontiac (2 or 5), Plymouth (P), Saturn (8 ), Toyota (T), Volvo (V), Suzuki (S), Kawasaki (K).

Third digit - Identifier
Motorcycle (1 or A) Kawasaki and Suzuki seem to follow this anyway

Fourth digit - Vehicle category
Data here is Suzuki specific, haven't found info for other brands.
Scooter (C), Business model or commuter (B), Single cylinder sport/street (N), Multiple cylinder sport/street (G), Family (F), Off road (S), V-Type engine, street, V2/V4/V6/8,... (V), Square Four (H)

Fifth digit - Engine Displacement
Data here is Suzuki specific, haven't found info for other brands.
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=1500 & up

Sixth digit - Engine Type
Data here is Suzuki specific, haven't found info for other brands.
1=2 stroke single
2=2 stroke twin
3=2 stroke triple or four
4=4 stroke single
5=4 stroke twin
6=?
7=4 stroke four

Seventh digit
Data here is Suzuki specific, haven't found info for other brands.
Design sequence or model version first version uses 1 then second version uses 2 etc... the tenth version would then be identified by the letter A then B etc..

Eigth digit
Data here is Suzuki specific, haven't found info for other brands.
First version uses 1 then second version uses 2 etc... the tenth version would then be identified by the letter A then B etc...

Ninth digit - Check digit
The ninth vehicle identification number digit is a VIN accuracy check digit, verifying the previous VIN numbers. This is how the check digit works


STEP 1
Assign to each number in the VIN its actual mathematical value and assign to each letter the value specified for it in the following chart:
ASSIGNED VALUES:
A=1 G=7 P=7 X=7
B=2 H=8 R=9 Y=8
C=3 J=1 S=2 Z=9
D=4 K=2 T=3
E=5 M=3 U=4
F=6 N=4 V=5


STEP 2
Multiply the assigned value for each character in the VIN by the position weight factor specified in the following chart:
VIN POSITION AND WEIGHT FACTOR:
1st = 8 10th = 9
2nd = 7 11th = 8
3rd = 6 12th = 7
4th = 5 13th = 6
5th = 4 14th = 5
6th = 3 15th = 4
7th = 2 16th = 3
8th = 10 17th = 2
9th = check digit

STEP 3
Add the products from steps 1 and 2 and divide the total by 11.

STEP 4
The numerical remainder is the check digit which would appear in the 9th position in the VIN. If the remainder is 10, then the letter "X" is used for the check digit.


Tenth digit - Year Code
80(A), 81(B), 82(C), 83(D), 84(E),
85(F), 86(G), 87(H), 88(J), 89(K),
90(L), 91(M), 92(N), 93(P), 94(R),
95(S), 96(T), 97(V), 98(W), 99(X),
00(Y), 01(1), 02(2), 03(3), 04(4),
05(5), 06(6), 07(7), 08(8 ), 09(9) ( Don't know what happens after that )

Eleventh digit - Factory Code
Manufacturer code for what plant it was built in

Twelfth to Seventeenth digits - Serial Number

Thanks for the info Louis, but it doesn't seem to be correct for all models.

My VIN starts with JS1BN1111001xxxxx
JS1B = Japan / Suzuki / Motorcycle / Business model or commuter - so far, so good
N = 500ccm to 599ccm ... nope: 1402ccm
1 = 2-stroke single ... nope: inline 4, 4-stroke
1 = Version 1 ... yes
1 = Version 1 ... yes again?
1 = checksum digit (I haven't bothered to calculate this)
0 = 2000 .... nope, mine is a 2002 or 2003 (not sure) - but they didn't start building the GSX 1400 until 2001, so it can't be a 2000'er!

Kwel = it is on the money.

European freak :twisted:

I think Europe has a slightly different VIN decoding scheme.

Yes, I found this on the web:

http://www.vehicleidentificationnumb...ll_cars_1.html

ISO 3779 makes a provision for a code for the year in which a vehicle is built. When a manufacturer uses a year code, ISO recommends that the 10th position of the VIN is used.
The same applies to the use of a factory code. When a manufacturer uses a factory or plant code, ISO recommends that the 11th position of the VIN is used. In the VIN-code, capital letters A through Z and numbers 1 through 0 may be used, except the letters I, O and Q for obvious reasons. No signs or spaces are allowed in the VIN.

Other systems.
The European Union has issued a directive to the effect that a VIN must be used for all road vehicles in the EU member states. This directive complies with the ISO Standard but a year digit or factory code is not mandatory. Also, it is left to the choice of the manufacturer whether the VDS is actually used for vehicle attributes or not. The system only applies to motor powered vehicles with at least four wheels capable of speed above 25 km/h and trailers.

thats great info to have thanks. i made a post on here a while ago about paint codes, one person replied, cant remember who, saying that they are part of the VIN, so which part is this Louis?

The paint code won't be part of the VIN, since the color can change. My bike was originally silver, but the dealer swapped the painted parts with another GSX 1400, so that I could have a blue bike.

As inspiron says, I'd doubt about the paint code being in the VIN.

Inspiron is this true for bikes only? In the past i purchased specific paint colors for a Monte Carlo and a Mustang with the information extracted by the sale's person from the VIN #.
I'll be on the horn with Suzuki CSR tomorrow.