Prince George Vintage Motorcycle Club
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: kaziff on June 13, 2012, 08:27:10 PM
-
Up for grabs for a bottle of Jamiesons, maxim 400, mostly there but rough, no papers, not sure what year but has disc on front and mag wheels. Kaziff
-
would be an 82 or 83, worth is likely closer to a 6 pack.
-
Out of curiosity I wouldn't mind knowing the first three to four alphanumeric characters of the VIN and then I should be able to determine the model number and from the model number the year.
Of course if the model number is available complete with suffix then it will tell me the year.
Thanks
Shep
-
Where can I get info on 9 digit VINs, yamaha info is only good for 17 digits as far as I can find.
Thanks, Bob
-
Please realize that I am not a VIN expert but in the last few weeks this is what I have taken from the internet.
"Thus 1980, 1981, and perhaps even some very early production 1982 model-year bikes use a shorter VIN number that appears on the frame of the bike, and may also include a printed paper decal that lists a different (longer) VIN number that is the "extended", 17-posiiton version of the original, shorter VIN number.
Although for the purposes of absolutely, positively identifying your bike for exactly what it "is", the differences between the shorty VIN and the longer VIN are minor---although since the full 17-position VIN number contains more information, it makes the deciphering process a bit less time-consuming, but rest assured that----armed with the proper information---even a "shorty VIN" can be just as accurately and fully de-coded.
Now, since most people weren't about to memorize serial number ranges, a second method was devised by Yamaha to code the year model into an easy-to-understand code.
In naming their bikes, Yamaha would refer to bikes by their MODEL NAME (i.e. XJ550, XJ650, etc.) and then add a---you guessed it---a LETTER CODE to the end of the model name, as such:
XJ550H
XJ750J
XJ900RK
Unfortunately, the letter codes used in this manner bear no relation to the letter codes used in the 17-position VIN schemes.
Here's the shorty Yamaha letter codes:
A = 1974
B = 1975
C = 1976
D = 1977
E = 1978
F = 1979
G = 1980
H = 1981
J = 1982
K = 1983
L = 1984
N = 1985
S = 1986
A couple of things to note here:
a) Prior to 1974, no code was used to designate the model year.
b) The letter I is skipped from the 1981-1982 sequence.
c) The letter M is skipped from the 1984-1985 sequence.
d) The letter O, P, Q, and R are skipped from the 1985-1986 sequence.
So the Yamaha coding system for identifying a particular bike was the use of the MODEL NAME (XJ550, XJ750, etc.) and then adding a year "suffix" at the end:
XJ550H is a 1981 XJ550 Maxim (the letter "H" = 1981)
XJ750J is a 1982 XJ750 Maxim (the letter "J" = 1982)
XJ900RK is a 1983 XJ900 Seca (the letter "K" = 1983)
Uh-oh........that last one is a bit confusing (there's two suffixes....R and K).
Well, to distinguish between a regular Maxim model and a Seca (or other) model, Yamaha also used other suffixes:
nothing = a regular base model (Maxim is the base model in the USA and Canada)
R = Seca
C = could mean Canadian, or could mean California. Nice, huh?
M = Midnight version of a Maxim, if it's an XJ750, but "L" if it's an XJ650 model, unless, of course, it's a 1982 or 1983 XJ650 model, in which case "L" refers to the Turbo Seca model, and..........
L = any one of a number of different things....
I think the best thing we can say is that "perhaps it's better than nothing".
Perhaps.........
The key point to remember is the letter codes above refer to the years."
Preceding information taken from a thread on XS650.com
Also some information for cross referencing Yamaha factory model codes to actual model numbers is at ?johnnystoybox.com?.
Hope this helps!
Shep
-
Think there may be a 400 Maxim Engine here if a part or two is needed......
-
I have a Seca 400 moldering away in the corner of the garage., same bike, different bodywork. So, I have a few parts too, except for the regulator, it's living in the Suzuki.
-
Could use a new front fender for Zara- her's is all cracked, 400 Seca is what it came off of is it still there? Cheers.
-
Yup, think it might have a crack in it, but it is red
-
I have a couple questions about your parts section.
:)
Check your PMs...will have to update that page though as some of the parts are gone...
-
I found one of the two types of bikes I have always wanted; thus, the Maxim 400 and a Maxim 650 I have are up for grabs.
400: turns over and has a electrical issue; either a coil or electronic ignition (in my not so expert forecast ability)
650: runs but needs 4-6 inches of frame to be replaced. Shafty.
Will post in the for sale/trade section at some point in near future.
-
So what did you find?
-
a 1968 honda 450 scrambler
:)
:)
I am excited...and apprehensive hahaha...but super stoked.
-
Cool bike till you put your feet down when the pipes are hot.... Restore or cafe?