It's important to note that these numbers can be changed. This could be to hide a stolen bike, to increase the value of a bike by making it appear to be a rare model, etc. You can find people online who are experts in the fonts used to stamp the VIN number as these changed over time. If you find an old bike with an engine number that looks a little too new, it certainly would be worth checking it out before making your purchase.
The basic format of the VIN number is as follows. The first two digits indicate the model year followed by one to three letters which denote the model. After the model designation, the final numbers indicate the production number of the engine.
1936
EL 61 OHV Special Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
EM 61 OHV Specialty Model for Midget Car Racing
Note:
The "S" in the ES model is not stamped onto the engine case.
1937, 1938, 1939, 1940
EL 61 OHV Special Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
Notes:
The E model was only built in 1937.
The "S" in the ES model is not stamped onto the engine case.
1941, 1942, 1944 (no civilian models built in 1943)
EL 61 OHV Special Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
FL 74 OHV Special Sport Solo
F 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
1945, 1946, 1947
EL 61 OHV Special Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
FL 74 OHV Special Sport Solo
F 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
FS 74 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
Note:
The "S" in the ES and FS models is not stamped onto the engine case.
1948
EL 61 OHV Special Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
FL 74 OHV Special Sport Solo
F 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
FS 74 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
Note:
The "S" in the ES and FS models is not stamped onto the engine case.
1949
EL 61 OHV Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
EP 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression, Springer Fork
ELP 61 OHV Sport Solo, Springer Fork
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo
F 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
FS 74 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
FP 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression, Springer Fork
FLP 74 OHV Sport Solo, Springer Fork
Notes:
The "S" in the ES and FS models is not stamped onto the engine case.
The "P" in the EP, ELP, FP and FLP models is stamped on the engine case in an unorthodox manner.
1950
EL 61 OHV Sport Solo
E 61 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
ES 61 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo
F 74 OHV Solo, Medium Compression
FS 74 OHV Sidecar Gearing, Medium Compression
1951
EL 61 OHV Sport Solo
ELS 61 OHV Sport Solo, Sidecar Gearing
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo
FLS 74 OHV Sport Solo, Sidecar Gearing
Note:
The "S" in the ELS and FLS models is not stamped onto the engine case.
1952
EL 61 OHV Sport Solo
ELF 61 OHV Sport Solo, Foot Shift
ELS 61 OHV Sport Solo, Sidecar Gearing
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo
FLF 74 OHV Sport Solo, Foot Shift
FLS 74 OHV Sport Solo, Sidecar Gearing
Notes:
The "S" in the ELS and FLS models is not stamped onto the engine case.
The last "F" in the ELF and FLF models is not stamped onto the engine case.
The ELS and FLS models have high compression engines.
1953, 1954
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo
FLF 74 OHV Sport Solo, Foot Shift
FLE 74 OHV Handshift with Traffic Combination
FLEF 74 OHV Foot Shift with Traffic Combination
Notes:
The last "F" in the FLF and FLEF models is not stamped onto the engine case.
The FLF and FL models have high compression engines.
The "Traffic Combination" models have a special cam and carburetor.
1955, 1956
FLHF 74 OHV Super Sport Solo, Foot Shift
FLH 74 OHV Super Sport Solo, Hand Shift
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo, Hand Shift
FLF 74 OHV Sport Solo, Foot Shift
FLE 74 OHV Handshift with Traffic Combination
FLEF 74 OHV Foot Shift with Traffic Combination
Notes:
The last "F" in the FLF, FLHF and FLEF models is not stamped onto the engine case.
The "Traffic Combination" models have a special cam and carburetor.
1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964
FLHF 74 OHV Super Sport Solo, Foot Shift
FLH 74 OHV Super Sport Solo, Hand Shift
FL 74 OHV Sport Solo, Hand Shift
FLF 74 OHV Sport Solo, Foot Shift
Note:
The last "F" in the FLF and FLHF models is not stamped onto the engine case.
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