Skorpion project

As you'll know, I've got a silver Skorpion Traveller that I've now owned for 15 years. I also have a white Traveller that I bought in 2008, but have never ridden!

I was offered the bike so cheaply that I couldn't turn it down. I didn't really 'need' it, but an extra bike is always useful. I put it in my garage and started doing some work on it.

I believe that the bike started life as a Tour and had been converted to Traveller spec at some point. Reasons that the bike is an early 1998 model and under the sytem here in Britain has an 'R' prefix on its registration. I have never seen a Traveller without an 'S' (late 98 onwards) or later registartion. The frame doesn't have the small plate on each side that Travellers and Sports have.

This is where the fairing of the Sport attaches, but has no function on the Traveller and the threaded hole in it is plugged. The wiring to the headlight had been modified, and it was fitted with a fuel pump (this was dropped by the time the Traveller was introduced as far as I know).

The bike was in reasonably good condition, the bodywork was a bit scraped and scratched with cracking round the mounting holes (not uncommon), the rear wheel bearings were worn out, and there was a 'clonk' from the rear suspension. The bodywork was repaired and resprayed, and the wheel and suspension bearings replaced. This was detailed in this post in 2011. According to the odometer, it had only done 31,618 miles (50,884 km).

Those of you who know me in 'real life' are aware that I had a number of personal crises round this time and the bike was abandoned in the garage with only the occasional bout of work done on it and the engine started occasionally to stop it seizing.

However, last week I got a new job which I'll be starting in three weeks time, and (for the first time in 15 years), I'll be able to commute to work on a bike, so it was get the bike out to have a good look at it with a mind to finally put it back on the road. I'd attached a remote fuel tank and a spare battery last weekend and it started first press of the button – so far, so good! I gave it a good clean to see what work needed done to it.

During a previous bout of work I'd fitted a Brembo front brake caliper, a Yamaha TRX850 headlight (much better than the standard unit), and a home made rack. I'd also removed the fuel pump as it's not actually needed and just creates problems. MZ realised this and stopped fitting it to later Skorpions.

After I'd repainted the bodywork I'd stored it in my loft to prevent it from getting damaged in the garage. I did a 'dry run' fitting of the body work with a few screws to see what it would look like. I also fitted one pannier and one of the two topboxes I've got for it.

This is the bigger of the two, this is the smaller one.

Which one will be fitted will depend on how much stuff I have to carry each day. Probably it'll only be my lunch and a lock, so it'll probably be the small one.

The bike doesn't need much work to put it back on the road. I've got a few things I'll fit, but they might wait until later.

Heated grips, Scottoiler, and alarm (which might not get fitted – haven't made my mind up yet).

So that's my new project. Hopefully it won't take too much work or expense to get back on the road. I'll keep you informed of how I get on.