Kato's 2001 250cc Honda NSR250...

[The Sheene Machine]

It's been a long time since I posted a build thread on this forum, so....For the benefit of those who haven't seen this thread elsewhere, I'll post my progress on this one over the next few days and catch up to where I am now....

A new build from me, Hasagawa's new kit of Kato's championship winning Honda NSR250. I need a break from resin transkits, so I've chosen to do this largely from the box, with just some minor upgrades.
Here's a ref pic of the machine....


I've decided to do this version of the bike, which has a black background to the lower cowl Repsol logo, just to be different.


The decal sheet in the kit is spot on, all of the flourescent markings are correct - tabacco markings are supplied via Tabu Design...


I am at the stage of just cleaning parts up and glueing things together. The fit is superb, especially the lower cowl - very good, in fact almost too good. I'll need to watch paint biuld up in some areas. Here's some pics so far.





I filled in the mounting holes on the lower cowl and removed the stubs on the upper fairing, the lower cowl will simply be glued in place on the finished model. I'll then use some etch fasteners.




The body parts are nearly ready from primer...


The tank comes in four parts and needs a little filler for a clean result...


..as does the seat..


The exhausts are moulded with a 'jacket' over them which will be black, exposing just a little of the actual pipe, so little or no heat staining opportunities here..


More soon.

[The Sheene Machine]

Ok guys, here's the next update..

So far the kit is a delight. The engineering is first rate, everything fits together without issue. The only thing I've noticed is the plastic is softer than that used by Tamiya, so thin parts are fragile.

Most of the main parts are now in primer...the body parts are ready for basecoat paint, except for a rub down with some wet and dry paper..getting the seams perfect took a while longer than I thought.. .grey parts will be blue, white lower cowl will get flourescent paint..


The frame and swingarm. I filled in the insides of the swingarm - at least the areas that will be visible on the completed model...it also compliments the filler pieces on the frame...I removed some boltheads and moulded on details to be replace with etch etc later..


Swingarm...I removed the bolts from the chain guard and drilled out the adjusters...


The wheels, removed air valves and a lot of seams..took a while to get right...these will get some Top Studio valves after paint.


I will have the bodywork in blue in the next update.

[The Sheene Machine]

Here's what happened when I began painting...

Little bit of a disaster....I chose to try the Zero Suzuki 2001 Telefonica blue for the Honda (same year) - however it turns out that the 2001 piant is the same that was mixed for the 2003 Honda's and is therefore miles off.....the 2001 bikes, both the Roberts Suzuki and Kato Honda, were painted in a solid, bright blue. Hasegawa recommend GSI cobalt blue - I've gone for a slightly brighter blue which is on it's way from Japan. So, if you have painted your 2001 Suzuki in Tamiya's racing or Telefonica blues, it's wrong too. :-?
The parts were stripped last weekend and are now sat in primer again. Here's how far off the Zero paint is....the small decal goes on the windscreen, and even that's not quite right. I'll be painting this part on the screen.



Thanks goes to Skylinefan for his 2001 Suzuki RGV biuld which helped with the colour choice...

Here's an update, I've finally sorted the main colour out after some heartache with the wretched Zero Telefonica blue. I had yet another search about for the correct colour and found a mention on the Max Moto site of cobalt blue...Hasegawa list the colour as simply H5 from the GSI Creos range - if you go this route it matches the decals provided for the windscreen and the faded white to blue stripe across the nose. It's miles off the actual colour of the bike, which for me is always the preference. I purchased two 10ml bottles of Mr Hobby 80 Cobalt blue - to my eye the near equivolent would be Tamiya's Brilliant blue (TS44?), close to the Calsonic colour I think.

I tested the paint first over grey primer and latterly white - the results speak for themselves...the white totally changes the shade, amazing!!


So, I proceeded with the blue, but first I had to basecoat the grey primer parts using Zero brilliant white. I sprayed 3 coats of cobalt blue and cleared about an hour later. I'm very pleased with the shade now, much more in keeping with the '01 Telefonica bikes. Here's how the colour looked on the 2001 Suzuki...



For the lower cowl, I sprayed Zero basecoat white, then airbrushed the small flo yellow strip, and masked off, repaint white and then flo red. The yellow section will get covered in a flo yellow decal, but I felt the shade maybe compromised by the flo red if I had of just left it. It also tidy's up the edges if the decal isn't big enough.

So, next up is polishing the clear, get the decals on and clear again.

More soon.

[John18d]

Interesting that you noted the difference in the colors depending on the primer color used - I have found that I always use Tamiya fine "white" primer unless I'm spraying black on top then I use Tamiya "grey" primer. Also Hiroboy does two different paints for the Telefonica bikes - I have the Suzuki colors and the Honda colors but they are not the same - I will have to dig them out and check for a color match - otherwise I will use TS-44 when I build my NSR250 kit. - looks really good Paul -I always like to watch your work because I learn a lot from your builds - John

[ben_gsr2s]

nice progress.

i'll be watching this.

i've built a lot of tamiya bike, but recently Tamiya a bit slow on releasing new bike and Hasegawa + Aoshima have very good offering.

my only doubt with Hasegawa was the fitment / kit quality, but from your explanation.. i think it is time to get some hasegawa bike..

keep updating!!
very informative

[The Sheene Machine]

Thanks guys, I'm glad your enjoying the thread.

@John....It frustrates me that Tamiya and some other companies get the colours wrong....I do lots of research to get a good idea about the actual tones used...Tamiya's Telefonica blue is miles off....for this and a number of other bikes...

Another update from me.....

I've begun decalling the body parts, tank and front fender are done and cleared...seat is decalled only as is the lower cowl....the blue here looks a little lighter than in reality.....I'm pleased with my colour option...

...the lower cowl still needs some carbon decals adding....

.. the seat was decalled last night...I lost a small piece of decal on the Honda logo, a little part broke away from the 'A'...it'll be fixed with some spare decal..

..unfortunately while reclearing the fairing I kinda got it wrong....clear ran and I had some contaminants on the surface...this'll be going in the IPA shortly to be redone...


More soon...

[The Sheene Machine]

..and here we are nearly up to date...apologies for the quality of the next 3 photo's...the actual colour is darker than see here, refer to my earlier post for the correct tone.

Time for an update (sorry this one isn't going along quickly!) - I've managed to complete the decalling and clearing stage of the biuld, always a milestone for me. The fairing was stripped, repainted, cleared, decalled and cleared a few weeks back and last week I polished all of the items together. I'm pleased with the result though I did have a problem with the white background Honda logo that goes across the nose - it came with a fade into blue which was darker than my corrected blue, I tried airbrushing that out and fading in the lighter blue only to make a complete mess of it...nearly lost the decal. I will have to rethink the process again should I need to do it on another build.
One word of advice for those attempting this model...the decal's stick like limpets...very difficult to move once positioned, so get your's in the right place. I had a problem with the right side Movistar logo, it's slightly off...anyhow, I can now get on with the frame and engine.

Two images of the bike mocked up. The frame has been coated in Zero's satin black and the seat support has been carbon decalled, just needs clearing before painting the rest of the frame with Alclad.



More soon...

[John18d]

Paul - Decals and paint look good - nice gloss finish - the satin black - is that better than gloss black under AlClad? also what AlClad color will you use for the frame/swingarm. What do you use to fill the areas on the frame/swingarm. Will you paint the inside of the body panels with black? or will you do it in carbon fiber? patiently waiting for the next install - John

[John18d]

Paul - do you have a Zero part number for the "satin black"? I looked over the Hiroboy Zero listings but didn't see it - only "rubber black" and "semi-gloss black" - thanks - John

[The Sheene Machine]

Originally Posted by John18d

Paul - Decals and paint look good - nice gloss finish - the satin black - is that better than gloss black under AlClad? also what AlClad color will you use for the frame/swingarm. What do you use to fill the areas on the frame/swingarm. Will you paint the inside of the body panels with black? or will you do it in carbon fiber? patiently waiting for the next install - John

Hi John, thanks for your continued interest. The reason for the Zero satin/semi gloss black is for the carbon decals which were fitted to the seat support. In reality the Zero satin acted as another undercoat over the primer. The decals were cleared, polished and then masked off....I recoated the frame with a satin black from a rattle can (Halfords) and then airbrush Polished Aluminium. Over satin this gives a slightly subdued finish to the frame which was what I was after. Over gloss black the PA (or chrome) will give the finish Alclad suggest. My refs indicated a slightly dulled finish would be appropriate. You'll note from the pics that the Zero semi gloss looks a little flat...which is why I canned' on another coat a Halfords satin/semi black.

With most of my paint choices I test first - I did this too with the semi gloss/Alclad PA method too.

The frame has inserts provided in the kit which were blended in and sanded down...awkward job!! For the swingarm I used Tamiya epoxy putty.

The insides of the fairing/lower cowl and seat will be airbrushed...semi gloss black. I thinking of adding some heat shield material inside the lower cowl.

Originally Posted by John18d

Paul - do you have a Zero part number for the "satin black"? I looked over the Hiroboy Zero listings but didn't see it - only "rubber black" and "semi-gloss black" - thanks - John

Sorry to confuse things..My satin black is the Zero semi gloss black....though you can use most of the blacks from Zero as they all dry to a semi/satin finish anyway.
My next update will show the frame, swingarm and exhausts completed, just got to do the photos.

[cinqster]

Very nice work so far, Paul!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't even know Hasagawa made 1/12th bikes until I saw your thread! Judging by your photos, the quality looks to be up there with Tamiya's standards...may have to have a look at these kits too!

[John18d]

Originally Posted by cinqster

Very nice work so far, Paul!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't even know Hasagawa made 1/12th bikes until I saw your thread! Judging by your photos, the quality looks to be up there with Tamiya's standards...may have to have a look at these kits too!

cinqster - the Hasegawa kits are not of the quality of Tamiya in my opinion - they are far better than the Fujimi kits, but definitely not what a Tamiya kit is. Still I have 5 of them - 1 each of the RS250RWs and 1 each of the NSR250s - there is a third NSR250 that was run in the "All Japan" series which I ordered from HLJ but I have not got that one yet - also they are going to release the 87-88' "Eddie Lawson" YZR500 which I will have to still order. - I have that kit is 1/9 from Protar but not one in 1/12.

If I had to make a complaint I'd say it is that Tamiya has nice substructures that are held in place with small screws and Hasegawa used little "nubs" and "holes" that interlink to hold the pieces together - also where Tamiya might have 6-7 parts for an assembly Hasegawa will have 1-2 - everything is molded as one or two pieces. Anyone else want to give an opinion?? - John

[The Sheene Machine]

I'd be inclined to disagree there John...

The Kato kit has 167 parts, many of which go to make up the frame, engine and airbox structures, which in turn offers a better level of detail over Tamiya's kits...the lack of screws for fastening major parts is a godsend...and the one's that are used are hidden after by tiny nut shape moldings, therefore offering improved realism. Tamiya's screws offer strength but remove realism.

A plus too is accurate decals sets - both the 2001 Kato and 2007 Repsol kits have very accurate markings especially the Repsol kit - correct flourescent orange and red decals are provided, something Tamiya have only done once in several attempts.

The downsides - perhaps the plastic used can be a little fragile with small delicate parts, some of the decal options are aimed at the Japanese market, and the parts level and construction may put off beginners.

Hasegawa have filled an important gap in the bike market, 250cc bikes have been largely overlooked, so these kits are very welcome. Their new kit, the 1988 YZR500 of Eddie Lawson begins fills another void - 500cc machines between 1986 and 1998- a gap previously only done in expensive resin. And for that I'm very grateful!!

[John18d]

Interesting comments Paul and I do respect what you say because I have seen several of your models in print (Assen Assasin) my favorite - in fact I bought that same kit just to replicate yours - but in my opinion lots of parts doesn't necessarily indicate detail - many times there are several parts when one is no more different - for me it's not the number of parts but what each part represents in as much as it makes painting, detailing and assembling more thought out. As for the plastic I agree - I feel Tamiya uses the best plastic in the business - I know you're fond of the resin kits (again seen some of your work) but I am not a resin kit builder - as for the void - true but that is probably because there were issues with the factories not so much the model companies - ala 2006 a flood of new Tamiya kits because it was the last year for that rules classification (990's). I believe only Tamiya did the 1/12 scale 250's from 90-94 (both Yams and Hondas) My main interest in modeling is Bikes as I raced "unlimited" superbikes here in the USA from 94-98'. Speaking of Lawson and his bike being released I know Eddie - lived just up the road 65 miles from him in Laughlin - him in Havasau - in fact after I was paralyzed he intro'd me to Wayne Rainey at a go kart meet at Willow Springs raceway - (they race 250cc superkarts) and they got me into getting a 125cc shifterkart (next to racing bikes - most fun you can have with clothes on) - sorry got of topic - there's a big void in bikes in general but if we let the model makers know that we will buy them - they will make them provided the licensing is available - I still stand by my original posting - Tamiya is the pinnacle of mfg 1/12 plastic bike kits - it's hard to justify the extra cost for a Hasegawa or Fujimi kit when they are not on par with Tamiya - somehow though I find the way to buy the kits - Oh! and Paul they make some great PE parts to cover the Big screws in the Tamiya kits for the little ones there's TunerModelManufactory replacements, but I know you're aware of them - John

Maybe after I see what you can do Paul - I'll change my mind - I don't have your skills, but the bikes I build are good enough my friends all want them - lol - John

[John18d]

Paul - speaking of the void - I would like to see more of the street-based racers - like Honda RC-30 - RC45 - RC51 Yam R-1 Ducati 916 - 998 & 999 - anything Suzuki all in racing format with different liveries - I would love to do a RVF750 endurance racer - anyhow until they make it in plastic I'll just have to be patient - John