Nick's 1/12 Honda CB1000F - Tamiya GB 2026

Nicko · Oct 30, 2026

Well, my track record on Group Builds has not been great this year, with two finished late, my US Icon F14 still waiting for me to drum up the enthusiasm for some tricky masking and my MIG not even started. However, I have now packed up work for the winter so should have more bench time over the next few months. To that end, thanks to Paul for getting the GB up and running and here is my entry.

The Honda CB1000F is a new model for 2026 and the late delivery of it here in the UK meant that the Tamiya version was in the shops before the full size example. I've not yet had a look at one up close but its been getting some very good reviews. As for the kit, I've not built a 'modern' Tamiya kit and it looks very nice in the box. Here's what we've got to deal with:

Usual Tamiya box with the nicest colourway on the front......

Typical Tamiya instructions.....

Now a nice stapled book compared to the single piece pull-out type I'm more used to.

Decals etc...

Clear parts - nicely coloured on the tail light and reflector...

The plastic....

I'll likely strip this one......

And the other bits.......

Hoping to make a start on Sunday so welcome along to anyone that fancies following it with me.

Nick

flyjoe180 · Oct 30, 2026

Nice looking kit Nick, it looks quite retro. How often do we get to see a build of a model that has been released at the same time as the real subject?

PaulTRose · Oct 30, 2026

That looks a cracking kit

pjgtech · Oct 30, 2026

Cool, following along....

Geoffers · Nov 1, 2026

Good looking kit there Nick

Are those wheel masks, I didn’t realise bike kits had those

Geoff.

Nicko · Nov 1, 2026

Thanks Geoff. I think they're disc masks - too small for the wheels. Not sure if I'll use them I'm more likely going to paint the friction surfaces separately to the carriers as that's how they've been molded.....

Nick

John Race · Nov 1, 2026

I'm in, always like a nice bike, should be fun Nick.

Neil · Nov 1, 2026

That looks like a really good kit, that is going to make a terrific finished model.

Nicko · Monday at 7:47 PM

Thanks for all the interest Guys, I'll try and keep the momentum going. Some of you may have seen in the GB chat thread that I have 21 1/12 Tamiya motorcycle kits in the stash, mostly they are older models that I have been buying up whenever they get reissued. So why did I choose this one?

Well, a friend and former colleague from the world of working on full-size examples suggested we get a buddy build going of something we both had an example of. We chose this.....

I guess it's like the Grandad of the new CB1000F and the colourway of the new bike is almost identical too, although we never got the old bike in that colour here in the UK. I thought it would be nice to see them side-by-side without too much of a gap between the builds.

As for the CB1000F, I've done some clean-up and put a few parts together....

As is usual with motorcycle builds, there's a long period with not a lot to see. The engine is quite compact compared to the older air-cooled CB....

More later in the week I hope...

Thanks as always for looking in.

Nick

Jim R · Monday at 7:54 PM

Nice neat start.

Geoffers · Tuesday at 9:42 AM

Every journey starts with a single step as they say, nice start Nick

Geoff.

Darian Frey · Tuesday at 1:51 PM

niccceeeeeeeeeeeee! I love old Honda CB's, in fact I think my Dad had a 750. Looking forward to seeing this and a really good start!

Valeron · Wednesday at 7:59 AM

Good start. I've never built a bike

pjgtech · Friday at 2:32 PM

Good progress, think I built the CB750 many years ago (badly), so chair pulled up for this build, looking forward tp seeing how you tackle it...

Nicko · Friday at 11:55 PM

Thanks for your interest Guys. I have made a little more progress.....

Stripped the chrome off the silencer and heat shield. I do love Tamiya's 'instant dissolve' chrome. The silencer and three-part swinging arm have been glued up, and are now undergoing a little seam and joint work with Mr Surfacer 500.

I cleaned up and assembled the frame parts. Here they are clamped up to set...

The brake discs are very fine mouldings with properly drilled holes, but the bobbins are solid so these were also drilled along with the corresponding holes in the carriers...

Couldn't resist a little mock-up...

The pile of prepped parts is mounting up but there's still a long way to go...

Thanks for looking in.

Nick

yak face · 2026-11-07T07:56:59+0000

Great work nick , really making me want to do a motorbike now , been looking at one of the cb750fs too

flyjoe180 · 2026-11-07T09:19:25+0000

Nice work Nick, I take it the Tamiya chrome comes off very easily?

Nicko · 2026-11-07T10:45:15+0000

yak face said:
Great work nick , really making me want to do a motorbike now , been looking at one of the cb750fs too

Thanks Tony, I'm sure you'd make a great job if you gave one of these bikes a go.

Nick

Nicko · 2026-11-07T10:48:16+0000

flyjoe180 said:
Nice work Nick, I take it the Tamiya chrome comes off very easily?

Cheers Joe. I've found that Tamiya chrome more or less falls off when given a sniff at the Domestos. A marked contrast to some Italeri chrome that refused to give up even after a couple of weeks. After going through various stronger products, that eventually yealded to a nice caustic soda solution....

Nick

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