31 - 1/9 Italeri Norton Manx 500cc
What a beautiful bike and an amazing kit. I absolutely loved this, one of my favourite models so far, I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
I lost the exhaust pipe so had to make one from some sprue, carefully heating it up and bending it into the correct shape.
When it came to painting I decided against the black frame and found the Francis Beart bike that he raced in the Manx TT. That green was a no brainer.
It was built as a clean restored bike. I absolutely love it.
Hope you enjoy it.
What a beautiful bike, my friend Anthony, I love your colour scheme, although most were finished in the traditional black/ silver. Many are still raced today in classic bike races. The last time I was privileged to watch one of my all time heroes, the late, great Barry Sheene, he raced one of these at the Goodwood Revival meeting. Now they have named the trophy in his honour. A great bike, an equally great model. The Manx name, came, of course, from the famous Isle of Man TT races, they were usually known as Manx Nortons. The Isle of Man hosts these annual road races, fantastic to watch.
Thanks a lot George, wow must have been amazing to see Barry Sheen racing at Goodwood, what an absolute privilege. Yeah would love to witness one of the Isle of Man races, must be an incredible experience.
That's a real beauty, Anthony! Nice save and work with the exhaust pipe.
Thanks a lot Gary, was stumped, not much of a scratch builder yet and was going to order a replacement but to get it to South Africa was about 6 months to wait, so decided I was having too much fun and would attempt it. Turned out Ok, don't think anyone would notice unless I told them it wasn't the real thing.
Beautiful bike Anthony @anthonyricco! 👍 Great scale modeling sir! 🍻
I love those old "thumpers", and once had the more modern equivalent in my Yamaha SR500. I bought it new in 1978, and sure wish I still had it! 😃
A relevant aside-A local attorney has a very nice motorcycle collection, including two original BSA Gold Stars. One looks like it just left the factory. I wonder what that one might be worth? 😉 😊
Wow thats a real beaut Gary, pity you don't have it anymore. Would be worth a pretty penny. Beautiful bike, think you need to build a scale replica of it to memorialise it.
Thanks Anthony! Yes, it's a pity I couldn't have kept that SR500, but at the time I had Harley fever and had to sell the Yamaha in order to get the HD. I wish I could've afforded then to have kept them both. I bet there are Yamaha 500 kits available!
The above-mentioned attorney also has an XT500. I've been tempted lately to inquire about buying that one, but now at 70, I'm not too certain I need to be toolin' around on just two wheels! 😉 😁
Ah pity you had to sell it man, yeah, Aoshima makes some SR500 kits, you should at least try build one of them.
Unless you go buy the other one. Hahaha.
Great looking model. They are making bikes that look like that again these days, Royal Enfield (India) has one, and Triumph IIRC.
Thanks Bill, yeah they are making the classic shapes again, I guess thats why they are classics, the design styling never gets old. But now you pay a pretty penny for them.
That looks a stunner, well done Anthony
Thanks so much Kevin, the bike did all the work, not hard to make it look good.
Absolutely beautiful, Anthony @anthonyricco
A great save on the exhaust.
Thanks a lot John, yeah was happy I managed to make the exhaust look like it should.
That is an incredibly well built model, and the paint scheme is beautiful.
Thanks so much for the awesome compliment Walt B (@luftwaffe-birdman)
Very BEAUTIFUL bike! One of my son's favorites...
Thanks Tom, yeah its a beauty, your son has good taste.
Amazing build, Anthony! What a wonderful result!
Congratulations!
Thanks so much Spiros Pendedekas (@fiveten) - appreciate it - one of my favourite builds.
Absolutely beautiful, Anthony!
Thanks so much Eric @eb801
Outstanding, Sir. You knocked that one right out of the park!
Gary, I too had a '78 SR500E and regret selling it every time I look at a motorcycle. Thumpers are GOOD!
phil
Phil @phillipfriddell, Weren't they great rides?!? 🍻 It was the best bike I've ever owned! 👍
Thanks a lot Phil, ah so you also need to build a SR500
Is there a kit for it, Anthony? I rode for decades, raced motocross and competed in enduros, and even did observed trials (I still have my Bultaco Sherpa T and most of a Pursang Mk V) but I've rarely built models of motorcycles and don't know what's available!
Gary, the SR500s were a gift to the motorcyclist for sure. Not very fast on the top end but quick and nimble, a first rate canyon-carver if ever there was one. I loved every minute I spent on mine!
I've enclosed a couple of photos of my Type 159 Sherpa T for your enjoyment. Not plastic but a lot of fun anyway!
phil
phil
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Hey Phil you are in luck Aoshima make a couple of SR500 kits - here is a stalemates link to check it out https://www.scalemates.com/kits/aoshima-049341-yamaha-sr500-20th-anniversary-model-1998--1190536
Its not such an old kit so you should find them around
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Wow, this model turned out great. Really like it a lot.
Thanks so much Greg @gwfabian, very happy with it.
That is very cool, love the color of the frame!
Thanks Rob @robertandy - yeah when I saw a pic of that colour I was sold immediately.
Beautiful. You sure it’s not real ?
I still own 3 Yamaha 500 ´s .
2 XT’s one SR.
They are for sale .
@bernardbedeur, Bernard, wonder what the shipping would be on one of those 500s, over to central Texas? 😆 How much for that SR? 😄
Hi Gary.
I’ll take a picture of it. Out of town now but back next week
It’s not stock entirely. Has blackened engine, spoked wheels and Super trap exhaust. Normal seating but racing performance .
I’ll figure out shipping. I can crate it and will think of a price.
Mind you it has no electric start and takes skill to start a Big Mono like that.
Thank you for your interest .
Haha, thanks Bernard @bernardbedeur, I wish it was real, think it would look a lot better, was gonna try sit on it but that may cause a problem for both the bike and my butt.
Why are you selling your bikes?
One XT needs work. The second one as well but in good shape. I’ll probably will re-build the engine some day soon.
The SR is more of an AHRMA racer. It’s registered in California. I’ll sell this one this Year.
It’s just too hard to start and be on the road with all the crazy’s wanting to Race Bikes on public roads.it has a racing Carb and is loud . I also have a Kawasaki CSR 750 Twin.
That’s the best bike I ever owned after having had British Twins, triples and Japanese Twins.( Best power curves besides Mono’s .) that one gives me enough nimbleness and Power to carve traffic and get away from the madness.
Thanks Anthony. Some day I’ll go to Man For the TT…as a spectator ! Not Man enough for that type of Racing even though in Belgium we had similar circuits, Chimay, Mettet and Francorchamps. I saw people die on those circuits..
Wow, seems you know your way around a bike or 7, awesome man, yeah would love to witness the Man TT, but crazy crazy stuff hey.
@anthonyricco - Damn fine build Anthony!
I would never have known the exhaust pipe wasn't part of the original kit. I was trying to see it after reading the article and I couldn't tell. Great color scheme and great detail work. The tiny Norton logo must have been a challenge to hand paint.
Thanks so much Brian @brithebuilder, appreciate the comments. Loved the colour scheme as well. Had to do it when I saw it.
The trick with the Norton logo was a Molotow pen. It's a really cool pen with a thin tip and chrome paint inside it so you just touch the logo lightly and it applies the paint. Worked quite well.
Great looking bike! Fantastic job on the exhaust. The engine sells itself.
Was great to see all the others chime in about their experiences about "thumpers". My first thought when I saw that Manx motor was how much fun the torque that motor had, must've felt. Everyone I've known that had a SR500 yamaha has always said the same thing ("...wish I had it back...") .
Have ridden a suzuki S40 (aka 650 Savage), really fun.
Doug @eydugstr, you got that right! 👍 I wish I had it back too. 😄 Yes sir, it had torque for days, and handled like it was on rails. My only complaint back then was the thin, sort of hard, seat. Extended time on that could be "uncomfortable"...😉
Can imagine it wasn't a first choice for interstate travel! Still the combination of light weight & torque, looks like fun. Great pics!
Thanks Doug! 👍 I thought of it as "short hopper" and usually didn't ride for longer than an hour or so. But yes, big fun! Coulda, shoulda...damn...would still be fun today! 😁
Thanks for the comment Doug @eydugstr - Never had the privilege of riding one but man I can imagine it must be an amazing experience.
Great looking bike!
Thanks so much Robert @roofrat.
Wow, that's a beauty! Great job on your build.
Thanks Bob @v1pro - appreciate your comment.
Echoing all the above comments of this excellent build. Keep ‘em coming.
Thanks a lot Matt @coondog - will definitely keep coming.
This is beautiful. I know the post is a year old but maybe you will see it: What paint/color did you use for the frame? And are the decals from the kit?
Thanks so much!
Hi Michael - Thanks so much for the message. Really appreciate it. the colour was Mr Color 391 - Interior Turquoise Green (Soviet) with a thin layer of clear green over it. And Yes those are the kit decals. Really Enjoyed this build a ton.