Modern Vespa

Have had my new 2010 mp3 250 for just over a week. Have only ridden 15 or so miles and as I went to show it off today.....nothing........but an embarrassing horn honk. Called the shop....read all of your posts (thank you).....got the honking to stop....but it still won't start at all. Help did I buy a lemon did I make a mistake???? Well ... at least I bought the extended warranty. How will the roadside assist program handle it. Already getting grief from my family for my purchase.

Your battery is weak. That is what is causing the honking horn, and that is likely why the bike won't start. Get a battery tender, and consider buying a new battery if a tender won't bring it up to full charge.

first thing to check is the kill switch by the throttle.

the dealer might have not installed a new battery or fully charged it before you picked it up.

what did the shop tell you?

+1 for the battery being dead.

Given that it's a 2010, it's probably been sitting uncharged for 4yrs now! ...way overdue for Replacement (not just charging)

After being around for a while in the forum, IMHO the mp3 suffers mainly from 3 factory issues:

- coolant hose too close to radiator
- bearings causing the notch
- bad battery

The first 2 are really easy to prevent, lots of info in this forum about it.

The battery is also a common issue, probably because the bikes sold these days are at least 3 years old, and the battery need good maintenance or replacement.

That's all.

I don't think the mp3 bikes are lemons... the first thing people do in forums like this one is to complain about failures, and those 3 I mentioned are the usual suspects.

Don't worry too much. Replace the battery, take care of the new one (battery tender), and enjoy

Thought I'd just say hello. I'm also in Valencia. Have had my MP3 250 for about a year and have put on about 5,000 miles since I got it. No problems. I use Sherman Oaks Vespa for service.

Gosh...
I assume all the Drama with your family could be that you purchased a used bike. MV is a good place to ask for help...

If you have a warranty, just bring it back to the dealer and tell them to fix it. Get used to all the noises that the bike makes when something goes wrong. No different then the stupid lights on a car dash, but piaggio also added some horns as a warning.

Check the voltage on the battery with the bike sitting.
If its below 10.5 Volts the ECU telling you you have a bad battery.
Once you start it, and if it holds a Voltage at the correct level the horn will stop. If the battery is being discharged over night, their are a number of things you can check to remedy the problem.

Battery Tender is a must have...

Keith,
Marietta, GA

... I'll add, for *any* motorcycle, not just MP3s. PTW batteries are of necessity small-sized, and need an eye kept on them, especially this time of year.

coolant hose too close to radiator

Just a 500 issue.

Thank you one and all! So many of your comments have left me feeling reassured that this is not a big deal...at least I hope not! Called the roadside assist but they won't jump but said they will tow to dealer. The battery has a piece of tape with a handwritten...10/11.... I assume that is some battery date. Should 'nt the dealer have put in a new battery since it was sold as new??? Should I have it transported to shop or just buy a new battery myself....the middle aged women in me says send to shop...but will the tow service be nice to it?
Michelle

yes the dealer should have installed a new battery. the numbers you posted do look like a date of oct 2011. So that would be a 2 year old battery that has just been sitting for that long and not good for them. call the roadside and have them take it to your dealer and tell them to replace the battery and your not paying a penny period. First its under warranty and the scoot should have come with a fresh battery.

Well, you can ask, but I wouldn't be too hard on them. There is no rule anywhere that says a 2 year old battery must be replaced. Presumably the scooter was starting when you purchased it. A battery is a wear item after all.

not really, a copy and paste here :Excluded Under the Limited Warranty The following parts are covered for 6 MONTHS only: Battery Center stand Paint work Chrome plated parts

I didn't suggest the OP should not ask - quite the contrary in fact. I just commented that moral outrage might be over the top.