Tamiya 1/12 Yamaha (RZ) RD 350. *Completed*

[dayzofspeed]

Well it's been over 2 years since I made a start on this by de-chroming stuff
But I've finally made a start, as mentioned in a previous post this will be my first attempt at a pocket rocket.
The progress so far...







Please ignore the plate in the middle pic the missus brought me some lemon cheesecake up. The tank and seat cowl have been filled with sprue goo and sanded down to the best of my ability with wet and dry sandpaper in an attempt to remove the horrible seam that was present which is now very barely evident and then primed with vallejo grey surface primer.
I'll probably be leaving the separate fairings off tho that's not definite. I will however be leaving the mirrors off as the kit ones are square and the UK version had round mirrors. plus every bike I ever owned the first thing I did was remove the mirrors
One question I have, at 1/12 scale is it really necessary to go for an ultra high gloss paint job or would a normal gloss paint be sufficient

[Clashcityrocker]

Pity we didn't get to see the cheesecake I'd just go with a standard gloss.

Nigel

[JamesPerrin]

Food updates are very important here on UAMF.

Look forward to more progress.

[general rocket]

I saw one of these about 6 months ago, it flashed past at definitely not legal speed. I would go along with Flash and use the standard gloss.

[syd-baines]

good start these bikes was very popular back in the 1980s the 250cc version being more popular they was a good little bike i have never owned one but i have ridden one a few times and they was a quick little bike i built one a while back and it was a good kit to build looking forward to seeing more

[dayzofspeed]

These are the parts that were de-chromed a couple of years back when I first started with this kit before being sidetracked. Turned out to be a lot easier than I imagined and were simply soaked in very cheap bleach for a few hours then rinsed off. The grab rail and headlamp housing stay chromed as per the original bike, carbs were also done but they're now painted and fixed on the engine

[dayzofspeed]

Pity we didn't get to see the cheesecake I'd just go with a standard gloss.

Nigel

round here cheesecake doesn't last long enough to be photographed
Thanks for the heads up on which paint to use for the tank and panels guys...appreciated

[dayzofspeed]

I've decided to try painting it with gloss enamel as I'm hoping that will be harder wearing and maybe glossier than acrylic. Never put enamels thru my airbrush so hoping it doesn't bung it up

[ShaunW]

As an ex-350LC owner, it's great to see one being built in model form. Makes me wish I'd not sold my last one now although the YPVS was a better bike IMHO.

[dayzofspeed]

I never owned one of these bikes, I just loved Yammies during my early years as a biker.

Back to the build. Frame painted and engine is mounted. I gave up with the vallejo light grey primer really dont like it as It really gums up the airbrush so I primed the white parts with a rattle can ( no pics of those as yet ). Unfortunately that primer is white so could get a little iffy trying to airbrush white on white but as I'm still not 100% decided if I'll be using the cowlings I'll practice on those first before doing the tank and panels
I'm really enjoying this build so there could be more bikes in the pipeline. I just wish I could actually find a kit of a bike I actually owned but I've given up on that idea

[dayzofspeed]

Rear fender painted up and fixed in place



I'm currently toying with the idea of painting the seat with Tamiya Rubber Black xf85 but it's not a colour I have any experience of. Instructions call out for semi gloss black but I'm not sure that's the way I want to go either...decisions decisions
something else just crossed my mind. I have an old soft black leather tobacco pouch I could cut up for a leather seat tho the grain may be too big for this scale if it will even conform correctly into the correct shape...probably not

[dayzofspeed]

went with rubber black. it's a nice colour but is it too grey, too flat?...opinions welcomed, at the end of the day it should be vinyl not rubber

[DamianHarty]

I just wish I could actually find a kit of a bike I actually owned but I've given up on that idea

I am working on solving that issue by teaching myself 3D CAD and 3D printing. My progress is glacial but hugely rewarding. See "1/12 VFR750F" in this forum and "3D Printing Too" in the Small Talk forum.

It's definitely the future!

[general rocket]

As an ex-350LC owner, it's great to see one being built in model form. Makes me wish I'd not sold my last one now although the YPVS was a better bike IMHO.

Better all round, but somehow, sanitised.

[Muttzley]

As an ex-350LC owner, it's great to see one being built in model form. Makes me wish I'd not sold my last one now although the YPVS was a better bike IMHO.

Better all round, but somehow, sanitised.

Not if you let Mr Stan Stevens have a fiddle around with one...

Had a rather nice black and lime green one with a stage 3 tune, week after i sold it to me mate - he flipped it trying to do a wheelie down Margate and completely totalled it across the front of a parked Jag!