Sariel

This instruction will certainly be for free, thank you. But since you're so kind, I'll include my Paypal account in it, so you can make a donation if you wish. We'll see about future models.

While it would be a nice opportunity to press LEGO about the whitewall tires, I have my doubts. There are some outdated parts in it that are difficult to replace (entire exhausts, the small reflectors, the bar on the bonnet), and plenty of chrome. Also, the 8878 battery that could be replaced with the AAA battery box, but not with the common AA one. If you wish. I appreciate your kind opinions, but it's really a very simple model, it's not like I think it's my crowning achievement :)

I sincerely hope you'll prove me wrong :)

I'm not trying to be negative, just trying to spare you time and money spent on another bike that has no means of balancing out and whose proportions are blown by the RC unit. But then, you're the master of your time and money. I have once spent a while trying to fit as much mechanics as possible into an average-sized motorbike model, and this is what I got. Full suspension, propulsion, lights and all of it closed inside the body, but no means of steering because of the lack of space. I'd say I have a good idea of what can and can't fit in a reasonably sized model.

Mister, this thing is 13 studs wide and the weight of 171 grams doesn't include batteries. In total, it's heavy as a brick and similar to one in size. I own this thing, and I'm telling you, you could just as well try to fit an elephant in a motorbike. Just look: You can't stabilize a bike with a gyro directly, I know, I tried. Gyro's don't work that way, you can't attach them to something to make it stable. See how a Segway works - it monitors the position of a gyro electronically, and adjusts its own position respectively using a complex software and a number of motors. You could stabilize a bike using NXT and electronic gyro. Costly, but possible. Example here:

Supports beneath them.

Pardon me for refreshing the topic, but the model has been digitalized, bringing the instruction one large step closer to existence:

Not to argue, but depending on which batteries you're using, the 8878 rechargeable battery can weight 3 times less than the battery box (it's 75 grams while my battery box weights 235 grams). So you can easily save 150 grams or more, and all the bracing you need are four 1x2 Technic bricks with a hole that you put on top and bottom of the 8878 on two sides, to mount it on pins. Also, the voltage does not affect the motor as much as most people think. The torque remains the same for any voltage, only speed changes. And while you do get a higher speed out of 9V batteries, they will deteriorate quickly - depending on the brand - and old batteries can easily drop under 7V. The 8878, on the other hand, provides fairly steady voltage until it's completely dry. It's monstrously big. Quite possibly larger than your whole bike. It's also very wide and you'll have a lot of difficulty to balance it out in any other position than horizontal. Personally, I think that with Technic, it works best to design with the pieces you have at hand and to test your creation while building it. Computer design works well for castles and such, but it's full of traps for Technic.

Thanks. It's intact for now, I'm thinking of making small "fixes" to make it more durable before I turn in into instruction, as well as of some details, I have noticed that it could use red 1x1 round plates, or even better, round tiles, on the center of each wheel cover. But I will have to dismantle it to make a model for instruction, and I can't keep it anyway. It uses too many pieces that I'm going to need sooner or later. The funny thing, it really is a simple model, and it was fairly straightforward to build. I hope it means it will be easy to build from instruction. I'm eager to see some improvements and mods on it, and to see a black version, of course :)

It's fine, I didn't feel like posting this MOC here after my previous topic turned into something like AngryBirds. Also, I will be probably releasing free building instruction for this model sometime soon, because I'm an egoistic, self-proclaimed rockstar who wants to have patent on everything. Yeah, it's a real pity about the whitewall tires. I was even experimenting with paint and stickers, but it all failed.

You're too kind. Why not go 195% of his design, since you're having fun anyway? Read my first post. Or, let me repeat the whole point for you: I don't mind copying. I mind entering a copy in a competition for original creations. It's unfair to other contestants. I won't be answering any more posts that completely miss the point of this topic. Read before you write.

Your argument is very simple: it's 80% the same, but he made the remaining 20% a little differently, so hey, it's an entirely new thing and he probably never even seen my model. Forgive me if I refuse to discuss at this level. It's ridiculous. No, but somehow you didn't find anyone else doing it, did you? The closeness is in the eye of the beholder I guess, but the point is: it's wrong to enter a competition for original creations with something that was in the very least case heavily inspired. I fully agree. Now, does entering a competition with a non-original model also counts as a way of learning? Actually, no. LEGO has been seen using a number of solutions that were developed by AFOLs first. But that's not the point. The point is, he was cheating at a competition, and it happens that the competition's organizer sees it the same way. Which part of saying this is acting like a rockstar? Neither do I, but now put yourself in the shoes of other contestants he put this model against. Again: copying is not the problem. Entering it in a contest is. Sure, let me just mention Jennifer Clark or Erik Leppen. They invented dozens of solutions. Seriously, focus on what I said in the very first post: COMPETITION that he entered. With prizes and with other contestants who would feel cheated if he won. It's strange how some of you focus entirely on who started this subject and go "bashing time", but not for a second think about the other contestants who actually tried to win with their own, not "inspired" creations. Can't say why, but you seem to make it personal.

Thank you. I have asked moderator to close or remove the topic, as the issue in question is now solved, and it no longer serves any valid purpose, except perhaps for bringing out bad tensions.

That sounds interesting - did I call you egoistic or brought some book into it, or was it you? I see a number of accusations against me here, and none of them warranted. That may very well be, but I don't see how it applies to the problem of the contest.

Sorry if you felt offended, but then it's not me who used words like "egoistic" or brought some book into it out of the blue, and never explained his meaning. I'm fine with fearless, though ;) I have posted all 456s that can be found at Bricklink. What's unclear about this and how does it speak of my attitude? Should I only post selected ones? You would call that suspicious, I guess. No, I didn't. I posted a project with my gearbox using control method by someone else, which - I regret - I could not credit at that time because I couldn't find the link to the original version. That was clarified, and the person in question turned out to have a copy of my another mechanism in their folder.

I said from the start that it's not identical. Now, look at the four 456s existing at whole Brickshelf and answer yourself, which two look strangely similar?

I don't see how is this in any way related to any book whatsoever. Explain, please - right now your post sounds like a personal grudge. I would also appreciate relating in some coherent way to the points I've made in my post. That will surely take us further than calling me names. I'm under a strong impression that you blow this thing out of this proportion. I have explained from the start that it's not really the copy that is the problem, it's entering it in a competition. How would you feel if you were another contestant in it? How is my concern on that egoistic, exactly?

Please, at least try to be serious. It's the same very rare & specific variant of the real machine, in the same scale, with the same color scheme, identical stickers, identical arm, wheels, and a lot of other elements. You may have your opinion, but the fact that the organizer of the contest recognized it as a copy BEFORE I even contacted him speaks for itself. OK, just out of curiosity - show me any other example of rims done the same exact way. Please, read exactly when you reply to a message. I have explained that most variants of the 456 have different stickers. This is a very rare one, I've been searching for it for a long time. On the subject of being serious - read my first post again. Neither can this doggy: How exactly? He entered a competition. Explain to other competitors how this is fair. Very interesting, I'd love to see some sort of a proof. I'm very proud that someone copies my creation. I'm very ashamed that someone enters it in a competition, against people who were trying to build something on their own. Two things: 1. The contest organizer recognized this as a copy even before I contacted him. 2. Re-read my first post, where I explain what makes this variant of 465 so very particular. Guys, I do appreciate your answers, but JCB 456 is not exactly a common machine to model. I have never seen it at that scale before, if I saw it at all. And now suddenly there's a model with the same special arm, rare color scheme and non-standard stickers as mine. Yeah, that looks nothing like a copy. PS. Just checked to be sure - there are exactly 2 other 456s on entire Brickshelf: 1: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=4857731 2: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=4552454 So, apparently it's possible to build the same model very differently.

Thanks, I got email from the organizer saying they have recognized the copy and that it won nothing. I never said I lost anything. Like I said in my first post - I only want to discourage the "copier" from doing it again, and to make the organized aware of this incident. Which is precisely why it's good to try to maintain some kind of "fair play" rules. I don't mind my models being copied, I actually go great lengths to make it easy. But entering a copy to a contest is unfair - and not even to me, but to other contestants. If we let it slip once, other contestants will be tempted to go easy way and just copy stuff too. That's not the kind of contests I'd like to see. "Solution" can be a gearbox, a suspension system, not an entire appearance of the model. Then again, copy what you want, just don't try to win contests using somebody else's work. And as for the mechanical solutions - my model uses costly components, L motors, small actuators and such. It's possible that his copy is different mechanically simply to cut the costs.

I have come across something interesting at Brickshelf today. Take a look at this JCB 465 front-end loader: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=5691638 And now at my model published 2 months ago: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=5634749 They are not identical, the details differ and so do some mechanical solutions, apparently. Still, I dare say that the similarity is striking: the whole arm, the wheels, the mudguards, even the stickers are practically identical. Now, while I don't mind my models being copied, it's a different matter when a copy is slightly altered and submitted to a contest as somebody's original work, as seems to be the case here. As I understand from the photos, this copy was an entry in a LUGSK LEGO Sutaz 2012 contest. I have contacted the organizer about it to see what he'll say. Can anybody identify the person behind this copy? It can be, of course, that this copy was submitted as a copy, with a proper credit to the original author, but there is such info to be seen anywhere on these photos. I can believe that this was a case of simple ignorance/forgetfulness, but the fact that the copy is altered can indicate a malicious intent. My model happens to be based on a very rare and specific variant of the JCB 456 - most variants have different markings and different color scheme (example: http://static.mascus...ht,8de95665.jpg ). More importantly, most variants have shorter arm painted yellow, and I specifically chose a special variant with a long arm painted black. The fact that this copy has identical color scheme, identical arm and identical stickers in identical places shows - in my opinion - that it was based on my model more heavily than on the original machine. Please note that I don't want to cause too much stir. It's not a big thing, really, I don't want this contestant to lose his prize or anything. It would just be nice if he was discouraged from this kind of activity in the future, and if the contest's organizer was made aware of this incident.

Thank you all. I'm happy to announce that the Tumbler is my most publicized creation up to date, including Gizmodo, Kotaku and even Top Gear's website: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/lego-technic-batmobile-tumbler-batman-2012-12-07 :)

Yeah, I think it's one of the largest Tumblers up to date. The scale is roughly 1/10, based on dimensions the Wikipedia provides: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batmobile#Technical_specifications.5B37.5D

Thank you. As usual, there will be no instruction - it would take me months to make one, and that's why I made so many photos and shown and described how all of it works. Add a bit of your creativity, and you'll be fine building your own Tumbler. I really think Lego is about creativity - it's Ikea that is about building from instructions :)

1:3.

As usual, reading & photos: http://sariel.pl/2012/12/tumbler/ And yes mr. Wayne, it does come in black.