Modern Vespa

My battery door latch wants to vibrate towards OPEN. That is a big problem, based on the lack of battery side doors out there .

I'm going to get the new rubber nubs and adjust where possible, but are there any other tricks? Clamp something over the sheet metal where the latch engages to make it a more firm engagement?

Should I replace the handle with a lock? If so, do they pop right in the hole or does the door need to be modified?

Thanks for the advice. Cheers.

Primavera, right? You can modify a mailbox lock to work with it. Just drill out the brad that holds the current latch-doohickey (through the center). Then you'll need to cut a slot in the frame right inside the edge of the compartment and you'll need to open up the hole on the door so you can put the new lock mechanism in. I've done it a couple times for people.

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the lock idea. And yes, Primavera.

An easy fix is to wrap a rubber band between the latch and door. This will make the latch stay when you close it.

Wrap them in there tight! Worked on my wife's bike for the past 8 years.

genius!! That works awesome, at least gets me rolling. Thanks!

The heat from the engine causes them to dry out a bit. I put a new one on every year or so.

Has anyone come up with any additional solutions to this problem? I have serious problems with my doors flying off. I lost my engine door and was never able to find it. Then I paid to have custom paint-work done on my battery door and it flew off on a ride at high speed and got totally fucked up. The latches on both my doors are tight and I still have problems.

I'm still using the rubber bands, been working well for me.

I don't think rubber bands would work for me. The latches are already really tight and I usually have to push on the door pretty hard just to turn the latch.

Has anyone ever used clevis pins like the ones used on old car hoods?

If it's tight at the latch, it must mean that it's loose at the hinge side. Is the rear of your frame tweaked outward? i.e. away from the swingarm bolt? It's the only way I can see to have tight latches but loose doors.

Putting custom paint on a smallie battery door is just asking for trouble. You might as well dare it to fly off. I know this from first hand experience.

The smallie door latch is not one of Piaggio's finest design achievements.

Do you have all the little rubber stoppers that go between door and frame, and are they all the right sizes? They help keep the door from vibrating loose.

If you have the skills,you could try installing some Dzus fasteners like this guy. Not easy to do, but they look great.

1974 Vespa Smallframe

Yeah - mine flew off on my 90 special .... totally got run over and disappeared the latch.. In comes Voodoo and he fashioned from bits in his garage one that works way better - I 'll have to get a pic of it when I pull it out for a Spring refresher.

sdjohn did you end up replacing the latch with a lock?


Given the availability of these doors and anecdotes about losing them, I've decided to put a zadi lock from Scooter Mercato on mine.

Just want to confirm, I need to drill out the thing there that looks like a backwards C?

I never did replace my latch with a lock. Greasy's problem now that the bike is his 😀

yes

Thanks Roland!