Good morning Can anyone confirm whether there are any physical differences between a 600SS and 900SS (and presumably 750SS) frame? Both from 1994. I am assuming that as far as the frame goes there are none? Swing arm suspension, wheels, brakes excepted. I realise that may be a dangerous assumption but the mounting points are the same on the 600, 750 and 900 engines....aren't they? And I think the bolts used for mounting may differ.. But if a 900 frame was damaged could it safely be replaced with a 600...? Also if possible how do you decipher a 13 digit Frame number (pre 2002 in EU) i.e ZDMXXXX*XXXXXX* where the X's represent numbers or letters. Also an additional row of information beginning DGMXXXXXXX which I presume is a part numebr , though it doesnt correspond to any in the parts book! Many thanks for all help
The frames are physically the same, but the frame numbers I believe reflect the original bike capacity, so you may find it devalues the bike with a picky buyer in the future.
Its a long story and one that is causing me some confusion.... A motorcycle that I have owned for some time, a 900SS appears to have a 600SS frame. This was only highlighted when I came to sell it..... Having spoken at length to the vehicle registration authorities in the UK they confirmed the motorcycle was registered as new in 1994 as a 900SS and that no details have been changed since....... No engine or frame changes nor stolen recovered, crashed or written off. So the confusion. I have a 900SS with 900SS swing arm, wheels, brakes and suspension but what appears to be a 600SS frame. I am assuming the first section of the frame number should be ZDM904X*XXXXXX* whereas mine is ZDM600S*xxxxxx* All details on the bike match the registration document which only shows the XXXXXX part from the frame number. The vehicle registration authority has stated that this was not unusual for only the last six digits to be recorded. Engine number in the registration document is full 15 digits...starting ZDM904. There is an additional 10 digit number stating DGM that is stamped below the ZDM one on the headstock The reason this has been identified at all, as I was blissfully unaware of it previously, is an advert I was placing was blocked as their vehicle checking partner says it has too short a frame number on the registration document, just the last six of the then 13 digit frame number, and that six digit frame number matches a flagged stolen and written off motorcycle. It has taken a lot of phone calls to find this out..... recorded as stolen and written off since I have owned mine. And of a totally different brand from a different country and only 250cc and a two stroke .... I said it was long and suspect I have skimmed the surface. but I am confused....
Oh that's what I think too...! which is why I am confused. Vehicle registration show the last six digits matching my frame. Bike registered as new in 94 as a 900ss. As far as vehicle registration is concerned neither the frame nor the engine numbers have changed since registration..... So did Ducati, who may not have been in the best of health in the mid 90's, build a 900 with a 600 frame or has there been a swap at sometime that vehicle reg have forgotten... Confused and concerned. Sent an email to Ducati in the vague hope that they may be able clarify...or more likely add to the confusion!!
A good idea though I'm not sure how you would find out and who to ask....Do any of them still exist? I know 3Cross has gone and Chris Clarke went bust some years back (but may have been resurrected as a general bike shop....) I used to work in the bike trade in the 80s (Guzzis and Laverdas with a smattering of Dukes and BMWs) it was a tough time then for the Italians in particular. The V5C states "Declared new at first Registration" and gives the date and year as 1994. I talked with them today and they stated that was correct and there was no record of any changes so I'm reasonably happy there. Only issue is the HPI check.... which has the six digit frame number confused with a stolen and written off elderly east European 250cc two stroke. Now I am pretty sure that by no stretch of the imagination would I have mistaken an elderly east European frame from a 250 two stroke for a 900SS one for 13 years! And it would have been a feat of engineering prowess to fit the 900 into that frame.... I had a trip round the Triumph factory a few years back, when they still made all their bikes in the UK. Saw the machine putting on the VIN number. Impressive. They would only sell a new frame for replacement if the headstock was cutoff the old one and returned. Interesting to see if I get a response from Ducati though I doubt it will be one confirming they built it like that. Interesting and a mystery. And until HPI sort their check out renders it virtually impossible to advertise.......
It is type approval for the model, not just the frame, so I expect there is a specific number for the 900, and a different one for the 600 etc.
I'm sorry, that's what I thought I meant though re reading it I wasn't that clear! Each model, i.e 600 750 and 900SS would have a different type approval certification as theoretically would any varient if it was deemed different enough warrant it. Or at least that is how it was in the car world for TA.
Ah, now I didn't know that though as only Baines, in the original list, seems to be still trading it may not get me much further. Will try giving DVLA a call tomorrow though as it may well be useful. Thanks for the tip.
I am not sure if a frame change under warranty would throw up any issues. It might if the frame number changed however the DVLA have assured me that nothing has changed so if the replacement frame was issued with the same number by the factory then presumably this wouldn't show and wouldn't cause an issue for the HPI check. The HPI issue seems to be centred on the V5C having a six digit number for the frame. Looking through these forums this was not uncommon at the time of registration, 1994, for the dealer to register it using only those last six digits. HPI had a marker against my machine because another, a CZ 250 two stroke, had had those same six digits for the frame number and had subsequently been shown as stolen write off. Now HPI appear to be rather poor in their process and have been tardy in helping resolve this as it is blindingly obvious that these machines are not in any way related or interchangeable. The question of the frame though remains a mystery.
Identifying vehicles was my job between 1994 and 2001. Motorcycles were a particular PIA due to dealers being lazy and only providing the serial numbers and not the full frame numbers to DVLA on 1st registration (some even did not supply the engine number). You could therefore get a number of motorcycles having the same frame number at DVLA. This was where the Manufacturer was really important. The duplication could even happen within the same manufacturer and engine CC would be important information. Things were not helped by Model type not being recorded by DVLA. If the police do a stolen frame number check on the the details as shown on your frame they will not get an exact match on the details.They may get a number of matches to the serial number with a Manufacturer. So in your example the CZ would show but it is clearly not a Ducati. A better check is to just check the frame number/manufacturer as this is a more precise check, ie your bike would be identified, but not as with a marker on it.
