Global Scale Modeller

Starting up this old Protar kit. Italeri have replaced some of the metal bits of the original kit with plastic parts.







Rubber chain






The rear suspension looks different on the photo of Barry's bike.

No doubt it will be a beaut build and paint.
Figures in this scale can be a bit crazy price wise.

digger303 wrote: Sun Feb 08, 2026 8:25 am No doubt it will be a beaut build and paint.
Figures in this scale can be a bit crazy price wise.

yes, it would look good with a rider, but no intention of adding one.

The molding and fitting of the parts so far is atrocious. Im talking 1960s airfix.



Put some foil on the front discs.

Well 10 out of ten for perseverance, I don't have the will to tackle those oldies.

Doesn’t Tamiya make this bike in 1/12th both with and without a rider?

DRUMS01 wrote: Mon Feb 09, 2026 4:33 am Doesn’t Tamiya make this bike in 1/12th both with and without a rider?

I dont think they make this exact model, but they might....


Scalemates listing of this bike


Engine coming along. Very poor fitting parts, especially getting the carbies on. But overall looking pretty good.

Ive been detailing with AK Interactive weathering pencils, which I like a lot. I picked a few up in Hong Kong, but think I will buy the entire set. They have a lot of potential.

Probably won't see a lot of the engine being behind the cowling, but will give a good enough impression. I guess is where your aiming.

digger303 wrote: Mon Feb 09, 2026 12:07 pm Probably won't see a lot of the engine being behind the cowling, but will give a good enough impression. I guess is where your aiming.

No. I'm actually aiming at displaying it with the fairing off the bike on a stand.
So it's fairly important to get the mechanicals looking best they can.

There's some interesting detailing options that add realism, so I'm going to give it a go to have it looking at least pretty good.

Engine fitted to frame








Springs to hold on the pipes





Some of the negatives

Very large spruegates






Flash everywhere





Seams you could shave with

COR, After looking into it, it appears that Tamiya make a 1/12 Suzuki RGB 500 that was similar but not identical to this kit. However, it has been out of production for some time.



It does appear you're making positive headway on the 1/9 version though. Looking good so far...

DRUMS01 wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 9:55 pm COR, After looking into it, it appears that Tamiya make a 1/12 Suzuki RGB 500 that was similar but not identical to this kit. However, it has been out of production for some time.



It does appear you're making positive headway on the 1/9 version though. Looking good so far...

Good detective skills Ben. This bike ran from 74 to 80 I think, so there were a few changes along the way.


After looking at some pics of the engine...should have done that earlier....The carbies got a redo






And with the radiator on - wire screen added in front of the radiator. Aluminium wire in the large hoses to give them shape.

Great work, but the engine head and block just throws me off.
All on Italeri and their designers/engineers and not you, your doing great work to improve the heck out of it.

cor-The painting of the engine and framework is outstanding!

Phillip1

digger303 wrote: Wed Feb 11, 2026 12:54 pm Great work, but the engine head and block just throws me off.
All on Italeri and their designers/engineers and not you, your doing great work to improve the heck out of it.

Thank you

Phillip1 wrote: Wed Feb 11, 2026 4:56 pm cor-The painting of the engine and framework is outstanding!

Phillip1

Thanks Phillip. Its getting there.


Added lots of wires. The kit has one size tubing for everything, so I used heat shrink tubing to make different diameter and coloured cables and tubes here and there.














Blackened the wire radiator grille





Its a real bowl of spaghetti and there are more wires to add...

cor-Impressive!

Phillip1

Wonderful work and great attention to the details

Ben

Doing a great job with the scratch building.

Cool project, you will do it more than justice!
Consider a MFH metal chain??? Did one for a Black Shadow and it was super
Anyhow

Phillip1 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 12:43 pm cor-Impressive!

Phillip1

DRUMS01 wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 5:59 pm Wonderful work and great attention to the details

Ben

digger303 wrote: Fri Feb 13, 2026 2:02 am Doing a great job with the scratch building.

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Fri Feb 13, 2026 7:34 am Cool project, you will do it more than justice!
Consider a MFH metal chain??? Did one for a Black Shadow and it was super
Anyhow

Thanks everyone.

I've been thinking about MFH. Their bikes must be unreal.
The next big bike I do might have some upgrades. This one threw me a bit as I've been doing 1/12 a lot, and the 1/9 detail is much more full on.

Revell make a few 1/9 modern racing bikes, but are very rare and pricey, but look really nice.
I'd like to do more in this scale, it's very realistic.


Trying to post pics but Imgur is dead at the moment...

Imgur looks like it is down.

Some pics of the bike. Most of the tubing is done.

Sweet!

Looking very very good.

Forks done

cor-It looks VERY realistic!

Phillip1

Phillip1 wrote: Thu Feb 19, 2026 12:48 pm cor-It looks VERY realistic!

Phillip1

Thanks man. 1/9 scale is a very different beast to 1/12

Almost done.

Certainly looks busy, nice job.

digger303 wrote: Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:36 pm Certainly looks busy, nice job.

Thanks digger.

Here's the finished photos

Hold on I can see all the pictures from Feb 15th onwards all of a sudden, but no before what's changed?

Oh yes top draw work here mate

I built the Tamiya 1/12 kit many years ago this looks like a big improvement on that, I'm going to have to get one me thinks

Kevthemodeller wrote: Sun Feb 22, 2026 12:38 pm Hold on I can see all the pictures from Feb 15th onwards all of a sudden, but no before what's changed?

Oh yes top draw work here mate

I built the Tamiya 1/12 kit many years ago this looks like a big improvement on that, I'm going to have to get one me thinks

Thanks kev. It's an interesting kit.

I used a different hosting site so you guys could see it.

Amazing work !! When you look at all the pictures before you have one more zoomed in, it looks like a real bike.

Excellent modeling, great work!

Garion77 wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 10:23 pm Amazing work !! When you look at all the pictures before you have one more zoomed in, it looks like a real bike.

DRUMS01 wrote: Tue Feb 24, 2026 5:14 am Excellent modeling, great work!

Thank you gentlemen.

I dont usually build to sell, but this bike sold the second day it was on display in the hobbyshop window. It looked so good in real life.

Magic indeed

digger303 wrote: Tue Feb 24, 2026 10:18 am Magic indeed

Thanks digger. I liked the finished model so much I bought another 1/9 bike straight away - Ducati 996 superbike by revell.
1/9 has so much more detail than the 1/12 bikes.

Any inclination to tackle a 1/9 Italeri military bike such as a WLA 750,Triumph 3WH or a German Military Motorcycle with Sidecar ?

digger303 wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 10:34 am Any inclination to tackle a 1/9 Italeri military bike such as a WLA 750,Triumph 3WH or a German Military Motorcycle with Sidecar ?

Maybe. I'm inclined towards later era racing bikes. But as long as it's a decent kit I'd consider it.
A war bike with a figure would be pretty cool.

cor-Fantastic modeling! It does look like a real motorcycle. Well done and congratulations!

Phillip1

cor wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 11:01 am

digger303 wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 10:34 am Any inclination to tackle a 1/9 Italeri military bike such as a WLA 750,Triumph 3WH or a German Military Motorcycle with Sidecar ?

Maybe. I'm inclined towards later era racing bikes. But as long as it's a decent kit I'd consider it.
A war bike with a figure would be pretty cool.

If your ever looking for something a bit unusual, do a search on Motorcycle chariot racing.


Originating in Australia and then spreading to Europe and then to USA.
Todays chariots are a bit different, but personally prefer the older style.
I reckon a man of your skill level could crack this like a walnut and it would be a out standing piece for a show.

digger303 wrote: Fri Feb 27, 2026 4:10 am

cor wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 11:01 am

digger303 wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 10:34 am Any inclination to tackle a 1/9 Italeri military bike such as a WLA 750,Triumph 3WH or a German Military Motorcycle with Sidecar ?

Maybe. I'm inclined towards later era racing bikes. But as long as it's a decent kit I'd consider it.
A war bike with a figure would be pretty cool.

If your ever looking for something a bit unusual, do a search on Motorcycle chariot racing.


Originating in Australia and then spreading to Europe and then to USA.
Todays chariots are a bit different, but personally prefer the older style.
I reckon a man of your skill level could crack this like a walnut and it would be a out standing piece for a show.

That's the most awesome thing I've seen for quite some time

Stop giving me ideas...

PS, lovin' the safety equipment

cor wrote: Sat Feb 28, 2026 8:03 am

digger303 wrote: Fri Feb 27, 2026 4:10 am

cor wrote: Thu Feb 26, 2026 11:01 am

Maybe. I'm inclined towards later era racing bikes. But as long as it's a decent kit I'd consider it.
A war bike with a figure would be pretty cool.

If your ever looking for something a bit unusual, do a search on Motorcycle chariot racing.


Originating in Australia and then spreading to Europe and then to USA.
Todays chariots are a bit different, but personally prefer the older style.
I reckon a man of your skill level could crack this like a walnut and it would be a out standing piece for a show.

That's the most awesome thing I've seen for quite some time

Stop giving me ideas...

PS, lovin' the safety equipment

When men were men an HR and work safe was a ravings of a madman
Be a real talking point in your collection and if any one was going to nail it your the man.

Wonderful bild and nice images too. I always enjoy your motorcycle builds. Actually, any of your builds.

What's next?

DRUMS01 wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 7:01 pm Wonderful bild and nice images too. I always enjoy your motorcycle builds. Actually, any of your builds.

What's next?

Thanks Ben.

I haven't built anything for myself this year, for some reason I've picked up a number of clients who want me to build motorbikes for them, so I have a queue of bikes on the bench.

The staff at the local hobby shop are all building cars at the moment and always ask for my feedback. I've decided to build one to show them I know what I'm talking about (they do see my models in their display window) so as I build motorbikes for customers I will also build up as best I can an 89 Nissan GTR as a demonstration.

Building models for customers keeps my wife happy as I'm being well paid for my hobby, but it's becoming a bit of a chore and not relaxing. It could just be my attitude towards it. I'll fit some of my own kits in during paid work to stay motivated. My stash has so many great kits I've recently picked up during my travels but are all on hold at the moment.