Kawasaki Z400 - Kozin

[AlanG]

The tyre tread is a single strip, continuous down the centre - the outermost part of the tyre - with 40 tapering "petals" on either side. I curl up the petals first, then glue the whole strip around a thick card ring, to give a good circular profile.



The wheel then goes inside, and the petals are glued to the sidewall rings, working across the wheel and on the two sides alternately to maintain symmetry. The red dots on the petals and rings make this a little easier.



Finally an extra sidewall layer goes on to neaten everything off.



Alan

[Zathros]

As my 11 year old son would say, "You own this model!!".

[AlanG]

This is one I prepared earlier... (but failed to take any in-progress pictures)



At least motorcycles only have two wheels.



Now it can all be put together



and we are done. Some better completion photos will follow.

Alan

[peter taft]

Alan rides again.... This is a super build my friend, the effort you put in to your models really does pay dividends. A pat on the back for you my friend

[Zathros]

POTW here. I cannot believe what he has done with this model. It is far beyond what you download.

[AlanG]

Some somewhat larger photos of the finished job:



I failed to mention it earlier, but as you have probably already realised I built this to my usual scale of approximately 1:14. Using the model dimensions from the PDO file together with overall dimensions of the original bike from the interweb thingy, I concluded that the model scale was near enough 1:8.5, so a reduction to 60% was just about right.



I sent an email with this photograph to Kozin, and received a gracious reply together with a copy of his latest model (750-RS) and an updated version of his original model (750-SS aka Mach III 750). It turns out that his real name is Kozou Murakami, and I should like to record my appreciation of his efforts here as well.

Alan

[Zathros]

To you, Alan, and to Kozin, a wonderful model. It almost looks like a Sales Brochure photo from Kawasaki !!

[Nazgul]

A cool model of a classic..Always nice to see your work Alan

[dondecap]

hi people,
Alan...... that's a wonderfully made model...... makes mine look a bit abysmal......
love the 'wrap round' tread you do , it looks so much better than the supplied 'ring' type treads.
regards
don

[AlanG]

Viraj, thank you. Such words from you are much appreciated.

Don, you underestimate your work - I have been following your YZ450FM thread with great interest. It is good to welcome a new member to our small motorcycle-building enclave.

Alan