Yamaha YZR-M1 2004 1/12 Tamiya

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here in the forum.

My name is Hugo, and I'm from Portugal. I started modeling just two or three ago so don't expect to see great modeling skills, but I hope to be able to improve as the time goes by. I'll be taking as much advice from you guys as I can, so please comment at will.
Although this is a bike I started by making 1/24th cars, but the ones I already built are not that good so maybe I'll show them someday... maybe not. But I'll be doing a car next.

As for this project I started about 9 months ago. It's the Yamaha YZR-M1 2004, from Tamiya. In addition to the kit itself I also used some aftermarket parts and even tried to make some small parts out of milliput.

Now, enough writing. This is what I began with:

http://i68.tinypic.com/2ez4acp.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/sqmwes.jpg


And then the shock-absorver reservoir

http://i63.tinypic.com/2yyxg1f.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/f4lp2e.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/qrhunl.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/hrx150.jpg


Then I looked at the exhaust manifold and thought "there's something missing...", so I used a small piece of styrene and cut and molded those small pieces (I don't know the name of them in english).

http://i68.tinypic.com/30c4vtj.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/118zybd.jpg


And now some mixed parts already painted
http://i63.tinypic.com/16ktfrl.jpg


Detailed picture of the finished shock-absorver, only missing the decal
http://i66.tinypic.com/2eefm8l.jpg


And some parts that I tryed to paint in order to simulate carbon fibre
http://i63.tinypic.com/29267vm.jpg


Sorry for these two final pics, I've forgot to resize then.

Comments are welcome. Sorry for the bad english.

There is one thing missing from my "photo-report", that is the painting of the parts, but I can say that I used Tamiya TS51, generic black for the frame, and and brushed the smaller parts with Tamiya acrylics.

The clutch was detailed by drilling it, and placing some pieces of tubing in there.
http://i64.tinypic.com/34igv2p.jpg

Now the front brake calipers parts.
http://i68.tinypic.com/2vv2rnk.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/ejd73s.jpg


And now for the engine. I added some parts to it that I molded in putty, and also some more details.
http://i68.tinypic.com/zxwl8h.jpg



http://i63.tinypic.com/294l4y9.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/1znc5du.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/n5rbew.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/t5lzs0.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/iwqava.jpg


Some more small parts I made. First with a small piece of styrene and a small piece of sprue I would begin the brake adjuster for the left handle. And after that some other parts that go in the back of the bike.
http://i65.tinypic.com/2a8g8yg.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/25yxjit.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/10fq9gj.jpg


The clutch linkage was replaced by a metal aftermarket piece (sorry for the blurry picture).
http://i68.tinypic.com/2edxmhi.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/wgyya1.jpg

Here are some more pictures.

http://i67.tinypic.com/b8k0pl.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/30lnyuf.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/28l43m8.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/2uz8new.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/25a172u.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/95wvt2.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/33mwkmw.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/14e4fif.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/v8n38k.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/mmrj3a.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/fe2pnk.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/2a4zsbq.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/9s3qlj.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/2pqjc08.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/2qwdird.jpg

And here is the Hobby Design chain. I think I won't be doing another one of these so soon.

http://i68.tinypic.com/1z69xyb.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2wei1yh.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/34feljq.jpg

Until next time.

Here is another batch of pictures from this build.

http://i68.tinypic.com/qx7v6h.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/1zvzvcj.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/2ey7sjc.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/sv2tc6.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/mn2dtw.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/fmt6ig.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/10ene2p.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/f4flt.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2untspe.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/29ps2eg.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/9qv1fs.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/2egfp7q.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/nl7ghy.jpg

And that's it, it's finished. The nest pictures will be in the Completed Projects.

jmclane - really good job so far for someone new to the forum.

Not sure how many Bikes you have built before, but good wok on the exhaust headpipes

Did you airbrush the exhaust pipes? heat staining?

too bad you are using the Tamiya supplied "black" tubing for the brakes and clutch lines - they are too large for the correct scale - try using more scale appropriate tubing from T2M or Top Studio etc.

Otherwise looks good.

How much trouble did you have with the HD chain?? I tried building one but it keeps falling apart.

Cheers
John

Hi John,

Thanks for your kind words.

I've only built one bike previously, a Yamaha R1. I liked the building part, but it didn't get any other details, neither aftermarket nor handmade. In the end the clearcoat got wierd, and I gave up (I need new decals to strip and repaint).

For the exhaust I painted with Alclad Chrome, masked some thin strips, and then I gave it a very light coat of Smoke. Then, with the masks still in place, I used the Tamiya pigments set for a bit of yellow and blue (that thing that looks like women make-up).

The tubing... I have smaller tubing (0,9mm) but I made a mistake - I should have prepared theparts before assembling them, and in the end I wasn't able to fit the smaller tubing in the right places. With everything glued I would make it worse if I tried do cut the plastic pins, drill holes and put a new, thinner, metal pin. So, instead of ruining everything I just used the Tamiya tubing. It was a lesson for my next bike build.

The chain... it may not be too noticeble, but it took a lot of CA glue and patience. And even with that when I was putting it in place it lost a couple of links - I took it out and it lost a few more - glued again, put in place, lost a few other links again. So I just left it in place, even with a few links missing. Wont do another one so soon.

Best regards,
Hugo