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MSRP: $58.00 USD

This is an unusual subject for me to try, as I know very little about motorcycles in comparison to my nominal interests.  The main reason I requested this kit was the fact that I have a couple science-fiction action figures in this scale, and for years now I've wanted something like this to display with them.  So my demands for this kit are somewhat different than what I generally ask.  I'm also using this review to explore the features of my recent purchase, an Olympus digital camera.  So, from both aspects, this will be a learning experience.

BOX CONTENTS

This kit includes eight plastic sprues, two rubber tires, two vinyl hoses (for brake lines and air conduits), six metal screws and a small decal sheet.  The part numbers skip so it's hard to tell how many parts actually go into this model.  This kit probably shares parts with other Italeri motorcycle kits.

PRIMARY ASSEMBLY: ENGINE, WHEELS AND SUSPENSION

I started with the engine, as it looked to be the simplest component.  There was a little flash to be pared from the edges but it only took a little test-fitting and Super Glue to put the block together.  The engine parts are molded in silver gray, which worked in spite of it being rather marbled.  I thought about painting it but settled on painted the valve cover red.  That would take the attention off of the engine as a whole.  I also painted part of the oil filter (I think that's what it is; part 50D) red because some of the chrome on that part had been scratched off.

The marbling of the silver parts looked worse on the exhaust headers, so I mixed up some "Unobtanium" from Steel Gray, Silver, Gold and other shades of Gray in my paint collection and gave the headers a coat before installing them.

After finishing the engine, I concentrated on the rear wheel and its suspension.  Getting the tire on the rear wheel was such an adventure that I shouldn't have been surprised that I wound up putting it on wrong way around (the tread going in the wrong direction).  At least it looks that way to me.  I guess you couldn't tell unless you really looked.  I also fretted about putting the rear brake disk on the wheel and then the brake caliper.  The latter part had to mate somehow with the suspension arm and I had to test fit it several times before I was sure I got it right.

Then came the front tire, front wheel and the components of its fork.  I painted the front fender red as per the instructions and gave the lower fork a coat of "Unobtanium".  The front brake disks got the dose of Gold paint as called for in the instructions and were mounted on the wheel after the tire was seated-and I made sure the front tire looked like its tread was pointed the right way.

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