Ask the Editor: VIN Number Help
Breaking it down.
You are likely correct. In Yamaha’s vehicle identification numbers, J refers to country of origin (Japan) and Y means it was manufactured by Yamaha. Most Yamaha machines contain the letters YJ somewhere on them.
Furthermore, the 4th to 8th digits of an ATV VIN always represent vehicle attributes such as body style and engine type. Since you know your machine is a 2005 Yamaha Kodiak 400 – you should be able to reverse the information to fill in the missing possibilities.
Had you shown the full VIN # in your photo, we would have done this for you. As it stands, the best we can offer is to plug in your VIN here with the missing digits as you suspect them until you get it right.
Pro Tip: Also remember that VIN numbers are actually stamped into the metal so even though the paint disappeared from a section of yours, there is a good possibility the imprint remains on the metal below. Take a crayon and gently color the area of missing paint. With a little luck the wax of the crayon will fill in the impressions and reveal the missing digits to you.
