About Husqvarna Motorcycles
Husqvarna Motorcycles VINs start with VBK — the WMI of KTM AG, the Austrian group (Pierer Mobility) that has built Husqvarna bikes in Mattighofen since 2013. CheckMyVIN decodes the model year, plant, and body class from NHTSA VPIC and shows any open recall — for street-legal Husqvarnas like the 701 line, Svartpilen, Vitpilen, and FE-S dual-sports. This page is about the motorcycle brand, not Husqvarna chainsaws or mowers.
Founded 1903 (motorcycle production, Sweden); KTM group since 2013 and headquartered in Mattighofen, Austria (Pierer Mobility AG), Husqvarna Motorcycles vehicles register their VIN data with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). When you enter a Husqvarna Motorcycles VIN above, CheckMyVIN queries the NHTSA VPIC database directly — pulling the same federally certified specs that the manufacturer reported when the vehicle was sold.
Husqvarna Motorcycles uses several WMI codes (VBK, ZKH) depending on plant and model line — see the full Husqvarna Motorcycles VIN Decoder for the complete table and a per-position walkthrough.
Where to find your Husqvarna Motorcycles VIN
- Steering head (right side of frame)The 17-character VIN is stamped into the right side of the steering head — turn the handlebars to the left and look at the frame tube where the forks pass through. This is the standard location across the 701, Svartpilen/Vitpilen, and FE/TE ranges.
- Engine case (separate engine number)The engine carries its own serial number stamped on the case. This is NOT the VIN — on KTM-group bikes it identifies the engine build for parts lookups and is expected to differ in format from the frame VIN.
- Title / MCO and registration documentsStreet-legal models have a title; competition off-road models (FC, TC, FE non-S) are often sold on an MCO (Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin) only and never titled. Whichever document exists must match the steering-head stamp exactly.
What CheckMyVIN shows for Husqvarna Motorcycles
Every Husqvarna Motorcycles report includes the decoded specifications (engine, drive type, transmission, plant, body class), every open recall NHTSA has on file for the year/model/make combination, an AI-written plain-English summary, and the maintenance specs CheckMyVIN can confidently match by engine code. Tire sizes vary by trim and are always marked "Varies by trim — check door-jamb label" rather than guessed.
New to VIN reading? Start with what each of the 17 characters means, check a suspicious number with the check digit calculator, or look up a model year in the year code table.
Common Husqvarna Motorcycles issues to check before buying
Brand-specific known issues — useful as a pre-purchase inspection checklist. CheckMyVIN does not flag these per VIN; verify against service history.
701 / Vitpilen / Svartpilen fuel-tank leak recall
2018–2020 Vitpilen 701, 2019–2020 Svartpilen 701 (NHTSA 20V170000)
Fuel can seep from the fuel-level sensor and pump mounting flange on the tank — a fire risk. The fix was a free replacement tank, new gaskets, and a fuel-calibration software update at Husqvarna dealers. On any used Pilen, confirm the campaign shows closed and sniff around the tank seam after a warm ride; fuel smell = go to a dealer before money changes hands.
Clutch slave cylinder gasket failure
2018–2020 701 family (Supermoto, Enduro, Enduro LR, Vitpilen, Svartpilen) — NHTSA 21V792000
A manufacturing-damaged bellow gasket can make the hydraulic clutch stop disengaging. Formal recall shared with the KTM 690 platform; dealers inspect and replace free. Symptom check on a test ride: with the lever fully in, the bike should not creep forward in gear at a stop.
Short service intervals on FE-s dual-sport engines
FE 350s / FE 501s street-legal dual-sports (2017+)
Not a defect — a design reality. These are race-derived engines: the owner's manual calls for frequent oil changes (intervals are a fraction of what a Japanese dual-sport expects) and periodic valve checks. A used FE-s without a folder of oil receipts should be assumed neglected and priced accordingly. Hour meters matter more than odometers here.
LC4 701 single-cylinder vibration and accessory loosening
701 Supermoto / 701 Enduro (LC4 693 cc single), owner-reported
The big single, even with twin balancer shafts, vibrates enough at highway speed that owners report loosened mirrors, license-plate brackets, and exhaust fasteners over time. Check that fasteners have thread-locker witness marks and look for cracked plastic around mounting points — evidence of a careful (or careless) previous owner.
Thin VPIC data on competition (FC/TC/TE/FE non-s) models
All closed-course motocross and enduro Husqvarnas
Buyers frequently find these bikes were sold on an MCO and never titled, and the federal VIN record may be sparse. That's normal, not a cloned VIN — but it shifts the verification burden to the paper trail. Match the steering-head stamp to the MCO or bill of sale, and be extra cautious with "street-plated" MX bikes, since titling practices vary by state and some plates were issued in error.
Husqvarna Motorcycles buyer's notes
Sort Husqvarnas by era before you shop: modern Austrian bikes (VBK, 2014+) have full KTM-group parts support; Varese-era BMW-Husqvarnas (ZKH, 2007-2013) are orphaned for some parts; Swedish and Cagiva-era machines are collector territory. On street models, verify the 20V170000 fuel-tank and 21V792000 clutch recalls show closed. On dual-sports and dirt bikes, hours beat miles — ask for the hour meter and service log, and expect race-derived engines to need real maintenance budgets. Title status is the biggest trap: FC/TC/FE/TE competition models are usually MCO-only, and a missing title cannot be conjured later in most states. Cross-shop the 701 line against the KTM 690 twins that share the platform — same Mattighofen hardware, different bodywork and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Husqvarna the same company as the chainsaw brand?
No — they split decades ago. Husqvarna Motorcycles has been owned by the KTM group (Pierer Mobility, Austria) since 2013 and shares nothing with Husqvarna Group, the Swedish maker of chainsaws and mowers, except the shared 1600s Swedish origin. This page decodes motorcycle VINs only — garden equipment has serial numbers, not federal VINs.
Why does my Husqvarna VIN start with VBK like a KTM?
Because KTM AG builds them: VBK is KTM AG's World Manufacturer Identifier, covering KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas. NHTSA VPIC still returns Make = HUSQVARNA for Husqvarna models — the make is encoded in the descriptor section, not the WMI.
What does a ZKH VIN mean on an older Husqvarna?
ZKH is the WMI of Husqvarna Motorcycles S.r.l. of Varese, Italy — the BMW-era company (2007-2013) and its Cagiva-era predecessor. Those Italian-built bikes decode with NHTSA too, though with fewer populated fields than modern VBK bikes.
Can I decode a Husqvarna motocross bike (FC / TC)?
Sometimes — with a caveat. Pure competition MX bikes are not certified for road use; many are sold on an MCO and never titled, and manufacturer VIN filings for them are thinner. Street-legal models (701 Supermoto / Enduro, Svartpilen, Vitpilen, FE 350s/501s) are reliably in VPIC. If a closed-course bike returns no data, that's a coverage gap, not a fake VIN.
Where is the VIN on a Husqvarna motorcycle?
Stamped into the right side of the steering head. Turn the bars and look at the frame where the forks pass through it. The engine case number is a separate serial, not the VIN.
Does CheckMyVIN show Husqvarna recalls?
Yes — live from NHTSA. Recent verified campaigns include 20V170000 (2018-2020 Vitpilen 701 / 2019-2020 Svartpilen 701 fuel-tank leak) and 21V792000 (clutch slave cylinder across the 701 family). Recalls are filed by KTM North America, Husqvarna's US distributor.
Which Husqvarna models are street-legal in the US?
The 701 Supermoto and 701 Enduro, Svartpilen and Vitpilen (125/250/401/701/801 depending on year), the Norden 901, and the FE 350s / FE 501s dual-sports are road-certified and titled. FC/TC motocross and FE/TE (non-s) enduro models are closed-course competition machines — check the title status before buying one you plan to plate.