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Hi! I'm Jon, and I'm new around here. I'd like to present a slightly different contest entry to you, a bit of a "triple-whammy" if you will. For my entry, I built a modified, minified, and microfied 42036 B-model.
 
mRzS2Bb.jpg
 
To be clear, I will not be entering the largest or smallest bikes.
 
The larger one is 196 parts more than the official 42036 B-model's 359 parts count, but I think it would be against the rules to enter it, being that it's still heavily based on an official set. It was also built before this contest was announced. The micro version is only 38 parts in total, making a bit pointless to enter (though it does roll and steer).
 
For my actual entry, I will focus on the middle version, which I built for this contest.
 
While each of the 3 bikes I built all have some different aesthetic features, for the most part I was able to replicate many of the primary concepts throughout all 3 bikes. The 2 smaller ones don't really have realistic proportions, but overall I think each one manages to capture the essence of each other, through use of recognizable features like the color theme, jockey shifter, cafe-style headlight, and a low chopped seat.
 
I wanted to keep a running set of notes as I built this, along with a few photos, so that I could post it all at once, rather than in multiple posts. I apologize for the long read, but I feel it's a better presentation. A lot of this has been edited to match the context of the final build and to make for a more interesting read.
 
Without further ado, I present...
 
Fat Chop 1200
 
HZ3eXy3.jpg
 
A month or so back, I had built a heavily modified version of the 42036 B-model, followed by a micro version a couple weeks later. Shortly after the new year, I had purchased a couple of the new 31114 Creator motorcycle sets, knowing that I'd want to use the wheels for a MOC. Then I saw this contest, and knew I had to ask Technic Guy for help.
 
iCuajpL.jpg
 
My first attempt was more of a warmup. I spent less than 2 hours on it, and used mainly whatever I had in my sorting bins on the table in front of me from some other recent builds. It's not bad; it has working rear suspension, the front fairing and headlight assembly uses some cool pieces, and I dig the fake front shocks. However, the seat is way off, there is no engine detailing minus the exhaust, and it just feels like... a quick warmup build.
 
ngdlyED.jpg
 
A friend suggested a small V2 engine that could be built with relatively few parts. Knowing it wouldn't fit what I had just built, I set the first bike aside and grabbed what I needed for the new engine. I put together what I could for the base of the engine, and started mocking up a frame around it. I had my back wheel and tyre, I had my front, an engine, and a rough size. Let's get to work!
 
Here are some key points I will try to build around:
 
  • Roughly half the size of 42036 B-model
  • Hardtail rear
  • Front suspension
  • Cafe-style headlight, spearhead taillight
  • Jockey shifter
  • Low, wide handlebars with brakes
  • Chain-driven 90° V-engine
  • Wide rear tyre
  • Straight-pipe exhaust
  • Black and red "blood eagle" theme
  • Minor details: gauges, air intake, radiator
  • Minimal off-color pins and axles
  • No illegal connections
  • Must be sturdy and dense
 
zqcY3nF.jpg
 
The frame isn't long enough. I want to stick to a small scale, roughly 1:12, but I have to lengthen the swingarm, else the rear tyre rubs on the ends of the frame beams. No bueno. The engine also rocks in its cradle and the crank hits the frame beams below, so we're going to start with these areas first. The beams I have chosen for the frame have an elongated slot in the middle angled section, which will allow me a bit of freedom when it comes to mounting angles; a 3L thin red beam on either side works perfectly here.
 
I quickly move on to attaching the front forks similarly to my previous build, using the same 90° offset knuckle with a frictionless pin to ensure free handlebar movement. The rear was easy enough to lengthen, though I'm not happy with how the left side is mounted, and the drive chain is either too tight or too lose by adding or removing a single link. Annoying.
 
e5TF7y4.jpg
 
I now have a nice frame setup that doesn't rub, as well as a means to attach the front forks. I don't know how I will attach the fuel tank or seat yet. I'm not that happy with it, but it'll do for now, and it allows me to visualize a bit more how I can continue building. I will use panels for the tank, and I think I can get away with two different panel sizes. I go with the 5x3x2 panels, the 7L version being my second choice. Building the backside of the tank was easy, I used a similar technique to the backside of the 42036 chopper:
 
PHIKlH0.jpg
 
To hold the thin beams in place at the highest point of the tank, I've used a 4L bar to pin these together, as they allow me to link these thin beams together at any angle. It's clean, it holds together nicely with no slop, and is easily removed with no damage to any pieces. I don't have them in red, so black bars it is.
 
I still need a seat, as well as the exhaust and other finishing details. The seat solution didn't immediately present itself as a viable one, but in the end I like the result. It's a bit small, but I think it fits the look of this bike well. The exhaust is being a pain in the @$$, so I will return to this later. It's difficult to get the flex tubing to sit the way I want it to, and without forcing anything.
 
IZD1Jm6.jpg
 
I am not happy with the front forks or headlight. I decided to lengthen the front forks, they are now at a steeper/longer angle, and the headlight has been redesigned. Unfortunately, I've created an illegal/forced connection on either side of the fuel tank at this point (note the slight bit of blue pin you can see just on the lower right corner of the black panel in the picture below; the math says I need a half-bushing spacer here).
 
I've still not thought of a way to fix the exhaust, nor do I have an idea for a jockey shifter of any sort, and I'm not happy that I have a couple pins that are slightly flexing. There are a lot of ugly blue and grey pins that will either need to be substituted or covered, the headlight points just a bit too high, and overall I'm not entirely satisfied with what I've come up with.
 
ALMiJVx.jpg
 
Time to fill in some gaps, hide blue pins, and do some finish detailing. I've also fixed my exhaust problem, and added other details like foot pegs, a radiator, upgraded handlebars, and a jockey shifter to round out this miniaturized build. For the time being, I've decided against working front suspension, as I actually like how the "fake" shocks looked. I also added a fake chain "idler pulley" to the left swingarm (which as it turns out, isn't all that fake as it also corrected my chain length issue) and made a simple mount for a license plate that can also fold inwards and be "hidden" away from the 5-0. I've still not sorted how I want to fix the issue at the front of the tank.
 
93VM8Si.jpg
 
UH4KFHe.jpg
 
A few minor details were added before I was ready to publish this entry: I fixed the illegal connections on the fuel tank, added some custom spoke details to the front wheel, and made some adjustments to how the seat is built to accommodate the new resting angle of the tank. I also added some minor engine greeble and an air intake to the left side, a small oil tank beneath the seat, and a foldable prop that holds the tank up so you can inspect the engine detail.
 
This is very unrealistic: when opened, the belly of the seat technically becomes a cylinder head, while the tank becomes a simple cowl. In reality, the tank should be above the engine (not covering it), and the seat behind it (rather than being directly connected to it). It's a small-scale highly functional and detailed motorcycle built primarily using Technic pieces; I'm willing to accept these design flaws and nuances for the sake of playability and adding as many interesting details as possible.
 
a49T1od.jpg
 
Lastly, I rebuilt the mount for the headlight one last time, while also getting rid of two unsightly grey pins and shedding a few pieces overall. In the end, I don't think the real shocks are too bulky looking, so I made a final couple tweaks to the front forks, and added a pair of black 9L shocks. It works beautifully, and has just a bit more than a full stud of travel before the crotch of the front forks hits the top of the tyre.
 
ohW2xdE.jpg
 
Final Notes
 
I can now comfortably say it's finished and ready for your critique!
 
I'm very happy with how the Fat Chop 1200 turned out; there are no illegal connections, and I used a couple build techniques that I don't often (if ever) see being used, like using 3L and 4L bars in place of axles, or a nifty little back-to-back stud technique that I used in the radiator. I managed to pack a ton of detail, features, and function into a small build, yet managed to keep everything very sturdy and super playable.
 
The proportions are a bit exaggerated and cartoonish, and not everything is realistically sized or positioned, but I think this looks like a pretty bad@$$ little chopper that doesn't take long to build. While there are a lot of parts due to its density, it doesn't end up being too expensive for the parts used. It also survived a 5-year-old kid pushing it around on the floor, while being chased by a small excited puppy.
 
I'm no photographer, so here are some basic shots of the final build. Thanks for looking 😊
 
__JRS⁸⁶__
 
mRzS2Bb.jpg
 
bCXOKtj.jpg
 
fd0Q84D.jpg
 
jREUthC.jpg
 
R9OiM20.jpg
Edited by JRS86

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Very cool! Such a compact and dense mini-build! I admire the small details like the gauges, fuel tank cap, chain rollers and license plate.

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Great idea! Amazing level of detail for the scale!

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@JRS86: Nice build and so much functionality for the scale!

I also have a question about your modification of the 42036 B model: What's that black cone like part at the front of the headlight?

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13 minutes ago, johnnym said:

@JRS86: Nice build and so much functionality for the scale!

I also have a question about your modification of the 42036 B model: What's that black cone like part at the front of the headlight?

Thanks! Honestly, I'm not sure, but I will see if I can look it up. I found it some time last year at the local brick store's bulk tables; it has a genuine Lego logo molded into it, but I don't recall seeing a part number on it. I'll post it here if I find it.

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51 minutes ago, JRS86 said:

Thanks! Honestly, I'm not sure, but I will see if I can look it up. I found it some time last year at the local brick store's bulk tables; it has a genuine Lego logo molded into it, but I don't recall seeing a part number on it. I'll post it here if I find it.

Thanks for your support, finding that part would be great, because that part looks really useful not only for headlights but also exhausts and such. Well, I also did a search and browsed round bricks, round plates and cones on Bricklink, but maybe this is considered something else by LEGO.

Edited by johnnym

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Mid model is my favorite. You have implemented very original solutions in mid size model (mid size between yours 3 MOCs) :thumbup:

Edited by I_Igor

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8 hours ago, johnnym said:

Thanks for your support, finding that part would be great, because that part looks really useful not only for headlights but also exhausts and such. Well, I also did a search and browsed round bricks, round plates and cones on Bricklink, but maybe this is considered something else by LEGO.

Shit! I spent a couple hours deep searching Bricklink and other sources, can't find it! Just got home from work, and looked at the piece a bit closer. I was wrong to say it had the Lego brand on it, as it doesn't. However, there are 3 distinct markings on the back: "AM", "B 3", and "17010". I'm starting to think this is not a real Lego piece, which makes me very sad, because it's a cool design 😒

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1 minute ago, JRS86 said:

Shit! I spent a couple hours deep searching Bricklink and other sources, can't find it! Just got home from work, and looked at the piece a bit closer. I was wrong to say it had the Lego brand on it, as it doesn't. However, there are 3 distinct markings on the back: "AM", "B 3", and "17010". I'm starting to think this is not a real Lego piece, which makes me very sad, because it's a cool design 😒

Indeed, that's a really cool and would have been a useful part. So sad this looks like i's not a LEGO piece because I then don't know where to get it from...

CCing @Gray Gear, maybe he does know that piece (front of headlight from 42036 mod on top of page)?

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@johnnym here are a few closeups of the piece in question, as well as my specific use case. It snapped on so nicely and snugly, it has the same luster/gloss as a Lego piece, and yeah... fooled me 🤷‍♂️ 

Yr6oOJg.jpg 

Edited by JRS86

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@johnnym It does look like a very useful piece, but sadly I dont know its origins either. My guess would be COBI, but it could very well be something else.

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Hi,

It's a quiet clever model you propose us!

It's a bit sad you didn't post your WIP project earlier and share your build all along the build process, i would have appreciate discuss on your approch, wich is very interresting.

Good luck for the contest

S.

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2 hours ago, Gray Gear said:

@johnnym It does look like a very useful piece, but sadly I dont know its origins either. My guess would be COBI, but it could very well be something else.

Thaks for having a look. I also assumed COBI but browsed their sets to no avail. But maybe as @JRS86 is from the US, it's maybe a part from a US brand. Well, what a pity... @JRS86 thanks for the closeup pictures.

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@johnnym @steph77

Here's a quick jam using a dark bley barrel and some accompanying pieces (I don't have the barrel in black), 3 different quick and dirty ideas that can easily be expanded on. Another idea is that you can hide a PF LED inside the barrel 😲
It ends up being 6 plates (or two bricks) tall when you put some sort of cap on it. For reference, my original assembly with the foreign piece is 4 plates tall.
 
RXvRDeq.jpg
 
kFzsUtF.jpg
 
OTjvy1s.jpg
 
4cv9LWL.jpg
Edited by JRS86

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Also @steph77 if you have any questions about my build or would like to see a breakdown of something in more detail, please feel free to ask, and I'll gladly share!

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5 hours ago, JRS86 said:

Also @steph77 if you have any questions about my build or would like to see a breakdown of something in more detail, please feel free to ask, and I'll gladly share!

Hi,

No, i have no particular question about your built. It is well documented, chasis picture is clear, and i couild easy built in just from the pictures.

So it's cool and nice little model.

My opinion is: it is perhaps a little too simple for this contest that is based on a technical/design integration.

S.

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@steph77 thanks for the critique 😊 I agree that it may be a bit too simple, maybe due to the scale, maybe due to just not having enough functionality or aesthetic shaping. Anyway, I'm glad you still liked it 😁

Edited by JRS86

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11 hours ago, JRS86 said:

@johnnym @steph77

Here's a quick jam using a dark bley barrel and some accompanying pieces (I don't have the barrel in black), 3 different quick and dirty ideas that can easily be expanded on. Another idea is that you can hide a PF LED inside the barrel 😲
It ends up being 6 plates (or two bricks) tall when you put some sort of cap on it. For reference, my original assembly with the foreign piece is 4 plates tall.
 

Rethinking that, I now find the first version looks actually very good - despite the barrel. I need to check how this looks in reality on my table. @steph77, @JRS86 Thanks for providing the idea and the example pictures which are better than my imagination in that case. :wink:

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@JRS86:

During watching a video about a Mega Construx MOTU set, I think I saw two of these cool pieces we discussed about some time ago (the headlight piece from your other bike), but in brown (video should start at the correct point in time).

 

Like with yours, there is a hole in the part, because the claws of the Talon Fighter attach there with some sort of bar or so. I don't see if there's a stud on top though. So I think this piece could actually come from Mega Construx. Not sure if they have any part database for verification.

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@johnnym dang, good find!!! Here's a screenshot of the instructions. I think you're correct, this may very well be the part!

Looks like it's available in blue as well, according to this manual.

Part numbers are MA17010PH (brown) and MA17010B (blue). From what I've seen in some searching, you should be able to reach out to Mega Construx directly and get replacement parts from them.

Thank you very much for posting your find here, I really do appreciate you sharing that!

jd6vSbF.jpg

Edited by JRS86

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