http://www.tamiya.com/japan/products/35316m20motorcycle/index.htm

Unfortunately, we're having Upload problems for images in News & reviews, so in the interim, i'll post this here...

This is the only image that Tamiya have made available on their Website of:

316 - BRITISH BSA M20 MOTORCYCLE with MILITARY POLICE SET

Now, some may choose to see this as a wonderful 'gift' from Tamiya.

Personally, I don't.

Quite honestly, it looks like a homage to plastic kits in the 1980s. Yes, it'll build easily (so does Lego, incidentally) but compared to what we've seen from Bronco or Great Wall or a handful of others who have done M/Cs in the last year or two it doesn' pass muster....

Looking at recent releases from Tamiya like the Tilly, I honestly though that they had raised their game.

It's certainly going to be a Godsend to the AM people and yes, it WILL provide a 'good basis' for a reasonable model.

That, in the position we are now, doesn't even begin to cut it. Modelers HAVE become more demanding, Competition has caused every manufacturer to produce better and better models.

Are Tamiya completely 'aloof' from the vulgar world of competition?

No, I STILL don't like instant Reviews, this though, is a gilt-edged invitation...

Is this a new tool kit or one they found while getting the molds ready for the re-release of the M3 Lee and M551, both of which are on their site listed as forthcoming? The figures remind me of their older kits.

As far as is known, it's a completely NEW-tooling although it looks like something from another period in time...

The Spokes, The Spokes!!!!

The presentation of this model on their website is certainly very poor and doesn't do the kit any justice (however much or little it may deserve).

Tamiya should fire the guy they have doing their pre-builds and hire someone who knows enough to remove the mold seams from the parts and has a more polished finishing style than "paint it green and drybrush."

One would think that Tamiya would employ some of the best model builders in the world to make their product presentations. The fact that they don't says volumns about their lack of concern for "competition" and their self-assumed hold on their market share.

Tamiya's engineering and production quality are second to none, but they are definitely slipping when it comes to accuracy and fidelity to detail. Add on their developing penchant for adopting marginal kits developed by other companies (like the Staghound) and then re-boxing them under the Tamiya brand, and their "hold on market share" becomes ever more illusury.

Although Tamiya has its occasional bright moments (like the Tilly, the French UE, and the Soviet BT which are more notable for subject choice than an abundance of detail), when it comes to armor models, the "Big-T" is really a second tier manufacturer now.

I agree that Tamiiya should get someone to do a better build, but still I will buy it as long as the price is right, and for a quick build.

At the prices being bandied about various sites for preorder you will be able to buy two or about 20% less than the Bronco set in the UK.

Leaves a few quid for etch sets for those for whom the detail is not good enough and a cheap kit for those (and there are an AWFUL lot of them) who don't get on with PE and just want a nice simple build

Horses, as the saying goes, for courses

Hi folks,

I read somewhere this was an old kit never released. Having a BSA is great, if the kit is not perfect then hopefully the AM guys will come up with some simple fixes or someone will do a better version and then we will have more choice.

Either way I'm glad to see this release and will await a review to see what's what.

Al

Certainly does have a rather retro look to it, and could have been a long forgotten mold from the look of it, as it seems to appear to be from the same vintage as their other motorcycle kits.

This release is certainly looking like something from another period...

'Life on Mars' in plastic?...

I agree, the mold looks old, their spokes are the same as the ancient Zundapp/BMW bikes.....I would maybe buy this if it was in the $15 range but I suspect it will be the usual Tamiya - overpriced and underdetailed.

After talking to Luic, the owner of Great Models, he told me that Tamiya has been hurting in this economy. However, re-releasing old molds and producing sub-par work doesnt appear to be a good strategy for turning in profit. I miss the days of when their new releases were actually new and of high quality work, like their Hetzer, JS series, and B1s

An old/poor kit, so long as the dimensions are correct, is just an invitation to improve your modelling skills. I'll be buying one just for the challenge. Plus I've wanted a BSA for a while.

Looks to be of the same vintage as their solo Harley and standing MP . Does it have the same decals for the sign posts ? Thanks for the BSA bike Mr T , but I'ld like something " new " pls .

Yep, it's definately not state of the art but a definite purchase for me, the wheels will be swapped with the Bronco ones (apparently the same) which will lift this from it's mediocre state. I welcome the subject matter and the prices seen so far are very good for this. The figures are fine to me.
Call me old fashined but I have soured on some of the latest releases from the new players which have miniscule parts and are OVER engineered. The Bronco Seventeen Pounder for instance could have been done to the same level of detail in 2/3rds of the Parts. If you don't accept that then build the Sight Unit then re read my statement. It could have been done in two parts with the same level of detail.

OK, you can burn me as a heretic now...
Al

Very true , Al . The parts count on a lot of new kits is getting crazy . Parts that would look ok if made of two or three pieces are being moulded in six or eight tiny parts .. Getting to the age where I have fumble fingers and poor eye sight , not too mention trouble getting off my knees after searchiung the floor for runaway parts,. I'm starting to pick kits with a lower piece count . Still waiting for the Monogram / Revell panzer IV reissues . Now there were kits I could work with . And building them was fun !

You are right. The parts are outreageous, sometimes they are even too small, for an older guy like me, I welcome a simple kit anytime.