Rs vin

[georgej]

Can anyone hepl me out with this VIN? I visited some of the sites and it shows a '78 RS but I'm not sure what some of the other things mean like the code etc.
Thanks.

[PAULBACH]

Go to the bottom of the page of MAX BMW and enter last seven digits,

Click Here (http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/fiche.asp)

[20774]

There really isn't very much meaningful that you can get out of the 7-digit VIN when entering on the various sites. You'll get the month/year of build for sure. The code like 0333 or 0353, etc., is just another series of digits which represented to BMW a given model, such as a R100/7 or an R65. For example, VINs for the R50/5 have a code of 0240. The R60/5 has a code of 250, the R60/6 has codes of 251 to 291 and a few numbers in between for Europe and US models. Other than that, there's really not much there.

I went to this site http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi and entered a range of VINs for the R75 from the /5 to the /7. Here's what I found:

/5 - all codes of 0260 regardless of the year
/6 - codes of 0261, 0265, 0282 for the ECE (non-USA) and it appears they changed for each year, '74 thru '76; codes of 0263, 0267, 0292 for the USA and also appears to change at the year changes
/7 - codes of 0302, 326 for the ECE (non-USA) changing in 8/77 for the official model year; there's a few bikes produced in 1/79 for ECE with codes of 0372
/7 - codes of 312 for all USA models

So it seems that the codes represented roughly the year of the given model and whether is was a USA or non-USA bike. That would kind of make sense as there were minor changes for each year and also for the destination market, so possibly these codes were used to designate when those minor changes were made in the production line.

[535is]

Go to the bottom of the page of MAX BMW and enter last seven digits,

Click Here (http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/fiche.asp)

You actually get a little more information at RealOEM.com (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/). Entering your VIN there will bring up the model and the market as well as the month of manufacture.

FWIW, the '78 RS number will start out 608- or 618- A zero in the second position is a European (ECE) market bike. Enter my VIN of 6088534 and you'll see. So, what's yours?

[Andy VH]

On my 76 R100RS the VIN number is 6080414, indicating it was an European spec bike built in October of 76.

My first BMW and always a keeper.

[georgej]

Mine is 6182978 the bike is a '78 Motorsport.

[535is]

Mine is 6182978 the bike is a '78 Motorsport.

That falls outside the range of Motorsport numbers already registered here at the Motorsport registry (http://www.geocities.com/rs77webmaster/ms78/) but not outside the range of 1978 US RSs (6182001-6183592). I am sure all would be interested in what might be one of the first Motorsports built. Why not add it there? [It takes awhile - often several months - to get that page updated. But they get around to it eventually.]

[georgej]

I looked at that Motorsport registry site and according to the top of that list it says US models for distribution within 6182001-6183592.Doesn't 6182001 fall between those numbers? I also checked RealOEM.com. After putting my serial number in it.It gives me series R100 76-84,model R100RS, region,Europe,production month 10/1977.
The it says : You have selected 10/1977 K57 R100RS Eurpoe.

Production code 0335

On the right side of the steering head there is a small black metal plate.It reads.
R100
E1 10R-0251

So what does anyone make of this?

[535is]

I also checked RealOEM.com. After putting my serial number in it.It gives me series R100 76-84,model R100RS, region,Europe,production month 10/1977.
It says : You have selected 10/1977 K57 R100RS Europe.
So what does anyone make of this?
Apparently, all US Motorsports come up as European models. Try any other number from the Registry (I ran the first, last, and a couple in between.). I was under the impression that all the Motorsports had the Euro-spec 70 hp engine, so they may all show up as European models for that reason, the only distinctions being the equipment packages: metric instruments, lights switchable to 'Off', front fork reflectors, and maybe the kick starter. Now, I do not know if any other '78 RS would show up the same way. I don't have the numbers to run.

The Motorsports in the Registry have production dates between 12/77 and mid-'78, while yours is from a couple months earlier. Two possibilities for this: you happened to stumble across the prototype bike from the brochure (or another very early one) or somebody decided to paint up a Motorsport from another RS.

In truth, there is almost no way short of a string of affidavits from all prior owners to tell whether it was a production Motorsport or later painted as one. That also applies to mine as well as probably 98% of those that survive. It may be that the dumb blue seat is the best indicator, as some of the Motorsports were sold with both the blue dual seat as well as the blue solo-3/4 seat, and some owners still have both. I have tried in vain to track down a replacement cover because mine has a cigarette burn in it, but even folks with New Old Stock covers have only black ones. There were apparently few, if any, extra blue covers made.

I have corresponded with an archivist at BMW Mobile Tradition whose email address I will PM to you. The information he gave me was the production date of my bike (1/78) and the approximate date and place to which it was originally delivered (April or May, 1978, to BMW Concessionaires UK). He could offer no more information, including how many Motorsports were originally produced (He said 'maybe 500'.) or whether mine was actually one of them. BMW doesn't have the information. :brickwall