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Second go around serial number issues 69 sporty's

3K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  HD48FL 
#1 ·
Just looked at the second 69 Sporty in two weeks that is registered as a 69 but the engine serial number makes it a 70. Once I understand but twice in two weeks with two different bikes?

Is there some way these can really be 69's somehow? Strikes me as awful strange. This one by the way has had same owner for 20 plus years. so if there were title games played it was a long time ago.

A little help from you guys that are real whiz at this would be appreciated.
 
#2 · (Edited)
The title games may have been played in 1969. There was a time when some dealers would title bikes in the year they were sold, rather than the model year of the bike. I have a low number 1957 Triumph that's always been titled as a 1956. Although it was more common when bikes sat on the showroom floor for the bike to be titled a year or so after the true model year of the bike. The Govt. made them stop doing this eventually 'cause people were paying for the latest models and getting leftovers. Is this second '70 a low numbered one? (Because '70 was an even numbered year, the serial numbers started around 2000.)

Because this is an error, the DMV will fix it, if you present documentation. If they're legit, those bikes could be retitled as a 1970. I know that in your case, Takeshikes, you're looking for a real '69, so that's not much help to you.
 
#3 ·
Just looked at the second 69 Sporty in two weeks that is registered as a 69 but the engine serial number makes it a 70. Once I understand but twice in two weeks with two different bikes?

Is there some way these can really be 69's somehow? Strikes me as awful strange. This one by the way has had same owner for 20 plus years. so if there were title games played it was a long time ago.

A little help from you guys that are real whiz at this would be appreciated.
if it is not on the Left Motor Case above the timming hole like this:
69XLCH1234 or 69XLCH12345 (5 digit version) or 69XLH1234,
I'd walk away, 69 numbers were on the left case only
 
#5 ·
I guess it depends on where you live. Here in Texas, no one would care, much less ever notice. All you have to do is get it inspected, the inspecting dude writes the vin (off of the frame only) on the green sheet, and you go register it. Good stuff. (helps if you know the guy inspecting it, too.)
 
#16 ·
Numbers on case are 3A18009HO which makes it a 70 but just like the other one I saw recently it's registered as a 69.

Also neither one had frame numbers as is correct for a 69.

I am REALLY tempted on this one as its so nice and runs very good.
Find yourself a bike that has a vin that matches the year, etc.

There is some funny stuff going on there. I suspect that both of those bikes were '69's because there are no frame numbers. At some point the engine was replaced with a '70 engine.

Does that 3A18009H0 number appear as the vin on the title? If so, then it would seem like I just mentioned, someone used that '70 engine, not sure how in the hell it got titled as a '69 though? There could also be a frame out there with 3A18009H0 as well, something else to think about.
 
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