For military, ship and aircraft kits this is by and large all part and parcel of those branches, and to some extent car modelling. How about bikes? Not motorbikes, but bicycles.
Some time back I bought the Fujimi 1/24 roof rack set for the racing bicycle which comes in the kit, complete with etched metal spokes. You know where I'm going with this? Yes... I bought an Aber etched brass detail set for the Tamiya pushbikes. This not only includes such items as spoked wheel inserts to replace the moulded ones, but also springs for the seat, support braces for the mudguards, a clip for a handlebar bell... a brake lever... it's mad!
Anyway, I tried it out on a cycle, and started to regret it almost as soon as I started. Sherman tank headlight brush-guards, no problem, 1/72 scale Harrier cockpit interior... fine. However, this was just silly... so all I used were the wheels, support struts, forks and chain/gearing... plus as this was a domestic Japanese cycle I removed the crossbar and added a front basket from Kotobukiya etched metal mesh.
I apologise for the terrible photo but my camera needs batteries and I can't be bothered to go out and get wet just to get them (had I not been on my Christmas hols from work, I would have bought them on the way into the office).
If you also peer closely enough you will see the Diopark Honda Super Cub light motorcycle... which is very fiddly and way too complex for such a small model. It makes the Tamiya bicycle seem like a walk in the park... for a start the instructions get parts mixed up, and the wheel inserts don't actually fit properly. When I build the second one I will tackle it in a different way.
Back to the pushbike and I still need to add brackets for the pump, add a new brake handle (not the silly brass thing) and add lights.
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