VIN Location on 88 Elite LX

[jjbehren]

First, thanks to everyone who contributes to this great site. It truly is a premier resource for all things Spree/Elite.

Here's my situation. I bought an '88 Elite LX a couple summers back. It needs a little work now and I'm looking for parts. I wanted to grab the VIN off it so that I know what exactly I have and am working with. I got out the title and copied down the VIN in the service manual I printed out from this site.

So the other day I was doing some maintenance on the elite. I had the manual out and for some reason I decided to see if the VIN from the frame and the VIN I wrote down matched up. They did not. Prior to buying, I never even figured I should look. I'm quite sure it's an '88 Honda Elite LX, white in color, which is exactly what the title describes. But the VINs don't match up.

My question is, before I go after the guy that sold it to me, is there another place that the VIN might be located on this scoot besides the frame under the floor board? I'm thinking that maybe a used frame was used as a repair/replacement or something. Although I would have liked to know that, too, before buying.

This guy sells a ton of old scooters and mopeds. His garage is like a huge scooter stable. I'm worried that he had a title laying around for an Elite that he parted out, and a decent elite with no title and put them together to make mine.

Thanks in advance for any help. I'm going to start looking into any way to clear up the title here in Minnesota, but I'm not optimistic on that end.

Josh

[eclypse]

No theres only one spot and thats on the frame right below were your left foot sits on the floor board when your on it. Theres a little plastic tab that you pull off to look at it.

Maybe he just gave you the wrong title? heh doubt it but who knows.

If you cant make it legal and you go to part it out i really could use a new motor for my original White 88 deluxe LX.

Other then that you could always buy a new frame.. cost you around $294+ shipping. http://www.cyclepartsnation.com/pages/p ... Honda.aspx On the drop down menu "just encase" you want a 1988 SA50 A.

[evilone]

Should be a sticker on frame and a metal tag behind the tab you pop out in the side skirt.

[jjbehren]

Alright, here's an update on this thread. Again, any and all help is appreciated.

I got the VIN number off the scooter frame, which matches the VIN on the metal tag. I pulled out my title again this afternoon. Here's the kicker. The VIN on the title is no where near an actual VIN number. It's only 12 characters long, 5 numbers > 2 letters > 5 numbers. The letters are GS and the first number after them is a 7, GS7. I find this rather interesting because according to this page, http://www.jacksscootershop.com/honda_VIN.html, the product code for my scoot (the very first one listed on that page - '88 Shasta White LX50 Elite) is GS7.

Any thoughts on this? Could the "VIN" number on the title actually be a serial number or something? Maybe this will work out after all. Fingers crossed.

[Bear45-70]

Alright, here's an update on this thread. Again, any and all help is appreciated.

I got the VIN number off the scooter frame, which matches the VIN on the metal tag. I pulled out my title again this afternoon. Here's the kicker. The VIN on the title is no where near an actual VIN number. It's only 12 characters long, 5 numbers > 2 letters > 5 numbers. The letters are GS and the first number after them is a 7, GS7. I find this rather interesting because according to this page, http://www.jacksscootershop.com/honda_VIN.html, the product code for my scoot (the very first one listed on that page - '88 Shasta White LX50 Elite) is GS7.

Any thoughts on this? Could the "VIN" number on the title actually be a serial number or something? Maybe this will work out after all. Fingers crossed.

It looks like someone had a scooter with no title and a title for a wrecked scooter and ran a scam on you.

[eclypse]

If thats true then he's only got 2 options right.

1. Part it all out and make your money back the best you can.

2. Buy a new frame and replace the stolen frame with it.


Now if he went to the DMV and tried to get a license for that bike and the true VIN came up stolen he'd be out a scooter.. if it was never reported he could get the tags. One would have to say that it was a scooter that was in the garage for years unregistered and just fixed it up.

[eclypse]

I've got a simular prob with a 2001 SA50 i bought last year.. The owner put the vin number on the paper wrong and i didnt check it totally before getting the registration sticker for the scooter at the DMV. Later i find out after i get home that the VIN was off my one number.

* that i already payed taxes for the sale of the scooter and the registration i didnt go back.. Still gota go back but i'm also worried about it coming up stolen now.

[jjbehren]

It looks like someone had a scooter with no title and a title for a wrecked scooter and ran a scam on you.

See, this is what I thought too, until I realized that the VIN on the title is not actually a VIN. It's some other string of numbers.

I know where the guy lives, so if this doesn't work out I'm going to go pay him a visit, and probably be filing a conciliation court claim shortly thereafter.