FOCUS ON … : 1/35 Scale Motorbike Kits in Plastic

UPDATE : JANUARY 2012 – With all the new kits out in the past year this is now due for a big update so I’ll be trying over the next couple of months to update this, the staff car list, and the truck lists with the couple of dozen new additions that need to now be added.

Light on detail but no worse than the Tamiya kits. Includes three figures, a standing rider, a passenger in the sidecar and a standing infantryman. The figures aren’t the best.

 

Italeri BMW R75 and Zundapp KS750 :

This set includes two bikes and four figures. The bikes are better detailed than the Tamiya equivalent, the figures are typical Italeri – not good. Like the Tamiya bikes neither shows the correct modifications to allow these to be used without the sidecar. Although better than the Tamiya kits neither brand is as good as the Lion Roar bikes. Also available wearing the Revell brandname. Long OOP.

Italeri Zundapp 750 with sidecar :

Same bike as above and same goes for the quality of detail and the lack thereof in the figures. Much better sidecar than the Tamiya equivalent. Despite the awful figures it’s actually not a bad kit for the price as it’s usually very cheap. Also available wearing the Revell name. Also Long OOP.

Tamiya BMW R75 with Sidecar :

A simple kit coming with a very basic representation of the R75 plus a total of four figurs, a rider, one in the sidecar and two walking infantrymen. The bike does look like an R75 but the detail is very basic and heavy in places. Still a decent looking kit overall and can be made into a very nice one with some TLC.

Tamiya BMW R75 and Zundapp KS750 :

Two bikes in one kit, each coming with a rider. Again these are simple kits with not a huge depth of detail, but nore are they terrible. Now out of production ( Tamiya at the end of 2010 rereleased these as “limited edition” so they are still around ).

Tamiya German Motorcycle DKW NZ 350 :

A very basic kit now OOP, this had only 20 parts and made up into a single bike with no rider. Used later on in kits like the Tiger II Ardennes set, Sd.Kfz 222 DAK kit and the Motorcycle Orderly kit.

 

Tamiya German Kettenkraftrad :

A simple kit coming with a very basic representation of the Kettenkraftrad plus a total of four figurs, a rider, one sitting in the rear and two walking infantrymen ( the same two that come with the R75 with sidecar kit. Still makes up reasonably nicely but there’s not much in the way of parts and the detail is somewhat simplified.

Tamiya German Motorcycle Orderly Set :

A re-release of the DKW NZ 350 with cleaned up moulds and new figures. The bike detail remains the same, overall good but again just a bit heavy on the detail in areas and lacking the really fine detail, though there is a PE set available to detail this. Comes with a standing rider, a second MP figure and a set of road signs. Overall quite a good little set that displays well.

Tamiya U.S. Military Police Motorbike Set :

Overall not a bad little set, the Harley Davidson bike like all Tamiy’s bikes turns out quite nice but just a little heavy in detail in places and lacking some of the fine details that would make it that little bit better. Comes with a rider and an MP directing traffic.

Masterbox German Motorcycle and Sidecar :

Very nice kit that includes photo etch parts to replace the spokes and sprockets. This kit has more detail than the Tamiya kits with a greater level of detail and more, and finer, parts but still requires fine detailing by the builder to add cables etc if one wants to really bring out the best in it. Includes no figures.

Masterbox German motorcyclists, 1940-1943 :

This kit uses the R75 with sidecar mentioned above but without the photo etch parts. Comes with four figures, two relaxing on the bike, two standing – one urinating, one stretching. The figures are very nicely done and reflect Masterbox’s strength in doing poses which are different from the run-of-the-mill figure sets.

Masterbox German Motorcycle Repair Crew :

An extremely useful set covering an unuasual scenario, that being an R75 with sidecar that has been stripped down for servicing. Uses the above R75 with sidecar kit as the basis then adds parts, a table, tools and four figures dressed very casually doing various service and repair work on the bike parts. Very nice kit, does not include the PE parts which would be nice ( but one assumes also more expensive ) so needs the usual TLC with small detailing work to bring out it’s true potential.

Masterbox Kradschutzen : German Motorcycle Troops on the Move :

Very nice kit that uses the R75 with sidecar kit that comes with PE parts mentioned above. Also includes four figures - two sets of crew, one pair dressed for summer, the other set dressed for winter. The figures are well moulded.

You can read a full review on this kit HERE

Bronco Triumph 3HW Motorcycle w/British MP’s :

The only 1/35 plastic kit of a British WWII Triumph ( or any British bike for that matter )that I know of so good thing it’s a good one. You get two bikes plus three figures – a standing rider pointing, a rider standing astride the bike and an officer holding a clipboard. These come with a PE fret to handle the finer detail on what is already a well detailed kit, which really brings out the best in this kit.

The Bronco Commonwealth Equipment set sprue is also included so you get a range of weapons (Vickers K MGs, a Bren, a Sten, a Thompson and two SMLEs ) and equipment. This isn’t a cheap kit but it’s very well made and you get a lot in it.

Zvezda German Motorcycle R12 w/Sidecar and Crew : 

A surprisingly good kit, as good as any other out there. Good detail, clean moulds and excellent fit of parts, even though quite a few are very small and delicate parts that can be quite fiddly to fit. Like all the others it would benefit from some fine detailing with wire but even without that it turns out very nicely. 

 Miniart U.S. WWII Motorcycle WLA Harley-Davidson :

A very well detailed model using PE parts for some of the finer details as well as the centre of the wheels which results in a very good looking model. Clean and sharp details and easy to build. No figures included.

 

Miniart U.S. Military Police :

This contains two of the above Narley Davidson motorcycles plus two MP figures. The bikes include PE parts and are extremely well detailed as are the figures. There aren’t a lot of choices if you want a U.S. bike but even if there were you’d be hard pressed to fault this set.

Miniart U.S. Motorcycle Repair Crew :

NOT YET AVAILABLE.

Kit will contain two Harley Davidson motorcycles plus three mechanic figures.

Lion Roar BMW R75 :

A very well made kit with a lot of good detail and a lot of small, delicate parts. It includes a small PE fret for some parts as well as multiple part wheels that build up the spokes from PE parts. These make stunningly beautiful wheels.

Minimal cleanup, good fit, a beauty of a kit to make. Not cheap, especially as it comes with no figures or other equipment, but it still makes up into a very nice kit.

Lion Roar Zundapp KS750 :

A very well made kit with a lot of good detail and a lot of small, delicate parts. It includes a small PE fret for some parts as well as multiple part wheels that build up the spokes from PE parts. These make stunningly beautiful wheels.

Minimal cleanup, good fit, a beauty of a kit to make. Not cheap, especially as it comes with no figures or other equipment, but it still makes up into the best version of a Zundapp available ( even though the Zundapp was never built as a standalone bike ).

Lion Roar BMW R75 w/Sidecar :

Exactly as for the BMW R75 above but with the addition of a sidecar and a very well detailed MG34 machine gun. You also get two different towed trailers which is a really nice bonus. Definitely the one to go for as for only a few dollars more than the base bike you get the sidecar with MG34 and the two trilers. This one IS worth the cost.

Lion Roar Zundapp KS750 w/Sidecar :

Exactly as for the Zundapp KS750 above but with the addition of a sidecar ( which is the way the KS750 was produced ) and a very well detailed MG34 machine gun. You also get two different towed trailers which is a really nice bonus. Definitely the one to go for as for only a few dollars more than the base bike you get the sidecar with MG34 and the two trilers. This one IS worth the cost.

Dragon Models Sd.Kfz. 2 kleines Kettenkrad w/Puppchen :

Much better than the Tamiya Kettenkrad though still a little simplified and can benefit from a good PE set. Large parts count but half of those are individual link tracks that will challenge those of us with sausage fingers. Comes with the single driver figure. The Puppchen is a nice little kit and is also available on it’s own together with a crew.

Dragon Models Sd.Kfz. 2 kleines Kettenkrad w/sch. Feldcable :

Cable laying version of the Kettenkrad. Same base kit as above but without the Puppchen, getting two cable reels and frame and four additional figures instead. The four figures are winter dresed while the original driver remains summer dressed with a set of arms and legs provided to turn one of the four figures into a winter dressed driver. Very nice kit but is lacking the trailer that the Tamiya kit comes with and that was usually found on the cable laying version.

Dragon Models Sd.Kfz. 2 kleines Kettenkrad w/3.7cm Pak 36 and Crew :

New release Announced March 2011.

This is an updated and improved version of the earlier DML Kettenkrad which comes with photo etched parts. This version comes with a newly tooled 3.7cm PaK 36 with three crew plus a driver figure. Onb the surface of it this one looks like the pick of the Kettenkrads.

NB : If you know of anything we’ve missed please let us know so that we can update the list and keep it as accurate as possible ( please note that this is a list of PLASTIC kits so I have excluded mention of the likes of Propaganda Company, Swash, and MMK who all make excellent resin bikes ).

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