2008 Yamaha Scorpio 225 review

[Stickchick]

I have found my Scorpio to be so easy to ride. Apart from a numb arse after a few hundred k's but other than that it's a breeze from the 1990 Eliminator.

I have ridden 4500 odd k's since November and still enjoy taking her south every chance I get. The only draw back I have is riding in a head wind as it's too hard on my buggered neck. That and also still getting used to riding in the wind as she tends to lean a bit.

She is an awesome bike for someone like me with very limited knowledge of bikes, apart from being pillon and riding an old bike.

I love my Scorpio and will enjoy her till I outgrow her.

[pc220]

I ended up fitting low rise MX bars to mine. Mainly to give my arms a bit more room to stretch out. It gave more of a lean forward riding position instead of the very neutaral if not cruiser style riding position.

[gumboots4eva]

I've had my Scorpio for 2 years now and find it very economical - regularly 32 kmpl. Unfortunately I'm in the Waitakere Ranges and would like something with a bit more wind protection and weight - and power for the hills and overtaking... Not that it doesn't have a reasonable amount of grunt for suburban riding. To be honest I wouldn't say no to something a bit more sporty looking too.
However, it is hard to say goodbye to something as economical as a Scorpio. Was looking at a Suzuki 600 Bandit and it only does about 22kmpl - but with fairings and a little bit of weight behind it.
In two minds as to whether to take economy over the rest.

[Sparrowhawk]

I've had my Scorpio for 2 years now and find it very economical - regularly 32 kmpl. Unfortunately I'm in the Waitakere Ranges and would like something with a bit more wind protection and weight - and power for the hills and overtaking... Not that it doesn't have a reasonable amount of grunt for suburban riding. To be honest I wouldn't say no to something a bit more sporty looking too.
However, it is hard to say goodbye to something as economical as a Scorpio. Was looking at a Suzuki 600 Bandit and it only does about 22kmpl - but with fairings and a little bit of weight behind it.
In two minds as to whether to take economy over the rest.

I think you'll have to trade off economy for power & wind protection. But look at it this way, 22km/L is still WAY better than most cages get ('cept the new CRDI Hyundai's, they're not far off). In my exp most cages average about 10km/L, so why stress it??

In regards to the front fork dive being spoken about earlier, my gpx had the same problem. Mike at Drury performance put 15 weight fork oil instead of 10, and put about 1.5 times the normal amount of oil in there. Made a world of difference. I've also heard that people often put washers on top of the springs of GN's to preload them a bit more, so that might help.

[nallac]

[QUOTE=gumboots4eva;1129205606]
However, it is hard to say goodbye to something as economical as a Scorpio. Was looking at a Suzuki 600 Bandit and it only does about 22kmpl - QUOTE]


oh to get close to that economy....22kpl ,i wish i could get half that...

you'll be hard pushed to get a 600cc+ that does that many K'spl ridden normally.

[gumboots4eva]

Guess you're right, can't have it all ways...
The Suzuki Bandit is quite heavy though and I noticed the Kawasaki Ninja is a lighter bike... so many bikes - so much choice! lol

[Willdat?]

22km/l would be impressive from a bandit...my DRZ400SM consistently does 20km/l....

[Badjelly]

...In two minds as to whether to take economy over the rest.

I feel the same way. I'm not planning to step up from the Scorpio right now, but I've been keeping an eye on alternatives. The SV650 appeals. But fuel consumption figures for bigger bikes generally seem to be 5 l/100 km or more (15 km/l or less) and I reckon that's just too much. Not to mention their tendency to wear out chains & tyres. (The tyres and chain on the Scorpio show no wear after 6000 km. In the case of the tyres, that may indicate something about their grip levels!)

What about a sportier 250?

[Cloggy]

Back tyre on my Scorpio was bald at 9000km. Front tyre will probably need replacing around 12000-13000km judging by current wear at 10000km.

[Henk]

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

I know this goes back a bit but on Dutchees Scorpio we but some low rise MX bars on, they may have been mini or quad bars but I can't remember.

[gumboots4eva]

I have wondered about a sportier 250cc but if I changed I want a bigger bike so I can travel a bit more on it, ie out of Auckland.

I've seen a Suzuki GS500 which I thought might be nice, but haven't ridden a recent one. I rode a 2000 or 2001 model and thought I was sitting on a piece of wood, the seat was so hard! Would need to ride a 2007-9 model to see if it is any better on newer versions.

[newbould]

Back tyre on my Scorpio was bald at 9000km. Front tyre will probably need replacing around 12000-13000km judging by current wear at 10000km.

Just clicked over 13000 and back tyre is about 50% gone, front looks fine. I ride conservatively but not quite Nana. I weigh 73 k in m/c gear and usually pack 5+ kg on the back rack.

Any suggestions how to control handlebar rust? Bike is either in garage, door open facing the harbour, or in the open / m/c cover over it. Currently still removable with household cleaning cream stuff but would like to do a bit of prevention.

[moko]

Nice bike,we don't get the 250 in Britain but a 125 version,sold here as the YBR125,is currently the best-selling bike here.

[Cloggy]

Just clicked over 13000 and back tyre is about 50% gone, front looks fine. I ride conservatively but not quite Nana. I weigh 73 k in m/c gear and usually pack 5+ kg on the back rack.

Any suggestions how to control handlebar rust? Bike is either in garage, door open facing the harbour, or in the open / m/c cover over it. Currently still removable with household cleaning cream stuff but would like to do a bit of prevention.

Lucky buggar. You must ride it on smooth roads. I don't weigh much more but I ride the bike at least twice a day over the Wainui Hill Road. A couple of kays of flowing corners covered in a man-made high grip surface which is hard on the tyres.
To stop chrome parts rusting:
As a kid, living in Europe, where we used get snow and ice on the roads, which then got salt put on it, anything chrome on our push bikes would rust like mad. To prevent this we wiped chrome parts with vaseline.

[newbould]

Thanks for the tip Cloggy. But how can your suggestion of rubbing vaseline into your parts stay on KB for 3 whole days and not get any sort of comment? Guess we just have to wait for the weekend or cross post to the biker girls!