If somebody asked you what makes your bike special, you would have a long list of reasons. While it’s extremely touching, the question is about what makes your bike uniquely identifiable. The first place you mind would go to is the number plate that your bike has. But that is not always useful.
The best example of that is in the case that your bike is stolen. Let’s assume that you are fortunate enough to have never experienced your bike being stolen. If anybody ever steals a bike, the first thing they do is to remove the number plate. This is done so that people cannot recognize the stolen bike. In such a situation, the bike you loved so dearly is lost. Two-wheeler insurance is a good friend if you have lost your bike.
However, there is a way that your bike can be identified after being stolen. When the bike is being manufactured, the company tries to give each bike its unique identity. This is done by engraving specific numbers on its chassis and engine. Each vehicle is also given a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Even though the tool to solve our problems is present, many of us end up not using it when our bikes are stolen. The reason for this is that we don’t know how or where to find the VIN, chassis number and engine number. Here is a brief overview of something that can help you:
What is a VIN?
Everywhere you go in life, you must receive identity cards. Starting out in school, moving up to college, getting a job, and all the way to casting a vote, you always receive a unique identity. This is done to make sure that you have a unique presence in whatever records that the ID card deals with. This is exactly what a VIN does for your bike.
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character code made of certain alphabets and numbers in a unique order. These letters and numbers act as a code for important information about the bike. This includes the year and location of manufacture. It also reveals how a certain vehicle is meant to be used. For example, it shows whether the bike was used for private or commercial use. Other information that the VIN helps in knowing includes the bike’s age, bike insurance details, registration number, etc.
How to find the VIN, chassis number, and engine number?
Before you know the details of how to find the VIN, chassis number, and engine number, you should know some correlations between them. Simply put, the chassis number is a part of the VIN. On the contrary, the engine number is not a part of the VIN. Hence, the VIN and the chassis number will mostly be found in the same place.
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
There is no one place on the bike that you find the VIN. This means that your bike manufacturer may have chosen a unique place to engrave the number. This is done to avoid the possibility that a thief might remove the number and replace it with another one. As difficult as it may be, it is a real possibility. Hence, manufacturers decide to put the number in a unique place.
Most manufacturers choose the part that joins the body of the bike with its handle to put the number. Known as the neck, it is a well-protected place to put the VIN. Ideally, if you turn your bike’s handle in the right direction, you should be able to see the number and note it down. The number could either be on the stem of the neck or at the short tube where the neck connects to the frame. The last 6 digits of the VIN is the chassis number.
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Engine Number
The place where this number is given is in the name itself. If you want to find the engine number, you should look at the engine. Other than that, the number is also given in the registration certificate and the owner manual of the bike. Just like VIN, it is used to identify a bike. However, solely depending on the engine number can be dangerous. If the bike is stolen, the engine can be replaced with a new one. Moreover, the engine number is a number to know details about the engine and not the bike itself. These details include the year of the engine’s manufacture and the engine’s serial number.
