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@vegasgeorge avatar
UTC

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Homophobic Fuckwit
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Location: Rotting in hell
 
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@vegasgeorge avatar
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UTC quote
Well, I got the Vespa rear guards installed. But it took all day. Everything was going fine until I discovered that the bracket for the left side was about 1/32 inch too short. I could fit the bolt in by itself, but when loaded with the washers and guard, the bolt was at too much of an angle. I enlarged the hole in the plastic. I ran a tap through to clean it up. I struggled with it endlessly. Finally I went to the hardware store and got a longer bolt. The extra length allowed me to angle the bolt in to mate it with the threads in the bracket. It went right together. Then on the right side I ran in to another obstacle. For some reason there is a protuberance on the inside face of the plastic that isn't there on the left side. The protuberance accommodates the self threading screw used by Vespa to hold the plastic in place. But they use the same screw on the left side with no protuberance. Go figure! Anyway, it prevented the bracket from fitting right. So I had to saw it off and rasp it down flat. Then the bracket fitted properly. Again I had to drill out the holes in the plastic, but this time I had the longer bolt on hand, and it went right in. Finally, I discovered that they had shorted me on the hardware, and I had to substitute a nut and bolt from my garage stock. It's together and looks good. But all the struggling on the left side resulted in some paint damage on the floorboard under the bolt hole. Now I need to get some touch up paint.

Don't you think for the money they could send parts that fit and all the hardware? Their stupidity pretty much ruined the nice day I had planned. The trouble is that no one is held accountable, and the customer just has to suffer.
@witch avatar
UTC

Moderatrice Strega
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Location: Oregone
 
Moderatrice Strega
@witch avatar
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UTC quote
Which bars, exactly, did you use?

My Vespa bars required "fitting" too. One end was actually not perfectly round enough to fit inside the other, and we had to go at it with a belt sander before it would fit.
OP
@vegasgeorge avatar
UTC

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UTC quote
It was these bars: http://www.scooterwest.com/items/?_pageCCS=t#page=/item_details/Vespa-Premium-Chrome-Rear-Bars-/845

It was the front brackets that caused the trouble. The rear brackets worked OK.
@witch avatar
UTC

Moderatrice Strega
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Moderatrice Strega
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UTC quote
Interestingly, I've heard many people have no issues at all installing their rear bars. Then others, like us, had to freaking modify them.

They're worth the effort though, once they're finally on there. Mine have already paid for themselves.
@troutbum avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2012 Kymco Like 200i (Sold), 2018 FLSL
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Location: San Jose, CA
 
Ossessionato
@troutbum avatar
2012 Kymco Like 200i (Sold), 2018 FLSL
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2757
Location: San Jose, CA
UTC quote
I feel for you Mr. Klutz's Razz emoticon

Seems whenever I have purchased aftermarket accessories for my cycles I have always had to do some modifications to say nothing of the cursing from getting some knuckles busted in the process. Sounds like you got it to work so congratulations on a job well done.
@mikeyl avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2010 Vespa Volcanic Black GTS 300 Super "Marta"
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1757
Location: Hatfield, Pennsylvania
 
Molto Verboso
@mikeyl avatar
2010 Vespa Volcanic Black GTS 300 Super "Marta"
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1757
Location: Hatfield, Pennsylvania
UTC quote
Post some pic's, I'd like to see how great they look installed.
@sharpcolorado avatar
UTC

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2012 GTV 300 & LXV 150
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@sharpcolorado avatar
2012 GTV 300 & LXV 150
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Posts: 3486
Location: Pacific Northwest
UTC quote
Sorry you had trouble.

Here's a tip to those installing crash bars (rear bars) on the Vespa scoots:

You will probably notice some lack of symmetry in the left and right bars, due to poor shaping tolerances by the manufacturer. So:

1. Assemble the crash bars first. Put the entire chrome cage together, front and rear, and place it on a blanket, carpet, or cardboard, to avoid scratching chrome. Then, look for symmetry at all viewing angles. If the bars don't meet together straight on. put some weight on the assembled cage to straighten that out. If the tabs for body bolts don't align to the same height, straighten them out, too.

2. Unscrew the front and rear screws on the cage, and attempt attaching to the scooter. You are then assured that the cages are symmetric. If the tabs for the body bolts are misaligned, at least it will be the same on both sides.

3. If adjustments to the cage must be made, re-assemble it away from the scooter on a blanket, etc., and slowly apply pressure to bend the bars for better alignment to the scooter. Do both left and right sides the same. Check for symmetry, etc. Check for symmetry. Then attach to scooter.
⚠️ Last edited by sharpcolorado on UTC; edited 1 time
@binkiewinkie avatar
UTC

Hooked
Vespa GTS 300 SUPER
Joined: UTC
Posts: 122
Location: South Florida
 
Hooked
@binkiewinkie avatar
Vespa GTS 300 SUPER
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Posts: 122
Location: South Florida
UTC quote
Those are harder and tighter fit then these
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@jroseborough avatar
UTC

Hooked
GTS 300 Super White Mr. Beefy
Joined: UTC
Posts: 449
Location: Reno, NV
 
Hooked
@jroseborough avatar
GTS 300 Super White Mr. Beefy
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Location: Reno, NV
UTC quote
I had similar problems with the same bars. For me the front brackets were almost but not quite long enough. I had to cut out the screw holes to the end of the bracket and replace the bolts with longer bolts with washers and nuts. Now they fit fine.

Be careful and observe any rubbing between the crash bars and the body. I have one little spot where constant rubbing has worn paint off. There was a gap when installed that disapeared.

Crash bars have saved my scooter from greater damage. Once someone opened a door and dinged the crash bar, but not the cowl. Just a smudge from that. About 5 weeks ago somebody sideswiped my scooter at work in the parking lot. They rubbed my right hand bar end, legshiedl trim, crash bar, and a pice of the right cowl trim. Nothing too bad and merely cosmetic but it could have been much worse. Damaged areas can be replaced myself. The crashbar saved my scooter's cowl/metal body from major damage. Already they have paid for themselves.
@60yomod avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2009 LXV125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1566
Location: Baildon, Yorkshire, England
 
Molto Verboso
@60yomod avatar
2009 LXV125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1566
Location: Baildon, Yorkshire, England
UTC quote
Glad you managed it. Even the Vespa bars can often take some "persuading".

As the Scooterwest listing says, those bars are not OEM. They are made by Logo Scooter in Germany.
@sharpcolorado avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2012 GTV 300 & LXV 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3486
Location: Pacific Northwest
 
Ossessionato
@sharpcolorado avatar
2012 GTV 300 & LXV 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3486
Location: Pacific Northwest
OP
@vegasgeorge avatar
UTC

Banned
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UTC quote
jroseborough wrote:
For me the front brackets were almost but not quite long enough.
Exactly the same problem I encountered. So close, but no cigar! Foolish me, I spent a good two hours trying to make it work before realizing that it would never fit without longer bolts.
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