HONDA CB750 in 1/4 Scale. Geoff's Build

[My Model Car Workshop]

This model is not the ordinary plastic kit. It is a precision engineered 1/4 scale replica of a full size Honda CB750 Motorbike. It is built mainly from metal parts, including the wheels, tank, frame, engine/gearbox, handlebars, mudguards, brake components and many other metal parts. There are some plastic parts that resembles metal as well as other parts made from rubber (tyres), leather (seat) wiring harnesses and other electrical circuit boards, to enable all the lights to work just like on the real bike and a built in sound chip and speaker, for authentic engine sound. It even has it's own ignition key.


The kit comes in monthly parts, with each pack containing 3 or 4 stages, over a period of two years, ot it can be ordered as a complete kit at just over £700. Bought monthly like my kit, it costs £32 per month, but works out no dearer than ordering the full kit in one go.


I will be covering this build stage by stage, on a monthly basis as each monthly set of parts are delivered. So it's going to be quite a long build.


PACK ONE - Stages 1 to four.


Stage one - Fuel Tank. This is a very simple task, it is just a matter of attaching the Honda badges to each side of the tank. The badges are made of chromed plastic and are a push fit into small holes on each side of the tank. Notice that the tank itself is stove enamel painted, and comes with the gold stripes painted on as well. It is quite large and just fits in the palm of your hand, as you can see in the photo.


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Here you can see that the right hand side badge has been fixed in place.


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This shows how large this model is. This completes Stage one.


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Stage two - Front Wheel & Cylinder Head parts





There are a few parts to add to the Cylinder Head cover. These two small parts are screwed from beneath the casting, with two small screws. First the holes in which the screws fit, have to be tapped first by using one of the screws provided.


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Next the front tyre is fitted to the all metal spoked wheel, by gently fitting one side first over the rim. Then pull the other side over the opposite rim. It is a bit tight to get the second side on, but it is a nice snug fit, once in place.


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Stage three - Speedometer & Rev Counter Dials.





This stage is a little fiddly, as some of the parts are very tiny. Each dial consist of backplate, pointer and fixing spindles, clear plastic lens cover and locking rim. In the photo, you can see the main dial housing with wires attached for illuminating the dials (when model completed). Below the housing are the two locking rings, dial backplates and Yoke top in black painted metal. On the green sandpaper (for clarity( you can see the plastic lens covers, needles and fixing pins.


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The first job is to attach the needles to the dial backplate. Tweezers are needed for this job. once the needle has been lined up with the hole in the centre of each dial, you push the small spindle through the centre of the needle and attach a the small plastic holding clip underneath, then carefully close the needle spindle and clip together with a pair of small smooth edged pliers, so that the needles are held tight on the 0 position.


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Having attached the needles, the next job is to mount the dials in the holders, these have a small notch in the rim, so you can line up the backplates in the right position. One these are in place, the plastic lens is placed over the top of the dial and the locking cover is snapped into place.


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Next the whole assembly is attached to the metal yoke, with small screws, having first tapped the holes for the screws. Once this has been attached, this stage is complete.


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underneath view

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top view

Stage four - Handlebars.





This is the last stage for the first pack of parts. It is just a matter of fixing two clamps to the handlebars, which then fit to the top of the yoke behind the two dials. Each clamp comes in two halves and can only be fitted one way. First four more screw holes have to be tapped and then each clamp is screwed to the handlebar, one each side. Once this is done, the handlebars are fixed to the yoke, using two more small screws. That completes the first four stages of this model.


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Handlebar parts

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Clamps fitted

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Handlebars fixed to top of yoke (underneath view)

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top view

Photo below, shows all the completed parts of the model so far.


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I hope that these images have given you some idea, just how large this model is. All the parts are crisp and clean, with no burr marks and the paint finish and chroming on all the parts is perfect.


I should be getting the next parts very soon, so as soon as they arrive, I will post up part two.


Thank you for looking in.


Geoff

 

[takeslousyphotos]

That is seriously impressive Geoff ....... at 1/4 scale it'll be huge....... I'm going to have to watch this, 2 Years ??? I hope I don't get hit by a bus at week 103:eek:

 

[dougie]

That's going to be a belter. Is it a deagostini?

 

[eddiesolo]

That is a very nice looking model...well parts. Some folk have said that this isn't modelling you just bolt together etc, but I look at this way-Meccano, Lego etc is just bolted stuck etc and you make models. Plus the fact at the price this costs...I would damn near scared to death of knackering something up...so a modelling background helps in understanding and putting together.


This is going to be one large and impressive build when done Geoff.

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

That's going to be a belter. Is it a deagostini?

Yes Dougie it is one of the DeAgostini models

That is a very nice looking model...well parts. Some folk have said that this isn't modelling you just bolt together etc, but I look at this way-Meccano, Lego etc is just bolted stuck etc and you make models. Plus the fact at the price this costs...I would damn near scared to death of knackering something up...so a modelling background helps in understanding and putting together.
This is going to be one large and impressive build when done Geoff.

Anything in the form of a kit is modelling Si, whether it is plastic, wood or metal and whether it needs glue or screws, really makes no difference. There are quite a few complicated parts that need putting together and mistakes can be made if proper care isn't taken, during assembly. I do have quite a few plastic kits as well and I will be showing some of these, later in the year, as I tend to do most of my modelling during the winter months. I decided to go for this model, because of its size and the precision of the parts that will make this into a proper showcase model.

 

[eddiesolo]

I agree, but have had a few folk turning their nose up at these kind of builds, why I don't know. As you say they have to be built...some folk just seem to be stuck in their ways regarding modelling.

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

I agree, but have had a few folk turning their nose up at these kind of builds, why I don't know. As you say they have to be built...some folk just seem to be stuck in their ways regarding modelling.

I know what you mean Si. Here is another model I built about six years ago. This IS a complicated model to build and not for the feint hearted. It is a scale model of a Tellurium which shows the lunar and solar eclipses from any given point in history from ancient times into the future by setting certain dials. The whole model moves in a 360 degree circle around the sun, from a motor enclosed in the base drum. It has all the signs of the zodiac, engraved around the base. This model cost just over £840 and was another monthly build from Eaglemoss Publications. The whole assembly is made from solid brass and weighs about 30lbs.


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[bazers]

The bike is going to be great, and i think the Tellurium is amazing.

 

[Dave W]

That's going to build into a fantastic show piece.I consider it to be modelling myself.Those who don't are probably jealous because they can't afford a kit like this.My first super bike was a Kawasaki Z900A4.I wonder if there's a kit like this of it?.Mind you,I couldn't afford it if there was!.I look forward to more of your build Goeff.

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

Thank you for your comments so far guys. As Si noted, some people don't regard these sort of kits as modelling. But I disagree! These sort of kits are sold as model kits, just like any other type of vehicle, or instrument (my Tellurium as an example), whatever it is made from. It is modelling.


Anyway, I hope that those of you who are interested in seeing this kit come together, will keep looking in as each stage progresses.

 

[Airfix Modeller Freak]

Nice work there. Something different


John

 

[eddiesolo]

Just had a look at this and the attention to detail is mind-blowing! Lift up the seat and there is a tool box, step on the brake pedal and the brake light comes up, kick start the starter pedal and it fires up! Amazing.

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

Just had a look at this and the attention to detail is mind-blowing! Lift up the seat and there is a tool box, step on the brake pedal and the brake light comes up, kick start the starter pedal and it fires up! Amazing.

Glad you have seen for yourself Si, that this is no ordinary run of the mill motorbike model, but a precision work of art. Other than the engine and gearbox itself, it has lots of working parts. Proper sprung suspension, revolving metal chain, throttle and brake movement, flashing indicators, lights and working brake light operated by the brake pedal, as well as the engine sound system. This was the first motorbike kit to be introduced by DeAgostini and since then, two more bike kits are available at a slightly higher price. The Harley Davidson Fat Boy and the Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa, but personally, I prefer the Honda CB750. It is possible that there will be another bike model in the not too distant future, so we will have to wait and see what it might be. A Ducati Pangales would be nice.

 

[Laurie]

Very nice Geoff another facet to model making. Would not mind your


model on my shelf. (When it is finished !).


Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3568]

Great kit of a great bike, will definitely be following this.

 

[takeslousyphotos]

Very nice Geoff another facet to model making. Would not mind your
model on my shelf. (When it is finished !).


Laurie

It`d need to be a Damn big shelf Laurie :D

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

I had delivery of Pack Two of this model this morning, which consists of part 5. Headlamp shell and indicators, plus parts 6 & 7, Left & Right Front Forks. The pack in the middle of photo, is the left fork, which I have opened, so you can see the parts.


I will be continuing with the assembly of these parts in the next couple of days. Watch this space!


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[Deleted member 3568]

I'm drooling already.

 

[My Model Car Workshop]

PACK Two Stages 5 to 7.





As mentioned earlier, this pack contains the Headlamp case and front indicators. Left & right front fork assemblies and four tappet covers which fit on top of the cylinder head, that came with Pack 1.


Stage 5 fitting the left & right indicator stalks. This is quite a simple job. The wires are already fitted to each lamp, so it is a matter of feeding the wires into the headlamp case, making sure that the wires are held inside the slots on each stalk. Then each stalk is pushed into the side of the lamp case. These can be super glued in place, but as they are a nice tight fit, I haven't glued them.


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Headlamp case underneath view


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Headlamp case front view

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Indicator stalks fitted.

Stage 6 & 7 Left & Right Front Forks and tappet covers for cylinder head.


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Left fork has disc brake calliper fitted the four small caps on the right are the tappet caps.

Each fork comes in several parts. Main body with sprung lower fork, rubber gaiter, chrome ring for seating gaiter and fixing screw. A small pack of grease is provided for lubricating. First a small amount of grease is applied, then the rubber gaiter is fitted, followed by the lower seating ring. This is repeated for the other fork and then each fork is attached to the headlamp bracket, making sure that the left fork is fitted on the left side facing forward as if you were sitting on the bike. These have to be fitted one at a time, as they are held in place with the top yoke which the handlebars were fitted to in stage four.


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Applying grease with cotton bud.

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Fitting rubber gaiter

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Left fork inserted through tube on side of headlamp case.

This is repeated with the right hand fork and once both forks are in place. The top yoke holding the handlebars that was assembled in stage four, is then placed in position and using two screws through holes in the top yoke, these are screwed into the top of each fork. Then a chromed cap is fitted to cover each screw head. This completes stages six and seven.


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Forks fitted in place

Just one more small job, is to fit the four plastic tappet caps into the cylinder head, which are a push fit.


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Tappet caps.

Here are all the parts that have been assembled so far. Still a long way to go yet. Next update will be in four weeks, when the next parts arrive. I have tried to show each stage as best as I can by using both photos and written instructions.


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Thank you all for looking in.

 

[Deleted member 3568]

This will be something else when done.