Hi, don't know wether I'm in the right bit of the forum but here goes. Was about to do a deal on a 996s today, agreed the price, lots of paperwork / history with the bike, not priced too cheap, seller seemed genuine, although the V5 wasn't in his name even though he bought it last August! I carried out a HPI check all good, but when I checked the engine and vin number against the hpi / logbook, there was a discrepancy on character number 10. Character 10 "model year code" from the vin number decoder table The V5 indicated this was the letter Y and the Vin number stamped on the bike indicates the number 1, the bike was originally 1st registered in April 2001. So they don't match, I have walked away at present and wondering what to do, engine numbers are a match and it seems a genuine bike ? Anyone got any suggestions or experiences with this scenario ? Is this a dvla typo which has never been picked up on ! Thanks
If there is a discrepancy between the VIN stamped on the bike and the VIN in the DVLA database (and hence on the V5), it is possible to get DVLA to amend the record so that they agree. I have done this myself, more than once. You will need to write to DVLA explaining the issue in full, clear detail with accompanying evidence. Provided the discrepancy is minor (e.g. just one digit) or there is a full explanation for how it arose, it can be solved. This may take months to do. And DVLA will not do it if (for example) the number is from a bike reported stolen, or if there is some discrepancy with the registration number, or if there is already another vehicle in the database with the VIN number you want to adopt. As for buying a bike with a problem V5: if you are looking for a project, go for it; If you want a bike to ride tomorrow with no problems, walk away.
I've changed a couple of VIN numbers on V5s in the past with nothing more than a covering letter. Never had a query come back and just received the V5 amended a couple of weeks later. They were obvious typos though e.g. G vs 6 etc. Did this on an MG Midget and a Honda C100, both initially registered prior to computerisation at the DVLA. My brother had an issue with a car he bought and the DVLA chose to inspect it. When the guy turned up to see the vehicle we saw the records they had. He inspected the vehicle and changed the V5 to match the vehicle.....which was to change the VIN no, colour, model of car, cc, engine number....in fact only the reg number stayed the same. Pointless! The DVLA do seem the change their policies and adoption thereof randomly though.....
Thanks for your words of wisdom guys....... Have told the seller that I'm a bit reluctant to hand over the hard earned, incase for what ever reason it is legit, but another bike has that chassis number. A change of reg or similar would cause a stewards on the next HPI check! So have suggested that he gives me the logbook and I will sort out the paperwork then pay for the bike when it's sorted. Balls in his court now.
If the VIN number is pretty much spot on except for a Y and a I being mixed up then id say its a typo. I had exactly the same with a bike I sold last year. Id owned the bike for 12 years and never even spotted it until I checked everything ready to sell. The VIN on the V5 was showing the letter A when the VIN number in question was actually a 4. Easy mistake. I just corrected the VIN on the V5, sent it off and DVLA sent me a corrected one back. Nice and easy. If the VIN on the bike is miles different, or even worse, been hand stamped on like I saw on one 996 I was looking at a couple of years back then id not walk, but run! You can email Ducati the VIN number on the actual bike and they can confirm exactly what it is also to help confirm year it was made, or exact model etc. I did that on a couple which were masquerading as "SPS" models and Ducati said they werent.
