ON Test: 2015 Scorpa Twenty
By TMX Archives on 21st Jan 15
THE all-new Scorpa Twenty model is so-named for a reason and that reason is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Scorpa brand.
Scorpa was formed back in 1993 by French duo Marc Teissier and Joel Domergue with the first model produced the following year.
They operated from a small unit on a motor-sports business park in Ales, in the south of France and the first Scorpa trials models were powered by powerful but physically large and heavy Rotax two-stroke motors.
Slightly unwieldy they may have been but Brit Graham Jarvis enjoyed much success on the Rotax-powered models. In 1998 the factory received a huge boost when it signed an agreement with Yamaha to use the Japanese giant's engines. And fitted with the bullet-proof TY250 two-stroke motor and the unique linkless rear suspension, with a long, centrally-positioned shock absorber, the Scorpa gained cult status in the Clubman ranks.
Scorpa also produced a smaller version using Yamaha's little 125/160 four-stroke motor which was a great starter and beginner bike – and Cumbrian Mark Barrow actually won the Wetherby club's National Wainwright Shield on one!
Along the way though, Teissier left Scorpa to start again with another new venture, Sherco, which opened up in Barcelona in 1999 and of course Sherco continues to grow to this day having later branched out into enduros.
After Teisssier's departure Scorpa continued under several different management teams and structures until it was sadly declared bankrupt and business ceased in 2009.
As a founder member, Teissier bought the Scorpa name from the receivers, saying that he still had affection for the brand and he would look to continue the name.
What emerged initially was a Scorpa that was effectively the old model but with the old Yamaha motor replaced with a Sherco engine, naturally, as Marc owned both brands.
It retained the old Scorpa linkless rear end and while a tidy and useful machine, production always seemed in short supply.
Which brings us to the 2015 Twenty model. As the Scorpa publicity says this is effectively an all-new model with the Sherco derived five-speed, two-stroke motor slotted into a new chassis that features a standard link type rear suspension.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX JANUARY 22, 2015 (ISSUE 1955)
