Modern Vespa

I have one of those also but don’t want to sully the fork setup with it! Your axel seating has a mount for it tho right? The gear version looks so neat and tidy. Also - the motogadget can take a digital speedo input and then tracks service requirement etc... hoping I can take a feed from the one speedo, but the other would be plan b if I decide to use that.

Are you suggesting I am not neat and tidy?
Yes - I noticed the mysterious hole when I was replacing the gear that had chewed itself up in short order.
was able to mount this directly in (did have to change my brake disc bolts to stop weird reflection readings at night).

Mine has no mysterious hole...

Sort of fits. Dunno if it works tho. 80% rule on that one.

This is fuckin' mean as bro. The workmanship on this thing is incredible. It's been great watching the process. It's looking pretty close now...
Thanks

Chur bro!

Getting so close and looking so cool.....

Any ruff prediction on that first troublesome(?) ride?

C'mon, spill it then! (I KNOW you still have a thousand details to do)

2019 or 2020 more likely, inquiring minds wanna know.

What are the big things left to do before you go for a spin?

Realistically early 2020.

Get it wired up (tail light and rear indicators aren’t on yet), glove box on (needs modification to fit well enough to be watertight), stand on, motor in, flywheel out and vape on (plus starter ring gear issue). And guessing I haven’t finished with the speedometer issue. Ahhh - need to sort the fuel tank too - the gasket for the 2T oil is leaking. Need to order bulbs.

So big things are: finish wiring, fit glovebox, sort vape.

Lots of little tweaks along the way. For example - the wiring from the headset isn’t protected in the gap between headset and frame - I couldn’t hear shrink it all together as it is pretty tight in there so had to feed each separately. Looking at it now I think it would be a good idea to get something on them. Tons of little details.

If I had a few other comments reckon I could get this all done pretty quickly... but just a few hours at a time (often late evenings into early morning...)

Hit it hard today. All day all long. Lots of backwards steps. Having to undo-redo stuff sucks.

But its got legs - can stand own its own two feet. Bro came over and helped me get the stand on and motor in.

Got switches/ lights/ front end pretty much sorted too. Exhausted but stoked.










Carnage...

High tech for sure.

What happened to the front fender you spent so much time shaping and angling?

It’s waiting to go on. Hard enough getting around the bike in the shed without it atm. Save it for near the end I think.

Thats not a bare metal cafe racer thats a robot

Looking nothing short of fantastic.
If you haven't had the pleasure of bleeding that master cylinder yet - get yourself some rubber tube, some small wire ties, and a large one of these that will let you revers bleed that tiny line that hides bubbles.
Oh - and a mop on a long handle - to clean up the ceiling when the tube pops off and brake fluid spirts 20 feet. Don't ask...

That’s a mighty big syringe! Maybe for reverse flushing people (raid an enema kit for it?) ;P

How much of 150ml did the brake line take? Hard to plunge? Big syringe = less pressure. And guessing the syringe plunger doesn’t like brake fluid?

Just found a bunch of small brass washers that I think are for the brake line... need to figure out where they go.

And having more issues with the brake switch - need to sort that too.

Yup - big syringe because if you use a small one - just when you get close to reverse getting the damn bubbles out - you will run out of fluid - requiring you to disconnect the tube, refill, get more bubbles in the system.
Found this old pic when I was trying to figure out same on brass parts.


Note the quality representation of my brake line in this photo. Proud.

Been a while since an update. Life got busy with school holidays and not much time in the shed. And still going two-steps forward, one-step back...


Original drip-tray back in...

M7s... ffs. Well one of the threads is poked so they might all become M8s anyway.

Managed to get everything through without cutting new holes. Crazy puzzle.

Omg it actually kinda sorta fits.

Getting close to putting some go-juice in and seeing what happens.

Pheas' - that thing looks so damn cool - I am all kinds of jealous - and I don't think I ever even wanted a bare metal scoot.
Makes me want to rethink every bit of cheap birds nest wiring I have ever done on mine - and that is a lotta rethinking...

Really like some of the treatments you did to the custom wiring.
Care to share where you scored these connectors and what they do?
(editors note: even if they do nothing - they look really cool).

Ha... the top one with the right angle is the standard fuel sender wiring and rubber grommet from the PX. Had to hole the VBB to send it.

The lump inside is because the fuel sender wiring wasn’t long enough - I had to extend it. So got three spade connectors, sandwiched them together and held them with heat shrink. Same on the other end of my (short) extension. Probably could’ve just spliced it all together but figured this would work too.

I did start with the custom SIP Vape DC wiring conversion loom - so a lot of the pretty was already done. Still, like everything, nothing quite fits right so you know the drill. Or dremel, grind, cut, weld etc...

Rolling... Threw some premix in, but guess it was too much to ask for a spark =(
Find out why will be interesting... don't even know where to start lol.

Pipe sounds awesome kicking over - can't wait to hear it fire.

Dang, your moment of victory snatched away

So no pop at the motor and you did also verify no spark?

If so, it's probably something simple, I guess I'd first pull the green ground offa the CDI and pull the plug out too to see if that's it. No tiny blue lightening? You got another CDI? Shouldn't make any difference but you have a LOT of other electrickery going on and I'd maybe try just red white and green to the CDI and disconnect the rest. Is your flywheel known good? Stator as well?

I predict that if none of those, you'll be hearing more soon.

Bike looks wicked as is, hope you're not planning on ruining it w/ those little chrome hubcaps, cowls and a mudguard .

Yeah so... all new custom SIP Vape DC conversion loom, Motogadget M-unit, Vape ignition... so no idea why no spark but that’s a lot of stuff connected at once! (Pulled the plug...)

No chrome hubcaps. Plain old black Will put the cowls and mudguard on eventually.

Need to find my wiring diagrams...

Was pretty careful as I put it together. Multimetered as I went.

Stoked anyway - got a lot on today. Glad the pipe went on ok and fits. Getting the pipe mounting bolt in with a wide tyre on the back was a pita. Have to drop the motor via back shock to get the wheel off to get the bolt in. Torqued a lot of stuff down. Selector, clutch and rear brake cables hooked up.

Ran out of time to troubleshoot... will get back to it asap.

Also discovered it’s not too hard to wheel it out of the shed. Means I can get in and clean it (without tripping over the Vespa that’s usually in the way).

This thing looks amazing! Can't wait to hear it. Btw I know your pain of small work space climbing over the scoot to get around and needing to wheel everything out to clean up. You will be happy when you do get it back in and can marvel at both your scoot and the space it's in!

Amazing work pheasant plucker! I'm happy for you to see your bare metal beauty rolling on 2 wheels, and clearing the way for your shed cleanup. I'm sure it needs it You'll probably love the sound of that pipe, I had one and it was great. Loud, but not too loud. Keep up the good work, you're in the home stretch!

Looks great , be interesting to hear why it won't start.

Looking great PP! You'll need to be careful about your selection of 2T oil... currently the yellowish colour in the sight glass clashes with the colour scheme!

You should be able to disconnect every thing except the wires that run between the stator and the CDI. You can just stall it if it starts. Then at least you've isolated that system from your investigations.

Scoot looks great.

Looking forward to some video of the engine running after you chase down the spark.

Psyched for you.
Ginch and Voodoo have already given the good stuff - isolate the motor/CDI from all those electronics and just see if it starts/has spark.
Then you can spend 6 months figuring out how to determine what switch you have flipped locking out the lock out of the lock out of the kills switch for the kill switch.

Awesome!

So... the no spark thing was simple (feeling dumb) - didn't realise the Vespa ignition wire needs to be floating and grounded to kill. Followed the Motogadget instructions which states (in bolded capitals...) "THE IGNITION SYSTEM MUST BE CONNECTED TO THIS OUTPUT ONLY"

So probably sending 12v down the ignition wire. Christiaan at Retroscooter set me straight. Glad I didn't fry the CDI or something...

So took the wire out... instant spark ;P

Still nada - wasn't getting fuel through. Just needed more in the tank (guess 600ml wasn't enough).

But once I had spark and fuel...

As a bonus... battery seems to be charging no problems. 13.5v while running, 13.2v afterwards (was 12.8v going in and getting worried cause I don't have a charger for the LiFePo)...

Need to figure how to get a 12v signal to float the ignition, and then ground it when off.

Liking the pipe. Haven't set the mixture (2.5 turns out) - just idle screw And timing was me putting the stator on with marking at the middle. Plus there's premix in there plus (hopefully) the autolube - need to check it's actually working next (then drain and refill with fuel only).

SCORE!!!! Congratulations PP - Now for the little bits and you'll be on the road! Good job. That thing looks awesome!

Im pretty sure I'm smiling now as big as you were in that shot.
Love it.

The cheering from your videographer is priceless.

That’s my wife! She’s stoked that I now have something to show for all the time in the shed =)

Think I’ve figured my ignition issue. Just need to add a relay. Have it ground the ignition when off, and open to nothing when on.

Woo hoo!!

Outstanding and congratulations well done

I'm jealous af the t-shirt and shorts

Congratulations on the smoke out! You’ve had a long journey to get here. Bare Metal baby is looking good. Lets see a riding video!

Done. Works.

Leds since they fit and I can...

Off the shelf at the local electronics store...