Decoding  the VIN Number & Colours FAQ

compiled & edited by Kristian #562
Please read the Disclaimer before attempting any work in this FAQ.
December ‘01

What year is my bike model?

 

Simple:

Iceman #975, Joe. M
November ‘01

 

Count back 8 digits from the end of your serial number (VIN). A 01 has a 1, and a 02 has a 2.

 

The 8th digit from the right, that tells the model year, period. It's an international digit for year model, in all types of vehicles

 

If the 8th digit back is a 1, the year model is 2001, regardless of production date. 2000 and older stopped at the end of the alphabet (no Z, it can look like a 2), so if it's a Y, it's a 2000, X is 1999, and so on. No U's, Q's, O's, or I's either. Starts with B for 1981. A build date of 1/1/01 can technically be called a 2002 model. The 8th digit back is it for year model.

 

Q. Great but where is the VIN Number ?

On your Steering Head.

 

More Detailed Information on Decoding the VIN:

Joe M., Iceman #975
November ‘01

 

There's actually lots of interesting info in a VIN. Using my VIN as an example:

 

WB1 0182A 4 1 Z E450XX

 

WB1 is the manufacturer code

0182A indicates the type of vehicle (m/c), engine type, and net brake horsepower.

4 is a check digit that is derived using an algorithm; it assures that the rest of the numbers are correct

1 is the model year (iceman knows his stuff!)

Z is the plant of manufacture

E450XX is a sequential number assigned by the manufacturer.

 

Anything with a first digit of W is West Germany, J is Japan, 1 and 4 are the USA, 2 Canada, 3 Mexico, 6 Australia, and countless other countries.

 

Second digit signifies Manufacturer. F=Ford, B=BMW, D=Daimler Benz, T=Toyota. A JTxxxxxx is a Japan produced Toyota, a 4Txxxxxx is a US made Toyota.

 

Generally:

 

*The first three characters uniquely identify the manufacturer, make and type of vehicle.
*The second section consists of five characters (VIN positions 4-8) and identify the attributes of the vehicle. Different information is required for each type of vehicle.
*The third section consist of one character which is the check digit, calculated over the other 16 characters of the VIN. This character can be numeric or the letter X;
*The fourth section consists of eight characters on positions 10-17 of the VIN. The last five shall be numeric for cars, MPV's and light trucks and the last four shall be numeric for all other vehicles. The first character represents the vehicle model year, the second character represents the plant of manufacture. The third through eighth characters are a sequential production number (for manufacturers producing more than 500 vehicles per year). For other manufacturers, the sixth, seventh and eight position represent the sequential production number. chiefkeefe

 

Where is the Engine Number


Anyone know how to determine the color of a bike from the VIN?

Nope. Cannot.

 

I went to register on a site for my bike and BMW NA seems to think it is black. My bike is red and as far as I know it always has been. My VIN is WB10166A4WXA16072. Any help would be appreciated. MasterITRIT #F650-1231 -- '98 F650 Classic -- '80 Yamaha XT250 -- Rochester, NY.

 

Colour from the Sticker under the Seat?


Classic

GS GS/Dakar


 

Gelb is Yellow, Schwarz is Black, rest you can guess pretty easily.

BMW General Paint Colour Codes
by chiefkeefe


I got the following info from Motobins' catalogue (http://www.motobins.co.uk). Perhaps some of it is relevant to F650s, tho' I know for certain that not all BMW colours are included. (Sorry for the CAPITALS - I just cut-and-pasted it).

KARIB BLUE - 1986 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=183/618]
ALASKA BLUE - VARIOUS LATE [BODYWORK CODE=136/606/542]
YUKON BLUE - R80RT 1987 ON [BODYWORK CODE=202/615]
AZURE BLUE - R45/65 ETC [BODYWORK CODE=158/501/619]
BERMUDA BLUE - R80RT ETC [BODYWORK CODE=225/644/645]
DARK MET BLUE - ICEBURG 1979-80 [BODYWORK CODE=130/550/557/558]
ATLANTIC BLUE - 1981 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=160/504]
KOENIGS BLUE - K100RS/K1100LT [BODYWORK CODE=680/681/270]
TITAN BLUE - K's [BODYWORK CODE=665/664/241]
ASTRAL BLUE - K1100RS/LT/K75 [BODYWORK CODE=330/691]
LAGUNA BLUE - K1 [BODYWORK CODE=233/657]
SEIDEN BLUE - K1100RS/LT/K75 [BODYWORK CODE=338/690]
NAVARRA VIOLETT - K1100RT [BODYWORK CODE=346]
MIDNIGHT BLUE - R80GS [BODYWORK CODE=401]
BLUE - R80GS [BODYWORK CODE=428]
STAHL BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=372]
OPAL BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=424]
BLACK/BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=432]
SAPPHIRE BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=434]
VOILET BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=435]
SINUS BLUE - R1100RT [BODYWORK CODE=332]
PACIFIC BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=441]
DELPHIN BLUE - R850-1200, K1200RS [BODYWORK CODE=373]
FROST BLUE - R850-1200, K1200RS [BODYWORK CODE=447]
NEON BLUE - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=225]
ALUMINIUM WHITE - K1100LT [BODYWORK CODE=265]
PERLMUTT - PEARL WHITE [BODYWORK CODE=621/634/571/137/650]
CLASSIC BLACK - 1977 ON [BODYWORK CODE=162/506/670/656]
ONYX BLACK - K75 SPECIAL [BODYWORK CODE=228/622]
METALLIC BLACK - 1977-78 MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=032/532]
BLACK 2 - R850-1200, K1200RS, F650, R1100R/RT [BODYWORK CODE=668]
RED 1977 ON - 1977 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=541/566/575/654/675]
BAJA RED - 1985 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=174/578]
COLORADO RED - 1986 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=613/614/201]
h*ll RED - R45/65 [BODYWORK CODE=551]
METALLIC RED - RED SMOKE [BODYWORK CODE=575/654/553]
SIENNA RED - R1100RT [BODYWORK CODE=281]
MYSTIC RED - VARIOUS [BODYWORK CODE=323]
DAYTONA ORANGE - R90S CLASSIC [BODYWORK CODE=010/510]
MADISON - 1985 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=605/127]
ORLANDO ORANGE - R80GS [BODYWORK CODE=394]
BRIGHT RED - R1100RS [BODYWORK CODE=409]
CANYON RED - K1100,K1200RT [BODYWORK CODE=343]
AMARENA RED - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=403]
MARRAKESH RED2 - R850-R1200C, K1200 [BODYWORK CODE=392]
SILVER SMOKE - R90S CLASSIC [BODYWORK CODE=061/561/651]
PEARL SILVER - R1100RS/K100RS [BODYWORK CODE=240/661/678]
ARKTIS SILVER - K75/S/RT [BODYWORK CODE=309]
STRATO SILVER - 1986 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=161/505]
BRILLIANT SILVER - 1986 ON MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=623/635/666/235]
LAHARA GREY - R80GS [BODYWORK CODE=423]
ARKTIS GREY - R100RT [BODYWORK CODE=269]
METALLIC GOLD - R100RS [BODYWORK CODE=546]
HAVANA GOLD - 1976-78 MODELS [BODYWORK CODE=WHILST STOCKS LAST]
DAKAR YELLOW2 - R80-1200C [BODYWORK CODE=337]
KALAHARI YELLOW - R80-1200C [BODYWORK CODE=384]
SAND BEIGE - VARIOUS [BODYWORK CODE=226]
TOBACCO BROWN - K's [BODYWORK CODE=647/239]
YUKKA GREEN - K100RS [BODYWORK CODE=660/248]
PINE GREEN - K1100LT [BODYWORK CODE=683/684/227]
TOSKANA GREEN - K's [BODYWORK CODE=653/251]
PEARL GREEN - K's [BODYWORK CODE=676/249]
MOREA GREEN - K1100LT/K75RT [BODYWORK CODE=288]
TURQUOISE GREEN - R100R/1991 [BODYWORK CODE=525/261]
AMETHYST - R100R/1991 [BODYWORK CODE=685/284]
PALMETTO GREEN - K1100RS [BODYWORK CODE=391]
OCEAN GREEN - R80 GS [BODYWORK CODE=431]
TUNDRA GREEN - R850-1200C, K1200RS [BODYWORK CODE=412]
MINZ GREEN - R850-1200C [BODYWORK CODE=429]
GLACIER GREEN - R1100RS/RT [BODYWORK CODE=334]
OXFORD GREEN - R850-1200C [BODYWORK CODE=430]
ASCOT GREEN - R850-R1200C [BODYWORK CODE=353]