Paint Schemes & Codes

K Bike Paint Color Schemes & Codes

Schemes vs. Codes:

K bikes were manufactured in different paint schemes. A paint scheme could be a single color or multiple colors.

For example, the 1988/1989 K100RS-SE had paint scheme 650 which is comprised of two different colors, Mother of Pearl White (paint code 137) and Bermuda Blue (paint code 225.)

Another example is a bike painted in a single color. K75RTs came in a single color Bermuda Blue which is paint scheme 645 comprised of paint code 225.

Where To Locate The Paint Scheme Number:

The three digit paint scheme decal on a K bike is located on the tail cowl underneath the seat. In the picture below the paint scheme is 691 which is comprised of paint code 330, Astral Blue.

No Paint Scheme Decal?

If your K does not have a paint scheme decal then the VIN decoder linked below will tell you the original color(s) your K had.

VIN decoder: https://www.mdecoder.com/

Translating A Paint Scheme To Paint Code(s):

I've never found anything official from BMW to translate paint schemes to paint codes but here is a link to the best thing that I've found:

.http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes.htm

The BM Bikes website also has a page for pinstripe colors:

http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/pinstripes.htm

Where to order paint:

BMW sells paint in the BMW parts catalog but many, if not all, of those are no longer available for Ks. Therefore you may need to buy paint from a third party vendor.

When ordering paint you should use the paint code, not the paint scheme.

Here are links to a couple of possible sources.

DISCLAIMER: I do not vouch for either of these vendors.

https://colorndrive.com/en

https://vintagebmw.org/directory/holt-bmw/

Paint matching:

Another option for getting the correct color is paint matching where you take a part (like a side cover or tail cowl handle) to a vendor with a paint matching system. The system scans the part and then magically recreates matching paint.

In the past I've had very good luck with paint vendors that use the PPG paint matching computer so I would recommend that but there may be newer and better systems in use these days.