How to decipher a Raleigh Burner frame number?
If you’ve just bought a Raleigh Burner and you’re trying to work out the age of your purchase or perhaps you’ve had a Burner in your collection that you’ve never checked before the below guide should assist you.
First, you need to identify which model of Burner you have, a Mk1 or a Mk2 because the Frame Numbers are stamped in different places. On the Mk1 Burner the Frame Number is stamped on the down tube (the tube the seat post sits in) and on the Mk2 and beyond the Frame Number is stamped on the underside of the bottom bracket. A really quick way to identify a Mk1 Burner is the cylindrical frame, looped rear stays and in all but the Pro, Team and Chromo Burner the frame gusset with 2 holes drilled in it, the Mk2 Burner doesn’t have these features.
Mk1 and Mk2 Raleigh Mag Burner Side by Side
Once you have located the frame number, make a note of it and then decifer it using the below code.
Reading from left to right the first letter denotes the Raleigh factory of manufacture;
N = Nottingham
The next letter denotes the month of the year;
- A = January
- B = February
- D = March
- E = April
- G = May
- H = June
- K = July
- L = August
- M = September
- N = October
- P = November
- S = December
The third character a number denoted the year of manufacture;
- 2 = 1982
- 3 = 1983
- 4 = 1984
- 5 = 1985
The remaining numbers relate, in full or in part, to the frames produced in a calendar month.
So, for example, a frame number of NG36843 would denote a Burner made in Nottingham on May 1983
It would appear that Raleigh has used this method of numbering frames for many years across a large number of their bike ranges, including the Burner. Raleigh has had to accept themselves that after 10 years there would be duplication.
We hope this guide has helped you in deciphering your frame number.
