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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 11:55 AM
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Default Confused by VIN designation

Guys,
Just bought a 15' Softail Deluxe 103B. VIN# is 1 H D 1 J D V 1 8 F B 0 2 0 7 3 1.
I bought Donny Peterson's book, and he shows how to decipher the VIN number.
Accordingly, the "JD" translates to a FLSTNI Softail Deluxe EFI. (note: all my financial and insurance documentation shows "FLSTN"....not "FLSTNI".)
Furthermore, the "V" in the VIN translates to a 1999-2006 Twin Cam TC88A Carb. So now I'm confused.

Please see photos.....is this EFI or carbureted? I see no petcock on the left side of the engine.




THANKS GUYS !
Lance

 
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 12:25 PM
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Your bike is fuel injected.

Look at the fuel tank connection on the left side, just abaft of the horn. That's the fuel injected quick release.

Look on the right side, just inboard of the air filter housing. That's the top of the fuel injection unit.

This might be a more accurate understanding of the Harley Vin's. No expert at decoding them or of the Harley alphabet soup am I!
​​​​​​https://www.tabperformance.com/harle...uide-s/224.htm
 

Last edited by foxtrapper; Jan 6, 2024 at 12:28 PM.
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 12:29 PM
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Thanks my friend ! Very gratified !!
Lance
 
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 12:31 PM
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The fact that the bike doesn`t have a carburetor is a dead giveaway that it is fuel injected.
 
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 12:36 PM
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Looking at this I couldn't tell !



 
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 06:54 PM
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just a WAG on my part, but maybe MOCO dropped the "I" when a particular model was no longer available w/carb?
which according to google, was '08 model year
everything from '08 on was fuel injection only

don't even have a WAG as far as the "V" in the vin

on the Harley site you can plug in your vin and it will tell you exactly what the bike was when it left the factory, including the paint color


..L.T.A.
 
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Softail417
Guys,
Just bought a 15' Softail Deluxe 103B. VIN# is 1 H D 1 J D V 1 8 F B 0 2 0 7 3 1.
I bought Donny Peterson's book, and he shows how to decipher the VIN number.

Accordingly, the "JD" translates to a FLSTNI Softail Deluxe EFI. (note: all my financial and insurance documentation shows "FLSTN"....not "FLSTNI".)

Furthermore, the "V" in the VIN translates to a 1999-2006 Twin Cam TC88A Carb. So now I'm confused.

Please see photos.....is this EFI or carbureted? I see no petcock on the left side of the engine.




THANKS GUYS !
Lance

What was the copyright date on your Donny Peterson book?? I suspect that published VIN decoder is not updated, or has typos..

Just FYI.... Since you asked about the discrepancies, and to satisfy your curiosity....



According to a vin decoder I checked:

Engine displacement designation "V" = "Twin Cam 88 carburetor, 103B"

The comma shows a break between two different items... That code can be one of two different engines. You have the second one listed "103B", or otherwise stated a 103" B engine. All 103" engines were EFI from the factory, and all Twin cam softails have a "B" engine, meaning a balanced version of that Twin Cam engine.

It's just like your year code: F = "1985, 2015" . That code stands for two years, like your engine code stands for two engines.

NOTE: I see some decoders show "V" = "Twin Cam 88 carburetor, 130B". Since there is no factory installed 130" B engine, I'm guessing that is a typo that should read 103B


As to your bike being an FLSTN:

Harley only referred to EFI bikes, by putting an " i " at the end of the model letter designation, when there was also a carb version offered. Once Harley went to EFI only throughout the model line in 2007, the " i " at the end of the letter designations was dropped.

So your 2015 Deluxe with EFI is appropriately referred to as only a "FLSTN", since there was no carbureted Deluxe models in 2015.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity...
 

Last edited by hattitude; Jan 6, 2024 at 07:22 PM.
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Old Jan 6, 2024 | 08:41 PM
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I had a similar problem but mine was caused by some yahoo at the DMV who apparently started typing and then just clicked on what the computer suggested. It turned my FLSTSC/I into a FLSTC/I.......I had to take pictures of the VIN on the steering head, and get a screen shot of Harley's web site saying what model my VIN was.....a real PITA. A couple of months later when I bought a 11' Mustang with 64,322 mileage they "advanced the mileage on the title to 643,220......had to send the title back with a picture of the cars VIN and odometer. Two months later I still hadn't gotten my title. Back to the Court House and they applied for a lost title.....they wanted me to pay the fees again until I threatened to get a lawyer involved.

 

Last edited by duffy8540; Jan 6, 2024 at 08:42 PM.
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Old Jan 7, 2024 | 07:15 AM
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Awesome feedback.....thanks man !!!
 
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Old Jan 7, 2024 | 08:30 AM
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The owner's manual has a VIN breakdown.



 
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