Modern Vespa

Looks like I signed up just in time!

My ET4 cut out on the way home this evening. Seems like the battery may just have given up the ghost but it was also recently serviced and I know they jet washed it so I'm going to throw a new battery on it tomorrow morning and check the connections are all dry.

The question is, what battery do I need?

Also, are there any common charging issues? Both fuses by the battery are fine and the ignition light (oil light) does come on when the key is turned but dims when you attempt to start it.

Any other suggestions welcome but definitely seems battery/charge related as it was running fine prior to simply cutting out.

Hi Gigsy


Does the bike turn over at all??? My battery was near dead the other day but the starter was still whirring and clicking (if that makes sense).
Maybe some water has got in somewhere it shouldn't have??
I'm by no means a spanner munkie, hopefully someone will come along with a bit of knowledge
If you do end up needing a new battery then I can recommend a Mottobatt... Had one on my old ET4 never let me down.

Yeah, I suspect water is the issue. Will check all the connections and give them a bit of a dose of WD40.

No, not turning over but obviously trying to pass charge to the start as there's a current drain when you turn the key.

Will get a new battery anyway as it's a couple of years old and I don't have access to any power where I keep the scoot so can't charge it.

People swear by MotoBatt. Think their easy to get in your neck of the woods. Hopefully somebody from over there will chime in and tell you where to get one. Good luck.

Issue solved... seems whoever fitted the last battery fitted one that was slightly different to the stock battery. The terminals on the battery were 90 degrees to the stock battery and this was causing the positive connector to rub against the frame and obviously last night, it wore through the last of the paint that was insulating the + and - terminals from themselves (in the cold light of day, I can see a small scorch mark where the current obviously arc'd).

Popped a new battery on an it started up fine. Multimeter shows that it's charging and everything seems to work thus far so fingers crossed there's not lasting damage.

+1 on the Motobatt.

Sounds like it's sorted but WEmoto is as good a place as any should the need arise to replace.

http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/piaggio/vespa_et4_125_4_stroke/00-02/picture/battery_motobatt_sealed_high_torque/

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind for two batteries time... I'm a bit long of them at the moment as I bought on at home and carried up to London to fit, only to find that it required filling and then charging before use!!!! Had to trek to the Vespa shop on the Edgware Road to get another one that was ready to use!