Motorcycle model availability.

[Mike C.]

I see a lot of these off road motorcycle kits on ebay. The vintage KTM, Honda CR, Suzuki RM etc. Just about every one of them is over in Japan. Is there a reason other than nobody buys them here that we never get them in the states?

[Keavdog]

Don't have an answer but would be great to see these kits available.  Some of the Italeri 1/9 bikes are around.

[peteski]

Back  in the '90s there was a mail order company in Florida called IIRC "Phoenix something", and they used to sell a whole range of Imai/Imex 1:12 bikes. Mostly Harleys.  They also carried Protar bikes (1:9).

Nowadays, with so many online (mail-order) companies out there, you can easily order any of the currently production Japanese bikes.  Hobby Link Japan, and Hobby Search are 2 companies I buy from most often.  But older, out of production models are hard to find (expensive).  IMO, there really isn't much of a demand in USA for model motorcycles.

[afx]

I  have a few of Tamiya's 1:12 kits:

• KTM 250MX - motocross
• Honda CR250R - motocross
• BMW RS80 GS - Dakar (rally raid)

I was lucky enough to find the two MX kits in a used toy store.  My search for the BMW lasted several years before I found an example at a price I was willing to pay.

BTW did you catch the recently completed Dakar?  It was a thrilling race this years among several classes, bikes in particular.

Edited January 15, 2022 by afx

[Mike C.]

I wouldn't mind finding one of those KTM kits. I'm a little apprehensive about ordering anything from Japan. I've been burned once before and I'm lucky to have gotten anything back. So never again. Besides, the shipping is often more than the item. 

As for the Dakar, whatever channel I used to watch the highlights on, went to a channel that they want me to pay for now so that's the end of that. Discovery just did the same thing with The Repair Shop so that's the end of that too. I don't even know where the hold that race anymore. I know it's nowhere near Paris or Dakar. Last year it was in south America or something.

[Big John]

Bikes in sand dunes what a crazy combo.  Ricky had a great comeback after getting lost in that first stage, of course he wasn't the only one by a long shot.  He may have had a second win if not for that.  NBC is giving up most of their auto motor sports coverage this year and the Dakar coverage went to, what they are calling, the Olympic channel.  To their credit the coverage went from 1/2 hr. to 1 hr. which was great since they had enough time to cover all the classes including Side x Sides Quads and Trucks.  Does anyone know if there have ever been models of Quads, other than the early Honda 3 wheeler?

 

[peteski]

On 1/15/2022 at 8:10 AM, Mike C. said:

I wouldn't mind finding one of those KTM kits. I'm a little apprehensive about ordering anything from Japan. I've been burned once before and I'm lucky to have gotten anything back. So never again. Besides, the shipping is often more than the item. 

I have been buying from Hobby Link Japan for decades. Not often, but I do buy things there.  Never had any problems.  It is a legitimate large online hobby shop.  I used to also order from Rainbow 10 (a brick and mortar hobby shop in Shizuoka City I had a pleasure of visiting). No problems, but they don't do online sales anymore.  Hobby Search Japan is also another large online vendor where I have ordered multiple times, problem free.

Shipping charges (especially nowadays) can be on the high side, but the Japanese (domestic to them) kit prices are usually less than the same kits in USA. If you buy several items, the cost is IMO not that bad, especially when they have something you want, which cant' be had in USA.

I have also seen Japanese kits listed on eBay by some Japanese sellers, with some outrageous shipping costs.  No thanks.

[Mike C.]

Just checked their website. 19 items in the motorcycle section, not a single one in stock. The only one I had any interest in was that 1/25, 2 motorcycle kit which is kind of a vintage kit now. Looks like paying way too much (including astronomical shipping) for a vintage kit is my only option. 

[afx]

On 1/15/2022 at 8:10 AM, Mike C. said:

As for the Dakar, whatever channel I used to watch the highlights on, went to a channel that they want me to pay for now so that's the end of that. Discovery just did the same thing with The Repair Shop so that's the end of that too. I don't even know where the hold that race anymore. I know it's nowhere near Paris or Dakar. Last year it was in south America or something.

Race has been held in Saudi Arabia the last few years.  You can watch stage highlights here:

https://www.dakar.com/en/home-gallery

Race coverage was broadcast on The Olympic Channel this year in the USA.

Edited January 17, 2022 by afx

[Mike C.]

Wow! Was I off. What year was it in South America?

[afx]

10 minutes ago, Mike C. said:

Wow! Was I off. What year was it in South America?

It was in South America 2009-2019

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakar_Rally

[vintagerpm]

17 hours ago, Big John said:

Does anyone know if there have ever been models of Quads, other than the early Honda 3 wheeler?

Airfix makes a military quad in 1/48 in styrene plastic.
Picture of Airfix box.

Live Resin & Yufan make 1/35 ATVs in resin.
Resin ATV kits at BNA Modelworld.

 

[TonyK]

Gonna back up peteski's experience with the 2 online companies he mentioned as I have had good service from them also.

I get frustrated every year watching Dakar as there are many vehicles I'd like to build; especially a couple of those trucks.

[Mike C.]

Thats great but right now ,they don't have a single motorcycle model in stock.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Mike C.

[TonyK]

I see that but it seems there aren't any "dirt" motorcycles anymore. All you see are the road racers and street ones being made.

[vintagerpm]

10 hours ago, Mike C. said:

Just checked their website. 19 items in the motorcycle section, not a single one in stock. The only one I had any interest in was that 1/25, 2 motorcycle kit which is kind of a vintage kit now. Looks like paying way too much (including astronomical shipping) for a vintage kit is my only option. 

I just counted 37 motorcycle kits in stock at HLJ and over 50 at Hobby Search.

[vintagerpm]

ScaleHobbyist has lots of motorcycles in stock, including 3 (older) Dakar bikes.

[Mike C.]

Everything I was even remotely interested in was sold out. I have resigned myself to the fact that I am going to have to pay a ridiculous amount on a vintage kit.

Edited January 18, 2022 by Mike C.

[BlackSheep214]

Yeah... Tamiya do make the Motocross and other bike kits nowadays.  Scalehobbyist has them.

 

I'd love to get the old vintage motocross kits from the 70s and 80s. I wouldn't mind those larger scale motorcycle kits like the Vintage trikes and CHP Harley Davidson kits. Those were fun to build back then.