VINfilter
January 12, 2008 10:57 AM Subscribe
I blew my motorcycle engine. I found a good, cheap replacement from a salvage yard. Do I have to worry about the VIN not matching my bike after I have it installed?
And what do I do about the discrepancy between the old mileage and the mileage on the new motor? (The new motor has 22,000 less miles on it than the original, according to the salvage yard). Also, it's from a non-california bike, and I live in California.
FWIW, the bike is a 1998 Honda VTR1000.
And what do I do about the discrepancy between the old mileage and the mileage on the new motor? (The new motor has 22,000 less miles on it than the original, according to the salvage yard). Also, it's from a non-california bike, and I live in California.
FWIW, the bike is a 1998 Honda VTR1000.
As long as you know the real mileage of the body parts (so you know when they need replacing), the only issue you might run into is trying to sell it, in which case you'd want good records of everything. I've had a replacement engine in my car for several years and it's never caused any issues with getting emissions done, tabs, etc.
posted by bizwank at 11:19 AM on January 12, 2008
posted by bizwank at 11:19 AM on January 12, 2008
The VIN (the one that is on your title) is stamped on your motorcycle's frame. There is another number stamped on the engine, but usually (always?) it is not the same as the frame VIN.
I don't know about in CA, but here there is a place on the title where you tick a box that indicates "not original mileage" when you sell a vehicle with a broken odometer or similar.
posted by Forktine at 11:49 AM on January 12, 2008
I don't know about in CA, but here there is a place on the title where you tick a box that indicates "not original mileage" when you sell a vehicle with a broken odometer or similar.
posted by Forktine at 11:49 AM on January 12, 2008
The mileage relates to the bike, not the engine. If you resell it, I'd be be sure to show the receipts for the engine change and everything, as the engine is better than the mileage of the frame and other components suggests. You don't need to do anything else to it, as to try and change the mileometer would be fraudulent. It relates to the mileage of the bike, not the engine in it, as I said.
The VIN identifies the bike. It has nothing to do with the engine number, and this will be listed separately somewhere. It is used to identify a vehicle, and the engine is just a component, not fundamental to the bike (even if it is most of the point of it). It's just the same, but more expensive, as changing a tyre in reality. The only difference being that the engine number is often also recorded on the registration/ownership documents. You may need to (depending on your local/national regulations) send your documents off to have the engine number corrected to be fully above board.
posted by Brockles at 1:24 PM on January 12, 2008
The VIN identifies the bike. It has nothing to do with the engine number, and this will be listed separately somewhere. It is used to identify a vehicle, and the engine is just a component, not fundamental to the bike (even if it is most of the point of it). It's just the same, but more expensive, as changing a tyre in reality. The only difference being that the engine number is often also recorded on the registration/ownership documents. You may need to (depending on your local/national regulations) send your documents off to have the engine number corrected to be fully above board.
posted by Brockles at 1:24 PM on January 12, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
As long as you're upfront about everything if/when you try to sell the bike, I don't think theres any issue. Just tell whoever buys it that you swapped the engine out, and provide any documentation you may have supporting that.
posted by jjb at 11:18 AM on January 12, 2008