Honda XL250 question, second attempt.?
Thank you !
Now when I said in my earlier question "I know it's not stolen" I actually meant it, in fact on paper I could probably prove it. I knew the previous owner, he owned the machine from NEW, hence I know it's not stolen OK ? have we clarified that now ? It's not hot, hookey, dodgy, lifted, jacked or half hinched.. It was bought from new by someone whom I knew and trusted for 17 years.. Now PLEASE..
Can anyone think of ANY reasons why this machine has no discernable frame or Engine number ? the space on the engine is there for the number to have been stamped yet it remains in pristine unstamped condition, mildly grainy textured surface as it left the foundry, yes, I've looked at other XL250's, and this is exactly the same backing as thiers, but no numbers have been stamped.
Now. as it's NOT FLIPPING STOLEN, can anyone shed any light at all on this mystery.
Theft related answers will be ingored !
Answers:
Well. OK then. It's not stolen.
A lot depends upon the age of the machine. In your earlier post you called it an "XL250 Motorsport" which if correct and not just what your calling it, would put it as one of the original silver tanked 4 valve head 250's of the early 70's ('71~'72). If this is true, you've got a very rare bike on your hands. It probably isn't worth anything from a collectors point of view, but it wasn't built in huge numbers.
IF it is of early 70's vintage then it was built before the federal government required all motor vehicles entering the U.S. be stamped with V.I.N.'s., so that would explain the frame not having one. They came with little black and silver decals attached to the frame at that point in time that had Honda's I.D. number, model and build date stamped to it. Most people pulled them off at the time.
The engine case(s) could be non-original pieces. Maybe somene trashed an engine and the case(s) had to be replaced. Not all replacement cases came with numbers stamped in them. I know that I got a brand new set for a '73 CR250 (in '73) that wasn't stmaped.
Since your looking for possible scenarios, the romantic one would be that the bike is actually an ex factory, or factory supported race bike. During that time most of the MX bikes were one off, hand built prototypes, but Honda was working with a hand full of shops prior to the release of the CR's trying to make the four stroke XL competitive. Shops like Hacienda Honda were making 'race bikes' out of the early XL's, most using Champion and Trackmaster frames and going to Poweroll Performance for the engine mods. These bikes, and other like them, were stripped of all identification numbers and for the most part destroyed when no longer used. The liability of having a 'used' modified production machine was considered to be to great of a risk so they were usually cut up and melted down.
Other than than that. Or if the machine is a newer model, especially after the early 80's, then federal mandates require the V.I.N. and an engine I.D. number be stamped at the factory. Not to mention that the late 70's and early 80's model XL's were pigs, so not many were used for off-road purposes, much less racing, especially by anyone even half way serious about what they were doing. So if they aren't there, then they were removed.for some reason.
The crankcases and frame may have in some way bypassed the stamping machine at the factory when it was built, you could buy some stamps from a hardware store and stamp in the number on the log book. Has it got a vin plate on it with numbers on?
is their two lil holes about 5inches apart on frame neck-used to screw them on years ago-or has the frame been painted -bike wrecked and replacement frame used alot of area here to ck down to believe it or not some had stickers
If its not stolen then perhaps the parts have been replaced after an accident?
If you want to be sure you could ask Honda themselves who'll probably be better able to help.
Here's their contact page with a few numbers..
http://www.honda.co.uk/contact/contactfo.
Its a strange one thats for sure as all models, even prototypes have frame and engine numbers.
Sounds to me like it might be stolen!..LOL just messing
I think the best thing to do is to check with your local honda dealer. If your friend bought it new he should be able to redirect you to the shop he bought it from and where he had it serviced.
It could be the number is stamped elsewhere on the engine or frame that you cant readily get to, and they may have a record of having replaced the engine or part of it.
The answers post by the user, for information only, UKQnA.com does not guarantee the right.