A couple of Skorpion questions please?

[simon duval smith]

Hi all,
I posted this in the Wanted section as I was looking for a Skorpion, I have now found one and am collecting on Saturday 14th July.

Perhaps one of you knows, are the footrests on the Sport higher than on the Traveller or other Skorpions? And so can I move them down easily? There appears to be a hole for the footrests on the alloy 'hanger' slightly further forward that is unused in the picture of 'my' Sport. I guess I would have to move the rear brake master cylinder as well?
I Have looked at pictures of Sports and can see that the footrests on mine have already been moved forward - have they gone as far forward and down as they can please? Also, The footrest slotted 'ankle guards' seem to have gone missing from both sides, I presume you don't get these on a Traveller etc, or they can't be kept if the modification that has been done to mine has been carried out...?

Also, can anyone tell me if the exhaust silencer/can is standard, please?

And also, the seller says it weeps a little bit of oil out of the clutch actuating shaft/lever on the offside engine case - is this just a 'o' ring dried up/cracked/failed or could a breather be blocked? Is the shaft/'o' ring easy to replace - do I have to take the case off or can I just undo what looks like a retaining bolt just below the lever and pull the shaft out?

[droy]

Yes - those foot pegs are as forward as they can be and the Sport is about the same height as the Tour/Traveler which are a bit further forward then the sport. Actually they we're never intended to be that far forward (a very unconventional set-up) as on that bike -. You can see how the factory set them up in other pictures online. They likely cut and modified the shift linkage to get the left side to work. Yes the angle guards were likely removed but they can be reattached if you bring the foot rests back to the proper position.

Its either a Tour muffler or modified sport - I cant tell from the picture. that metal bar to extend it lower on the rear foot peg is not stock.

Yes you can pull out the clutch rod and replace the seal but that looks like a minor issue.

[droy]

also you should know that is not a stock Sport front light and handle bars - looks like they used a Tour set-up.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

a lot of the fellows that bought these bikes seem to be modifiers

as almost none of them seem to be stock any more

plus some of them seem to have been used as track day bikes and the parts to make them street usable again
seem to come from every where

[simon duval smith]

Thank you droy, David

Yes, I have not seen pics of the left side gearchange set up, I hope it all works OK as I am riding it from Sunderland to London at the weekend... 274 miles...

I bought it quite cheap - I think these Skorpions are very under-priced and under-rated - and am happy to do a bit of tinkering/improvement.

I used to use Putoline semi-synthetic DX4 oil in my Baghira, is that still a recommended oil for these engines?

Thanks
Simon

[droy]

You should have a fun ride - that's enough miles to know if you like the footpeg configuration.

No oil preference. Just change it often. Its rare that motorcycle have oil type issues - unlike my Saabs!

[dickl]

There are a number of "footrest" bits & pieces on Ebay at the moment - under MZ660. Good luck

[simon duval smith]

Yes, I will either still be able to walk after the ride or need a stretcher!
I saw the Skorpion parts on ebay, some really cheap stuff from one guy - radiator, brake calipers for £4.99 each etc: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MZ-MOTORCYCL ... SwmS1bP4y5

[simon duval smith]

Well, I picked up the Skorpion from Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime and rode down to Scarborough to meet my brother for a quick drink, then on to Hull to stay the night, then on to London the next night. Lovely ride on the east coast roads, the perfect weather just the riding position was agony! The footrests are as low and far forward as they can go - the PO swapped the mounting castings from side to side to put them further forward and spaced them out around the frame tube with a couple of large stainless nuts - but with the Renthal bars being too far forward and too straight, I can hardly ride the thing. I won't be beaten though as I just love the bike's engine and handling and the brakes are ten times better than those on my previous MZ - a Baghira with supermoto wheels etc.

So, my questions are:

1. Can someone with a Tour or Traveller kindly measure the distance from the middle of the rider's area on the seat (where an average backside would be centred) to the swing arm mounting bolt/nut either side, please?

2. If the Tour/Traveller seat is much higher, does anyone want to swap a set of Tour/Traveller metallic green bodywork or just a seat moulding with my Sport set-up?

3. DSo I need the Tour/Traveller rear subframe or is that the same as on my Sport?

4. Do I need a different mounting bracket for the tank or seat, and different locking mechanisms for the seat?

5. Would the standard Tour/Traveller handlebar set-up come further back and up from the almost straight-in-line with the stanchion top caps set-up I have now?

6. The engine runs beautifully except it hunts and stutters at idle like crazy and pops and bangs through the exhaust on the overrun - and no, there are no leaks at the head or in the exhaust. I have tried removing the pilot mixture adjuster and squirting carb cleaner up there, stretching the spring a little and leaving it five or so turns out but it still seems really lean at idle - should I fit a larger pilot jet and if so, what size is fitted as standard and how much bigger should I go please - a 37.5?

Thank you

Simon

[droy]

Regarding question number 3 and 4

You need a complete Tour rear subframe, seat rear bodywork, tail light and muffler to convert a Sport to a Tour.

I've done it. The fuel tank is the same and you can reuse the oil tank on the Tour.

[simon duval smith]

Regarding question number 3 and 4

You need a complete Tour rear subframe, seat rear bodywork, tail light and muffler to convert a Sport to a Tour.

I've done it. The fuel tank is the same and you can reuse the oil tank on the Tour.

Thank you Droy, yes, I had a look at the parts list and some photos of the different subframes and saw that Tour and Sport subframes are different. Quite funny that on the supposedly sportier Sport there is a big piece of solid and heavy iron welded to the subframe to support the rear seat!

I can buy all the bits quite cheaply but the side panels that are for sale are the wrong colour...

My muffler is hanging from the rear footrest bracket already so I don't think I would have to change that, if anything, change the hanging bracket a bit...?

I think for the trouble of changing all that I will pad the seat up a bit!

If you still have your Tour/Traveller, could you possibly measure the distance from the 'sit' part of the seat (uncompressed) to the swing arm pivot bolt please?

Thank you
Simon

[droy]

I'm out of town for a few days but I'll get that measurement for you by Monday unless someone else can get it.

I would suggest that you correct the footpeg configuration to the original position and play around with the handle bars before you go crazy with the seat conversion. you can get other handle bar types for little $$ that will move the position.

I did the conversion to allow me to take my young kids for short rides (I hade cut the sport subframe and made it a mono seat 15 years ago), I think both the tour and Sport seat are equally comfortable ( I'm 6'#' tall, 200ldb and 52 years old and have no issue doing a 500 mile day on the Sport.

[simon duval smith]

Thank you again, Droy. I would revert the footrests to the correct original position but I would find it too uncomfortable - I just can't lift my legs up onto the footrests of any bike if they are too high - old age and accidents (I'm 61, 6 foot tall and about the same weight as you I think, but past motorcycle accidents mean I get terrible cramps in my upper legs when bent forward with legs up under my backside and too far back - and yes, I have tried yoga!).

I think you are right, going the whole Tour conversion would be a bit crazy, I'll pad the seat up higher and fit some higher handlebars which pull back a few inches.

Thank you
Simon

[DAVID THOMPSON]

i find the seat on a bmw /2 model 1955 to 1969 to be ok but handlebars where i do not lean on them
just relaxed and seated and no ape hangers you hands should be lower than your heart

my 2002 rt125 fit is excellent and very relaxed.. it is stock
the bars on the r90s i rode for years were set back about 20 mm
to remove the pressure of the lean forward that i did not like on that setup
the bars on the traveller have been raised and moved back but are too wide
but i do not ride it long range because it uses to much gas
rt125 at 55 gets me there because i do not have to stop
as often for gas max speed limit is 60mph any way
traveller makes a lot of bike shows here local
Dave

[simon duval smith]

i find the seat on a bmw /2 model 1955 to 1969 to be ok but handlebars where i do not lean on them
just relaxed and seated and no ape hangers you hands should be lower than your heart

my 2002 rt125 fit is excellent and very relaxed.. it is stock
the bars on the r90s i rode for years were set back about 20 mm
to remove the pressure of the lean forward that i did not like on that setup
the bars on the traveller have been raised and moved back but are too wide
but i do not ride it long range because it uses to much gas
rt125 at 55 gets me there because i do not have to stop
as often for gas max speed limit is 60mph any way
traveller makes a lot of bike shows here local
Dave

Thank you David, some good points there. I agree about BMWs, I rode many thousands of miles in western and eastern Europe when I was 19 (I'm 61 now) on an R69S, I don't remember a single twinge of discomfort. Except for the one speed wobble which nearly threw me off, the old Earles forks got a momentum of their own going at speed, probably due to me having loaded up wrongly at the back.
I will try some slightly higher (4 inch raise with more of a pullback) bars and maybe pad the seat up and try doing some more leg stretches! My usual rule of thumb is that my upper body weight should be balanced by the wind at the ideal cruising speed, putting no weight on my arms and also not having to hold myself forward with my hands either.
I find the Skorpion fairly economical but I do think the main jets are too large, I'll try some smaller ones to improve gas mileage and driveability...
I would like to try an RT125, they look like one of the best (with the DOHC etc) 125s around and I am not snobbish about smaller bikes at all...