KTM VIN Decoder: Read KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas VINs

A KTM VIN decoder reads the 17-character number stamped on the steering head and tells you the model family, power band, engine type, engine size band, model year and plant. Most KTMs sold in the US start with VBK for KTM AG in Austria, and so do current Husqvarna and GasGas motorcycles, because KTM files all three brands under one prefix.

The decodes in this guide come from NHTSA's vPIC database (data checked October 2026), matched against KTM's own VIN filing with NHTSA dated August 6, 2026. Run your VIN through our free VIN decoder to see the result for your bike.

How is a KTM VIN laid out?

A KTM VIN packs more engine detail into it than most brands. Positions 4 and 5 are the model, position 6 is a power band, position 7 says two-stroke, four-stroke or electric, and position 8 marks closed-course competition bikes. After the check digit and year, position 11 is the plant and position 12 an engine size band.

That twelfth position is the unusual part. Most makers start the serial number at position 12. KTM uses it for displacement and keeps only five characters, positions 13 to 17, for the serial. The size bands are different for each engine type:

Read position 7 first, then position 12. A 3 in position 12 on a two-stroke means a 250 to 300 cc engine, but on a four-stroke it means 400 to 500 cc. Mixing up the two scales is the most common way to misread a KTM dirt bike's size.

Position 6 comes from a power table in the same filing. Letters cover the lower bands (A is under 21 hp) and digits the upper ones, so 7 means 105 to 107 hp and 9 means more than 111 hp. The other prefixes you may meet are covered further down. For the general VIN rules, see how to read a VIN.

What do the KTM model codes in positions 4 and 5 mean?

Positions 4 and 5 are a two-character model code from KTM's filing. Street bikes use codes such as V3 for the Super Duke R, TR for the 790 and 890 Adventure R and LE for the 690 Enduro. Off-road bikes use SX, XC, XW and MX, and vPIC returns those as closed-course competition machines rather than named models.

We built test VINs for model year 2026 using the codes from the filing and decoded each in vPIC:

The SX example also returned vPIC error code 10, the warning for vehicles not built for public roads. That is expected for a motocross bike. If a seller lists an SX or XC model as street legal, the VIN is your first clue that it was not built that way.

Other codes in the filing include V9 for the 1390 Super Adventure S and R, TU for the 790 and 890 Duke, TV for the 990 Duke, R9 for the 990 RC R and EX for street-legal enduro models. Two characters can cover two engine sizes, so the 790 and 890 share codes. Position 12 tells them apart.

Do Husqvarna and GasGas VINs decode the same way?

Yes. Current Husqvarna and GasGas motorcycles use KTM's VBK prefix and the same position rules. Husqvarna models have model codes starting with U, and GasGas models start with G. vPIC returns the brand in the make field and KTM AG as the manufacturer, with Mattighofen, Austria, as the plant.

The GasGas GX example has a 2 in position 7 and a 3 in position 12, which places it in the 250 to 300 cc two-stroke band. The GC result is worth reading carefully: vPIC says that code covers both street-legal enduros and off-road models with an EPA or California green sticker. The title and registration tell you which one you have.

Older or smaller bikes may use other prefixes. vPIC lists ZKH for the old Italian Husqvarna company, 3CG for KTMMEX in Mexico and MD2 for Bajaj Auto, which is listed with the makes KTM, Husqvarna and Bajaj. Smaller KTM road bikes built by Bajaj in India can start with MD2 instead of VBK.

For the other European and Japanese brands, see our motorcycle VIN decoder guide, the Honda motorcycle VIN decoder and the Suzuki motorcycle VIN decoder.

Why does my KTM VIN have an X in the middle?

The X is the check digit in position 9. The federal formula multiplies each character's value by a weight, adds the products and divides by 11. When the remainder is 10, the check digit is written as X. It is a normal VIN character, not a sign of tampering or an import.

Here is the math for VBKTR740XTM800001, the 890 Adventure R test VIN. Letter values from 49 CFR Part 565 are V=5, B=2, K=2, T=3, R=9 and M=4.

40 + 14 + 12 + 15 + 36 + 21 + 8 + 0 + 27 + 32 + 56 + 2 = 263

263 ÷ 11 = 23, remainder 10, so the check digit is X.

If you copy an X as a K or a Y, the decoder will reject the VIN. Read the steering head stamp in good light, and compare it with the title.

Where is the VIN on a KTM?

KTM stamps the VIN into the frame at the steering head, the tube the front forks pass through. The 2025 390 Adventure R owner's manual places it on the right-hand side of the steering head, with a type label on the frame just behind it. Turn the bars to full lock to see it clearly.

The location can vary by model, so check the vehicle identification section of the manual for your bike. On off-road machines the steering head is often covered in dirt and paint, and a race bike may have had its frame repainted. A stamp that sits under fresh powder coat, or a frame with no stamp at all, is a reason to slow down.

KTM's recall check on its US site asks for the same 17-digit VIN. Run it there after decoding to see open campaigns for the bike.

Decode your KTM

Take the VIN off the steering head, decode it and check four positions against the listing: the model code, the two-stroke or four-stroke digit, the engine size band and the year. Then run it through KTM's recall check. If you are also looking at a side-by-side or a three-wheeler, our Can-Am VIN decoder covers BRP vehicles.