Skorpion Sport
SKORPION SPORT
Same Thumper, different clothes
WHAT’S THIS, A REPLICA OF THE REPLICA? No way. Although the Sport is based on the same Yamaha-sourced Single and distinctive round-tube steel frame as the racy Replica, it has a stinging character all its own.
It’s also $3500 less painful to your savings account, thanks to its single upswept exhaust, pedestrian Paioli fork, low-tech Bilstein shock, single Grimeca disc up front and narrower wheels. Luckily, Thumper fans, this lack of frills doesn’t wither the Sport’s sporting nature, it merely lowers the price of admission.
Forget about parts-list comparisons, how does the Sport go once in its element? On relatively low-speed (second and third gear, 40-60 mph) canyon roads, the lithe machine comes alive, easily coaxed from comer to comer with a light touch at the handlebars.
Even though peak torque is produced at about 4000 rpm, serious corner exit thrust is had by keeping the motor singing above five grand and then shifting before the 7000-rpm redline, a job made simple by the slick-shifting, short-throw five-speed gearbox. On faster roads, the Sport is less inspiring due to the easily exploited limits of its 44horsepower, 660cc, five-valve motor. Around town, power is delivered with a shudder below 3000 rpm, but the motor pulls without a hitch afterwards.
To slow things down, a Grimeca four-piston caliper and 12.4-inch disc up front make a powerful combination, yet require a hearty squeeze for maximum stoppage. An extra-long reach to the non-adjustable lever doesn’t help matters.
Sure-footed suspension keeps the chassis well in line. As per European tradition, both ends are set up on the stiff side.
Nonetheless, the Sport’s cockpit is a good place to spend a day searching out the twisties. Clip-ons are comfortably located above the triple-clamp. The footpegs offer decent legroom when set on the lower of their two positions. Ground clearance is plentiful. Vibration, thankfully, is kept to a bearable minimum.
Other neat touches include the Sport’s centerstand and quality switchgear. And, like all lightweight Singles, it’s easy on tires, chains, sprockets and other maintenance items.
But wait, all is not wonderful in Thumperland. Our Sport had a problem with fluid leaking out of its oil tank and right fork leg, and the tachometer was 500 rpm off the mark.
Still, MZ’s two-year/unlimited-mile warranty would take care of the minor oil spills, and the optimistic tach was more of an annoyance than a problem.
Other than those foibles, there’s a lot to like here. The Sport is a helluva scratcher in its own right, not to be upstaged by the tricker Replica, especially at just twothirds the sticker price.
Eric Putter
