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year of manufacture?

940 views 27 replies 21 participants last post by  luxlamf 
#1 ·
I just bought my new street rod. I was told by the dealer that it was basically a leftover '06. I noticed a sticker on the frame that said the date of manufacture was in '04. What's the deal here? All my paperwork from the dealer also states that it's an '06?

Anyone else notice this?
 
#3 ·
I bought my '04 VRSCA 'brand new' in early 2005, it was advertised and registered as an '04 model, and then after I took delivery I found the frame sticker which says it was built November 03. I suspect it's something like HD starts selling the next year's model in about September the year before, but the dealers will sell them as if they were built in the year they were first registered.
 
#5 ·
Harley-Davidson like all other automotive manufacturers has to change over their production lines at a certain point in the year. Until recently the new model year bikes were sold beginning in September. I was talking with a salesman at the local dealership and he told me that the moco is going to start selling the new model year bikes in July, no gaurentee that the bikes will actually be on the showroom floor by then. The ninth digit in the vin is the model year designator, a 6 indicates 2006, a 7 indicates 2007, etc, etc. This the official indicator for DMV and other law enforcement departments to use.
 
#6 ·
The born on date being so far off is a little strange. I do have to say that some model years dont come anywhere near build year. My Chevy is an 05 bought in Oct 04 with a build date of April 04. I have been seeing 08 imports at work already. The toyoda tundra was registared as an 08. I had an build date of 03/05 for a 2007 Ford Tourus.
 
#7 ·
I checked the vin, the 9th digit is a 5, the 8th is a 4. I was sold the bike as an '06 so is it possible the dealer screwed up? what recouse do I have as I paid an '06 price?
 
#8 ·
I don't pretend to have the answers, but I think the frames for most of the VRODs are the same with the exception of the D, DX, & CX (I think). So just a theory, but isn't it possible that you could get a 06 A with the frame being made in 04? Just a thought, I could be totaly wrong on this.
 
#10 ·
He bought an 06, that was the first year of the Streetrod. It sat for a while inj the dealer, just like most of ours did. Mine was built in June of 2005, but i did not buy it until August of 2006. It sat for over a year!!!
 
#12 ·
Thanks guys!
 
#13 ·
bishop11c said:
I don't pretend to have the answers, but I think the frames for most of the VRODs are the same with the exception of the D, DX, & CX (I think). So just a theory, but isn't it possible that you could get a 06 A with the frame being made in 04? Just a thought, I could be totaly wrong on this.
They don't put a Vin# tag on them until they're on the assembly line, so the # and date are not on the frames until then.
 
#14 ·
tagrat said:
Harley-Davidson like all other automotive manufacturers has to change over their production lines at a certain point in the year. Until recently the new model year bikes were sold beginning in September. I was talking with a salesman at the local dealership and he told me that the moco is going to start selling the new model year bikes in July, no gaurentee that the bikes will actually be on the showroom floor by then. The ninth digit in the vin is the model year designator, a 6 indicates 2006, a 7 indicates 2007, etc, etc. This the official indicator for DMV and other law enforcement departments to use.
My dealer also told me,this years new bikes(08s) will be ON THE FLOOR the week of the dealer meeting!...available for people to purchase,starting july 9th....Im hoping this is true,as Ive been waiting for the 08s!...

He also told me the 08 bikes were being built months ago..and the first shipment of 08s have been built for months!

We will see if he was right in about 12 days!
Dan
 
#15 ·
I have been in the car business for 25 years. Every motor vehicle whether a car truck or motorcycle has a 17 digit VIN#. Check the 10th digit from the left or like iowa deerslayer said 8th from the right.It will be a 6 for an 06 model. The build date has nothing to do with it. Hope this helps!
 
#16 ·
If its an R it has to be an 06. And yes the new 08's will be arriving at the dealerships in limited quantities the week of the 9-11. Every store mis supposed to see some of the new models before that week is over. The tell us that the trucks are rolling as the dealer meeting begins.
 
#18 ·
No offense

No offense to the Street Rod owners but selling that bike was probably the hardest sell any salesman or saleswoman had to make. It did not capture the heart and minds.... If I wanted the rear pegs I would buy GSXR 1000.
 
#19 ·
my '06 Street Rod had a build date of 8/06 and was an '06 model - was one of the later builds b/c Brandywine/silver was not available earlier in the model year. the DX had a build date of 5/07 . . .and got it June 5th! Think the paint was still drying . . .

Really depends on the popularity of the model I would say.
 
#20 ·
Harley Davidson, like General Motors and other manufactures have "model" change the first week or two of July. It use to be that after that time the new model year would be built... now though that isn't always the case. Depending on demand, supply, production capability. Production can be adjusted to suit the manufacturer. There was a time when the line was emptied for model change... not any more. Maybe a few jobs gap and you have a new model year rolling right behind the prior year. So with that being said, they could be building 2010 models in March, April, May, or June of 2009.
 
#21 ·
The Street Rod was a mid year intro. it was first shown at one of the trade or dealer shows in January of 05 as an 06. Since production was already under way, Nov or Dec 04 assembly dates arent that far off the mark. Remember, model year and calender year are not the same.
Ed
 
#22 ·
I just wanted to make sure I didn't pay more that the bike was actually worth, and after reading that it couldn't be older than an '06, I'm satisfied!
 
#23 ·
POSRod said:
No offense to the Street Rod owners but selling that bike was probably the hardest sell any salesman or saleswoman had to make. It did not capture the heart and minds.... If I wanted the rear pegs I would buy GSXR 1000.
I'm sorry but you don't know more of the bike. The bike does not have rear pegs like a GSXR 1000 (Squids Sportbike of choice). The bike was ment for a few individuals that wanted to stepaway from sportbikes without having to go w/ a traditional cruiser.

This bike actually helped changed my life. I am able to enjoy the twisties but take it easy on the straights. My father who owns a Harley and myself ride a lot more together. My wife and kids will follow me up to the dealership for some free food on the weekend and they really enjoy seeing all of the Harleys up there. My wife enjoys riding on the back of the bike with me more then any of my sportbikes. I now do not have to own two motorcycles. because I also enjoy riding long distance.

Sir this bike stirs my soul everytime I peek into the garage to look at it or when I first start it up in the early morning for a nice ride. So in my eyes Harley Davidson suceeded with this bike. Too bad you are too blind to see what it has to offer!!!
 
#25 ·
No offense to the Street Rod owners but selling that bike was probably the hardest sell any salesman or saleswoman had to make. It did not capture the heart and minds.... If I wanted the rear pegs I would buy GSXR 1000.
There always has to be someone who doesn't understand. The Street Rod is an awesome bike. I didn't want another rice rocket, and i didn't really want to get a traditional cruiser, the street rod fit the bill perfectly. I can scoot around on the twisties pretty aggressively, and I can ride for more than 30 minutes..
 
#26 ·
tagrat said:
Harley-Davidson like all other automotive manufacturers has to change over their production lines at a certain point in the year. Until recently the new model year bikes were sold beginning in September. I was talking with a salesman at the local dealership and he told me that the moco is going to start selling the new model year bikes in July, no gaurentee that the bikes will actually be on the showroom floor by then. The ninth digit in the vin is the model year designator, a 6 indicates 2006, a 7 indicates 2007, etc, etc. This the official indicator for DMV and other law enforcement departments to use.
Uh, you're wrong on that. Owner's manual (page 17) shows the TENTH character in the VIN is the model year. But yes, a "5" in position 10 is 2005 model, "6" is 2006, etc. Then when they get to 2010 they'll switch to letters, they've done it before (my parents' car is a 1994 model and the model year indicator is the letter "R").
 
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