Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi all. Thought I would share this one with you. Tamiya's Big Scale Two Wheelers need little introduction, I love them. Managed to pick this one up cheap in a damaged box from my LHS which was sadly closing down. The story goes that the previous owner of the kit cut the box down so it would fit under the bed! Despite the damaged box, contents is fine with no casualties. So, on with the show. Being an older Tamiya offering, it's not without it's vices, the main one being the hollowed out backs to the frame tubes. While not being a deal breaker, I wanted to sort it so out with the filler. You can see what needs to be done by the before and after pic. That's it for now, it least we're underway... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Will enjoy this,my last bike was the 550 Katana,as a biker from age 18 to 29 strange I,ve never build any bike kit,s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hey, welcome fella. I only owned the GSX400F which was the baby Katana styled Suzuki of the bunch. Neat little bike but you had to treat it like a two stroke, I.e. rev the living day lights out of it to get anywhere! You should try a bike kit or two, very rewarding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Woohoo.. 1/6th Katana Welcome to the mad bike builders club. I also had a GSX400F for a short time, lovely bike Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Welcome aboard Steve. Yep gotta build at least three bikes a year otherwise I get withdrawal symptoms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Great start, it's a fantastic kit and really fun to build. Have you decided on a colour for the fairing and tank? Cheers, Stuart Edited January 12, 2015 by Stu_davros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi Stuart, welcome. It's one of many I've got safely tucked away, I find them really enjoyable. As for colour, I'm going to be really boring and go with the stock colour, to me, they simply don't look right any other way. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_davros Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Apologies for calling you Steve, M. I got confused reading the thread. I agree about the colour, I built mine in the stock silver, I've seen pictures of the Katana in red and it doesn't look right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 No worries Stuart, my proper Christian Name is actually Mence but I answer to pretty much anything! I did ponder playing with colours but abandoned that idea fairly quickly, plenty of other projects I can play with colour on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Welcome aboard Steve. Yep gotta build at least three bikes a year otherwise I get withdrawal symptoms! Three...??? Well clearly you're not trying hard enough... Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 I know Steve, very poor, I need 30 hours in a day really Ok, here goes. Frame filled, scraped, filled, sanded and primed. My filling is not 100% but for the amount you see, more than adequate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hell's Bells, there's a few shot-hit bike builds on the go here nowadays! This is another that brings my "FedEx AngstROM Back To The '80s" campaign a step closer to fruition... Lovely work on the frame, of course, and (like that CB1100R lurking around here somewhere) interesting to see something made of tubes! I'd like to squeeze in to the GSX400 club too, but only just: shortest tenure ever (it was a loaner from the bike shop for a couple of days while they sorted out a spot of grief with my GSXR750). Seriously toppy, but huge fun and even with some silly interplanetary mileage on the clock it felt really crisp and sharp. The shop owner said he had tried and failed to kill it off by neglect, so kept it around as a hack -quite a few punters who borrowed it wanted to buy it, but he couldn't bear to see it go! Now, PLEASE STOP FEEDING MY NOSTALGIA, I'm running out of room for it!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Hey buddy, nowt wrong with nostalgia! Seems like Suzuki 400s were more popular than I remember. We start to get a bit of colour going, frame sorted and the first semi gloss black bits make an appearance. Cheers. Edited January 12, 2015 by Mencie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Hi all. Bit more progress. Battery, fuseboard, remainder of airbox, tail light, stands etc. installed along with crankcases. Apologies for pic quality, taken in artificial light with an ipad. More soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Looking very very nice Mencie Glad to see you are sticking with the original Katana colours, they just dont look right in any other colour... Damn it now I want to build another one... Baaaad Mencie S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Cheers Steve, yes, gotta be silver, no discussion really. OK, update time. Quite a bit of progress, swing arm, shocks, wheel, chain. The wheel is a pain to paint correctly but on the second attempt I called it as good enough. That's it for now, ACW... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngstROM Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Oh for....!!! It's GORGEOUS -I'd buy it as is! Have to get someone to wheelie it home for me though, I suck at that. Love it or hate it, there isn't much you can do to improve on the looks of the stock '81/'82 Big Kat. But oh GOD how many have tried -a quick Google will reveal orange anodised Japanese efforts (there is even a hideous *pink* one out there somewhere -pleeeease don't look!). Not sure what they're all trying to prove, but if...if Mr Suzuki wanted to play Santa-san and stuff a 21st Century version down my flue, he could do a lot worse than this: http://image.superstreetbike.com/f/24966286/0908_sbkp_08_z%202010_suzuki_gsx1300_katana%20right_view.jpg ...just sayin'! Katana Redux! Edited January 14, 2015 by AngstROM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockster Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 The last time I saw this kit built it was just leaving my fingertips at high speed towards my bedroom wall after an argument with my girlfriend of the time back in 1987! It actually left tyre prints on the wallpaper! I miss my Tamiya 1/6 Kat! Watching your build makes me want another one! Nice work so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Chaps AngstROM, thank you. I think the best Katana is a stock one, its a sweet ride. Having said that, that image you linked to is lovely but I guess i'll have to be content with my Beemer. Jockster, that is a shame, Katana's were never meant to fly! Ok fellas, teeny updateette. The engine as some of you might recall has to go into the frame in two parts, the bottom end is already home, here's most of the top end sorted. Hoping I might get some more time in the coming week to make progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockster Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 The damping rubbers on the cylinder fins are picked out nicely, I can't remember if they were separate parts? What I could do to this kit these days! Thanks for taking me back! It cost me about 60 quid at the time which for me was a fortune considering my first real bike (Suzy ZR50X1) cost me 80 quid! To this day I vividly remember trying to grab it in mid air when I realised what I'd thrown! Women! Really enjoying this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hiya Mencie Top half looking very nice indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Stellar work Mencie, the donk looks good enough to turn over, cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hiya Mencie God im going to sound like a real nit picker now, but dont you think the rear suspension makes the wheel sit too low? Bugged me when I was building mine, and I chopped off about 3mm off the springs and shaft. Probably to the normal person, theres no diff, but made me happier Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) Thank you for your continued support chaps and apologies for not responding sooner. Mad Steve, you may well have a point and it wasn't until you mentioned it that I took a long look and decided you're probably correct! Jockster, my apologies, missed your question! Yes, the rubbers are separate, a little rubber black and slip them into place, it's a nice touch. Unfortunately I have pretty securely stuck the shockers together so they will have to stay as is, maybe if I post images of it on its side stand it won't be as obvious and perhaps once the exhausts are on, it will help with the illusion too? Work is mad busy at present but will try to get an update to you very soon... Edited January 27, 2015 by Mencie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mencie Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 Hello chaps. Apologies for lack of posting, don't seem to be getting as much time on this as I would want. We do however have a small update. Top half of the engine is in and all the leads and hoses hooked up. Exhaust headers and collector box are on too. Headers are a good fit and held on with white glue which is just as well as number 3 header might need a quick repaint. Thanks all... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now