Kit Details
Overview
Build Notes
Pictures

• Brake Discs - drilled out the holes in the rear disc. Quite a few holes (120) so this alone took 40mins and shortened one #70 drill bit. (Note: Don't try and watch TV while drilling discs!)
• Engine - cleaned up the case halves and cylinder head parts. Assembled all the parts that will be painted with BAP.
• Frame - cleaned up frame halves and battery support, removed unnecessary tabs and assembled the frame halves with battery support.
• Rear Fender - cut down the part as described.
• Swing Arm - cleaned up parts and assembled the swing arm.

• Body work - cleaned up fuel filler cover, seat, cowling, front fender and tank/rear cowling. Assembled the tank/rear cowling halves.
• Engine - cleaned up carburetors.
• Exhaust - cleaned up the front pipes and the muffler. Assembled the muffler halves.
• Rear Shocks - cleaned up shocks and spring retainers.
• Stand - cleaned up parts and assembled bike stand.
• Swing Arm - cleaned up all rear brake components.
• Wheels - cleaned up the mold lines.
• Finished cleaning up all smaller parts remaining on sprues A and B.

• Body Work - cleaned up seam where halves met. It is now ready for priming to check for imperfections.
• Engine Covers - cleaned up the chrome parts. Tamiya located the 'gates' so they are hidden once the engine is assembled. Well done Tamiya!
• Front Discs - drilled out self cleaning holes. This time it didn't take as long this time, only 30mins for both discs. A total of 240 holes.
• Front Forks - de-chromed them with Easy-Off since most of it will painted in gold. I'll redo the telescopic portions with Bare-Metal Foil.
• Fuel Filters - cleaned them up and scored them so they will look like they have the paper element inside them.
• Muffler - cleaned up seam where halves met.
• Cleaned up remaining chrome and clears parts on sprues C and D.

99/04/28

Just looked over the box art to see what extra details I might/should add to the kit. It is pretty complete as is, but I think I'll do the following:

• Replace axle screws with 1/8" rod to eliminate screw heads.
• Change brake hose connector on rear caliper to a banjo connector and add brake sensor wires.
• Replace thin vinyl hoses with thinner black wire for throttle and clutch cables.
• Stain inside clear vinyl tubing so it looks like fuel is in it.
• Battery is completely visible, so I'll add a wiring harness with leads to the battery, lights, etc.
• Add 'tie wraps' to secure the harness to the bike's frame.

• I washed all parts with warm water/detergent mix to remove any release agent, fingerprints, etc. so no its ready for paint.

• Bodywork - primed with Floquil Reefer White.
• Frame - primed with Floquil Reefer White.
• Rear Springs - primed with Floquil Reefer White.

• Bodywork - applied some spot putty where needed along seams of fuel tank.

• Bodywork - wet sanded all the parts.

• Bodywork - re-primed the tank/rear cowl since the primer was sanded through in places. This also sealed the putty.

99/05/22

• Bodywork - wet sanded all the parts and painted with Italian Red. It might be a little too orange, but I'm going to keep it as is. This is the first time I used the MM Acryls and it sprays very nice and flat.
• Carburetors - painted with BM & XF-16. And pick out some detail with NBB.
• Chain & Sprockets - chain painted with X-10 and sprockets with NBA.
• Engine - painted with NBA and detail painted the chrome engine covers.
• Exhaust Pipes - painted with X-18.
• Frame -  painted with Italian Red.
• Front Fork Bodies - painted with NBB.
• Rear Shock Bodies - painted with NBB.
• Rear Springs - painted with Italian Red.
• Swing Arm -  painted with Red.
• Wheels - painted with NBB and detail painted the valves with Chrome Silver and XF-1.
  
• Painted the remaining odds & ends like seat, cowling brackets, bike stand, etc.

• Brake Discs - painted with BM, NBA & X-18.
• Engine - completed the engine assembly.
  
• Frame - detail painted the rear brake cylinder.
• Front Forks - used Bare-Metal Foil on the shafts for a nice shiny surface and detailed painted the calipers.
• Rear Caliper - assembled caliper on mounting bracket.
• Rear Shocks - used 'Ultra Bright Chrome' Bare-Metal Foil on the shafts for a nice shiny surface. Assembled the shocks and detailed painted them.
  
• Tires - removed mold line from tires with sandpaper and mounted them on the wheels.

• Bodywork - painted the fuel cocks on the tank with Chrome Silver
• Frame - touched up a few place where some Chrome Silver ran onto the Italian Red.
• Fuel Lines - filled the clear fuel line with a mix of X-19:1 + X:23:1 + X:24:1 to make it look like its full of fuel. Looks good but it still hasn't dried as it is not exposed to air. I may have to connect one end of the hoes, fill it and connect the other end to trap the "fuel" in the line.
• Handle Bars - finished detail painted the grips, etc.
• Swing Arm - touched up a few place where some Chrome Silver ran onto the Italian Red.

99/05/26

• Engine - added right engine cover and plug wires.
• Frame - added airbox, rear fender liner and installed engine into the frame.
• Front Wheel - glued on brake discs.
• Swing Arm - assembled rear swing arm, wheel, chain and caliper.

• Bodywork - clear coated the tank/rear fairing, front fairing and front fender.
• Exhaust Pipes - added to the engine/frame.

• Front Forks - assembled the front forks and added the brakes lines. Painted the ends of the brake lines with Chrome Silver to represent the compression fittings.

• Battery - painted and installed the battery. I didn't bother with a wiring harness after all since I didn't have enough information to properly do one.
• Front Forks - installed on the frame.
• Took some in progress photos.

• Bodywork - added all decals and used Micro-Set to soften them so they would hug the surface better. I used a new technique for wetting the decals.
• Clutch and Brakes Pedals - added these to the frame.
• Front Forks - added decals.
• Handlebars - added the clutch lever.
• Swingarm - added decals.
• Throttle and Clutch Cables - attached all cables to the appropriate connectors. I painted the ends with Chrome Silver to represent the cable ends.
• Took some in progress photos.

99/06/01

• Frame - added the headlight bracket and fairing supports. These secure the fairing to the frame.
• Tail Light - used 'Ultra Bright Chrome' Bare-Metal Foil for the reflector surface and glued in the lenses with Kristal Klear.

• Bodywork - clear coated the bodywork with MM Acryl Gloss Clear to seal the decals.
• Front Forks - clear coated the decals to seal them.
• Fuel Filler - inked the recessed lines to add definition to it's appearance.
• Swingarm - clear coated the decals to seal them.

• Bodywork - added fuel filler, seat and windscreen using Kristal Klear. Then glued it to the frame with Kristal Klear.
• Fuel Lines - added remaining fuel lines filled with 'fuel'.
• Windscreen - added two remaining decals could only be applied after the windscreen was added to the fairing.

Done!!!

This was a very enjoyable kit to build. I especially like the fact the detailed engine is in full view without any fairings covering all the work put into the bike.