It's not just Tamiya
that makes 1/12 scale bike kits: Hasegawa do a few now but so does lesser-known
manufacturer Aoshima - for some reason producing older (mostly Japanese)
classics and others like this Kawasaki which was a highly competent motorcycle
in its day but not really so special. I like these Aoshima kits because they are
generally well-produced and somewhat more economical than comparable Tamiya
models.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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I like to modify my bike kits at
least a little - pretty much as riders might their real machines. This kit had
its silencer and rear fender cut down; replacement "straight"
handlebars fitted, and mirrors discarded.
Otherwise, it was just given a brighter paint finish. Aviation fans might
recognize the tank badge . . .
All paints were Tamiya acrylics. All
cables were replaced with anything I could find that looked more in-scale. The
(empty) beer can in the last picture was given to me in an IKEA store here in
Nanjing, China as a sort of promotional thing. It was then full. It was good
beer though, of course, I am not in any way really suggesting that beer and
motorcycles should necessarily go together. Heaven forbid.
Greg
Kerry
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