YZF R1 Racing
Hi everyone, I apologise for my lack of build activity in recent months, I now have my new man cave fully operational so I can get back to it!
This is the Tamiya 1:12 Taira racing R1 kit. I received it as a Xmas present from the sister in law last year, but having already previously built the kit I decided to take a slightly different approach. Coming to think of it actually I didn't exactly follow the instructions last time round neither.
This time I decided to convert the model into a race bike. The design and graphics are from the great Valentino Rossi's test Yamaha M1 from the 2012- 2013 seasons. I have used the decals as a rough guideline, but have placed them roughly where it felt appropriate on this much older bike.
As it will be track use only, out came the hacksaw and off came the number plate. I also removed the indicators and mirrors etc, just the boring legal stuff! The lights were next to go as we won't be needing those! The front and rear fenders have been replaced with light weight carbon fibre and I have installed a carbon Akrapovic end can. The frame and wheels were painted black consistent with the more modern sports bikes and I have also sanded down the rubber tyres to give a more realistic worn look.
The kit went together without any problems at all, not that we would expect any from Tamiya. And I didn't balls anything up neither which was a bonus! In all I am rather happy with the outcome, but I am easily pleased!
I have included a photo of it with the road legal version for a comparison.
Thanks for looking.
Some nice details there Rich, well done.
Danny
Thank you very much mate!
Nice-lookin' build, Richard...seems I'm seein' more and more bikes lately. The only one I can remember doin' was that chopper with the extended forks from Easy Rider. Looked pretty good - for a while (trouble with those is they're mighty fragile).
Cheers Craig. They are getting popular! I'll agree with you there, there's a lot of fiddly bits which can easily be knocked off. I'm finding that visitors like to look at them with their hands too! I'm dreading my next move as well, no amount of bubble wrap seems to get them there intact.
Nice modelling, Richard, and the photos show it to best advantage.
Thanks Rob. I hate to break the illusion but it's just my coffee table pushed up against the fridge! Eleven in the morning seems to provide the best lighting.
NICE! it looks like you could get on it and drive it away!
Thank you mate. Much appreciated.
Hey Rich, you might be kidding these guys but not me oh no ! thats you're actual bike aint it ?
N.
Cheers mate, thanks! I have been thinking about getting a van and a track bike recently mind...
Nicely done Richard, I like the wear on it, shows it`s not a paddock sitter...
Well done mate, nice builds.
Thanks very much Simon, cheers!
Hi, Richard, good to see you back in the groove, that's a really cool conversion, it shows your enthusiasm for the real thing nicely. What's next?
Hi George, how are things? Thanks very much! It's good to be back! Next I need to get through the stash I have accumulated in my time off. I don't actually have another bike kit in there though, although I'm sure somebody will get me one for Xmas, probably another R1! The Ducati 1199 kit looks pretty good mind.
The next model I'm working on is an Apache AH-64D. It's from a manufacturer called Hapdong and it's in 1:35. I'm unfamiliar with them but it looks like a decent kit. My old Apache didn't do particularly well in the many house moves of recent times, and to be honest I think I can do a better job of it now.
Do you have anything on the go right now or is your next build top secret? Cheers
No secrets here on iModeler, Richard! Bike wise I've got Tamiya's Ducati 2004 GP model to post, I managed to get some after market Marlboro decals for it, so it's a real smoker! And there's a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R just started, to be finished in Candy Lime Green, to my mind all Kawasakis should be green. There's a McLaren F1 GTR long tail Le Mans car in 1/24 by Fujimi almost completed (there's a bit of a WIP post in the new automotive group on this site. Oh, yeah, there's also the little French tank I'm building for the Battle of Britain/France group build.
I've never heard of Hapdong, although they sound Chinese, good luck with that.
I'm sure I'll be getting the new Ducati 1199 sometime soon, especially as they also a fork kit for it.
Thanks for your interest,
I like the McLaren! I've been fascinated by them since I was a kid. The new P1 is some machine! I've watched a couple of reviews and it something else!
The ZX-12 is a cool bike, look forward to seeing that one.
Now that is a great modification! Here Here Richard! I love the photo with both of the bikes. Sooooo? Are you going to challenge Danny to a race? I am loving these motorcycles.
California Steve
Cheers Steve, thanks! They are great kits to build! Very fiddly but rewarding. You can pretty much do whatever you want with them as well to create a unique model.
I think we should have a hypothetical race! I'll ask him.
I think we both agree that the R1 is the faster bike! The 916 would come out of the corners faster but the R1 is an animal in the high revs! Very scary bikes, I've owned 2 in the past.
The new Ducati 1199 against the new R1... that would be an interesting one.
You bike builders are making me envious. Might have to try one.
Yours is great Richard. Glad you showed the stock version so that we could see the effort that went into the conversion.
Thanks Al, much appreciated. They are definitely worth a try. They are fiddly and at times frustrating, but worth it in the end when they are all parked together on the shelf! Cheers
Beautiful, great workmanship and professional photography create a illusion
that it s real !
Thank you very much! The background is just a coffee table and a fridge though! I have a nice black glass TV stand that would make a cool surface, but that would involve unplugging then rewiring a surround sound system! Cheers
Richard,
You bike guys never cease to amaze me with your skillful builds. This is masterful.
Thanks very much Frank! Much appreciated.
Great looking bike Richard, very well done.
Cheers mate, thanks very much! The R1 always was a looker till 2008, then they started making them ugly!