Enter the VIN of a BMW motorcycle to read what the number says.
Enter the 17-character VIN of a BMW motorcycle and the decoder returns the manufacturer, the model year and the country of manufacture. It is free and needs no registration. Our BMW data covers 267 models from model year 1929 to the present, from the CE04 and C 400 GT to the K 1600 GTL, F 900XR and M 1000RR, with engines from 85 to 1802 cc.
The decoder reads only the VIN itself, so it cannot tell you about accidents, mileage, theft entries or previous owners. That information comes from a vehicle history report.
267 models in our data, newest first.
A VIN has 17 characters, and the letters I, O and Q are never used. Characters 1 to 3 identify the manufacturer and the country. Characters 4 to 8 describe the machine, and each maker codes them in its own way, which is why the decoder does not guess at a model from them. Character 9 is a check digit, required in North America. Character 10 gives the model year, character 11 the assembly plant, and characters 12 to 17 are the serial number.
On a motorcycle the VIN is usually stamped into the frame, often near the steering head, and repeated on a plate or sticker. It is also printed in the registration papers. Our BMW data starts in 1929, but 17-character VINs apply only to vehicles built since 1981. A machine from before that, such as an early R 12 G/S, may carry a shorter frame number that a VIN decoder cannot read. A recent CE04, F 450GS or R 1300RS will have a full 17-character VIN.
The decoder reads the number. A history report looks for the records tied to it.
BMW history reportLook at the frame first, often near the steering head, where the VIN is usually stamped. It may also be on a plate or sticker, and it is always worth comparing with the number in the registration papers.
The first three characters identify the manufacturer and the country where the machine was built. The decoder uses them to show the maker and the country of manufacture.
The model year is stored in the 10th character of the VIN, and the decoder translates it for you. This works for machines with a 17-character VIN, which means those built since 1981.
It shows the manufacturer, model year and country of manufacture, nothing more. Accidents, mileage, theft entries and previous owners are not stored in the VIN.
Make sure the VIN on the frame, on the plate and in the papers all match, and that the characters look untouched. Then decode it to confirm the model year and country fit what the seller tells you.
Enter the VIN of a BMW motorcycle to read what the number says.