HASEGAWA 1/12TH KAWASAKI KH400 (FINISHED)

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Afternoon Everyone  

Its all lovely and well collecting old bike kits, but most of the times the kits from the 80's decals are useless nowadays. My VF 750R has suffered the same fate and its gone back in the sulk cupboard so I though I would do something a bit newer  

Contrary to popular belief, I do build stuff other than Tamiya  and these Hasegawa bikes are suuuuupaaaaah!

I built this one earlier in the year, a Suzuki GT 380 

They are fantastic kits. In my opinion, they can be a little over engineered, but the detail is fantastic.

Right then, the Kwakky....

Tyres, clear and other bits... (Black cables are thinner than tamiya's, but a bugger to work with)

Enginey bits 

Green Bits 

Frame and other stick on bits 

And the worst bit of these kits, the shiny runner... Its too shiny. Ok these are 70's bikes, but its still too shiny for me.

and the decals. The decals are very good on these kits.

I've heard a few people say that they don't like Hasegawa instructions? I don't know why, they are simple enough to follow...

The paint colour call outs are all in Mr Colour I think, but they are easy enough to transfer over to Tamiya, even the green  

The actual biggest issue with these kits is the chrome runner. Really is just too bright and the exhausts and mudguard will be stripped and painted Sparkling Silver 

Well then, shall we get on with it  

[beowulf 1,895]

never done a Hase bike kit so look forward to seeing how it goes together

first japanese bike my older brother had was a Kawa triple.......the 500 i think, way back in the distant past......didnt like it and went back to British

[Mad Steve 4,851]

My first bike was a Kawa, a Z200. Loved it.

[beowulf 1,895]

1 hour ago, Mad Steve said:

My first bike was a Kawa, a Z200. Loved it.

when he got back into bikes in the late 90s, post divorce, he bought a grey import Z750 Custom twin, all the way from california so it was in good fettle

its currently under a tarp awaiting restoration...............been there for a long time already lol...............and hes not in any hurry since he has a Harley Springer, new-ish Triumph Thunderbird and a brand new Enfield Bullet for pottering about the back lanes

 

my first bike was a little Yamaha RS125......looking back it was a great little bike......last bike was a 600 Bandit

Edited December 23, 2020 by beowulf

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Ive never met your brother... but i dont like him 😁

[Grunhertz 9,446]

Never done a hasegawa bike or car 

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Something you should immediately rectify 😁

[Grunhertz 9,446]

True i need to get their lancia 037

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Afternoon Everyone  and Compliments of the Season 

I have made a start.... 

Since the initial post, I have basically cleaned up and painted the engine and frame. 

Engine goes together really well, (still looks like a lawnmower engine.) and the detail is as good as or even better than Tamiya.  

Engine casing is all painted Tamiya LP 38 Flat Aluminium, and when dry, Flat Clear. The shiny side covers are LP 48 Sparkling Silver and then when dry, Gloss Clear. (It looks a lot more shiny than it does in the photo's)

Hasegawa supply a nice thin piping for the kit, black and clear, and you are expected to glue it together as seen above, where the pipes come up from the carbs. Seriously, dont even bother. I had the same issue with the Suzuki, and I cant get the pipes to stick together, so i tied them with wire,  they will be hidden under the tank anyway. Just in that little space we already have 11 pipes... 3 Throttle cables, 3 choke cables, 3 fuel lines, a clutch cable and an oil cable  

Some of it's a bit silly, like adding the fuel tap now and only attaching to the tank about 14 steps ahead... 

I haven't cleaned up the joint on the airbox because you cant see it when its inside the frame.

Going to leave this overnight and then give a X19 Smoke wash.

Do enjoy the rest of your boxing day and will see you all again soon.

 

 

[Gorby 5,000]

Nice work but you're right, it doesn't look like a motorcycle engine.

[Grunhertz 9,446]

looks great and you arent selling me hasegawa lol 

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Oh dont listen to me, they really are great 

[Mad Steve 4,851]

15 hours ago, Grunhertz said:

looks great and you arent selling me hasegawa lol 

If you want to be impressed, this is the one you should have a look at...

 

[Grunhertz 9,446]

oooh 

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Afternoon Everyone  

Some progress we have been made....

The Engine has been fitted into the frame... Very delicate.

And shortly after that, the swingarm and back wheel were fitted...

I've decided, again, not to use the chrome exhaust pipes, and rather paint them black. The nice thing they are seamed pipes so no spending a hour cleaning up seams. Pay attention when it comes to sticking the exhausts though, Hasegawa's instructions are a bit confusing.... Pipes are painted Semi Gloss Black.

I don't have any of the normal Kawasaki Green left, but I do still have some Candy Lime Green left over from the 1400 Ninja  (Hey, it was the 70's, everything was glittery...), and actually its not a bad match compared to the Lime Green strip on the decal sheet...

and then decals on the tank... Hasegawa's decals are excellent.

One nice touch on the decal sheet is this small one to fit into the side covers, hell of a lot easier than trying to paint it in. 

That's about it for now  

[Grunhertz 9,446]

Looks great I must admit that hasegawas decals for aircraft have me swearing as they are far too thick but on there they look the biz 

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Afternoon Everyone  

Right then, some progress has been made.....

Finished off the fuel tank and just stuck it on to check out if the colour actually does work... I reckon it does.

More faffing about after that, getting the foot pegs, gear shifter and brake pedals on.... I'm not a fan of the way Hasegawa use to clip pieces on. They have positive placement points, but they are just so tiny they may as well not have bothered. Their little pins that you connect the piping to are a gripe as well, they are tiny tiny tiny... so fragile, (maybe I'm just heavy handed ham fisted buffoon )

Anyhoo, all the bits were finally stuck on...

The main thing I don't like about Hasegawa kits, they are sooooo delicate. Yes I know, get the right scale look etc, but there's a point where you have to stop and say, yes it looks right, but it actually still needs to fit together properly... 

Case in point is the front forks. Very very delicate, you touch one bit and another falls off... Gorby asked about the difference in stripping chrome or painting over it? With Hasegawa, you strip the chrome, NOTHING sticks to it and you need some pretty serious superglue to keep it all together. Easier just to strip it and repaint it.

That's about it for now, big thunderstorm coming in so need to go find the dogs and get them inside  

Lateeeeeeeeeeeer... 

[Gorby 5,000]

2 hours ago, Mad Steve said:

I'm just heavy handed ham fisted buffoon

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I think of you more as a baboon. 

Not being into bikes, to me it looks like it's very similar to assembling a real bike. Is it?

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Yeah it is sort of. They go together basically the same way as a real bike does. 

The big 1/6th scale Tamiya bikes are the best 😁

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Not much of an update today

Just added the front end and painted basically the rest of the bodywork...  

[Grunhertz 9,446]

looking good steve 

[Michelle Edwards 1,505]

Looking good Steve

[Mad Steve 4,851]

Afternoon Everyone  

Not much today, had a spare half hour so I got the tank and seat on  

 

[Grunhertz 9,446]

nice one 

[Michelle Edwards 1,505]

Looking good