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Heliwilly

Honda CB750 Racer

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I have just bought a “started but not finished” Honda CB750 racer. I built a lot of racing bikes in the ‘60’s, and wondered when this kit was discontinued. Bill W.

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1/6 Honda Cb750 Racing

This one?

Rad!

i copied this picture, these were great ol' racers back then.

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That’s the one. The only ones I have seen are about £500 ready assembled. The kit I got on eBay was considerably less. Bill W

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yes, when i googled them they are quite the size and tag to go with them, detail looks phenomenal.

Now just how can we make it RC? Hmmm, there's gots to be a way:lol:

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6 hours ago, Heliwilly said:

I have just bought a “started but not finished” Honda CB750 racer. I built a lot of racing bikes in the ‘60’s, and wondered when this kit was discontinued. Bill W.

It was released in November 1971 and discontinued in 1983. Apart from the factory built version (released in 2008), the model has not been re-released according to Tamiya's official records, "The Complete Works of Tamiya 1946-2015". I still won't completely exclude the possibility that there might have been short re-runs for the domestic market  since 1983.

The item number of your kit will define whether it's an original release or a (hypothetical) re-release.  The item numbers originally used for the 1/6 scale motorbike series was BS06??. This was replaced with 16?? in 1982 and again replaced with 16??? in 1987. So, if your kit has the item number BS0603, it's an original release. With 1603, manufactured between 1982 and 1987, and as 16003 manufactured after 1987. As mentioned above, it's pretty sure that the kit only exists as BS0603.

By the way, the normal road version of the CB750 was re-released in 2018.

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Hi Mokei Kagaku,

I have been in contact with the seller of the kit. 
He says the kit has the Number BS 0603* 2,500.

Would this make I an original manufacture, 1971 to 1983 ?

Thanks

Bill W.

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1 hour ago, Heliwilly said:

Hi Mokei Kagaku,

I have been in contact with the seller of the kit. 
He says the kit has the Number BS 0603* 2,500.

Would this make I an original manufacture, 1971 to 1983 ?

Thanks

Bill W.

With BS0603 it's definitely an original release kit. 2.500 after the item number just indicates the price in Japanese Yen.

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1 hour ago, Heliwilly said:

Hi Mokei Kagaku,

Has anyone any idea of the value of this kit?

Thanks

Bill W

It's difficult to give a simple answer. It depends on whether the kit is NIB or started, like in your case. If NIB, then again on the condition of the box, the packacing inside and the parts themselves. Being this old, there could potentially be corrosion on some of the fasteners and other metal parts, the rubber might have deteriorated and so on.

Furthermore, it depends on how and where the kit is offered. Old Tamiya static models generally achieve higher prices in the domestic market, but that depends a bit on the type of model and whether it has been re-released identical to the original, slightly or significantly changed and of course, availability of NOS (new old stock). In the case of the specific kit in question, the fact that it has relatively recently been released as a factory built kit, might have an impact on the conceived value of the kit.

Also, whether a discontinued kit can possibly be re-released in the future, will mostly influence the price. In some cases, Tamiya doesn't have the molds anymore (like the 1/100 scale Sikorsky Skycrane and Sea King, with molds sold to Revell), or Tamiya doesn't have copyright for the models (like the 1/25 scale slot cars, which are AMT, Jo-Han and  MPC copies), making re-releases virtually impossible, pushing the prices of the originals.  In other cases, a re-release might be considered likely by potential buyers, for instance when a model partially based on the same parts has already been re-released (like your kit, where the "road going" normal CB750 was recently re-released).  The time of the year a kit is offered for sale, also often is a factor.

With the above in mind and probably due to further factors as well, my guess is that your kit can possibly achieve as little as 100USD because it's not NIB and if offered in such a way that it's not easily feasible for Japanese collectors to buy it and somewhere between 500 and 800USD when NIB and offered in a way that makes it globally easily available. I consider less than 100 and more than 800USD to be unlikely, but not impossible. 

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Hi Mokei Kagaku,

Thanks for the reply.

I just wanted some background information.

As the kit is partially done, wheels, frame, plus a couple of other parts, I was always going to complete the build,

Thanks again

Bill W

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Hi, 

Just an update on the 1/6 scale Honda CB750 Racing Type, part done kit I bought. MISTAKE.  As per the instructions the frame was painted with Humbrol enamel, this has seeped into all the holes and mounting points on the frame.I have had to split the frame and scrape off all the degraded polystyrene adhesive that was used and then carefully drill out all the through holes and tediously get all the enamel out of the blind holes. That is still work in progress. To have a break from that I thought I would make up the working chain that is supplied with this kit as an alternative to the fixed chain. After half an hour, I gave up on that, as the pins wouldn’t fit in the rollers with the through holes. I got my digital gauge out and measured the pins and holes. The pins varied between .92mm and 1.05mm. The holes were between .94mm and 1.02mm. I have ordered a set of micro drills to sort those out. Perhaps the lack of quality is why they weren’t offered as an option in the 16003 kit. Onwards and upwards. More updates to follow.

Bill W.

Edited by Heliwilly
Missed out model.
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Sounds like its going to be a labour of love! Looking forward to seeing some pics of it as it progresses though.

 

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Just a quick thought, has anyone made up the chain that was an option in the early models of the Honda CB750 racing type. It isn’t too bad taking the holes in the rollers hand drilled out, a pain but doable. My problem is with the pins. How can I resize them. My thought at the moment is to take all the holes in the rollers out to 1.05mm,as the largest pins are 1.05mm and see how it goes. Second option and easier one is to fit the chain kit made for 1/6 scale kits. Annoyingly I have a chainset I got for the Honda Africa model, but not used yet. I might just plod on with this chainset, but any advice gratefully received. Thanks Bill W.

Just been looking at the Tamiya chainset I bought some time ago to put on an Africa Twin that I haven’t got yet. I seem to have mislaid/lost the metal rollers that separate the links. Does anyone have any at all, rather than buying another chainset. Other alternative is to make my own if I can get small enough tubing, or 2.5mm rod and drill a 1mm hole in it. Cheers BillW.

Found Rollers, so making up Tamiya chainset. A long and arduous task. Bill W

Edited by Heliwilly
Adding details

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Is it actually made of individual rollers and pins then???!!!! Even at 1/6th scale they must be insanely small

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Yes they are all individual rollers and pins. The Tamiya one I am doing is part of the Tamiya Detail it Up series as opposed to the one supplied as an alternative in the original kit. The newer one has the metal rollers and clips together with the aid of a jig. The older one had plastic pins and rollers with metal links and was the pins were glued into the rollers. Bill W.

11AD5C42-A67E-4E88-8773-B08665B0A052.jpeg

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I will have more pics when I am a bit further on. At the moment just the frame and engine done. Bill W.

 

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Here are a couple of pics of the Tamiya chain built from their add on series. Not tried it yet as no rear wheel in yet. The chainset has taken about a week on and of, using tweezers, a cocktail stick and a good scalpel blade and a floor standing magnifying glass, well lit. The longest job was cleaning the excess plastic off the parts after taking them off the sprue. They are so small and need a great deal of patience and care. The metal roller is 1.3mm dis. The 1 is in the shadow of the roller. Bill W.

 

28B79E85-59D6-4221-9BCD-37639371AC01.jpeg

C801CCBA-2090-40EA-A535-189BB419DEFD.jpeg

Edited by Heliwilly
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I don‘t know if anyone has tried to fit one of the 12674 chain sets from the Tamiya detail-in parts series to an original ‘70’s 0603 Honda CB750 Racing Type, DON’T. The chainset is of a different size. The distance between the teeth on the rear and drive sprockets is approx 3mm. The 12674 chainset is 2.5mm. It is a no go. I now have the choice of building up the supplied movable chainset , or using the static one. As I have already installed the gearbox sprocket, I am going to modify the gearbox end of the fixed chainset by cutting out the built in gearbox cog and drilling out the chain to provide slots for the installed gearbox socket to go. 
Anyone know which 1/6 scale models they are designed to fit?

Cheers

Bill W.

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Is it possible that you use a a sprocket from another kit that has the correct pitch? If such a thing exists...

Im having a sense of deja vu now on a similar topic that came up with someone else not too long ago

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Hi,

I have been in touch with Tamiya in Japan and the chainset was actually designed and  made for the Africa Twin. 
  I suppose if anyone had the talent and a 3D printer they could replicate the Africa Twin pitch on a set of sprockets that would fit the 750 Racing Type and perhaps the CB 750 1:6 scale road bike. Thoughts anyone?

Bill W

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