Tamiya

1/12 Honda RC166

Kit Number: 14113

Reviewed by  Jay Mesawitz, IPMS# 42926

MSRP: $86.00 Website: Tamiya USA Additional detail sets used: Item #12631- Wheel Set. MSRP $99. Item #12632- Front Fork Set. MSRP $26. Item #12633- Metal Chain Set. MSRP $58. Item #12634- Rivet Set. MSRP $15. When I saw the Honda RC166 GP-Racer on the review list I was interested. There are so few non-military items available from what I have seen over the few months that I have been on the reviewer corps. But after I discovered that Tamiya designed four upgrades for this kit my interest when way up. I went so far as to order the upgrade parts before my bid for review was approved. I would have built this kit regardless. This is a new tool and the upgrades are even newer only just being announced this past October (2009) at the Tokyo Hobby Show. The kit itself is impressive at first glance. Black, white, metallic grey, clear and chrome parts trees are individually bagged in typical Tamiya fashion. The tires are rubber like. There is a tree of medium hard vinyl parts for the seat, hoses and a couple other items. The base kit also includes a PE fret, metal transfers for rivets, turned aluminum foot pegs and springs for the coil over shocks. The decals are quite minimal but seem to have all that is required. One really unexpected extra is a full color fact sheet on the subject with close-up photographs of the actual motorcycle or at least a full size museum replica saving a good deal of research time if that is a normal part of your build. The four upgrade kits are the PE drive chain set, front fork set, rivet detail set and wired spoke wheels with aluminum rims. I sourced them from an online supplier, Hobby Link Japan and they arrived about two weeks after receiving the base kit. It seems I was a bit lucky to have received them as quickly as I did given the wheel set was not to be available until January (when I expected to start this project). I started this build the day the upgrade parts were delivered. The drive chain was the first item on the to-do list. This kit includes a PE fret, link spacers, pins, and replacement sprockets. There is an excellent assembly jig as well. I followed the instructions and after about two & a half hours I had a complete chain. The retaining links were the only small annoyance. The instructions suggested glue for the ones that would not stay in place from friction fit but I chose to crimp each one tight with very small needle nose pliers. The problem was that some were still loose and wanted to slip off. Rather than glue, I thought would be too stiff, I brushed on a coat of Tamiya clear smoke. It was tacky enough to hold the loose ones and added a bit of depth to the bright chrome of the PE links. Tamiya included more than enough spacers and pins to complete this kit. Even after loosing a couple I had over fifteen spares of each. The wheel upgrade was next up. This is an amazing piece of engineering in my opinion. It includes a tree of plastic wheel hub halves & assembly jig, two pre drilled aluminum rims, separate wire spokes for front and back wheels, spoke retainers and two aluminum valve stems. In terms of remarkably small, well machined parts, the spokes and retainers are incredible. No less impressive is how the entire unit fits together as described in the instructions. Do not get me wrong, assembling these wheels is not a quick or easy task. Without any issues to speak of and working at a pace that I would term diligent, I spent three hours on the first one. Consider this; the rear wheel alone is 78 pieces, but the result is well worth the effort. The front wheel went together equally well however this one only took two hours. Once again there were sufficient spares of the easily lost parts so it’s possible to drop a couple and still have a few left over.

With the wire wheels assembled I wrapped the kit tires over them to get the full effect. This brings me to the perhaps biggest disappointment with the kit. The tires themselves look just fine from the profile and have nice tread detail but when you view them head on they are pointed. While it could be argued this is correct (although I doubt it is) it looks out of place in scale. The bike itself went together as instructed. The engine & frame were not too complicated although the vinyl tubing supplied for plug wires and break lines leaves a little to be desired. If I had more time to source a suitable replacement I would have used something else. The tubing fits OK but if doesn’t hold a shape and is impossible to form to look like it hangs naturally. It also fails to make a tight turn without kinking. Since replacing the kit one piece chain & sprockets with the upgrade assembly installation of the rear tire, swing arm and chain assembly was much more difficult than anticipated. Getting the chain, drive sprocket and guard located to the side of the engine was hardest part and I even broke the chain once in my first attempt but after the struggle…satisfaction. The front fork upgrade came later in the build and used several of the kit parts in conjunction with the nicely machined upgrade ones. It assembled up without issue as well. This upgrade also included a stacked clutch for the side of the engine. It also fell together. The body cowling, paint, decals and rivet upgrades finished the build. The body parts cleaned up without issue. Some extra body work was required to use the upgrade rivet set since each molded rivet needed to be shaved off and pre-drilled before paint. After paint the decals went on with out any unexpected hassle. They do require a setting solution since nearly every one seems to be located on a complex surface. One unusual facet of the body is two smaller panels that fit to the cowling after installation. One is easily seen and looks like a breast plate for the engine. The unusual aspect is the kit supplies magnets and PE plates to secure this piece. The PE places glue to the cowling and the magnets glue to the cover. It works but I chose to secure these parts in a more permanent fashion. The clear wind screen is a rather complicated shape. My sample was clean, scratch free and fit easily. In conclusion this was an enjoyable build. It took no longer than anticipated and the upgrades challenged my skill level where the kit alone may not have. I’d give the kit alone 8 out of 10. The shape of the tires and the flimsy vinyl tubing left me wanting. The wheels & chain upgrades are amazing and a must have for the patient builder. The fork & clutch are easier to deal with but also not as noticeable in the final assembly. The rivets, well they are the least expensive upgrade and clearly visible in final assembly so maybe the most wow for your buck. Thanks to Tamiya for providing the review sample and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this kit.