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@lane_splitter avatar
UTC

Member
GT200
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Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
 
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@lane_splitter avatar
GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
UTC quote
Hey there. I'm Surj, and this is my first post. My wife has a GT200 that doesn't get ridden much-honestly, I take it to the store now and then and that's about it. I have a bunch of bikes that I ride, though-I commute by moto year round, etc.

Anyway, her bike was acting up a bit-turning over and then spinning, like perhaps the battery was on the way out. I checked it and it showed 12.5, so I went to hook up the battery out of my Ducati to see if it would start up normally. Here's the thing-I screwed up and connected the black first. No idea why, I certainly know better.

Anyway, the red sparked when I connected it, and now I have no power to the dash, bike won't start-nada, zip, zilch. The fuses in the glove box look ok-I assume the 10 amp fuse is the main one. I replaced it just in case to see if it was bad in spite of looking ok, but no dice.

Searched around and mostly see threads about bikes turning over and not starting, but didn't find anything that sounded like this issue. Any ideas?

Thanks a bunch!
OP
@lane_splitter avatar
UTC

Member
GT200
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Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
 
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@lane_splitter avatar
GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
UTC quote
And fixed... found the other fuse under the pet carrier, as you guys call it. Laughing emoticon

I'm probably going to commute on this thing now and then, so maybe I'll be around here to contribute more than just stupid questions.

Recently put new tires and a topcase on it. Now I have to figure out what else it may need.
@mikenpalsie avatar
UTC

Addicted
gt200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 771
Location: morrison, il. u.s.a.
 
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@mikenpalsie avatar
gt200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 771
Location: morrison, il. u.s.a.
UTC quote
slow to start
first off welcome to the forum, its a great place to get info on all things vespa. also the gt200 is a nice machine, fun to ride and pretty reliable, the more you ride it the more you will like it.
@judy avatar
UTC

World Traveler
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
Joined: UTC
Posts: 29303
 
World Traveler
@judy avatar
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
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Posts: 29303
UTC quote
Aloha and welcome to the forum from Hawaii. 200's are a very solid scooter. Your wife's never going to get it back. Laughing emoticon Have fun and be safe.
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@lane_splitter avatar
UTC

Member
GT200
Joined: UTC
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Location: Oakland, CA
 
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@lane_splitter avatar
GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
UTC quote
mikenpalsie wrote:
first off welcome to the forum, its a great place to get info on all things vespa. also the gt200 is a nice machine, fun to ride and pretty reliable, the more you ride it the more you will like it.
judy wrote:
Aloha and welcome to the forum from Hawaii. 200's are a very solid scooter. Your wife's never going to get it back. Laughing emoticon Have fun and be safe.
Thanks guys. I've done a fair amount of riding on the GT, including significant freeway miles. My only complaint so far is that the suspension doesn't handle the crap Oakland roads very well. To be fair, the roads in many places are in such bad shape you basically need a dual sport.
@mikenpalsie avatar
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gt200
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Location: morrison, il. u.s.a.
 
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@mikenpalsie avatar
gt200
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Location: morrison, il. u.s.a.
UTC quote
crappy roads
short wheel base and small diameter wheels, kinda gets your attention on bad roads, just be careful.
@aviator47 avatar
UTC

Moderator
2006 PX 150 & Malossi Kitted Malaguti Yesterday (Wife's)
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Posts: 12955
Location: Paros Island, Greece
 
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@aviator47 avatar
2006 PX 150 & Malossi Kitted Malaguti Yesterday (Wife's)
Joined: UTC
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Location: Paros Island, Greece
UTC quote
External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text to MV from the Sunny Aegean!
@rider33 avatar
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Hooked
GT200
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Location: Minnesota
 
Hooked
@rider33 avatar
GT200
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Posts: 204
Location: Minnesota
UTC quote
I have several bikes but the GT is the one I commute on, that thing can zip thru city traffic faster than bikes with 3-4x the displacement & still never get a ticket

It's not the suspension tho. As mentioned, it's the smaller wheels and shorter wheel base. If you REALLY have rough roads get yourself one of these:
External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
Not only do things like curbs, potholes, and rail road tracks not slow it down but you can pretty much see over most cars as well.
@judy avatar
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World Traveler
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
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@judy avatar
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
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UTC quote
You could throw some Malossi shocks on it. Will help a bit. Our roads are horrible. Think it's destroyed my front Malossi after only 15,000 miles and it's a progressive shock. Crying or Very sad emoticon Crying or Very sad emoticon
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@lane_splitter avatar
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Member
GT200
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Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
 
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GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5
Location: Oakland, CA
UTC quote
rider33 wrote:
I have several bikes but the GT is the one I commute on, that thing can zip thru city traffic faster than bikes with 3-4x the displacement & still never get a ticket

It's not the suspension tho. As mentioned, it's the smaller wheels and shorter wheel base. If you REALLY have rough roads get yourself one of these:
External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
Not only do things like curbs, potholes, and rail road tracks not slow it down but you can pretty much see over most cars as well.
I dunno man. Oakland (and Bay Area) roads are pretty damn bad. I commute into San Francisco every day, and there are massive potholes and chunks of road missing all over the place. I've come to terms with the different feel of the tiny wheels (have done 100+ mile freeway trips on it) but the suspension has trouble with the big hits.

I did have an F650GS Dakar for a while, and looked at KLRs-both great urban bikes. My daily rider is an R1200R, which while not DS bike tall gets my eyes up there pretty high. It's ok for the rough stuff, but not great on the really big hits-the stuff that'll bend a wheel. Seriously-the roads are in terrible shape 'round here. There's zero focus on maintaining the streets.
judy wrote:
You could throw some Malossi shocks on it. Will help a bit. Our roads are horrible. Think it's destroyed my front Malossi after only 15,000 miles and it's a progressive shock. Crying or Very sad emoticon Crying or Very sad emoticon
I may do that, just 'cause, if I end up riding it more.
@max6200 avatar
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Banned
2006 GTS 250
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Posts: 10590
Location: KS USA
 
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2006 GTS 250
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Posts: 10590
Location: KS USA
UTC quote
Welcome Surj. Glad you fixed the problem. Once the same thing happened to me and I was all panicky because I thought I had fried something else besides the fuse. But all has been fine.
@nolascooter avatar
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2005 piaggio typhoon 50, and 2008 gt 200, 2003 et4 150.....
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Location: new orleans, louisiana u.s.a.
 
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2005 piaggio typhoon 50, and 2008 gt 200, 2003 et4 150.....
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Location: new orleans, louisiana u.s.a.
UTC quote
what else it will need...
the list is short, its such a great ride, however, I will have either a leo vince 4road exhaust, or a pm tuning exhaust for sale in the not so distant future...
Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon
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@lane_splitter avatar
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Member
GT200
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Location: Oakland, CA
 
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GT200
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Location: Oakland, CA
UTC quote
Re: what else it will need...
Max6200 wrote:
Welcome Surj. Glad you fixed the problem. Once the same thing happened to me and I was all panicky because I thought I had fried something else besides the fuse. But all has been fine.
Thanks! And yeah, exactly-especially with it being my wife's bike. Laughing emoticon
nolascooter wrote:
the list is short, its such a great ride, however, I will have either a leo vince 4road exhaust, or a pm tuning exhaust for sale in the not so distant future...
Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon Laughing emoticon
Nice. I'll keep my eyes open.
⬆️    About 1 year elapsed    ⬇️
@micbergsma avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2003 ET4, 2005 LX 150, 1964 GS 160
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1517
Location: Maui Hawaii
 
Molto Verboso
@micbergsma avatar
2003 ET4, 2005 LX 150, 1964 GS 160
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1517
Location: Maui Hawaii
UTC quote
Lane Splitter wrote:
And fixed... found the other fuse under the pet carrier, as you guys call it. Laughing emoticon

where exactly ? My GTS 250 has no power / lights at all... trying to find a problem
@jimc avatar
UTC

Moderaptor
The Hornet (GT200, aka Love Bug) and 'Dimples' - a GTS 300
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Posts: 44570
Location: Pleasant Hill, CA
 
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@jimc avatar
The Hornet (GT200, aka Love Bug) and 'Dimples' - a GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 44570
Location: Pleasant Hill, CA
UTC quote
Find your main 30A fuse under the pet carrier. The user manual is useful here.
@micbergsma avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
2003 ET4, 2005 LX 150, 1964 GS 160
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1517
Location: Maui Hawaii
 
Molto Verboso
@micbergsma avatar
2003 ET4, 2005 LX 150, 1964 GS 160
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1517
Location: Maui Hawaii
UTC quote
Found out battery is so dead... weird - I was riding and then next day DEAD... just realized the battery is original since 07! wow!
@judy avatar
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World Traveler
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
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@judy avatar
2007 LX150 Daring Plum Leonardo Da Vespa
Joined: UTC
Posts: 29303
UTC quote
M i used your Vino oil change vid. Much easier to do do on the Vino. Thanks for doing them. Just bought a '07 one for $1,000. Still had it's original battery so i changed it before it died. The LX is much faster but the Vino's a nice ride. Vespa=Greyhound. Vino=Basset hound. Laughing emoticon

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