Skorpion on spokes

[andy230]

Hello all, very long time since I have looked in!

Over the last few years, I seem, remarkably, to have got all the projects through the pipeline, and have finally gotten around to (thinking about) a refresh on the Skorpion.

Its quite a good motor, got the ginormous MZ race seat and low bars and hi pegs, but always wanted spoked wheels on it.

The checker website tells me I haven't run it in 7 years...   

I will just clean it up and refresh it (I hope!), but have a Bonnie front end which will need surprisingly little work for the skorpion yokes.  They wont be great forks (thruxton), but at least as good as the paoli's which I got sick of rebuilding.  Probably a Triumph brake, but will see, and a 17" wheel for standard tyre size.

Rear might be tricky, am going to try an XT wheel that a mate has as a potential donor.  Skorpion rear sprocket looks very close to the swingarm.  However, it is currently under carpets in the shed, and has been for since the shed was built, when it graduated from the garden under a tarp.

So my query here is 2-fold:

1. Anyone put spoked rims on a skorpion you know of?  Google gives me nothing, (lots of trick, hipster'd skorpions, all with the grimeca cast wheels, but I surely cannot be the first person in the world to do this!

2. Anyone with a complete rear XT/(in fact all inc XTZ to 98 I think...?) rear hub, cush, sprocket +/- the rim they could either a) measure (easily) and/or b) want rid of?

Thanks all,
Andy

[andy230]

The alternative would be the other impossibility of an MZ Baghira/ Mastiff hub or wheel, but I cant see many of them coming up on the bay...!!

Cheers,
a

[themoudie]

Hello Andy,

May I suggest that you PM SteveH, as he may be able to assist you? I know Steve did this conversion on an SRX, but there was talk of "moving on"! 

Pleased to read that you are still not conforming and hope that the family are all tickety boo. 

Duke's Pass is rubbish these days. 6 wheeler coaches full of towerists, tear the surface up, which is then "repaired" with gobs of sprayed in tarmcadam, flattened down with a back of a shovel. Then, all levelled off with a top dressing of emulsion and quarry dust chippings!    Plus a 40mph speed limit!

The Duke has been getting aired regularly and was out again on Sunday past, only to receive a coating of finest Cheshire salt from two passing gritters. Still a good wash, shampoo, rinse and application of silicone spray and the old bird dosnae look so bad. 

Good health, Bill

[andy230]

Hi Bill,

Shame about the Duke's Pass. Sounds like travesty. Up here just now actually, family stuff.

Have been keeping it British of late- the only vehicles I can drive inside the ulez, bit mad.

Yep, I saw Steve's efforts, fantastic but I think his used a TDR rear hub. Will ping him, good call.

Will see how the xt rear goes in and source bits if it can be made to fit.

And see if I can can post some pics once I get the bike out.

Cheers,
A

[andy230]

This works I think. Needs only a 5mm spacer on the spindle (and 2x of same for Triumph caliper.

[andy230]

In principle!

[andy230]

I have the loan of an xt rear, and will report back.  Ebay is nice for very reasonable spacer manufacture, but I don't expect the back to be as straightforward!!

[andy230]

As dragged out from under the carpets!  I feat it will take more than spoked wheels to make it pretty!!

Cheers for now,

Andy

[themoudie]

Aye Andy,

Good to see the old bird dragged out and getting some tlc.

All the best with the spacers and XT rear end fittings. That should keep you distracted for a wee while.

Good health for 2023 to you and yours.

Slainte, Bill

[Moto63]

Hi Andy, it looks a sweet bike in it’s Norton guise. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just “restore” it back to that, maybe with just a few minor mods?
Still... I suppose that would have probably felt a tad boring. Best of luck with the rear end... ooo eerr, more tea vicar
Cheers, Michael

[andy230]

Well, I always wanted spokes on it, and I hate the OEM forks, so thought if I am going to tidy it up a little, then I didnt want to keep the forks.  The Bonnie stuff goes in easily at the front, but will need a spoked rear wheel.

The rest should just clean up ok...

I have a chopped subframe (no pillion pegs, so would have to think about the exhaust mount) which I am tempted to use.

The plastic tail is just so big, and when I see it stripped, its lovely!!

Will probably keep the body work for now...  (High level pipe?)  Never really finished are they?

Will post up how the XT stuff works (or doesnt)

a

[Moto63]

I for one will keep my eyes 👀 open for your progress. Never tire of seeing what other blokes (and ladies of course) are doing to their steeds. I’ve never had a skorpion, only ever seen about half a dozen over the years, so be good  to see how it turns out. Best of luck with the build Andy 👍🤞
Cheers, Michael

[andy230]

XT fits with Skorpion spindle. Will need sprocket carrier machining to allow sprocket to line up, then re-lace wheel to account for offset

[andy230]

.

[Moto63]

Must be a a slight relief that the spindle went straight in Andy. Have you got a completion date in mind or are you just doing it when the fancy takes you so to speak?  Looking forward to seeing the finished bike👍
Cheers, Michael