Tried to insure my bike today after a long resto process only to find it doesn't exist. the insurance company says the vin doesn't match anything in their system. I've checked with a vin decoding guide and came away with no answers. I think the problem is the fifth digit which denoted the model. Mine is a "J" but "J" doesnt exist in any list i have been able to find. Has anyone else run into this problem?

Hi.

Found this on a Ducati Forum some time back.

http://www.ducati.org/forums/central/38 ... coder.html

If it helps at all, the 906 I have has a D for the 5th digit, and the 907 has a G. According to the above it could well be a T for Sports Touring?

Other than the 5th to 8th digit, all the other digits line up with the above. The last post in the link may be the answer to it all. Ducati would have had to submit their VIN codes back in 1988'ish, so you may be able to get something that lists what code was what back then?

From memory, there should be a VIN number etched into the frame up near the steering head. This should match the number on the VIN plate. It might be a bit easier to read?

Cheers.

Nick.

Nick there`s more than one odd thing with his VIN.
It`s ZDM1JB4.... I think the J could be a not properly stamped D. But then there`s the fact that there is a 1990 model year code and a very low production number. According to that it must have been amongst the first bikes being made in 1988.

The stickers are present on both sides of the frame and the headstock is clearly stamped. they match. I'm 100% confidant that the numbers are as they left Bologna.

I just read a thread from 2005 where a guy was wondering about his 1990 906 with a low production number (224) and he had a ZDM1J to begin his vin so I'm pretty sure my vin is legit and that I have the 30th 906 produced, since the 906 began with model year 1990. my frame sticker says it has a production date of 6/89 which makes sense for a 1990 model year. Oh, the joys of owning a rare piece.

but they didn`t begin counting at zero at the start of every production year. Also production was in 88 and 89.
Is yours perhaps a blue 906?

my understanding has been that the 750 ran through 89 and the 906 replaced it in model year 1990 with production beginning in 1989, though information is admittedly scarce and often contradictory and confusing. Mine is red and during the bodywork I discovered no evidence that it had ever been otherwise unless the previous owner did a complete replacement of bodywork. Also, it's unlikey but possible that a factory could reset the serial count at every model year if they choose since this part of the vin is left up to the individual manufacturers. Ducati has a pretty solid history of doing as they please.

1302 were built in '88 and 500 in '89. The first magazine road test I have is from december 88. Several others are from january/february 1989.
After finding a 907IE on this forum which also has a ZDM1JB4... VIN with a 1990 date code I wonder if the 906s beginning with that VIN are actually late models that were built with the 906 parts that were still left in the factory and with early frames that were intended for the 907IE production. That could explain the late date code and the very low serial number.

I had that thought as well but, if I remember correctly, the 907 and 750 had slightly longer chassis under the seat area and the 906 used spacers to make the bodywork fit. My bike has the spacers.

I've contacted Ducati in Italy and they responded much quicker than I expected. They have asked me to send pics of the bike and any identifying marks and they will try to sort it out for me.

I got a reply from Ducati and now I'm more confused than before. According to them, my bike is a correct matching number bike that was part of a production run of 250 produced in 1988. the part that has me baffled is the date code "L" which makes it a 1990 and the sticker on the frame that says it has a production date of 6/89. I wonder if I'm reading the vin sequence correctly. If the mysterious "J" fifth digit were read as the date it would be 1988 and if the "L" were read as a model it would be a "supersport" style of motorcycle.

Ask Ducati where the bike was originally shipped out too as that may have been the reason for the Vin alterations as during this period Bikes where being shipped all over the shop in Europe to escape various new purchase taxes and yours may of ended up doing the long haul over to the states and for some reason not coming back or maybe was shipped your side after being bulked in a container shipment.

I purchased a Suzuki GSX750 around that time that had come in a Container load from Japan via the States to Ireland and then over to England all to save the Supplier their UK Purchase tax duties of a few hundred pounds. A nightmare to them in the end when they tried to source some basic model specific service parts and the reason I found out about it.

Hello, I see I'm not alone confused by VIN. I did not help with Ducati, and one of my companions found a single record for the motorbike that was made in 2.October 1989, June 1989 and according to the vin is a 1990 model.
The number on the engine makes no sense at all
I'm sorry, but it translates it for me google, so maybe it makes a little sense what i wrote :-D

Can't help with the number unfortunately. I find it interesting that is says Cagiva on the sticker and also that it is on the right side of the frame. Is't it usually on the left side?

On the right side there is a metal label with VIN and on the left side there is another sticker