1. Manufacturer Identifier: The first three characters represent the manufacturer code. For Yamaha, it is typically:
- JY for Yamaha Motor Company, Japan
- JH1 for Yamaha Motor Taiwan
- 3YP for Yamaha Motor France
2. Vehicle Type: The fourth and fifth characters indicate the vehicle type. For Yamaha, common codes are:
- M or N for motorcycles
- G or U for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
- W for WaveRunners (personal watercraft)
- K for generators
3. Model Year: The sixth character represents the model year using the following code:
- A for 2010
- B for 2011
- C for 2012
- And so on, up to M for 2022 and beyond
4. Assembly Plant: The seventh character identifies the assembly plant where the vehicle was manufactured. For Yamaha, some common codes are:
- 1 for Iwata, Japan
- 2 for Hamamatsu, Japan
- 3 for Kakegawa, Japan
- 4 for Akashi, Japan
- 5 for Sendai, Japan
5. Sequential Number: The last five digits of the VIN are a sequential number assigned to each vehicle. It helps to uniquely identify individual units.
By decoding the Yamaha VIN, you can gather information about the manufacturer, vehicle type, model year, assembly plant, and the specific unit's production sequence. This information can be useful for identification, registration, and other administrative purposes.
