Meng BMW R1250 GS ADV

[Kevthemodeller]

I've had this kit a few months now, ordered it not long after I bought the real version in June 23.

I'm going to build the Triple version which is the same as my bike.

Although there are some slight differences between my bike and the kit, it being a 2019 - 2020 my bike is the last of the R1250 GSA model a 2023.
The kit box is huge and rammed, it's going keep me busy over Christmas, New Year and beyond



There are 24 main frame sprues and 27 other various items/parts tyres, springs, screws, decals etc.












The instruction manual is both in colour and pretty good














The Panniers although in the kit instructions have to be brought separately


Five models can be built from the kit




Although nicely moulded there's mould lines on every part to clean up. Front tele lever/shock needs to be painted before assembly.

Engine casings fit very well you could get away without using any glue!

The spin on oil filter needs painting before fitting to the engine block.


The wheels look complicated but are really well made just a little flimsy, they require a lot of mould line cleaning up. This is the front.

[Stokesy44]

Blimey. You've got your hands full there Kev

[barryf1fan]

[cor]

Those meng bikes look really good. And with the real thing in the garage it should be extra awesome. They also do a bunch of sexy lady riders for this series....just sayin

[Twokidsnosleep]

Cool!!!
I have a couple Meng kits, but have not made any of them yet
Interested to see how this goes together. Awesome you can make your own bike's version

[Kevthemodeller]

Blimey. You've got your hands full there Kev

Having now taken a really good detailed look at the kit. It's not that complicated, it's not Tamiya quality but it's very well engineered i.e. it all fits very well and as mentioned I'd say 80% plus can be assembled without glue . Just about every part requires mould line clean up and they've go for everything working suspension wise. In doing so this means you can't fully assemble the shock bodies, clean up the joints before painting. Same goes for the spoke wheels, as cleaver as they are the spokes are joined to the rim which is a different colour to the spokes. Unlike Tamiya's Africa Twin (which will be my next build) where the spokes are joined to the hub and inserted separately into the rim so can be painted easily. I'm currently looking at what method I going to use to paint them.

Those meng bikes look really good. And with the real thing in the garage it should be extra awesome. They also do a bunch of sexy lady riders for this series....just sayin

It's a nice kit, the work with Wing Nut Wings has most certainly paid off. Lady riders?

Cool!!!
I have a couple Meng kits, but have not made any of them yet
Interested to see how this goes together. Awesome you can make your own bike's version

Same here mostly armour and a Tri plane, I have made their Leopard 2 kit which was also a nice kit.

[digger303]

Tedious clean up if the mold line can be seen on those intricate parts.

[Stokesy44]

Cool!!!
I have a couple Meng kits, but have not made any of them yet
Interested to see how this goes together. Awesome you can make your own bike's version

Imagine Tamiya quality plastic but with Dragon quality instructions. That's Meng to a tee

[cor]

Meng make a whole series of girl bike riders for these bike

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?f ... +hot+rider

[Kevthemodeller]

Tedious clean up if the mold line can be seen on those intricate parts.

You are not kidding every and I mean every part has got them, Tamiya quality this kit is not.

[Kevthemodeller]

Imagine Tamiya quality plastic but with Dragon quality instructions. That's Meng to a tee

I have to say the instructions are okay, well they're for me. The mounding I wouldn't say is as good as Tamiya but it's close, the mould lines are a right pain and the plastic it's self is softish it does like sanding or scraping. Too much is very easily taken off, rounds become flattened very quickly.

[Kevthemodeller]

Never got a chance over Christmas to get time on the bench, been making up for it last and this week. Believe it or not to get this far has taken almost 10 days and 4 hours per day! The kit is really a load of sub-assemblies, front end, engine, rear end, wheels etc, the latter have been a right pain! Unlike Tamiya where the spokes are separate from the hub/rims these aren't, it's a cleaver design for assembly but it's very difficult to paint them. The inner and outer rims are either, black or gold depending on what version you opt for, the spokes are polished stainless. Because the spokes are moulded to the hubs it's proved extremely difficult to mask/paint them. I tried hubs first, then spokes, it's impossible to stop over spray to either, masking well you can't get to the very bottom as the spokes are angled. Tried masking fluid, very difficult to get the stuff off and broke spokes trying, so abandoned that idea. Opted for hand painting but you just can't get the quality of finish of Allcad without an airbrush. Used Molotow liquid chrome which hasn't worked, I think the stuffs gone off or something, and it's reacted with the Allcad I'd put on before the rear (on the left) is most affected. I'm faced with a complete strip of the soke assemblies or just leave them

Some parts still need work not with standing the above.
r

[Mpfiend]

Kev,
Looks like you have made decent progress with this so far, I have a couple of these in my stash to build and I have been pondering the spoke issues.
There are a few builds online (You Tube) where the builder has replaced the spokes with stainless wire or Entomological pins (for mounting butterflies or insects).
The process doesn't look too tricky to achieve a decent result and with the pins being stainless they don't need paint.
Hope you don't mind me inserting this link here?

[Kevthemodeller]

The process doesn't look too tricky to achieve a decent result and with the pins being stainless they don't need paint.
Hope you don't mind me inserting this link here?

I have seen this and the others that are on Youtube. I wanted to build this as is from the box, with minimal modifications except the odd brake line etc I think I've found away of making it work much better on the spokes, watch this space

[digger303]

Never got a chance over Christmas to get time on the bench, been making up for it last and this week. Believe it or not to get this far has taken almost 10 days and 4 hours per day! The kit is really a load of sub-assemblies, front end, engine, rear end, wheels etc, the latter have been a right pain! Unlike Tamiya where the spokes are separate from the hub/rims these aren't, it's a cleaver design for assembly but it's very difficult to paint them. The inner and outer rims are either, black or gold depending on what version you opt for, the spokes are polished stainless. Because the spokes are moulded to the hubs it's proved extremely difficult to mask/paint them. I tried hubs first, then spokes, it's impossible to stop over spray to either, masking well you can't get to the very bottom as the spokes are angled. Tried masking fluid, very difficult to get the stuff off and broke spokes trying, so abandoned that idea. Opted for hand painting but you just can't get the quality of finish of Allcad without an airbrush. Used Molotow liquid chrome which hasn't worked, I think the stuffs gone off or something, and it's reacted with the Allcad I'd put on before the rear (on the left) is most affected. I'm faced with a complete strip of the soke assemblies or just leave them

Some parts still need work not with standing the above.
r

Yeah I threw my Molotow out as it seemed to age and just wouldn't shine like it used to.
Very good build so far though.

[Twokidsnosleep]

[Kevthemodeller]

Yeah I threw my Molotow out as it seemed to age and just wouldn't shine like it used to.
Very good build so far though.

I've thinned mine with lacquer thinner, I'll give it another go see what happens

[Kevthemodeller]

Okay I've sorted the wheels out, not as good as I'd like. But without replacing the spokes with wire they can't really be improved on much more, the risk of breaking them is too high.

Wheels stripped

Repainted

Assembled




Word of warning. If anyone has this kit and has still to build, whatever you do DONT use this.

It's made of monkey metal as are the screws, most of the holes are tight and this thing will either destroy it's self and/or the screw/s. I used it just once and it almost destroyed the screw, if you zoom in you can see the head is buggered already the screw was barely half way in! I used a quality watchmakers driver, that said the ones you get with Tamiya bikes kits works fine too. Just be careful the screws are like butter

Engine block and front wish bone and shock. The bolts have been cleaned up now done after I took the picture as I wasn't happy.

This picture shows some of the limits of the engineering of parts of the kit. The way the shock body has the be assembled prevents getting rid of the join post painting as you can't reach the lower half and the risk of damaged to the paint of the spring or over painting is really high and just not worth the effort. I did toy with modifying it but you can't really see it once the bike is assembled, possibly why MENG didn't worry about it.

Front end, some painting is still to do on the stanchion tops.


Rear shock, same applies to this as the front.

[SteelScooter]

Nice work. They do a pre painted version of this kit that is supposedly possible to build without glue which is why some of the engineering is a little 'different'.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Monkey metal
aka Chineesium??

[digger303]

Monkey metal
aka Chineesium??

Well before the Chineses got involved, also known as Pot Metal.
Automobile factories would melt scrap metal in a pot to create cast products. Aluminium and usually a higher lead content I believe.

[cor]

Its looking good so far. I'd like to build one of their 1/9 bikes with the girl rider for eye candy value.

Meng are a bit hit and miss with their modern kits. Ive been building their 1/12 MP4/4 F1 car. Some parts are really nicely detailed, while other entire assemblies end up with exposed screws and over-size blocky bits where removable bits line up. Very toy like and require a lot of work to get some realism happening. I feel that Tamiyas 1970 designed F1 cars are superior to Mengs 2017 F1 car.

[Kevthemodeller]

Nice work. They do a pre painted version of this kit that is supposedly possible to build without glue which is why some of the engineering is a little 'different'.

Yes they do and the kit are identical except for paint. The fit is good too good, especially when using Alcald and alike. You can't really dry fit anything, if you do you're going to struggle getting it apart. All areas that have been painted and need to be mated together, need the paint removing or they just won't fit without serious force. You need still need quite a bit with the paint removed and a lot of care has to be taken or the Alclad finishes are damaged

[Kevthemodeller]

Monkey metal
aka Chineesium??

Just cheap soft metal

[Kevthemodeller]

Monkey metal
aka Chineesium??

Well before the Chineses got involved, also known as Pot Metal.
Automobile factories would melt scrap metal in a pot to create cast products. Aluminium and usually a higher lead content I believe.

It was called Mazak (Zamak) used a lot on model trains of the 50's - 70's mainly zinc and copper alloy, no lead as far as I know. It degrades over time and expands or crumbles. These screws are just cheap alloy.

[Kevthemodeller]

Its looking good so far. I'd like to build one of their 1/9 bikes with the girl rider for eye candy value.

Meng are a bit hit and miss with their modern kits. Ive been building their 1/12 MP4/4 F1 car. Some parts are really nicely detailed, while other entire assemblies end up with exposed screws and over-size blocky bits where removable bits line up. Very toy like and require a lot of work to get some realism happening. I feel that Tamiyas 1970 designed F1 cars are superior to Mengs 2017 F1 car.

Thanks Cor

Yes the kit is nice but doesn't really lend it's self to bringing up to what can be achieved with Tamiya kits.

[Kevthemodeller]

I've been busy, doesn't look like much but this is hours and hours of work. The same cleaning and fit/finish issues as out lined before, plus having to remove all paint from mating surfaces and protect finishes when fitting parts, it's very time consuming, hard work really.

Paralever


Paralever, Headlight assembly, Frame, Battery and box, Front calipers, Riders foot pegs, Riders heel plates, Oil filter.


The bike lives, sub assemblies become one bike

[digger303]

Very very nice.

[DRUMS01]

Considering the hit and miss of the kit, this is turning out real nice. I'm sure it's in part to you're wonderful modeling skills.

From one two wheel rider to another.

Ben

P.S.: My brother has three of these 1:1 models each one about 10-20 years apart; R80GS Red and White Dakar, R1150GS white with red/blue stripes and red seat, and R1200GS very pretty blue, and all Amazing brutes. Your 1:1 looks amazing, the black makes it look sinister!

[Kevthemodeller]

Very very nice.

[Kevthemodeller]

Considering the hit and miss of the kit, this is turning out real nice. I'm sure it's in part to you're wonderful modeling skills.

Thanks mate, I do my best and still on a relearning curve after my 3 year break

From one two wheel rider to another.

What to you ride Ben?

P.S.: My brother has three of these 1:1 models each one about 10-20 years apart; R80GS Red and White Dakar, R1150GS white with red/blue stripes and red seat, and R1200GS very pretty blue, and all Amazing brutes. Your 1:1 looks amazing, the black makes it look sinister!

I'm very new to BMWs, this being my first. I've always had big capacity Jap sports bikes about 40 of them at the last count. The current bike is a completely different bike to anything I've ever had. It's physically huge, but rides effortlessly does everything extremely well. I never understood why such a big bike so so popular, it's not fast by bike standards, until I test rode one. If you've not ridden one, go ride one.

I've been riding since I was 16, never without a bike so no lay offs or X years without a bike. Those are what we would call "a born again biker" here in the UK, rode in their late teens etc and 30 plus years off start riding again at 40 something plus, many sadly come a cropper very quickly. Motorcycling is sadly slowly but surely dying, too difficult and very expensive to get a licence and insurance and greedy dealerships puts off many younger riders these days. A real shame great older (5 year plus) bikes can be had for very little money these days. Strangely the only growth in motorcycling is lady bikers, about 20% are now ladies which is a good thing.

[DRUMS01]

Kev,

Like you I've been riding since my pre-teens. I started with a Yamaha YZ-125 Mono- shock dirt bike. Living out in the country I still used it for riding on the road. Back then I also used my fathers Honda 350 scrambler (road legal). The I got a Yamaha SR500 big single and highly modified it with a Lockhart oil cooler, pushed it out to 600cc, hot cam, flat side carb, quarter turn throttle, racing front and rear suspension, white brothers exhaust with super trap diffusers, Shoei bullet fairing and the entire bike was custom painted Ferrari red, etc. etc. From 0-60 it would keep up with anything on the road. Next I rode a Yamaha Seca 650 turbo. I could go on, but currently I have a Yamaha FZ1000 with a custom matching sidecar and a special order Harley Dyna bobber 103 cu. in. 6 speed that I tried to make look like an older classic but still have performance upgrades, tan leather, etc.





Enough about our 1:1, please show us more on this build....

Ben

[Kevthemodeller]

Kev,

Like you I've been riding since my pre-teens. I started with a Yamaha YZ-125 Mono- shock dirt bike. Living out in the country I still used it for riding on the road. Back then I also used my fathers Honda 350 scrambler (road legal). The I got a Yamaha SR500 big single and highly modified it with a Lockhart oil cooler, pushed it out to 600cc, hot cam, flat side carb, quarter turn throttle, racing front and rear suspension, white brothers exhaust with super trap diffusers, Shoei bullet fairing and the entire bike was custom painted Ferrari red, etc. etc. From 0-60 it would keep up with anything on the road. Next I rode a Yamaha Seca 650 turbo. I could go on, but currently I have a Yamaha FZ1000 with a custom matching sidecar and a special order Harley Dyna bobber 103 cu. in. 6 speed that I tried to make look like an older classic but still have performance upgrades, tan leather, etc.





Enough about our 1:1, please show us more on this build....

Ben

Great bikes Ben I had the 750 Seca shaft drive.

[Kevthemodeller]

Things have been moving on nicely, well as good as they can. The snap together fit and the mould lines are still causing a great deal of extra work, trying to protect the metallic and the moulded finishes. These parts really are very tight tolerance even interference fit. The kit is really showing it's been made as a repainted desk model rather than a detailed assembly kit, don't get me wrong it's a nice kit but it's not what I was expecting. I was going to throw some real heavy detail at it, but I've decided not too, it's just too toy like for me, it will look fine I'm sure but there's too many areas that I can't finish as I'd like. So I'm saving all the bling for the next bike kit
Rear sub frame and mug guard

Rear sub frame attachments


Radiators

Barrels, cylinder heads

Exhaust



It's coming together

[cor]

Those pipes look good. What did you hit them with? The two into one unit.

[Kevthemodeller]

Those pipes look good. What did you hit them with? The two into one unit.

Alclad II black base & chrome mate

[Kevthemodeller]

Last few days updates



Forgot to put the hand grips in the photo

[Kevthemodeller]

Another up date


Here's an example of the mould lines that are on just about every part, exactly where they shouldn't be and for ruins the kits and makes it toy like if you scrap these lines the surface gets badly marked due to the soft plastic they've used.

Really pleased with how the black firing and tank cover come out, that is just Tamiya LP, no clear

[digger303]

[Stokesy44]

Beautiful work. Just speed read the thread to catch up. Fantastic stuff

[Kevthemodeller]

Beautiful work. Just speed read the thread to catch up. Fantastic stuff

Fellas

[Kevthemodeller]

Last few days of updates
Started the final stages of the build now, decals are going on, these aren't the best. The surface finish is poor, marked and dull tried to polish them but no joy, was forced to use a clear coat in the end. Just another area where Meng are cutting corners.
Crash bars and rear carrier. these were a real bugger to clear all the mould lines

This is an example of what happens to the surface finish because of the push fit being so tight it's often interference fit and damage occurs

The screws and where they are placed also cause surface damage, even using my smaller screw driver, the kit supplied one wouldn't get even close. A mixture of crap screws,they really are just cheese, angles, depth etc
Both sides

[cor]

Meng - so close yet so far.

[Kevthemodeller]

Meng - so close yet so far.

Yep

[Kevthemodeller]

Bike its self is now finished, but not completed until I've got the luggage frames and luggage built.

I could just fit the rear luggage frames as the bike is most of the time. But the side mounting frames aren't as they are in life, i.e. the mounting points for the side panniers are very toy like.

Sadly some very bad engineering fit issues with the seat/s. Both are held on/positioned by pegs that are either in the frame or part of the rear cover plate, the points are non adjustable. The front seat fits albeit very tightly, that's more of the push fit tolerances, both seats have corresponding location points and again these are non adjustable. The rear seat point/pins don't align, they're roughly half a hole out! The seat is setting on top of the pins and is too high, yes I could cut them off, or drill out the holes larger, but I shouldn't have to This is the final nail in the coffin for me with this kit

[Kevthemodeller]

Luggage, you can see all the push fits, these have all been slightly or totally interference fits, some you can take a chance and use some extra thin as a lub. But if they don't fit you're in trouble


As per all the other push fits. These wouldn't fit either, every hole had have the paint cleared and/or opened up. You also can't assemble them as per the instructions, which tell you to fit the frames and then the cases/locks.

The marks you can see is the damage done while trying to fit/remove and modify the holes.

Firstly the push fits are way too tight and you'd damage/break the frames, secondly the locks, sorry I for got to take a picture of these painted. They are hook shaped that fit into the 2 slots on the back of the pannier boxes and hook around the frame see below arrowed. One fits at the from and the other at the rear, you can't get these in with the panniers in place. They only way to ensure no damage and utter frustration is the remove the racks, fit them to the racks, then fit the whole thing.
Oh and a screw was missing, it being replaced with a really odd one from who knows where, that's what came in the bag Plus an extra one and a half disc pins, would have rather had the screw a quality control issue here


Calling this done now

Many thanks for looking in

[digger303]

Certainly a set of horrible problems, but the finish article says you coped and won.

[cor]

Yes it looks great, but so much pain from Meng. I have a Meng 1/12 F1 car that is the same, issues everywhere, but if time taken to fix will end up nice.
Good job. and a nice large bike for your shelf.

[Stokesy44]

A troubled build but a triumphant finish. Disappointing from Meng but a great result. Well done mate

[Kevthemodeller]

Certainly a set of horrible problems, but the finish article says you coped and won.

Yes it looks great, but so much pain from Meng. I have a Meng 1/12 F1 car that is the same, issues everywhere, but if time taken to fix will end up nice.
Good job. and a nice large bike for your shelf.

A troubled build but a triumphant finish. Disappointing from Meng but a great result. Well done mate

fellas, thank you for your kind words.