Modern Vespa

i installed my new scorpion pipe and faco cowl protectors this weekend. (YAY!)

the bike now looks and sounds awesome!

BUT

i had a bit of a major problem today...

i hit a bit of a bump on the way home today (at about 40mph) and heard a loud BANG!

at the next light, i happened to look under my bike to see what it was and noticed green coolant leaking everywhere.

i guess the give in my rear end suspension was enough to pinch some components of the bike against part of the brackets to hold the cowl protectors on the bike.

I totally damaged a coolant hose of the right of the bike and smashed that little air intake on the left.

i installed them per the factory instrustions, etc. and they are the right parts etc...

has this happened to anyone else? is this a common problem? did i totally f my bike up?

do i have any recourse with faco?

help!!!!!!

I did it too, although I was two up. After fixing the coolant tube I adjusted the suspension settings and so far so good. I did not try going after Faco so I don't know how that will work.

i should of looked around here a bit before posting.

seems like EVERYONE has had this problem.

i'm surprised Faco haven't offered a solution of some sort -and that they still sell the suspect brackets.

and i love the smell and mess of the coolant burning off my brand new scorpion pipe...

I don't think you'd have a problem with the Piaggio crash bars.

I don't have this problem with my faco rear crash bars, but I know others have. And I know for sure that the Piaggio bars for the GT and the earlier version of the Piaggio bars for the GTS can do the same thing. I've owned both, and it's all in the subtlety of how you position the bars (not a lot of play there) and how low your scooter rides.

Also, both kinds of crash bars can and will damage the transmission air inlet if you position the bolt holding the bars on with the head of the bolt facing out.

i checked the bolts, and it was surely the bracket that caused my "injury"

the bracket i have has a countersink hole and tapered bolt head (you use an allen wrench on it) - so the bolt head is flush with the inside of the bracket.

unfortunately, the bracket is still quite close to the components.

the bold head on the bracket near the tail of the bike - over the tire, thats pretty suspect. it looks like something just waiting to gouge into the tire.

i'll share some pics (when i figure out how to post here) and also follow up with my solution. right now - some washers and "creative bending" are in order...

i'm suprised the problem is as common as i've discovered, and that the company hasn't done something to rectify. or perhaps they have?

needles to say - i'm a bit dissapointed in my purchase and subsequent necessary repairs. i may just ditch the bars...

Really common problem as you have discovered and for me, the fix was bending and washers (as you have found out too). Also, a slight mod of the air intake (shaving it a bit).

On the issue of the pipe, watch out for it bottoming out on the mounting of the crash bars too. I had that problem as soon as I rode two up, over humps the exhaust would hit the bottom of the mounting bolts. Make sure the bolts are really short and that you stiffen the suspension when two up (or remove the bars).

Charles.