Unfortunately, deciphering Lotus serial numbers takes a bit of detective work. Many bicycle builders code the date of manufacture into the serial number of the frame. However, Lotus serial numbers seem to be proprietary and all of the codes have yet to be decoded.
LOTUS SERIAL NUMBERS WITH 2 LETTER PREFIX
Interestingly, Your serial number may be close to a bike that has already been dated. Additionally, the two-letter prefix found on many serial numbers does seem to
represent model years. Or at the very least, production runs.
For example, we believe the prefix KY represents 1980 production for at least the Legend and the Classique.
TSUNODA BUILT LOTUS BICYCLES
As luck would have it, most Tsunoda-built Lotus serial numbers are stamped onto the underside of the bottom bracket. As well as, consisting of two letters followed by five, six, or seven numbers (AB12345++).
However, It seems that later model bikes have more numbers than the earlier bikes. Important to note, this may be a clue to dating a vintage Lotus. However, some bicycles have been observed with serial numbers stamped on the seat tube near the bottom bracket.
PACIFIC CYCLES BUILT LOTUS BIKES
If you have a Pacific Cycles built Lotus, your serial number will begin with a P. These include, The Elite, Elan, Special, Sprint or Prestige. This is shown in the chart below on the Lotus Elite. P stands for Pacific Cycles.
In this case, the second number represents the year of construction. Likewise, the third and fourth number represent the production week. Accordingly, the final numbers are the individual frame numbers. So, number P3151234 marks the 1234th frame constructed during the 15th week of 1983.
LOTUS BIKES BUILT BETWEEN 1986-88
Some Lotus bicycles built in 1986-88 use a Y6C1234 style code. Specifically, the first letter is possibly a vendor code.
Moreover, the second number is the model year, and the third letter is probably a fortnight code. For example, C represents the 3rd fortnight of 1986 production.
MANUFACTURED TO LOTUS’S SPECIFICATIONS
Many different factories built Lotus bicycles to Lotus specifications. Therefore, it’s important to note that these factories followed Lotus’s precise requirements. As a result, when you view the chart, specific numbering styles are starting to appear. Over time, this could indicate differences in production origins.
DIFFERENT NUMBERING STYLES FOR DIFFERENT FACTORIES
Each different numbering style likely represents a different factory. For example, we know that Lotus worked with several manufacturers. This includes, Tsunoda, Pacific Cycles, and Maruishi to name a few. Thus, you can see this reflected in Lotus serial numbers. As more data emerges, the connection between serial numbers and factories becomes clearer.
SERIAL NUMBER GUIDE
| KH01329 | Classique | Ivory | Cro-Mo Double Butted | 25″ | ||||
| KK02443 | Odyssey | Pearl Ivory | Tange Champion #2 | 23.5 | 3-80 | 26.8 | 80 | |
| KK02541 | Odyssey | Pearl Ivory | Tange Champion #2 | 23.5 | 3-80 | 26.8 | 78, 80 Hubs | 80? |
| KK02678 | Odyssey | Silver | Tange Champion #2 | 56cm | 80? | |||
| KM07097 | Excelle | Silver | ||||||
| KN00921 | Unique | Ice Blue | 25″ | 80? | ||||
| KN06713 | Legend | Black | Tange Champion #2 | 80? | ||||
| KN07106 | Grand Prix Mixte | Blue | Tange | 21″ | 26.2 | 8-80 Hub | 80? | |
| KN07237 | Eclair | Silver | Tange Champion Cro-Mo | 52cm | 10-78 Der | 80? | ||
| KT05914 | Classique | Red | Tange Champion | 21″ | 1-80 | 26.8 | 9-80 Crank | 81? |
| KY02832 | Eclair | White | Cro-Mo | 23″ | 3-80 | 26.4 | 80? | |
| KY03801 | Eclair | Blue | 27″ | 80? | ||||
| KY07299 | Classique | Ice Blue | Cro-Mo Double Butted | 23″ | 3-80 | 26.4 | 1-80 Crank | 80 |
| KY07396 | Classique | Ivory | Cro-Mo Double Butted | 25″ | 80 | |||
| KY10640 | Legend (frame) | Ice Blue | Tange Champion? | 23″ | 26.8 | 3-80 Fork | 80 | |
| MA05506 | Grand Prix | Black | Tsunoda | 22″ | 26.0 | 6-81 Der | 81? | |
| MH01452 | Odyssey | Orange | Tange Champion #2 | 56cm | 27.2 | 81? | ||
| MH01646 | Legend | Black | Tange Champion #2 | 27″ | 81? | |||
| MH10268 | Eclair | White | Tange Champion #5 | 27″ | 81? | |||
| MH10573 | Classique | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #1 | 19″ | 12-80 | 26.8 | 81 | |
| MK02473 | Classique | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #1 | 21″ | 2-81 Crank | 81 | ||
| MK02760 | Legend | Ice Blue | Tange Champion | 21″ | 3-81 | 81 | ||
| MK02761 | Legend | Sky Yellow | Tange Champion #1 | 21″ | 26.8 | 2-81 Crank | 81 | |
| MK02823 | Legend | Black | Tange Champion #2 | 25″ | 8-81 | 2-81 Crank | 81 | |
| MK02839 | Legend | Sky Yellow | Tange Champion #2 | 23″ | 12-80 | 26.6 | 2-81 Crank | 81 |
| MK02918 | Odyssey | Silver | Tange Champion #2 | 61cm | 26.8 | 81 | ||
| MK02928 | Odyssey | Silver | Tange Champion #2 | 60cm | 81 | |||
| MK02931 | Odyssey | Orange | Tange Champion | 58cm | 2-81 | 26.6 | 3-81 Der | 81 |
| MK0538 | Excelle | Black | 21.5 | 2-81 Stem | 81? | |||
| MK20810 | Legend | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #2 | 58cm | 80 | 26.6 | 1-81 Crank | 81 |
| MM01326 | Red | Champion CroMo | 26″ | |||||
| MM03182 | Classique | Red | Tange Champion #2 | 23″ | 81? | |||
| YK012 | Super Pro Aero (Jim Black) | Pink | Tange Aerp | 64cm | oval | 81 | ||
| MM02674 | Super Pro Aero | Gold | Tange Aero | oval | 81? | |||
| MM04196 | Super Pro Aero | Gold | Tange Aero | 56cm | oval | 81 | ||
| MM04268 | Super Pro Aero | Gold | Tange Aero | oval | 81 | |||
| MY08659 | Eclair | Blue | Tange Champion #5 | 81? | ||||
| MY09022 | Eclair | Silver | Tange Champion #5 | 21″ | 81? | |||
| DR07500 | Eclair | Bronze | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 23″ | “0” | 83? | ||
| DR08734 | Excelle | Black | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 23″ | 12-82 | 26.8 | 12-82 Crank | 83 |
| DR09044 | America | Red | ||||||
| P2271161 | Elan (Pacific Cycles) | Black | 25″ | 82 | ||||
| P3011856 | Special (Pacific Cycles) | Blue | 18″ | 83 | ||||
| P3104251 | Prestige | Gunmetal Grey | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 83 | ||||
| P3142586 | Elan | Red | 83 | |||||
| P3452543 | Special | 83 | ||||||
| P3452763 | Special (Pacific Cycles) | Blue | 27″ | 83 |
| P3524469 | Prestige (Pacific Cycles) | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 22″ | 84? | |||
| 3514444J | Elite | Champagne | Made in Taiwan | 19″ | 26.6 | 83 | ||
| EM00415 | Eclair | Bronze | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 27″ | 2-83 | 26.8 | 2-83 Crank | 83 |
| EY03984 | Odyssey | Gunmetal Grey | Columbus | 58cm | 3-83 | 27.2 | 83 | |
| EY04029 | Odyssey | Pearl Orange | Columbus | 23″ | 3-83 | 27.2 | 83 | |
| EY04307 | Legend Compe | Oxide Green | Columbus | 58cm | 3-83 | 27.2 | 4-83 Crank | 83 |
| EY04480 | Eclair | Pearl White | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 25″ | 3-83 | 83 | ||
| EY04811 | Unique | Violet Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 83 | ||||
| M3G59325 | Aero Sport (U.K.) | Silver | Tange Aero | 23″ | ||||
| EA01419 | Odyssey | Pearl Orange | Columbus | 23″ | 3-83 | 27.2 | 3-82 Crank | 83 |
| EA09203 | Aero Sport | Champagne | Tange Aero | 60cm | oval | 5-82 Crank | 83 | |
| EA09235 | Aero Sport | Champagne | Tange Aero | oval | 83 | |||
| EA06439 | Supreme (Campy SR) | Violet | Columbus | 56cm | 83 Der | 84 | ||
| EA06466 | Competition | Blue | Columbus | 50cm | 2-81 Superbe | 83 | ||
| EH00232 | Aero Sport | Champagne | Tange Aero | 56cm | oval | 83 | ||
| EH00245 | Aero Sport | Champagne | Tange Aero | 58cm | oval | 2-81 Crank | 83 | |
| EH02104 | Classique | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #2 | 25″ | 10-80 | 3-83 SH 600 Cr | 83 |
| EH02204 | Classique | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #2 | 23″ | 83 | |||
| EH02243 | Classique | Burg | Tange Champion #1 | 19″ | Shimano 600 | 83 | ||
| EH02248 | Classique | Ice Blue | Tange Champion #1 | 19″ | 10-80 | 26.8 | 83 | |
| EH04948 | Legend | Gold | 2-83 | 83 | ||||
| EH05075 | Blue | Mangaloy | ||||||
| EH06333 | Legend | Oxide Green | 83 | |||||
| EH06356 | Legend | Gold | 83 | |||||
| HO112 | Legend (frame) | Oxide Green | Unmarked | 22″ | 27.2 | ’83 Details | 83 | |
| EK02048 | Eclair | Navy Blue | 54cm | 84 | ||||
| EK03040 | Excelle | Black | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 12-83 F Der | 84 | |||
| EN00925 | Unique | Violet Blue | 61cm | 84 | ||||
| EN05515 | Classique | Burg | Tange Champion | 25″ | 12-83 | 26.8 | 11-83 Brake | 84 |
| EN05702 | Excelle | L Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 19″ | 3-84 | 9-83 R Der | 84 | |
| EN06432 | Challenger | Red | 84? | |||||
| EN06727 | Eclair | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 22″ | 84 | |||
| EN07459 | Unique | Violet Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 24″ | 11-83 | 5-83 R Der | 84? | |
| ET07549 | Classique | Bronze | Tange Champion #2 | 25″ | 6-83 | 26.6 | 8-83 R Der | 83? |
| ET08206 | Challenger | Red | Tange Champion | 20″ | 26.6 | 8-83 Suntour | 84 |
| DA15240 | Legend | Ice Blue | Columbus | 60cm | 84? | |||
| DA15334 | Odyssey | Burgundy | Columbus | 84? | ||||
| DH19010 | Legend | Tan | Columbus | 84? | ||||
| DH19101 | Legend | Ice Blue | Columbus | 52cm | 84? | |||
| DH19279 | Legend | Ice Blue | Columbus | 84? | ||||
| DH19482 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Oxide Green | Columbus | 60cm | 84? | |||
| DH19466 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Oxide Green | Columbus | 59cm | 27.2 | 84? | ||
| DH19706 | Odyssey | Grey | Columbus | 58cm | 84 | |||
| DH19710 | Odyssey | Grey | Columbus | 58cm | 27.2 | 84 | ||
| DH19780 | Odyssey | Grey | Columbus | 60cm | 84 | |||
| DH19897 | Competition | Oxide Green | Columbus | 60cm | 27.2 | Pat83 Campy | 84? | |
| DH19942 | Supreme (Campy SR) | Violet | Columbus | 56cm | 27.2 | 84? | ||
| DS1583- | Supreme (frame) | Violet | Columbus | 61cm | 84? | |||
| DS15894 | Odyssey | Burg | Columbus | 54cm | 84 | |||
| DS15909 | Odyssey | Burg | Columbus | 56cm | 1-84 | 84 | ||
| DS15956 | Odyssey | Grey | Columbus | 58cm | 27.2 | 83 Hubs | 84 | |
| DS15971 | Odyssey | Burg | Columbus | 58cm | 27.0 | Late 83 All | 84 | |
| DS16246 | Legend | Lavender | Columbus | 60cm | 84? |
| DS16282 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Champagne | Columbus | 52cm | 84 | |||
| DS16287 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Champagne | Columbus | 56cm | 27.2 | 84 | ||
| DS16296 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Oxide Green | Columbus | 54cm | 27.2 | 83 Crank/Der | 84 | |
| DS16302 | Legend Compe (Campy) | Champagne | Columbus | 56cm | 27.2 | 83 Der | 84 | |
| SH00690 | Classique | Blue | Tange Champion #1 | 58cm | 2-84 | 26.8 | 84 | |
| SH00780 | Classique | Blue | Tange Champion #1 | 25″ | 12-83 | 84 | ||
| SH03745 | Excelle | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 48cm | 1-84 | 26.6 | 84 | |
| SH04462 | Excelle | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 58cm | 84 | |||
| SH04679 | Unique | Violet Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 22″ | 2-84 | 26.6 | 84 | |
| SH04771 | Excelle | |||||||
| SH05929 | Eclair | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 56cm | 2-84 | 26.6 | 12-83 R Der | 84 |
| SU00018 | Classique | Burgundy | Tange Cromemoly | 19″ | 7-83 R Der | 84 | ||
| SU00244 | Classique | Blue | 84? | |||||
| SU01046 | Excelle Mixte | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 21″ | 84 | |||
| SU01190 | Eclair | Blue | 61cm | 84? | ||||
| SU01507 | Unique | Red | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 49cm | 12-83 | 26.6 | 84? | |
| SU01702 | Unique | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 56cm | 26.6 | 84? | ||
| SU01718 | Unique | 84? |
| SU01867 | Unique | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 84? | ||||
| SU01915 | Unique | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 24″ | 84? | |||
| SY0475 | Classique | Blue | Tange Champion | 54mm | ||||
| SY06607 | Excelle | Silver | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 58cm | 84? | |||
| SY07045 | Excelle | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 19″ | 1-84 | 26.6 | 1-84 R Der | 84 |
| SY07703 | Eclair | Burgundy | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 19″ | 26.8 | 84 | ||
| SY07717 | Eclair | Blue | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 18″ | 84? | |||
| SY07910 | Unique | Red | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 22″ | 3-84 | 26.6 | 84 | |
| HH00214 | Challenger SX (Sport Series) | Yellow/Black | Chromalite 503 Fork | 8-85? | 27.0 | |||
| HH00886 | Excelle Triathlon | Grey/White | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 54cm | Paint Fade | 88? | ||
| HH01349 | Challenger | Blue | Tange 900 / 503 Fork | 19 | 8-87 | Sold New 4-89 | 88? | |
| HH01416 | Challenger | Blue | Tange 900 | 21″ | 88? | |||
| HH01749 | Challenger | Violet/Blue | Tange 1000 | 25″ | Biopace | |||
| 4361 | Prestige | Dark Grey | Tange mangaloy 2001 | 22″ | ||||
| 5374 | Prestige | Dark Grey | “WH” R Der | |||||
| 010109 | International | Metallic Red | Hi-Ten Steel | 18″ | 1-86 Brakes | 86 | ||
| 050300 | Unique | Coral | Ishiwata EXO | 56cm | 1-86 | 86? | ||
| 050943 | Unique | Coral | Ishiwata EXO |
| 141032 | Viking | Purple/White | CR MO Tange CR MO Fork | 21″ | 1-88 | Sold New 10-88 | 88 | |
| 191115 | Cherokee | Teal/White | Tange ATB CrMo | 18″ | ||||
| 230127 | Challenger (Sport Series) | Blue | Tange 900 | 21″ | 87? | |||
| 316045 | Explorer | Crimson | CrMo | 21″ | 26.6 | 12-86 Brakes | 87 | |
| 318298 | Explorer | Bronze | 19″ | |||||
| 336507 | Challenger (Sport Series) | Blue | Tange 900 / 503 Fork | 22″ | ||||
| 482150 | Challenger (Sport Series) | Grey | ||||||
| 510131 | Special (Sport Series) | Blue | Chromalite / 503 Fork | 87? | ||||
| 530094 | Challenger (frame) | Blue | Tange 900 / 503 Fork | 23″ | ||||
| 630277 | Challenger | Blue/White | Tange 900 DB | 56cm | 87? | |||
| HR169296 | 3000M | White | 21″ | |||||
| MCC6629 | Pegasus | Brown | 21″ | |||||
| TH8709259937 | Explorer | Black | Tange Cr-Mo | 20″ | 87 | |||
| V6K2857 | Legend Triathlon | Coral | Tange #1 | 48cm | 87 | |||
| Y1C2295 | Legend Triathlon | Coral | Tange #1 | 58cm | 27.2 | 86? | ||
| Y6A4930 | Elite 600 | Coral | Tange #2 | 44cm | 87 | |||
| Y6C1654 | Cyclone | Blue | Tange #2 | 56cm | 1-86 | 26.6 | 11-85 F Der | 86 |
| Y6C1963 | Legend | Charcoal Grey | Tange #1 | 60cm | 86 |
| Y6C2269 | Excelle | Red | Tange 900 | |||||
| Y6C2474 | Excelle | Blue | Tange 900 | 23″ | 86 Equipped | 86 | ||
| Y6H1343 | Challenger SX | Blue | 58cm | 87 | ||||
| Y6H1719 | Excelle | Blue | Tange 1000 | 25″ | 3-86 R Der | 87? | ||
| Y6H1945 | Legend | Coral | Tange #1 | 60cm | 26.8? | 87? | ||
| Y6H2139 | Excelle | Burg/White | Ishiwata | |||||
| Y6K2072 | Excelle | Burgundy | Ishiwata | 23″ | 10-86 R Der | 87 | ||
| Y6K2284 | Unique | Pearl | 87 | |||||
| Y6K2722 | Elite 600 | Coral | Tange #2 | 44cm | 87 | |||
| Y6K2733 | Elite 600 | Coral | Tange #2 | 44cm | 87 | |||
| Y6K3242 | Excelle | Burgundy | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 23″ | 87? | |||
| Y6K3376 | Excelle | Pearl White | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 87? | ||||
| Y6K3503 | Excelle | Blue | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 62cm | 87 | |||
| Y6K773 | Odyssey | White | ||||||
| Y6M1678 | Excelle | Burgundy | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 62cm | 27.2 | 87 | ||
| Y6M1767 | Excelle | Blue | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 62cm | 27.0 | 87 | ||
| Y6M1970 | Excelle | White | Tange Mangaloy 2001 | 54cm | 87? | |||
| Y6M1994 | Excelle | Pearl White | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 23′ | 87 |
| Y6M2450 | Challenger SX | Electric Blue | Tange 900 | 20″ | 1986 | 87 | ||
| Y6N1173 | Excelle | Burgundy | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 23″ | 26.8 | 87? | ||
| Y7B1062 | Excelle Mixte | Blue | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 19″ | 27.0 | 12-86 Brake | 87? | |
| Y7C1228 | Classique | L. Blue | Tange #2 | 21″ | ||||
| Y7N2780 | Challenger SX Sport Series | Champagne | Cromalite 503 Fork | |||||
| Y7N4324 | Excelle | White/Red | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 25″ | 27.0 | 88 | ||
| Y7N4544 | Challenger SX | Champagne | ||||||
| Y7N4945 | Excelle | Blue | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 22″ | 88 | |||
| Y7N4960 | Excelle | Blue | Ishiwata EX 4130 | 23″ | Sold New 7-88 | 88 | ||
| YL6L296 | Esprit | Aqua | Aluminum 7000 | 56cm | 1-86 | 87 | ||
| YL6L307 | Esprit | Aqua | Aluminum 7000 | 54cm | 87 | |||
| YL6L335 | Esprit | Coral | Aluminum 7000 | 56cm | 1-86 | 25.0 | 87 | |
| YL6L414 | Esprit | Aqua | Aluminum 7000 | 56cm | 87 | |||
| YL6L444 | Esprit | Aqua | Aluminum 7000 | 56cm | 87 | |||
| YL6L479 | Esprit | Aqua | Aluminum 7000 | 87 | ||||
| N8BE5140 | Elite 600 | Charcoal | Tange #1 | 58cm | 26.6 | 88-Style Decals | 88 | |
| SC842113 | International | Red | Cr.Mo. & 503 | 20″ | 2-88 Fork | 88 | ||
| UO046573 | 3000R | Blue | Tange Triple Butted | 23 | ||||
| UO0620042 | 3000R | Teal | Tange Triple Butted | 21″ | 3-90 Crank | 90 | ||
| VO1017377 | 3000R | Teal | Tange Triple Butted | 21″ | 1990 | 6B-89 Brakes | 90 | |
| MO313601 | 3000R | Blue | CR-MO | 20″ | ||||
| MO509854 | 3000R | Blue | CR-MO | 23″ | 3-90 | 26.4 | 9-89 Der | 90 |
| GD108417 | 2000R | Blue | CR-MO | Sears Purchase | ||||
| MO514330 | 2000R | Blue | 52cm | |||||
| UO0470719 | 2000M | Red | ||||||
| CD109149 | 2000R | Blue | Cr.Mo. | 58cm | 4-91 | 26.6 | 2-91 R Der | 91 |
We earn from qualified Amazon purchases with NO cost to you. In fact, ANY item that you need or were going to purchased anyway through the links above, helps support this site. Thank you for your support!