Modern Vespa

Hello all,

Tonight when I went to get back on my scooter, I noticed a weird thing. The plastic near the dashboard, on the left side under where the indicator switch is was broken. The anchor point where the screw on the left, just by where the exterior/body colour plastic seems to have broken as well - the screw screws in all the way, but it doesn't sit down properly.

At first I thought someone had tried to steal it, but this was during the day by the front door of a busy hospital, and there is zero to indicate anything has been forced - no divots in the plastic. The steering is fine, alarm was armed but not ringing and there is no damage to the ignition barrel.

It's all a bit strange. I wonder if this is actually a failure of the panel or what it is screwed onto?

David

P.S. Sorry for no photos, but getting a bit dim outside now. Will try and post some tomorrow.

As promised, a couple of pictures. I'm starting to think that it is a failure of the anchor point that the panel screws into, and might have something to do with when my hot grips were installed.

David

the first pic might be missing the clip for the screw.

the 2nd pic looks like someone forced the panel back into place and it stress cracked.

There's no reason why that panel would have been disturbed by the installation of the hot grips. That top plastic panel doesn't crack easily - I would be looking for signs of an impact.

Have you ever had a drop/off with it? That kick-panel is very susceptible to damage in those, mine had about half the screw posts break on one side when I had a minor down.

I know, that's the strange thing. Never had an impact while moving, only has a minor scuff and a little divot in the plastic by the passenger handle where I over-leaned it while getting on by a pillar. Both at the back and on the opposite side. I've had a good look around, and no sign at all that anyone has run into it or tried to break into it.

As for the installation of the hot grips - the switch was installed on the opposite side of the bike on the same panel, so I think that it would have had to be removed or at least loosened.

Either way, took it to the dealer today, who wasn't sure what had done it but to their credit they are ordering a replacement dashboard surround fascia on their dime. My only slight concern is that the anchor point on the lower part that forms the fascia on the rear of the leg guard, all the way around the handbrake etc was slightly broken. But they have screwed down the broken bit for the moment, and it seems solidly fixed.

David

No, just the right-hand side panel would have to be removed for that. Then there's access to the underside of the top panel.

Ah - Now I think I see exactly what you mean. So they would have removed the body coloured front plastic to get access to under the dashboard panel without removing it? I hadn't even thought of that. Is doing that much easier than just taking off the panel around the dash? I just ask because the vibes I had today suggested that the work done might have contributed to the crack.

David

Taking off the panel around the dash is a *major* PITA. I would expect any shop to do their utmost to avoid it - as pretty much the whole front end has to be dismantled.

I really, really doubt it was intentionally interfered with by the shop.

That doesn't preclude some bash to the frame - an impact on the front side can do all sorts of damage to those plastics. I've the zip-ties in mine to prove it...