Yamaha YZF-R1 Progress Thread

Try as I might, I couldn't drum up any enthusiasm to do Takeshi Nakazato's R32. Didn't really feel like doing a car, so here I am starting my Yamaha YZF-R1. It'll have a two tone red/white paint scheme, with red on top and white on bottom. Going to look into detailing the engine and creating some carbon fiber look with fine mesh. Will need to pick up some fine gauge wire and some plumbers mesh. Parts were washed today with warmwater/soap and will be primed later tonight possibly.

http://www.yamaha-yzfr1.co.uk/imgr1gallery/imgmy/myr12.jpg

I've built this model once and i'm about to start it again, my first one turned out very good but i want to use a different shade of blue, i used boyds blue pearl for the first one and i just picked up Tamiya's telefonica blue and its a much beter match, I was going to do the red and white colors but the blue is just bugging me, I can't wait to see some pics

imo, i think all yamahas should go blue because that is there colors for dirtbikes and they look good in it too. I have built this model and it was fun too build i hope u have fun too and remember we love pics.

The instructions call for TS-50 to match the blue on the real bike, but I think TS-50 is too light. TS-51 is a good match but I already used it on my Suzuki RGV gamma (actually I think Ts-51 is too dark). Don't know about TS Metallic Blue, though. Pics will come as soon as the sprues finish drying :o

i'm about to go to a yamaha dealer with paint chips, lol i do have pics of my other yamaha, I airbrushed one coat of boyds dark yellow on the body without using primer and I still can't beleive it turned out as good as it didhttp://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/595711bike1.jpg http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/201963bike2.jpg http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/192716bike3.jpg

That's all well and good saying all Yamahas should be blue because their dirtbikes are, but here in th U.K Yamahas dirtbikes are white!!!
Hondas are red, Suzukis are yellow and Kawasakis are green

yea yamaha just changed it to blue a few years back do they have KTM's over there?

Well...if it turns out half as good as your first one, its going to look great.
Keep the updates coming :)

Styxnpicks....dude, that bike kicks arse....very nice :flash: :flash:

Yes mhp we have KTMs over here and they're orange, my mate races one in the local club and has been 1st in 250 experts for the last 4 years!

here is a stupid question for everyone

are motorcycles any easier or harder than cars???

I find bikes can be easier to detail because of their big scale but also any mistakes are also magnified by the scale. So it's a double edged sword.

Interesting fact: the blue color for the YZF-R1 was so popular in Britain that there was a backorder for several months after it first came out.

Edit: I found lots of good reference pics today. Check this site out:
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcyam/r1/engine/

Has engine and chassis pics, as well as a pic of the bike without the cowl. After looking at pics of the lines, I think that I'll be keeping the Tamiya vinyl tubing, as it *is* pretty much in scale.

thanks for the site!! it'll really help

Here are some progress pics on the engine, w/ the scratchbuilt offering to the floor demons!:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/engine1.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/engine2.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/engine3.jpg

The reference pics I used:
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcyam/r1/engine/r1_eng2t.jpg
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcyam/r1/engine/r1_eng1t.jpg
http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/buzz/mc/r1-topics/engine/images/shaft.jpg

Here is the frame, I didn't have much reference pics to go by, so I followed the instructions:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/frame1.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/frame2.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/frame3.jpg

I also figured out the correct whitebalance on my digital camera to get good color quality. Yay!

Looking very good....great detail. Keep the good work up

:dogpile: lookin good, keep postin pics:wave:

It look's very nice so far. Great job.
Keep posting pics.
Cheers.

Orlando.
:sun:

Got the rear wheel and swingarm done today. Rear disc was drilled out with pin vise. Pics:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/rear1.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/rear2.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kaiyao1/yzf/rear3.jpg

Would you believe it that the body still has not received a touch of paint yet! There are some annoying glue joins that I need to putty out on the main body and also the two tone paint job is gonna take a little bit of time.

Very nice job so far daggerlee. :)

Nuno