Bob's Big Battery; latest....

[nickst4]

I was appalled at the tiny standard battery on my 'new' Skorpion Tour, so I ordered a Numax sealed YB13L-A2, being the maintenance-free version of the Varta 514 011 listed in Anglesey-Bob's post some while back. At GBP56, there is no acid to buy, so the price was acceptible and Tayna's service is second to none.

Unfortunately, I found the same as others that the taller battery would not fit below the seat-fixing peg on my bike, and that there would not be room for the seat to go back either. I tried hard to find an alternative to the battery I'd got in hand but no joy, and even wondered whether to cut my losses and fit it to another bike I have that is designed to take it, but it is the MuZ that needs it.

So I decided to go for it and drilled the seat-fixing peg out to make room for the battery. Then I cut the locating hook from the underneath of the seat to give clearance for the battery, intending to make another hook to locate beneath the cross-bar that supports the back of the tank. But before I made the new bit, I tried the seat in place and, surprise, surprise, it locates absolutely securely under the back of the tank anyway! And it is so much easier to put in place too.

So all that remained was to make a battery-securing strap to hold the new taller deeper battery. I used a length of webbing and a ring cut from an inner tube, piercing the plastic tray tab at the bottom for a locating bar, and fitted various bits of rubber packing. Not too fiddly, and I won't need to lift the battery often, or get to any filler bungs, and no need for a breather tube that always falls off.

And yes, the motor spins very well indeed now. I think the mixture and/or choke needs some small adjustment because it doesn't exactly burst into life, but at least I now have plenty of battery power to crank it.

Thanks, Lietegeist/Bob for your help!

NickW, UK

[nickst4]

Correction; the Numax battery is of course a YB14L type, not a 13L (typing problem...), and Bob is Linegeist, not Leitegeist, though both words are a mystery to me... I should also add that I have no idea how the seat fits onto anything other than the Tour, but this mod is a doddle on that model. Damn near poetry, there!

Nick, UK

[Linegeist]

Thanks for the PM's yesterday on this idea Nick. I've now spent this morning copying your seat mounting solution - not because my battery doesn't fit, but because the seat's always been fiddly to refit.

I took a Dremel to the seat lug and, like yours, the seat now slides perfectly into the tank cutaway with absolutely no movement (so there'll be no tank chafing) and it now slots back in with nothing more than a push and a gentle 'click' as the locking bar engages. It doesn't rock, wobble or do the fandango either, sitting firmly on its rubbers as the good Lord intended.

Well pleased. Nice fix Nick! Thanks.

[boofbee]

Can I ask if this battery will fit a Skorpion Sport as the seat arrangement is different? My battery is suspect and cold starting can be at best decribed as pot luck. Really have enjoyed the bike so far even if the weather at the moment in the UK is rubbish.