Global Scale Modeller

Hi guys! After the YZR-M1, I really wanted to do another detailed GP bike, got the kit on eBay for £20, so I started gathering bits!

Now, I'm not really a Marquez fan. Yeah he's bloody good, but, I just don't like how he is about it. Seems to get away with things and spits his dummy out when it's not going his way on the track, but, the fact that it is a world championship winner made me want to build it!

So the kit and the bits I'm using are:
Tamiya RC213V
Top Studio super detail set
Top Studio chain set
Top Studio MotoGP axles
Top Studio tyre valves
Zero Paints repsol set

Couldn't find the fork set anywhere!








I started with the clutch and painting the engine.





Then I started the chain to get it done.




The chain is fiddly, but 1 billion times nicer than the Model Factory Hiro chain set used on the M1.

Thanks for looking in, pumped for this one!

Off to another great start mate

hells yeah brother, looking so sweet so far! Cant wait to see this bad boy progress

Nice start, will be watching this one progress

Awesome! I love the look of this bike and great price too! Looking forward to you building this one.

Thanks for stopping in guys! The chain is almost done, I just wish that either the jig was longer, or I had another, that would have made things go a lot quicker!

Also, loving all the GIFs recently, good work guys, keep it up! Hahah

Holy shite, that is a lot of goodies for her

Question: Do you have to have a PE bender for all that work??
I laugh that some think the moto jig is so expensive, but blow $ on detail sets...not you just a general observe.
I have no probs I what you are doing or spending on this bike

Keep an eye on eBay, there are fork sets that pop up...wouldn’t be surprised they are all the same actually
I just bought one from Japan last week.
If no detail forks, decanted Tamiya TS-21 and a rubber o ring and ‘bob’s your uncle looks pretty real

Good luck with the build

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:37 pm Holy shite, that is a lot of goodies for her

Question: Do you have to have a PE bender for all that work??
I laugh that some think the moto jig is so expensive, but blow $ on detail sets...not you just a general observe.
I have no probs I what you are doing or spending on this bike

Keep an eye on eBay, there are fork sets that pop up...wouldn’t be surprised they are all the same actually
I just bought one from Japan last week.
If no detail forks, decanted Tamiya TS-21 and a rubber o ring and ‘bob’s your uncle looks pretty real

Good luck with the build

I am guilty of that. I scoffed at the price of the jig then bought all this bumf.

I probably should have a PE bender, too, though the I started without one and I managed! I think it helps that I was a lazy welder/fabricator though. Just get it done with what I have around me

Thanks for the tips on the fork set, though! I'll keep 'em peeled, though I do have some Zero Paints fork gold paint, hopefully that'll work. Didn't do too bad on the M1.

I have found I don’t wind up using all the PE in the sets for cars. Some just doesn’t work or fit and Some I skip.
Interested to see how much you use and if you have any troubles and successes with it....let us know

Been thinking of a bending jig for scratch build stuff too...might have to bite the bullet and get one

Ahh you got Zero paints, you are well armed

I’m watching bro! This could well be my next build once the Mustang is finished, I wish I could justify spending on all the detail sets but I can’t help buying complete new kits instead

I do have the fork set for this though, sure I got it off eBay, I thought the market was flooded with the forks for this, surprised you couldn’t get any.

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:47 pm I have found I don’t wind up using all the PE in the sets for cars. Some just doesn’t work or fit and Some I skip.
Interested to see how much you use and if you have any troubles and successes with it....let us know

Been thinking of a bending jig for scratch build stuff too...might have to bite the bullet and get one

Ahh you got Zero paints, you are well armed

There were bits left over from the M1 super detail set and one or two I missed but aren't noticed in the final model. I'll post up any left overs and such, though!

I'll more than likely end up buying one, or my birthday is in November so I'll mention it to the missus!

I am indeed! I also got the carbon ceramic paint from them to see if that's any good

Gary30 wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:48 pm I’m watching bro! This could well be my next build once the Mustang is finished, I wish I could justify spending on all the detail sets but I can’t help buying complete new kits instead

I do have the fork set for this though, sure I got it off eBay, I thought the market was flooded with the forks for this, surprised you couldn’t get any.

Hopefully I can inspire you! I saw the detail set last in stock so I just had to.. Fate!

I tell a lie, I couldn't find one that wasn't from Japan or £30+ and I'd already spent around £100 on bits and the kit. Being on 80% pay this month, I thought i best not, plus the real bike needed a new tyre, so that was more important!

You all from the UK with your high British Pound! Our lowly dollar can't afford all these luxuries.

The chain has done and it looks a gazillion times better than the kit part!



Now I'm prepping the wheels and discs and sprockets for paint!

Yep, that looks really good and much better than the original.

Got the wheels drilled and painted using Zero paints, though I was too heavy handed and I'll need to strip them, the paint cracked a lot when it dried, so I'm assuming I want too wet. The plastic is still fine though.

I did manage to build the rear sprocket and front discs up, though!

Oh man.. all that looks great to me.

Holy shoot that is a nice wheel
Chain and sprocket are amazing

Lookin sweet brother! Lovin the carbon paint, might have to invest in a bottle

More lovely detailing work the chain/sprockets look superb, very nice finish to the discs

great start to assembly! this tamiya kit is a marvel. have fun ✌

Thanks guys! The progress is slow on this one since I'm back in work now, but hopefully I'll get a little more done before work today. I'm already loving the finished bits though and the comments just make me wanna crack on with it!

A little progress today!

Got the swing arm and frame painted.


I had to send out the moulded in chain adjusters which was a NIGHTMARE. But it was worth it, I added the PE chain adjusters and resin bolts for the ends.


Some PE and metal parts for the rear break. Painted the tiny spring in a mixture of clear blue and clear red to get a nice purple colour, though my phone struggles to pick it up.


Added some PE bolt heads to the engine, too!


Had to call it a day after that, doing the 40 odd bolt heads sapped my concentration. More tomorrow, though!

Thanks for dropping by!

Nothing like perseverance to win through

looking great mate, love seeing the progress shots! keep em comin!

Thanks guys! I tried removing the paint from the wheels today since they cracked and needed redoing and the wheel just fell to bits. Devastated. I'm waiting for a call back from Hobby Co regarding a replacement. Have to get the whole sprue, though. Either that or a whole new kit.

Either way, can't get the back wheel on like I wanted to. Gonna get the engine mounted and start on the frame and bars I think.

Oh no, sorry to hear that I hope you can get some replacements.
I hear more full on unrecoverable disasters with Zero paint than any other
It is awesome paint but man does it eat plastic up!
I have f’d up more than one paint job and have been able to oven cleaner things off and restart

Everything is looking great! Sorry to hear about the delay.. hopefully the wheel will arrive about before you finish with all you can do without it.

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:03 pm Oh no, sorry to hear that I hope you can get some replacements.
I hear more full on unrecoverable disasters with Zero paint than any other
It is awesome paint but man does it eat plastic up!
I have f’d up more than one paint job and have been able to oven cleaner things off and restart

Yeah, the paint is hot hot. Spilled a bit on the polystyrene I was using to hold my parts post paint and it just dissolved!

I'll try oven cleaner rather than thinner next time I have an issue!

jchrisf wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:30 pm Everything is looking great! Sorry to hear about the delay.. hopefully the wheel will arrive about before you finish with all you can do without it.

Thank you! Fingers crossed they have it or I'll be buying another kit. I suppose that'll take some pressure off, though!

Plenty to get on with, gonna start the bars, there's 20 pieces to get done so I have my work cut out for me, haha.

So then the next questions are :

Can you get a new sprue?
Will you use Zero Paint again?

Not trying to be a dink, I really like the guy at Zero, talk with them on FB.
But I have seen a lot of dead in the water unrecoverable builds from their paint....

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:01 pm So then the next questions are :

Can you get a new sprue?
Will you use Zero Paint again?

Not trying to be a dink, I really like the guy at Zero, talk with them on FB.
But I have seen a lot of dead in the water unrecoverable builds from their paint....

In waiting on a phone call about the sprue, I call at 4:30pm and I think they close at 5, so hopefully that'll be tomorrow.

As far a using Zero again, I don't think I will. May my because the finish and coverage I get with LP paints from Tamiya is astonishing, whereas with Zero, I've had to battle, thin them more and then the finish doesn't seem as good.

The main thing that attracted me to Zero was the colour matched paints, but, I just think Tamiya is more consistent and you get no surprises.

The carbon ceramic paint from them was lovely, so was the red and white down the R1M, since then it's just been issues.

jchrisf wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:58 pm You all from the UK with your high British Pound! Our lowly dollar can't afford all these luxuries.

Try being in little old New Zealand where everything costs an arm and a leg

Following along on this one! Great start, looking sharp. Hope to do this myself sometime but I've never done a bike so will start with something simpler

Thanks for the comments and stuff, guys!

I'm working today so won't have time to get much done, may do some painting on my break or something, though!

ryan81 wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 11:00 pm Following along on this one! Great start, looking sharp. Hope to do this myself sometime but I've never done a bike so will start with something simpler

The kit parts go together so well, and I've yet to come to a problem with the detail set. Mind you, I've done no wiring yet, so.. That'll be fun, haha

noooo sorry to hear brother, sad to see you put off of zero paints as their selection of colours is off the charts

at least youve got plenty to do whilst waiting for the replacement part

Still not heard back about the wheels I'll have to ring again tomorrow.

I'm the meantime, I've been plodding along with the bars. Lots of little details and stuff to plant. The break lever is meant to be semi gloss black, but the zero paint that came with the repsol set came out glossy over a grey primer...






I need to add a few details, paint some buttons and one or two resin parts then they are done! (I also need to straighten the Honda logo... )

nice one brother! the handle bars look like they're a pretty tedious job

Bdiddy wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:40 pm nice one brother! the handle bars look like they're a pretty tedious job

Thanks man!

I actually really enjoy the handlebars, the tiny stuff is what attracts me to the detail kits. I'm strange like that

LWWales wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 1:25 pm

Bdiddy wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:40 pm nice one brother! the handle bars look like they're a pretty tedious job

Thanks man!

I actually really enjoy the handlebars, the tiny stuff is what attracts me to the detail kits. I'm strange like that

Haha I have to agree brother, it’s so much more satisfying getting all the small detailed parts looking sweet knowing that they’re the hardest part of the model to get right

Looking good! I love all the little detail pieces.. so life like.

Bdiddy wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 1:58 pm

LWWales wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 1:25 pm

Bdiddy wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:40 pm nice one brother! the handle bars look like they're a pretty tedious job

Thanks man!

I actually really enjoy the handlebars, the tiny stuff is what attracts me to the detail kits. I'm strange like that

Haha I have to agree brother, it’s so much more satisfying getting all the small detailed parts looking sweet knowing that they’re the hardest part of the model to get right

Exactly that! Love it.

jchrisf wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:29 pm Looking good! I love all the little detail pieces.. so life like.

Thank you, dude! The tiny pieces make so much difference.

Got the chain installed, it work and moves as you would expect!





Coming together now!

Oh yeah.. that looks great!

Nice details! It's looking great

LWWales wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:47 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:01 pm So then the next questions are :

Can you get a new sprue?
Will you use Zero Paint again?

Not trying to be a dink, I really like the guy at Zero, talk with them on FB.
But I have seen a lot of dead in the water unrecoverable builds from their paint....

In waiting on a phone call about the sprue, I call at 4:30pm and I think they close at 5, so hopefully that'll be tomorrow.

As far a using Zero again, I don't think I will. May my because the finish and coverage I get with LP paints from Tamiya is astonishing, whereas with Zero, I've had to battle, thin them more and then the finish doesn't seem as good.

The main thing that attracted me to Zero was the colour matched paints, but, I just think Tamiya is more consistent and you get no surprises.

The carbon ceramic paint from them was lovely, so was the red and white down the R1M, since then it's just been issues.

There's a real knack to using Zero paints. You literally have to dust it onto the plastic and not let impatience take over.
Its taken me a good few builds to get the technique right.
Stick with them an it pays off, especially the Zero Metals.

Gavlaaar wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:13 am

LWWales wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:47 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:01 pm So then the next questions are :

Can you get a new sprue?
Will you use Zero Paint again?

Not trying to be a dink, I really like the guy at Zero, talk with them on FB.
But I have seen a lot of dead in the water unrecoverable builds from their paint....

In waiting on a phone call about the sprue, I call at 4:30pm and I think they close at 5, so hopefully that'll be tomorrow.

As far a using Zero again, I don't think I will. May my because the finish and coverage I get with LP paints from Tamiya is astonishing, whereas with Zero, I've had to battle, thin them more and then the finish doesn't seem as good.

The main thing that attracted me to Zero was the colour matched paints, but, I just think Tamiya is more consistent and you get no surprises.

The carbon ceramic paint from them was lovely, so was the red and white down the R1M, since then it's just been issues.

There's a real knack to using Zero paints. You literally have to dust it onto the plastic and not let impatience take over.
Its taken me a good few builds to get the technique right.
Stick with them an it pays off, especially the Zero Metals.

How do you keep the paint from having a texture like sandpaper if you can only dust it on?

Thanks for the comments, guys!

I spoke to HobbyCo and a new spruce was 20 quid including shipping. It's a combined sprue, so it was a tad higher.

So, I ordered a new kit from Ultimate. Double the cost, but, i'll have tons of spares and almost a full kit, which I may use to do some dioramay stuff

jchrisf wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:12 pm

Gavlaaar wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:13 am

LWWales wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:47 pm

In waiting on a phone call about the sprue, I call at 4:30pm and I think they close at 5, so hopefully that'll be tomorrow.

As far a using Zero again, I don't think I will. May my because the finish and coverage I get with LP paints from Tamiya is astonishing, whereas with Zero, I've had to battle, thin them more and then the finish doesn't seem as good.

The main thing that attracted me to Zero was the colour matched paints, but, I just think Tamiya is more consistent and you get no surprises.

The carbon ceramic paint from them was lovely, so was the red and white down the R1M, since then it's just been issues.

There's a real knack to using Zero paints. You literally have to dust it onto the plastic and not let impatience take over.
Its taken me a good few builds to get the technique right.
Stick with them an it pays off, especially the Zero Metals.

How do you keep the paint from having a texture like sandpaper if you can only dust it on?

I spray at about 15psi and pull the needle back so the paint is barely coming out. That's what I mean about dusting it on. Doing about 5-6 coats in the process. I found that if I sprayed Zero Paints any heavier I'd start having problems with the paint eating into the plastic.

Gavlaaar wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:25 pm

jchrisf wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:12 pm

Gavlaaar wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:13 am

There's a real knack to using Zero paints. You literally have to dust it onto the plastic and not let impatience take over.
Its taken me a good few builds to get the technique right.
Stick with them an it pays off, especially the Zero Metals.

How do you keep the paint from having a texture like sandpaper if you can only dust it on?

I spray at about 15psi and pull the needle back so the paint is barely coming out. That's what I mean about dusting it on. Doing about 5-6 coats in the process. I found that if I sprayed Zero Paints any heavier I'd start having problems with the paint eating into the plastic.

I've always had issues when putting on a thin coats.. turns out like sandpaper. Maybe it is the paint I use or something. But your work always looks perfect.

jchrisf wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:22 pm

Gavlaaar wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:25 pm

jchrisf wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:12 pm

How do you keep the paint from having a texture like sandpaper if you can only dust it on?

I spray at about 15psi and pull the needle back so the paint is barely coming out. That's what I mean about dusting it on. Doing about 5-6 coats in the process. I found that if I sprayed Zero Paints any heavier I'd start having problems with the paint eating into the plastic.

I've always had issues when putting on a thin coats.. turns out like sandpaper. Maybe it is the paint I use or something. But your work always looks perfect.

Ah cheers for the compliment mate. That's an odd one then I guess it's a case of trial and error and see what suits you best.
I've used them for about 10 years and can only now say that I'm comfortable with my technique.

I find each paint is different with zero. The primer I have from them lays down beautifully, the semi gloss black, I just can't get a nice finish.

It is more than likely user error and sub par tools. I am using a Chinese airbrush until payday when hopefully there's an Apex left!

Got the rad detailed up, some extra piping and some resin electronic bits done! Test fitted for now going to make a start on the exhausts today!