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2011 Triumph Rocket 3
Picked up a 2011 Rocket 3. Both the previous owner and the carfax listed it as a Roadster. It has a silver engine. A guy told me in another group that it isn't a Roadster because ALL Roadsters have black engines. Any takes or info on the matter?
 
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Pre ABS Rocket III's
Sounds about right.



Factory parts bins and model line allocations meant batches of engines were used that are not necessarily in time as well as numeric series. This was more commonly the case with the silver painted engines.
My Australian import 12/09 MY2010 R3 Roadster's engine number is 3434710 and last 6 digits of my VIN is 432260.

Many Dealers Triumph parts fiche incorrectly state Engine numbers but it is really the last 6 digits of the VIN
If it is a Black engine it is after 280584

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RefPart NumberDescription# On Img# Cart$ EachNotes
1T1160098T3 CRANKCASE ASSY SILVx16507.30> Eng No 242554
1T1160794T3 CRANKCASE SPARES ASSx16507.30Eng No 242555 > Eng No 280583
1T1160792T3 CRANKCASE ASSY BLACx16507.30Eng No 280584 >

If you can get the VIN of the donor bike you will know for sure.
It does vary by country, In the USA the 10th # but not in UK/Europe and Australia where the 11th digit is the model year code. USA/Canada use different standard VIN codes where 10th digit is model year code (the code is same for both though). USA/Canada also use a check digit code which the rest of the world does not.

This always becomes a major source of confusion due to different VIN code standards worldwide.
Vehicle identification number - Wikipedia
A UK VIN
S M T T L C 1 0 3 5 6 2 6 0 2 5 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

My Australian VIN for 2010 model Roadster with ABS with a Dec 2009 manufacturing date
S M T T L C 0 2 3 5 A 4 3 2 2 6 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

UK/Europe and Australia does not use USA check digit at all so coding is quite different except last 6 digits and SMT at start is UK (SM) manufacturer Triumph (T).

UK / Europe ISO Standard 3779 system

Vehicle descriptor section (VDS)

The fourth to ninth positions in the VIN are the vehicle descriptor section or VDS. This is used, according to local regulations, to identify the vehicle type, and may include information on the automobile platform used, the model, and the body style. Each manufacturer has a unique system for using this field.
I reckon the 6th character 'C' is Rocket
US/Canada and Australia 6th, 7th, 8th code characters are the model type and fairly sure the 9th digit '3' is the number of engine cylinders while 10th digit '5' is probably shaft drive.
C00 = ROCKET III
C01 = ROCKET III CLASSIC
C02 - ROCKET III + ABS
C05 = ROCKET III TOURING
C06 = ROCKET III TOURING & ABS

Sonny's USA 'RocketX' VIN is SMTCO2L46FJ698125 Engine Number 3699527 Made in 01/15

Vehicle identifier section (VIS)
The 10th to 17th positions are used as the 'vehicle identifier section' (VIS). This is used by the manufacturer to identify the individual vehicle in question. USA/Canada 10th is year, UK/Europe 11th is year. For Triumph motorcycles 12th-17th is a sequential 6 digit number.

Your 11th character, the digit 6, is 2006 model year in UK / Europe ISO Standard 3779 system used in Europe and many other parts of the world. Mine is A for 2010.

Date year code is the 10th character for USA / Canada FMVSS 115, Part 565 system.

This character can be either a digit or an Alpha character

Code = Year
A = 1980 L = 1990 Y = 2000 A = 2010 L = 2020 Y = 2030
B = 1981 M = 1991 1 = 2001 B = 2011 M = 2021 1 = 2031
C = 1982 N = 1992 2 = 2002 C = 2012 N = 2022 2 = 2032
D = 1983 P = 1993 3 = 2003 D = 2013 P = 2023 3 = 2033
E = 1984 R = 1994 4 = 2004 E = 2014 R = 2024 4 = 2034
F = 1985 S = 1995 5 = 2005 F = 2015 S = 2025 5 = 2035
G = 1986 T = 1996 6 = 2006 G = 2016 T = 2026 6 = 2036
H = 1987 V = 1997 7 = 2007 H = 2017 V = 2027 7 = 2037
J = 1988 W = 1998 8 = 2008 J = 2018 W = 2028 8 = 2038
K = 1989 X = 1999 9 = 2009 K = 2019 X = 2029 9 = 2039
 
If your bike was a 2011 Roadster it would have a black engine unless replaced by an earlier Silver one. That data laser dot on the engine casting is only part of your complete 17 character VIN. The VIN is actually stamped into your steel frame at rear behind or beside rear shock top mount.
The order of the characters varies slightlyby region.

The USA system is a bit different to UK/Europe and Australia is slightly different in requiring a manufacturing and Australian Design Rule Compliance plate/holographic decal that includes the VIN.
The VIN itself is stamped on the frame at rear frame near but behind the top shock mounts from memory
There are 5 characters that precede your COOL45211123
the COOL is ROCKET III
4 - the 10th digit in USA VINs is Model year code for 2004, 1st series launch year, hence silver painted engine.

5
211123 The last 6 digits is used for part confirmation in Triumph parts listings. Sometimes called engine number.
Yours is a very early number and should have had an update kit put in a year or two later to fix known early issues. The kit was for before > Eng No 242554 and yours is 211123.
If yours has the update kit it should have a slightly different silver grey paint on the output shaft cover if everything was replaced.


It does vary by country.
In the USA the 10th # is model year code (not manufactured date which may be Sept on from previous year) but not in UK/Europe and Australia where the 11th digit is the model year code. USA/Canada use different standard VIN codes where 10th digit is model year code (the code is same for both though). USA/Canada also use a check digit code which the rest of the world does not.

This always becomes a major source of confusion due to different VIN code standards worldwide.
Vehicle identification number - Wikipedia
 
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