Montesa 250 King Scorpion Automix

MONTESA 250 KING SCORPION AUTOMIX

Cycle World Road Test

The Convenience Of Oil Injection Is A Worthy Addition To A Vastly Improved Model

■ ONE OF THE most experienced Spanish motorcycle manufacturers, Montesa, has gotten quite serious in the last year or so. After producing one of the world's best trialers, the Cota 247, their attention turned toward the ever-growing motocross market, and now an updated Enduro bike joins the parade.

The new 250 King Scorpion ‘‘Air tomix’’ is the company’s answer to the onslaught of Japanese dual-purpose bikes that have nearly taken over. In the past, Spanish machines have offered Superior off-road traits, such as better performance and ^handling, but many conffeilience features were disregarded. As a result, only “hard-¿gore” riders ofctPse Spanish“ makes. Those desiring comfortable, kne|j #a»fportatign with. an occasional bout in the dirt looked to the JaØnese brands.

T!~i~change, however. Now the nese are beginning to offerJ~Jie best of both worlds in their -coad/pn ro~l mounts I~ey~ are learning what it takes to make an Enduro machine handle pro~rly. If the Spanish hope to compete at ll9 the conveniences such as oil injection, primary k1ck'~~artMg and reliable electrical components mU St be brought into lay. It is obvious that Mon~tes*" realizes the importance of such changes, as it is the first of b~e Spanish~ makers tq take a step in this direction TY C' -

The new King Scdrpion ft just that...new and different from the King Scorpion of the past. „Many of the comp« borrowed directly from the recently^ *motocrosser, including even the frame!

The most interesting single feature of the King Scorpion’s engine is the incorporation of an iiffectiq^pump to supply the lubricating oil. Japanese machines have had this feature for some time, but the Spaniards have stuck with the pre-mix method until now. The oil pump is driven from the left hand end of the%crankshaft and rate of delivery is varied by both the engine rpm and amount of throttle opening. Oil from the pump is admitted into the engine through a rubber inlet manifold where it mixes with the incoming fuel/air charge to lubricate the main bearings, connecting rod bearings and the piston, before being burned and expelled out the exhaust pipe.

So successful is the port timing on the Cappra 250 VR that the King Scorpion uses the same cylinder. The engine has been “de-tuned” för more tractable performance through lowering the compression ratio and fitting a piston with an, inlet skirt S'orne 4mm longer than thfe racing type. Transfer and exhaust ports are the same as the Cappra, but a smaller, 32mm Bing concentric carburetor, which is made in Spain under license from Birjg in Germany, is fitted. The^engine pulls strongly from 3000 rpm right up to maximum revs.

Developed as a dual-purpose engine, the 250 “Automix” features redesigned çrankbase outer covers which tuck in nicely. A new pointless ignition system, developed by Motoplat, is narrower than the flywheel magneto previously used and—allows the right hand side case to be slimmed dpwn considerably. The left-hand case is also narrow with »slight bulge for tho-uil pump. The entire engine package is a mere 13-in. wide.

s with previous 1tesa 250 çn~e~the cr nkshaft rides ee all bearings. Full irc1e i1~e~ ed as weD,%nd tI~e c c'ing ied hasx r bearing ..-

Unlike the other two popular Spanis!lNha€hin Montes uses a gear drive from the crankshaft to The gears ar| ■ strajght'-^^TuT are surprising^

same. The clutch is composed of all metal plates which will take a lot of brutal treatment before slipping begins.

A constant mesh five-speed transmission features more widely spaced gear ratios than those found on the Cappra 250 ^R. Low and second gears are low enough to permit casual trail riding while the upper three ratios make street riding a pleasure. Freeway speeds can be maintained for short distances but around town riding is a more comfortable proposition.

Highly polished aluminum on the engine cases contrasts with the black painted cylinder and cylinder head. The latter two items are cast with a peculiar wavy fin pattern and rubber blocks are inserted between the fins to help deaden piston and combustion noises. In fact, an excellent job of silencing the intake roar and the exhaust note make the King Scorpion a pleasure to ride and the noise won’t offend anyone nearby.

Montesa has always had good suspension systems and the components on the King Scorpion are no exception. The forks are Montesa’s own design, and although they feature rubber gaiters, the springs are inside the fork tubes like Ceriani and Betor units. These rubber boots keep the junk out of the tender seals. The units are sensitive enough to respond to minor road irregularities, yet have sufficient travel and damping characteristics to keep them from bottoming in rough terrain. The rear suspension units are manufactured by Telesco, but hard riding overworks them, and bottoming occurs frequently. Under normal use, they should give no > trouble, but enduro riders beware. Straight-wound springs have five-way adjustability, as is common.

Wheelhubs are superb and are borrowed from the Cappra 250 VR. The polished aluminum units add much to the machine’s appearance and save weight as well. The rear item is conical in shape and, although the brakes aren’t overly large in either hub, they do a more than adequate job of stopping the machine under street and moderately hard trail riding conditions. Both hubs are laced to strong Akront aluminum rims, which are highly polished.

The fine handling frame comes directly from the Cappra 250 VR. It is a single downtube design with the downtube running to a point in front of the power unit. Two smaller diameter tubes are welded on and extend rearward to form a cradle under the engine and then curve upward and join the single toptube under the rear of the fiberglass fuel tank. An additional pair of tubes run from the swinging arm pivot point upward and connect with the seat/rear fender support and serve as the top mounting points for the rear shock absorbers.

The totally integrated frame/suspension and accessory package is well thought out. Plastic covers conceal the battery > and oil tank. The air filter is a Filtron element located under the seat in a spot where water will have a hard time entering. The element is easily accessible for cleaning by removing a single nut at the rear of the seat which allows the unit to be lifted off, exposing the filter.

MONTESA 250 KING SCORPION AUTOMIX

$1238

MONTESA 250

A circular toolbox beneath the battery holds the usual assortment of tools to permit anything but a major strip-down of the machine during enduro competition.

But as with all dual-purpose machines, the Montesa contains many accessories which should be removed for serious enduro competition. In accordance with the upcoming 1974 Federal Safety Standards, all motorcycles licensed for street use in the United States will have the gearshift lever on the left hand side with low gear at the bottom of the shift pattern. This is a departure for Montesa, but the right hand lever is part of the past. The kickstarter is still on the right side, but the convenience of primary kick starting is still a part of the future...hopefully.

It is unfortunate that Montesa chose Lucas handlebar controls to operate the various electrical items. There is simply nothing good to be said about them.

Performance wise, the King Scorpion “Automix” is comparable to most other street/trail motorcycles in its displacement category, and merely substituting a countershaft sprocket one tooth smaller than standard would give ideal enduro gearing. In fact, the changes needed to turn the King Scorpion into a winning enduro mount are few in number and could be performed by the neophyte mechanic without much trouble. In spite of a rather healthy price tag, the King Scorpion “Automix” should find many satisfied owners who value its enduro capabilities and improved features. Montesa has taken a step in the right direction; perhaps a few others will follow.