Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

1995 Scorpa Works 295 (Above) The Scarpa Works 295 Ioo1cs similar to many of Its competitors' offerings, but Is actually quite dlfferenL (Below) Two-time Western Reglonal125cc Supercross Champion DtImon Huffman threw a lag over our Scarpa tas1 bike, and tound h to be a radical departure from his familiar Gas GaB JT25. By Donn Maeda Photos by Joe Bonnello t the first few rounds of the AMA/NATC National Championship Trials Series, a quick look through the pits revealed nothing out of the ordinary. All of the machines campaigned in the Championship class were the latest and trickest available, and the majority of the motorcycles ridden in the support classes were similar. Spanish Gas Gas bikes were the most common, followed closely by Italian-built Betas, then a few Spanish Montesas and Italian Fantics. And of course, there .were a few diehards who refused to give up their trusty old (rusty old?) Yamaha TY350s. But one bike differed from the rest. Among the sea of red, blue, black and white bikes was a bright lime-green, purple and white machine that stood out like a sore thumb. Compared to the common Spanish and Italian offerings, the peculiar-looking bike was quite an eye-catcher. Hand-built in Nimes, a smalI town in A southern France, the Scorpa Works 295 ridden by High School Championship contender Jonah Leon was the sole French entry and drew stares wherever it went. Imported into the United States by the Tryals Shop, the Scorpa is in its second full year of production and is surprisingly up-to-par with the offerings from the more-experienced factories. Prototypes of the machine first began to appear in late 1992, and the factory riders Bruno Camozzi and Graham Jarvis piloted the machines to respectable finishes in the '94 World Championship Trials Series. Stateside, Raymond Peters finished third overall in the '94 National Championship Trials Series aboard a Scorpa. This year, Leon is in contention for the High School class championship. So why isn't the Scorpa more popular? To tell the truth, a lack of faith is most likely the answer. Though the bike has somewhat "proven" itself in the hands of capable riders, most enthusiasts are more likely to purchase one of the more common machines. Gas Gas bikes are known for their super powerband, Betas for their high quality, Fantics for their ingenuity and Montesas for their reliability. But what is a Scorpa known for - being green? A CLOSER LOOK At the heart of the Works 295 is a single-cylinder, water-cooled two-stroke 272cc Rotax engine. Though not purposebuilt, the Austrian powerplant has been modified and set up specifically for trials use. Take one look at the huge right-side flywheel crankcase cover, and it's apparent that serious torque was the engineer's goal. The same Rotax engine is also used by other manufacturers - in different configurations, of course - for enduro and motocross bikes. Feeding a fuel/air mixture via reed-valve crankcase induction is a 26mm Dell'Orto carburetor, and expelling the spent exhaust fumes is a longer-for-'95 chrome-plated exhaust system - complete with a trick aluminum silencer. The clutch is cable-actuated. Cradling the motor is a steel perimeter frame, which is painted white. This is perhaps the biggest difference between the Scorpa and most of its competitors, as the Gas Gas, Montesa and Betas all come with bar.e and/or polished alloy frames. As with all modem trials bikes, a heavyduty aluminum skidplate comprises the bottom portion of the frame. A steel, banana-shaped swingarm rounds out the chassis. A familiar Boge shock and inverted

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