MZ Skorpion - What are they like?

Ebay Item 160362890969

Are they any good? What is the availablility of spares and do they
last? I'm thinking of Niging out the R1100RS and getting something
lighter and with cheaper spares.

 

That's the Traveller version

You need to check that the wooden framing behind the seat hasn't rotted.

 

One of our Morris side had one - the Traveller? The one with full
fairing and panniers. Loved it. The engine's a Yamaha Tenere lump, so
no worries there.

I don't think spares will be any cheaper - Yam parts are Yam parts,
and MZ parts are going to be scarce as the factory's been dead for
some years. Also, big single road bikes are a bit of a chore in
anything other than ideal conditions.

My own thought is that you'd be better off getting a big single dirt
bike.

 

Ah, Ok.

I do a 40 mile commute down the M5 so a trailie isn't really ideal.
Hmmm, maybe I'll look out for an FJ or a GTR although we're back to
trying to park a heavy bike again.

 

<Waves keys to K100RS>

How about a faired old 600 Diversion? Light, cheap, comfy, economical,
tough and the fairing works quite well. Enough power for the task,
too. To be honest, I'd have thought your Beemer was pretty much ideal,
though. Except for the spares thing, but then, does it need many?

 

Out of an R1100RS and a K100RS, the K is a much better bike IMHO.

 

True, I used to have one.

It's mainly the parking issue, where I park at work it is not easy to
manoeuver a lump like that especially with a touch of arthritis in the
elbows. Plus it doesn't seem to be quite as well made as I thought and
when the clutch goes I'll either have to take out a small mortgage to
get someone to do it or spend bloody ages doing it myself.

 

Ah, right. Yes, those early oilheads were a bit iffy. And the 1200s
iffier still. Perceived wisdom sems to be "Buy an 1150, or a
ShiteOldBoxer or ShiteOldK instead".

 

What TOG and Timo said in spades. I can also recommend the F650GS
single. Mine has been cheap to run for the last 6 years and 48,000
miles. There are a fair few about, most have panniers and heated
grips. Chains last a long time if you fit a snot oiler. Slightly heavy
on brake pads but they are really easy to replace and pads are cheap
from motorworks etc. there are larger screens available. The scarver
is really cheap because it is butt ugly and as popular as a fart in a
space suit, you will never sell it again. Importantly they are both
very light, will hold 80-85 on the motorway and what spares you need
do tend to be cheaper than the normal BMW prices.

Boxerboy

 

Bearing in mind that R1100RS residuals are fairly weak, and 650GS ones
rather strong, it might be an expensive switch, mind you...

 

<Pats very cheap K1100RS>

 

I recently had one of those - was a better bike than I'd expected it
to be, tbh.

Main things that put me off it were the lack of poke at motorway
speeds and the way the suspension used to let it be known just how
budget it was when you were punting it along at a fair rate of knots
down a bumpy country lane.

Other than that, it was dirt cheap to run, comfortable and more fun to
ride (so long as you steered clear of motorways / dual carriageways),
than you'd expect.