VIN numbers

[ferguzzi]

Howdy all.

I'm having issues trying to officially import my 1994 targa into the country from the UK. The local office tried to insist i should have a17 digit vin number, but my uk export certificate only has 2 letters and 5 numbers i.e.  LT 12345.

This is actually on the downtube of the bike, but then there is a "*", followed by 7 numbers.  these 7 numbers aren't written anywhere on the paperwork, and when I contacted the UK licencing people, they insisted the only reference they had to the bike was the LT 12345 number.

2 questions come to mind. 

1. when did guzzi start using 17 digits?

2. whats the relevence of the 7 numbers after the "*" ?

 

ps, its always possible they started using the 17 digits in the US before elsewhere....

[Admin Jaap]

Maybe this page gives some insight?
http://www.mgcn.nl/mg-framenummers

[ferguzzi]

yep, it makes sense, I think.

Still not sure what the numbers after the star are, as I'm pretty sure now that they don't relate to the VIN. 

Or maybe they do??