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Thread: 2008 Yamaha Scorpio 225 review

  1. #1
    Join Date
    31st January 2008 - 07:39
    Bike
    2017 Yamaha MT-07
    Location
    Nelson
    Posts
    35

    2008 Yamaha Scorpio 225 review

    I bought my Scorpio one year ago to beat the rising fuel prices. I travel to work on it and have also been for a few rides in the country with it. It has been a very reliable little bike with only one initial problem. After the running in period, a tiny amount of oil started to seep out the front of the engine between the head and barrel. This was solved (in a couple of goes) with tightening of the main bolts.

    A year on the paintwork and most surfaces are still looking good, with the exception of the handlebars. The chrome on the bars is starting to show spots of rust, so I guess they spread it on pretty thin.

    My ride to work includes town and country roads and despite my hefty weight, the Scorpio can punt along at a good clip. At 100kmh the tacho shows 6400rpm, which sounds slightly busy but there is still enough in reserve for careful overtaking. It actually gets up to 120kmh relatively quickly and according to other riders (who probably weigh less), a top speed of 140kmh can be achieved on a good day.

    The tank holds 10l and I always get 300km before hitting reserve, so I guess this means a fuel economy figure of 3.33l/100km.

    When I got the Yamaha I had been without a bike for 6 years and was a bit rusty on riding skills. Despite poor cornering speeds (too fast, too slow) the Scorpio kept travelling in the right direction, so I would class it as very forgiving and an ideal learner. I found if I did go into a corner too fast I could apply a small amount of back brake while just keeping the power on and the bike would go round with a good feeling of control.

    With the tyres pumped up to the correct specs, the suspension feels good at the back, but springy at the front. Uneven road surfaces are felt quite distinctly through the bars. Braking depends on how hard you can squeeze that front lever. Loading up the front with slight pressure to set things up, then pretending to crush a beer can in your hand will stop the bike quite rapidly. Back brake provides good control.

    Being a little single, the bike can crawl along at almost walking pace. This is handy in heavy traffic and sometimes I find the bike is down to idle speed (1750rpm) in first gear and still putting along. The clutch has a very light action.

    The seat looks quite generous and is perfectly comfy for my ride to work, but I find when out in the country after a couple of hours riding my bum starts to suffer. This could be my weight compressing the padding and lighter riders may have no problem.

    The Scorpio is cheap, not very exciting, but ideal for commuting and would make a great learner bike.
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    He who rides fastest, rides alone.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    7th October 2008 - 19:36
    Bike
    BMW R1200RT
    Location
    Masterton
    Posts
    397
    Thank you Vonstringer. A good review. We still have a Scorpio in the family,
    my 19 year old son. He has done the coast to coast ride twice on his (thats 500km home to home) in a day. He has given it a hard life and it has never let him down. Scorpios rule.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    21st December 2008 - 10:35
    Bike
    2010 Kawasaki Concours ZG1400
    Location
    Rotorua
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    1,039
    I second all that.
    Done about 8000km on my wee Scorpio now and it's going strong. Only issue I had is with a leaking fork seal but this was replaced under warranty. I may have even caused this leaking seal myself by going up a driveway a little fast and causing the front to bottom out hard.

    There are heaps of aftermarket parts available for these too if you know where to look. Here in NZ, Ventura make pack racks which I have fitted to mine. But in Indonesia where these bikes have been available for quite a few years now, there is almost everthing available. From fancy alloys to rear disc conversions, fairings, headlights, engine covers, different shaped gas tanks, fancy tail pieces with different tail lights, exhausts, luggage boxes etc. The list goes one.
    Have a look here if interested:http://tozzymodif.wordpress.com/
    Prices are dirt cheap too and he has just started creating some of the pages interesting to us in English.

    I have also managed to find a workshop manual if anyone is interested. It's in Indonesian but it is well illustrated and from the pictures and associated text you can easily make out what they are on about and what the relevant specs, torque settings and adjustments are. Can email this to anyone interested. Just send me a pm.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    25th January 2009 - 05:00
    Bike
    2004,Yamaha,Scorpio 225
    Location
    Bogor, Indonesia
    Posts
    8
    Quote Originally Posted by Cloggy View Post
    I second all that.
    Done about 8000km on my wee Scorpio now and it's going strong. Only issue I had is with a leaking fork seal but this was replaced under warranty. I may have even caused this leaking seal myself by going up a driveway a little fast and causing the front to bottom out hard.

    There are heaps of aftermarket parts available for these too if you know where to look. Here in NZ, Ventura make pack racks which I have fitted to mine. But in Indonesia where these bikes have been available for quite a few years now, there is almost everthing available. From fancy alloys to rear disc conversions, fairings, headlights, engine covers, different shaped gas tanks, fancy tail pieces with different tail lights, exhausts, luggage boxes etc. The list goes one.
    Have a look here if interested:http://tozzymodif.wordpress.com/
    Prices are dirt cheap too and he has just started creating some of the pages interesting to us in English.

    I have also managed to find a workshop manual if anyone is interested. It's in Indonesian but it is well illustrated and from the pictures and associated text you can easily make out what they are on about and what the relevant specs, torque settings and adjustments are. Can email this to anyone interested. Just send me a pm.
    hi, Cloggy. thanx for introduced my web here.

    if u all have news, infos, everything 'bout NZ bikers, please do share with me and others in Indonesia.

    Yup Baron. agree with u .... SCORPIOS RULE !!!
    Last edited by tozzy; 25th January 2009 at 06:34. Reason: sorry, double post ....
    please visit my web: www.tozzy.co.cc

  5. #5
    Join Date
    25th January 2009 - 05:00
    Bike
    2004,Yamaha,Scorpio 225
    Location
    Bogor, Indonesia
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    8

    Greetings all ....

    --- delete ---
    Last edited by tozzy; 25th January 2009 at 06:36. Reason: ooops, sorry ... double post
    please visit my web: www.tozzy.co.cc

  6. #6
    Join Date
    28th December 2008 - 21:12
    Bike
    nightrod
    Location
    Chch
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    657
    ive heard of the scorpios whats the power like after 100kph are they gutless past 100

  7. #7
    Join Date
    21st December 2008 - 10:35
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    2010 Kawasaki Concours ZG1400
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    Rotorua
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    Yep. They get from 100 to 120 not too bad (unless you are comparing to a 1000cc bike of course), but beyond that it takes a little while to get to 130-140. Has a lot to do with the wind as well.
    They are on par with other commuter type 250cc bikes out there.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    25th January 2009 - 05:00
    Bike
    2004,Yamaha,Scorpio 225
    Location
    Bogor, Indonesia
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    8
    Quote Originally Posted by youngbiker16 View Post
    ive heard of the scorpios whats the power like after 100kph are they gutless past 100
    pardon if i catch u wrong.
    but from my experience, scorpio has a very good acceleration before n after 100kph. IMHO d minor thing is just her power slowly decreased after 1-1.5 hours of ridin'. that's why in indonesia most riders put an (additional) oil cooler on their scorpio ...
    please visit my web: www.tozzy.co.cc

  9. #9
    Join Date
    25th January 2009 - 05:00
    Bike
    2004,Yamaha,Scorpio 225
    Location
    Bogor, Indonesia
    Posts
    8

    Yamaha Scorpio 225 MANUAL SERIVCE

    just trying 2 help Cloggy ... may be this is all u need.

    u can download it here ...

    ps: sorry, just like Cloggy said above, it's in bahasa ...
    please visit my web: www.tozzy.co.cc

  10. #10
    Join Date
    25th January 2009 - 05:00
    Bike
    2004,Yamaha,Scorpio 225
    Location
    Bogor, Indonesia
    Posts
    8

    An Indonesian forum for y'll, Guys ...

    Hi, i've just created a special forum section for all of u here (hope y'll don't mind).
    in case u need 2 get in touch with (more) bikers from Indonesia.

    hope we can share n learn more about each other ...

    c u there

    just follow this link: www.tozzy2forum.co.cc

    ps: i also put this forum link there. just check it out ..
    please visit my web: www.tozzy.co.cc

  11. #11
    Join Date
    26th September 2007 - 13:52
    Bike
    Scorpio
    Location
    Tapu te Ranga
    Posts
    1,471
    Thanks for the very good review, vonstringer.

    My biggest complaint about the Scorpio would be the amount of front-end dive under braking. (I weigh 90 kg.) Has anyone had any success in stiffening it up? Would heavier fork oil help?

    PS: There's no need for Robert Taylor to come on here and tell us that the only right way to do it is install completely new fork internals. I already know that. I'd be content with a small improvement.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    3rd July 2003 - 12:00
    Bike
    Scorpio, XL1200N
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    forests of azure
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    9,398
    Quote Originally Posted by Badjelly View Post
    My biggest complaint about the Scorpio would be the amount of front-end dive under braking. (I weigh 90 kg.) Has anyone had any success in stiffening it up?
    It's probably undersprung for you. Stickchick's '08 Scorpio seems about right for her, and she's all of 50-something kgs.

    Replacement springs shouldn't be too much of a hassle to source, I'd imagine?
    kiwibiker is full of love, an disrespect.
    - mikey

  13. #13
    Join Date
    16th August 2008 - 18:03
    Bike
    2008 Yamaha Scorpio
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    116
    Great review

    I've had mine almost 6 months, and almost 3000k. I ride (the short distance) to and from work each day (all town riding), so don't get the speed up too much, but try to take the long way home (an hour round the bays, mostly 50k zone, short stints at 70k) to keep the ks per litre up and have some fun

    Haven't had any technical problems (except my tail light blew after a few months), and now that Badjelly mentioned it, I guess it dives a little under front braking.

    Two times I've waited to hit reserve I got about 215k, all from town riding. I usually switch when I think I'm getting close, though, because the second time I hit reserve it was going up a steep hill in heavy traffic, and I didn't really enjoy it When I've been doing open road riding I've filled up at 275k and been surprised that I wasn't empty. I probably use about 3.5 litres per 100k, or a bit less since having run her in.

    I had no riding experience, and no car/road experience, and I found it pretty forgiving.

    Did a short tour (Welly-Nelson & surrounds) at Xmas and was fine with a bit of luggage in side saddles. Didn't go much over 100, but that was more to do with my comfort level rather than the 'bike. Only kept up with WasPhantom's SV650 S 'cause he kept to my pace

    Also get a very sore tailbone after hours of riding, dunno if that's avoidable.

    I idle at 2000rpm, which is faster than the number in the manual - but haven't tried to fix that.

    Still on my l-plate (can get restricted next month!!), but haven't outgrown it yet. Taking things slow I guess . Even if I upgraded to a bigger 'bike, I like the Scorpio for a commuter and would be tempted to hold on to her...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    31st January 2005 - 06:43
    Bike
    depends
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    auckland
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    1,214
    I found 422k the magic number - had to push her to the servo after that It was around the 330k mark for reserve. My 250 ninja does about 100k less than the scorpio did, but I have a hell of a lot more fun.
    I rode down to Pukekohe and up to Wellsford (not the same trip) from west Auckland, and that's as far as I'd want to take her. The trips around the East Cape, down to Taupo were not an option.
    Not an exciting bike to ride, but horses for courses - a brilliant commuter (which is why I'd bought her). Funny that someone else mentioned tail light, mine blew regularly, which was horrible when it happened in winter. I'd trail the back brake so I'd still be seen.
    the other thing was I'd often turn off the lights without realising it.
    Stock bars are horrible, felt better with aftermarket bars on it.
    I did get up to 140k on her once (never again), but felt that 120k was max I felt safe doing.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    16th August 2008 - 18:03
    Bike
    2008 Yamaha Scorpio
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    116
    Quote Originally Posted by Dutchee View Post
    Stock bars are horrible, felt better with aftermarket bars on it.
    What sort of bars did you get, and what difference did it make? It's the only bike I've riden, so i have no comparison, but get sore wrists & back on the odd occasion so perhaps new bars would help

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