Started December 2001, completed December 16 2001.
This is my seventh YZR500 build. This kit is called the "factory" team Yamaha YZR500, but this team is elsewhere known as the Marlboro Yamaha team, Tamiya just avoids the tobacco name-dropping by calling it "factory".
This kit is another updated Tamiya YZR500 version with the new wider fairing and updated front fork, rear cowling, steering head, dashboard and front fender, similar to the 14086 tech3 bike except for the front forks, wich are Ohlins rather than Kayaba, and of course different decals.
I wanted to use Marlboro logos on the bike and used a decal sheet from AMS in Japan, wich also has West and Gauloises logos.
I went for the late season oversized Marlboro logo, wich really stands out due to the fact that there are almost no other sponsor markings on the bike.
Bodywork painting and decalling
For this bike I decided to try a three piece paint set called "Finisher's Marlboro red" wich I got from a friend in Hong Kong, and after putting the bodywork togeter I started with a few coats of Base white, the first component in the set. I masked off the lower part of the fairing wich was to remain white before I continued. Next came MP/4 red, wich of course is named after McLarens Marlboro sponsored car, and I buildt up a nice bright red finish with the airbrush before finishing with two light coats of Fluorescent red, wich was the third component in the set. This laquer paint dries within minutes so all painting was done the same day, decalling the next day and clear coating the third. The AMS decals was ok but not up to Studio27 specs, and the area around the air-intake on the right side main logo (where the letter "l" is) had to be hand painted because the decal had not taken this area into account.

Detailing time...
I started with the frame, the box art shows some interesting tubes on the rigth side connecting to the fuel tank, I scratch-buildt some hose connectors and glues them onto the frame to replicate this. Next I hollowed out and shimmed down the rear brake caliper bracket, the paddock stand support bracket and the brake pedal. I also Added a few hose clamps made from wire strands, and replaced the kits piping with thinner Modeler's wire. I Added carbon effect by spraying XF-56 metallic grey mixed wih a little X-12 gold thru a mesh onto a semi gloss black base color (air intakes, front fork covers, foot covers, rear mudguard, left paddock stand support) I also added a small sensor cable to the rear brake support bracket, and used carbon decal inside the fairing. The final thing I did was to fill the philips head on the front wheel's screw, file a hex pattern onto it and add a black washer on top to make it look more accurate.

Painting.
The frame and rear swing was painted with Badger engine black, the exhausts with alclad highly polished alu overcoated with clear orange and pale gold, the brake calipers with Alclad pale gold toned down with Tamiya smoke X-19, the radiator with alclad alu and the wheels with TS-49 black, the front forks with Humbrol black enamel, the sliding parts are not visible so I didn't finish them. The brake discs got a mix of X-10 gun metal, XF-56 metallic grey and flat base on the outer part, Alclad magnesium in the middle and gun metal on the innermost part. The rear discs is Alclad steel. The fork ends got a coating with alclad chrome, and the handles, seat etc was painted with Tamiya XF-1 matt black. I drybrushed the handlebars with XF-53 Neutral grey to enhance their pattern. Tamiya smoke and different washing techniques was applied here and there to try to makes things a little more interesting.

Conclusion.
A very nice kit as always from Tamiya. They have included decals (non-tobacco) also for the early season but curiously there's no instructions for the application of those. If You prefer to not paint the lower white section it is also supplied as a decal, making things a lille easier for beginners in the hobby.

This page was created December 17 2001.