How to Tell the Year

[Jim]

From Jim's Honda Spree Repair website
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Turn your steering bar to one side, look at the frame directly behind the front fender, your VIN number will be printed on a plaque located there.

VIN should resemble:

'84 V.I.N.
49 State: JH2AF060*ES000004~
Engine#:AF05E-2000005~

Iowa: JH2AF061*ES013344~
Engine#: AF05E-2013351~

'85 V.I.N.
49 State: JH2AF060*FS000004~
Engine #: AF06E-2100001~

Iowa: JH2AF061*FS013344~
Engine #:AF05E-2100001~

'86 V.I.N.
49 State: JH2AF060*GS200001~
Engine #: AF05E-2200001~

Iowa: JH2AF061*GS200001~
Engine #:AF05E-2200001~

'86 Special V.I.N.
49 State: JH2AF060*GS200001~
Engine #: AF05E-2200001~

Iowa: JH2AF061*GS200001~
Engine #:AF05E-2200001~
(Specialty colors: Lolipop Green and Shasta White)

'87 V.I.N.
49 State: JH2AF060*HS300001~
Engine #: AF06E-2400001~

Iowa: JH2AF061*HS300001~
Engine #:AF06E-2400001~

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The eleventh digit of the VIN is the year code - E=84, F=85, G=86, H=87.
The ninth digit is a check digit and will vary throughout production.
The eighth digit seems to differ between 49 state and Iowa models. '0' = 49 states (unrestricted), '1' = Iowa (restricted)