Modern Vespa

Wiki instructions say put bike on center stand to change oil. Last sentence says "some take bike off stand to drain remaining oil!!!!

Why not leave it off to begin with???

In theory putting the bike on the stand levels it so you don't get a false reading when checking your oil level after refilling.

It's nearly impossible to drain every drop of oil from the pan when doing an oil change, and it's nothing wrong with having a bit of old oil left in the tank.

I get pretty dam close. after it drains to a slow drip I tilt the scoot to the left and reset the tilt lock. Then I take a papertowel and carefully insert it in the drain plug hole and soak up the rest and wipe the inside the best I can. You must be careful though and not let any paper towel get caught inside and left behind.

I do my oil change when it's up on the lift - no way I'm going to tilt it over when it's way up there.

If on the ground, no problemo.

this is where a tie down strap from the shock mount to the lift is nice to use.

My real question is does it matter one way or the other if the bike is on the stand or on the ground to change the oil?

Manual says to change oil with it on the stand and to check oil with it on the ground! ??????????????

I like having it off the stand,
1. the oil drain pan doesn't have to compete with the stand for space.
2. you can tilt the scoot and drain even more oil out.

It is a good question. I just checked the user manual and the workshop manual and I can't find where it says to put the scooter on the stand for oil changes. Unless I missed it. It does show the stand down in the pictures that accompany the "Replacement" section.

And the maintenance manual does say to put it on the stand to check the level though.

That said. I never put it on the stand for oil changes. As OAD points out there is more room to catch oil without the stand down. I simply make sure I am level before locking the tilt lock and have at it. I have checked the oil with it on and off the stand and see little difference on the dip stick.

You don't get a lot of space underneath the bike when its off the stand, I put it on the stand, and then put a plank underneath the back wheel, then took it off the stand again to give some more clearance to get the filter off and undo the oil drainplug which was really tight. I was scared of stripping it.

I use one of these LiquiVac Tools.
Suck most of it out through the Oil Stick Hole...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQIGA6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1VWBU6KZV6HH1&coliid=I27D9G1TIH5S5K

Then when I remove the Oil Filter, and Oil Plug, there is not all that much that comes out... I typically let it drip while I am cleaning the re-useable Oil Filter a bunch of us ordered a while back for the 250cc Engines.

Keith,
Marietta, GA

I learned something, as usual when Ya'll pitch in, and others will to when they do research! Thanks to all of you.