What Year Is My Classic Motorcycle?
Dating your classic bike is an important part of any restoration or even buying parts. Finding the right parts for your bike is so much easier if you know what bike you have, especially if you then use a genuine factory parts book to then use OEM part numbers to place your order.
Buying the incorrect parts is an expensive and time-consuming process and should be avoided where possible. Below you will find how you can identify what bike you have and the year of it using your engine / frame numbers.
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What Year Is My Triumph?
If you are looking to buy Triumph Motorcycle Parts you should know what bike you have. This guide will help you to identify the model and year of your Triumph using your engine and frame number.
Where is the Triumph Engine Number Located?
Triumph engine / VIN numbers can be found on the left hand side of the crankcase, just below the barrel. It is usually 6-7 characters long and if it is as original, the frame number will be the same as the engine.
The frame number is usually located on the left side of the headstock.
How to read a Triumph engine number
Multiple systems were used for Triumph engine numbers throughout the years. In most cases, the engine number has the model prefix, whilst the frame may just have the letter T, or nothing at all. Special models may also carry an additional letter, such as P for Police, or C for High Compression.
Triumph Dating
Prewar Singles and Page twin
Year  Model  Engine number  Frame
1934Â Â 6/1Â Â Â Â 1V4
1935Â Â 6/1Â Â Â Â 1V5
1936Â Â 6/1Â Â Â Â 1V6
T70Â Â Â Â T1L6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â L
T80Â Â Â Â T2T6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â S1
T90Â Â Â Â T5S6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â S11
1937-40Â Â For all models the engine had the model code as a prefix plus a year number such as 7, 8, 9 and 40 to cover the years concerned, then then the serial number
Triumph Twins for 1938-49
For these models the engine had the model code as a prefix plus an indication of the year in the form of the last one or two digits of the year. Generally the prewar models will have an 8 or 9, and the postwar a 46,47,48 or 49.
The prefixes used were T or 5T for the Speed Twin, T100 for the Tiger 100, 3T for the 350 twin and TR5 for the Trophy.
Postwar engine numbers as follows:
Year    Engine Number
1946Â Â Â Â 72000
1947Â Â Â Â 79046
1948Â Â Â Â 88782
1949Â Â Â Â 100762
Triumph Twins for 1950-69
1950 saw a new numbering system with just the model code as the prefix and the serial number.
Year | Unit 350 & 500cc | Pre Unit 500 & 650cc |
1950 | —— | from 100 N |
1951 | —— | 101NA – 15808NA |
1952 | —— | 15809NA – 2500NA then 25000 – 32302 |
1953 | —— | 32303 – 44134 |
1954 | —— | 44135 – 56699 |
1955 | —— | 56700 – 82799 |
1956 | —— | 70930 – 011115 then 0100 – 0944 |
1957 | H101 – H760 | 0945 – 011116 |
1958 | H761 – H5484 | 011116 – 020075 |
1959 | H5484 – H11511 | 020076-029363 |
1960 | H11512 – H18611 | 029364 – 030424 then D101 – D7726 |
1961 | H18612 – H25251 | D7727 – D15788 |
1962 | H25252 – H29732 | D15789 on Unit 650cc |
1963 | H29733 – H32464 | DU101 – DU5824 |
1964 | H32465 – H35986 | DU5825 – DU13374 |
1965 | H35987 – H40527 | DU13375 – DU24874 |
1966 | H40528 – H49832 | DU24875 – DU44393 |
1967 | H49833 – H57082 | DU44394 – DU66245 |
1968 | H57083 – H65572 | DU66246 – DU85903 |
1969 | H65573 – H67331 | DU85904 – DU90282 |
Singles, Twins & Tridents for 1969-83
For 1969, another new system was introduced using a two letter prefix for the month and model year, followed by model type and serial number.
The first letter is for the month and the second for model year which ran from August of the previous calendar year to the following July. July 1980 onwards saw and additional letter added to the exisitng two and was used for the larger unit singles, twins and triples.
Letter | Month | Model year |
A | January | Aug. 1978 – July 1979 |
B | February | Aug. 1979 – July 1980 |
C | March | Aug. 1968 – July 1969 |
D | April | Aug. 1969 – July 1970 |
E | May | Aug. 1970 – July 1971 |
G | June | Aug. 1971 – July 1972 |
H | July | Aug. 1972 – July 1973 |
J | August | Aug. 1973 – July 1974 |
K | September | Aug. 1974 – July 1975 |
N | October | Aug. 1975 – July 1976 |
P | November | Aug. 1976 – July 1977 |
X | December | Aug. 1977 – July 1978 |
KDA | 1981 models | Sept. 1980 – Apr 1981 |
EDA | 1982 models | May. 1981 – Jan 1982 |
BEA | 1983 models | Feb. 1982 – Jan 1983 |
T140V | AEA34393 | DU24875 – DU44393Last model Jan 21 1983 |
Triumph Singles
Year | Engine Number | Model |
1953 | 101 | T15 |
1954 | 101 | T15,T20 |
1955 | 8518 | T15,T20 |
1956 | 17389 | T15,T20 |
1957 | 26276 | T20, T20C |
1958 | 35847 | T20, T20C |
1959 | 45312 | T20, T20C |
1960 | 56360 | T20, T20S |
1961 | 69517 | T20, T20T, T20S/L |
1962 | 81890 | T20, T20S/S, T20S/H, TR20, TS20 |
1963 | 88347 | T20, T20S/S, T20S/H, TR20, TS20 |
1964 | 94600 | T20, T20S/S, T20S/H, TR20, TS20 |
1965 | 99720 | T20, T20S/S, T20S/H |
1966 | 101 | T20, T20S/S, T20S/H, TR20, T20S/S |
1967 | – | T20S/C |
1968 | – | T20S/C |
Triumph TRW Dating
See the Classic Bike History page for more Triumph TRW information
Year | Engine Number |
1950 | 14401N-14459N |
1951 | 6044NA-14320NA |
1952 | 22001NA-22838NA |
1953 | 22839NA-23273NA |
1954 | 23274NA-23322NA |
Triumph Tigress Scooter Dating
 | TS1 |  | TW2 |  |
Year | Engine Number | Frame Number | Engine Number | Frame Number |
1959 | Â | Â | W101 | 101T |
1960 | S101 | 4001 | W3201 | 4001T |
1961 | S6720 | 18801B | W11790 | 18800T |
1962 | S11407 | 30140B | W17800 | 30140T |
1963 | S12498 | 31825B | W18435 | 31825T |
1964 | S13263 | 33661B | W19793 | 34286T |
1965 | S13576 | 34300B | Â | (last) |
Last | Â | 34468 | Â | Â |
TW2S engines with electric start have letter E suffix
What Year Is My BSA?
Identifying your BSA is an important part of owning a classic bike. If you are on the hunt for BSA Parts it is essential to know what bike you have to make sure that you are ordering the right parts.Â
Find the guide below for dating your BSA.
BSA A50/A65 Dating
Model | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |
A50 | A50-101 | A50-823 | A50A-101 | A50A-686 |
A65 | A65-101 | A65-1947 | A65A-101 | A65A-1134 |
A65R | Â | Â | A65B-101 | A65B-334 |
A65R R/C |
 |  | A65C-101 | A65C-1082 |
A65T/R | Â | Â | A65B-101 | Â |
A50C | Â | Â | A50B-101 | A50D-101 |
A65L/C | Â | Â | A65D-101 | A65D1742 |
A65S/H | Â | Â | A65E-101 | A65E-701 |
A50CC | Â | Â | Â | A50B-507 |
A50C/CC (UK) | Â | Â | Â | A50DC-101 |
A65L & A65LC | Â | Â | Â | A65DC-2158 |
Model | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
A50 Royal Star | A50R-101 | A50RA-101 | A50RB-101 | A50RC-101 |
A50 Wasp | A50W-101 | A50WA-101 | A50WB-101 | Â |
A65 Thunderbolt | A65T-101 | A65TA-101 | A65TB-101 | A65TC-101 |
A65 Lightning | A65L-101 | A65LA-101 | A65LB-101 | A65LC-101 |
A65 Hornet | A65H-101 | A65HA-101 | Â | Â |
A65 Firebird | Â | Â | A65FB-101 | A65FC-101 |
A65 Spitfire | A65S-101 | A65SA-101 | A65SB-101 | A65D1742 |
Post-1969 models changed the numbering system again with a two letter prefix to denote the month and year of manufacture.
For example, a BD prefix would be a February 1970 manufactured bike
Letter | Month |
A | January |
B | February |
C | March |
D | April |
E | May |
G | June |
H | July |
J | August |
K | September |
N | October |
P | November |
X | December |
Letter | Model year |
C | Aug. 1968 – July 1969 |
D | Aug. 1969 – July 1970 |
E | Aug. 1970 – July 1971 |
G | Aug. 1971 – July 1972 |
H | Aug. 1972 – July 1973 |
It is also worth noting that from 1971 the Oil in Frame models replaced the oil tank models.