Kawasaki Ninja H2R, Meng Models, 1/9

[Matt Bacon]

So, this showed up yesterday, after air mail from Hong Kong resumed. I've given it a wipe down with 99% alcohol ;-P. It's the "pre-coloured" version. The whole thing is by way of an experiment. I wanted to find my way around my first motorbike model before embarking on the Tamiya Ducati Panigale or Matchbox Vincent Black Shadow that are lurking in the stash, and I wanted something a bit less involved between the XJS and the Heller F1 car that is waiting on the bench. Plus I wanted to see how a Meng precoloured no-glue kit was engineered and went together before deciding whether to invest in the upcoming large scale GT40 in the same format...

It's a big box...

Which is well filled.

Creating a bit of a problem with bench space. There are multiple different paint finishes and plating effects, etch parts, vinyl tubes, rubber tyres and many, many tiny screws.

Time to begin.

A bit of Citadel wash and drybrushing for relief, but otherwise OOB.

The frame is a nice bit of plating and coating, which would require candy green if you had to paint it yourself.

The hardest part of the build so far was getting that rear brake hose onto the stub fitting on the frame...

As you can see, it's quite a speedy build!

best,

M.

[Matt Bacon]

Some more progress this evening:

If I was doing this again, I would strip the chrome effect off the exhaust, build the whole thing, then prime and paint with appropriate heat discoloration effects. It's the only assembly so far that I think doesn't do the real thing justice... That said, the engineering of the complex 4 into 2 into one headers is stone-cold brilliant. Each pair of pipes has complementary semicircular locating tabs with a "key", so when you bring them together into the lower Y joint piece, the only way they fit results in the top pins going into the engine being correctly aligned with the exhaust ports. You just have to make sure you get the right pipes in pairs (1+3, 2+4). I don't know where this version of the exhaust is sold (China? Japan?) but it's not quite what you get in a UK or US market version...

best,

M.

 

[David G.]

Beautiful detailing work you've done so far. The chrome you mentioned doesn't really detract from the other work you've done.

I'm also impressed by the look of the color-molded frame. Usually if the box says "Molded in color" outside, there's disappointment inside. Not so with this one. 

BTW, what year bike is the kit a model of? My son owned a 2003(?) Ninja and it would be cool if I could build him a version of the one he owned.

David G.

[Matt Bacon]

Thanks, @DavidG... I'm afraid this is a 2018/19 model, and it's pretty science fiction, to be honest. Built the front forks this afternoon:

Which then fit like this:

That lower hose from the radiator into the engine block is a great example of just how well engineered this kit is. It just press fits neatly into the radiator and the other end is in the right place on the block to snap into position. No glue, no fixings... it just goes in and stays in.

And then you build the fuel tank. This smoked, mirrored effect would be REALLY hard to achieve at home with paint...

So now I know why the kit comes a rather high quality microfibre cleaning cloth...

best,

M.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by Matt Bacon

[Matt Bacon]

Slow and steady progress. The rear lights are again, nicely engineered, but a bit fiddly to get together! And don't forget the main rubber saddle piece... don't ask!

I think this is going to be quite a serious-looking piece of machinery when I'm done...

best,

M.

 

[Matt Bacon]

It's finished now. Proper photos in Under Glass tomorrow when I've cleaned up all the shiny bits. The supplied cloth is excellent, by the way. I shall be holding onto it for the final clean up on shiny car builds!

The decals are good, the self-adhesive metal scripts rather harder to manage!

best,

M.

 

[peteski]

On 7/11/2020 at 9:01 AM, David G. said:

I'm also impressed by the look of the color-molded frame. Usually if the box says "Molded in color" outside, there's disappointment inside. Not so with this one. 

 

Looking at all the photos of the various parts, I think "molded in color" does not mean the same thing as in the old Matchbox kits.  The metallic finish on the engine parts looks to be sprayed on (with areas that the paint did not fully cover the plastic). The frame is also likely sprayed with the green finish (or vacuum metalized).  The green ring on the wheels are also likely Tampo printed.