In looking to find out when my BMW Motorbike was built I came across this website:
http://www.bmwarchiv.de/vin/
You just put the last 7 letters of your VIN in and it gives you all of the options that were factory installed, the build date, the bike colour etc.
Ok its in German but babelfish will give you a translation if you cut and paste the text.
Davey...yes the original colour was Alpine White.
Bozo