Modern Vespa

My newly delivered Vespa 2013 GTV has 2 ugly warning stickers in the cockpit. One just below the glove box and one near my feet. I don't even know what they are warning me about, but I want them off! I thought they just might easily peel off, but no such luck. Any ideas? Thank you

Warming them a bit by parking in the sun or with a hair dryer can help quite a bit. There will still be some sticky residue that needs to be removed. Finger nails are just the right hardness to be able to get at the sticker and not scratch the paint.

A heat gun will work but play it safe and use a hair dryer



Will

Hair dryer and a finger nail. Works like a charm.

3-M actually makes a product specifically for removing sticker and tape gunk. It called General Purpose Adhesive Remover.

I remain amazed by the number we see pictured still in place.

I love my stickers! Every one of them is still there, providing information.

+1

And technique matters, too:
When you start peeling, continue re-gripping the label close to the scooter body. Don't think you are doing right by pulling a longer and larger single piece, as your thumb and forefinger get farther from the scoot. Re-grip, and when you can get two hands on it, use both, with equal pressure in both.

I left my bottom one in place as I find it protects from scuffing the paint with my shoes.

You sound to me like the kind of guy who would pull the sticker off of a matress too!

And when your cat dies cause you removed the warning sticker and didn't know not to carry him under the seat don't come crying to me.

Don't know how she did it, but Chelsea at Scoot Richmond got rid of all of those ugly stickers for me when I bought my 300 GTV from her. Really glad I asked and Chelsea's team delivered!

I protected the lower sticker with a floormat

Hahahahaha... I knew that rubber floormat was designed for something good!

Maybe we should start a sticker preservation society here? I still have the "No Pets" stickers under both my seats. Why are these stickers so endearing and the warning stickers shunned?

Excellent Chubby, excellent.

Which is just acetone

I would use Goo Gone or Goof Off. One is water based, that's the one I would use.

I use a little wax to polish my stickers and protect them from getting dried out. I have had people compliment me on the condition of my stickers. Sometimes I let them read them. If they are really interested, I pop open the glovebox and let them read the back of the cover. I have never heard anyone say the stickers are ugly. In fact, they make the scooter look brand new.

WD40 works, too. and most people already have that on hand. Just clean up with a little Pledge afterwards.

100% acetone and a cotton round works very well.

They also make a "General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner" which will accomplish the same thing as pertains to stickers. This product also is very good at removing accumulated road gunk/tar. I have found it to be about the only thing that really cleans the matte-black paint found on some PTWs and helmets. Everything else I've tried leaves the surfaces quite shiny.

It'll only be all stock once. Leave those stickers on.

Brendan

I keep ALL my stickers. It reminds me that the authorities really do care about me. Particularly when it comes to carrying pets in my under-seat compartment.

Several of the 3M adhesive removers are are citrus based. The General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner contains mainly naphtha,xylene, and ethylbenzene.

Maybe being a Vintage scooter guy who likes an original scooter, I haven't
made any changes to my Modern scooter. I haven't removed the stickers, or
the reflectors, and she looks fine to me.



Rob

I haven't removed any of the stickers on our scooter because my wife says we will get in trouble.....

I don't think I would use acetone on the plastic parts.

40 years next month with the same girl. I wish I could say I don't understand your dilemma.

40 years? Wow! That's great, Tom (I mean, unless you hate each other or something ) I guess we could both have worse dilemmas. My wife and I just celebrated 28 years as of last weekend.

A hotel key works nice in place of a fingernail...

Look,

I don't want some poor sod taking my GTV to Antiques Road Show or something 20 or 30 years from now and hearing "Your scooter would have been worth $20,0000 if it still had the original stickers. As it is, it's only worth $5000.00."

The Minnie Pearl option.

I would avoid using most solvent based cleaners on paint and plastic parts. I have had excellent results with Goo-Gone (a citrus-based product) for removing traces of sticker adhesives.

I left a pet badger under the seat while I went into taco bell, he ate the warning stickers right off. Ok just kidding. I hate the discolored spots after removing stickers.

Thought everyone had Goof Off and Goo Gone around the house If not, you need to have some of both around

Hey Danny I hear that WD40 is good for other things too.

and what will I care cause I'll be dead by then.

I left the stickers on my LX150 but decided to take them off the Moto Guzzi. Used Goo Gone and they peeled right up on the bare metal and painted metal surfaces, but the chrome tank is a nightmare and there are two stickers on it. I also tried WD40 on those but it didn't work either. It will not peel off at all and can only be chipped off in 1/16" squares with my fingernail a little at a time! Don't know why the chrome surface is so different but the sticker just bonds to it like crazy.

The secret to removing adhesive and stickers on any surface without damaging the paint is Rain-X. This was told to me by an old school car detailer . I have used it successfully on bikes cars scooters metal carbon fiber chrome finished hard wood floors etc... Works like an absolute champ!

Oh yeah...Kinda like those guys I see now and then riding the Metro who still have the sleeve tags on their suit/sports coat.

I never leave the sleeve tag on, but the pockets stay sewn shut.