Four wheelers and ATVs tend to have less of a paper trail than most other vehicles. Laws regarding the purchasing, registration and documentation regarding four-wheelers vary greatly by state. You may need to figure out your four-wheeler's year model in the event that you move and are required to register it, you sell it or you need to purchase parts to repair it.
In the event that you need to figure out what year model your Yamaha Big Bear 350 four-wheeler is and when it was manufactured, you may have to do a little bit of research.
Go through all the documentation you have relating to your Big Bear 350. If you have any kind of sale paperwork, including registration or a bill of sale, your model year should be listed somewhere on the documents.
Find your Big Bear's vehicle identification number, or VIN. If you have any paperwork regarding the four-wheeler, your VIN number should be listed on it somewhere. If you do not have any paperwork for the Big Bear, or your cannot find your paperwork, the VIN number is going to be in one of two places. Look on the left side of your vehicle's frame behind the front tire. If it is not there, you may want to check the lower frame rail beneath the engine.
Your VIN is a 17-digit number that contains information about your Big Bear as well as identifies it.
Identify the 10th digit of your Big Bear's VIN number. This letter designates year model. ATV Rider Online lists K for 1989, L for 1990, M for 1991, N for 1992, P for 1993, R for 1994, S for 1995, T for 1996, V for 1997, W for 1998 and X for 1999.
If you are still uncertain about your Big Bear's year model, call Yamaha directly and provide them with your VIN number. They will be able to tell you the year model based on the VIN.
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Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.