Modern Vespa

While this subject is worthily resurrected, a couple of points to note. To get the handle-bars straight, the steering tube has a slot cut in it that should line up with the gap in the clamp when dead-ahead. Takes all the guess-work out.

I don't know about the GTS, but on those bikes with tapered bearings the lower-nut torque is for 'first-seating' only, to squeeze any grease out of the way. Then depending on model, it should be backed off a certain amount - e.g. on X9's a back-off of 110 degrees is required before the upeer locking ring is applied. Some manuals add this step, others omit this 'obvious step' - which can lead to early bearing failure it forgotten.

And another, repeated Thank You!, as I am again using Bob's piece to help me survive through this maintenance.

Highly recommended to bookmark, if you ever plan to do this job, and you should...

thanks nice write.

Thanks a lot for this informative post. My daughter had her 2009 Aprila Scarebeo 200 sent home and the steering felt like crap to me. It basically dove into turns, so I decided to fix it for her. After starting to take this thing apart my lack of faith in "Italian Engineering" has been renewed. These guys cant design their way out of a wet paper bag. When I was young we had an acronym for FIAT: Fix it again Tony. I see that it still fits, only we should add:

IYCFI and IYHATRTN. "If you can find it" and "If you have all the ridiculous tools needed"

I told her to sell this POS and buy a real bike like a Royal Enfield Bullet 500

I have never seen a bike put together with sheet metal screws into plastic. Very sorry build IMHO. and not cheap at 3900 bucks.

Thanks for this post. Mine has felt loose since I bought the bike 6 months ago. I pulled it apart and it was all loose, the locknut was not-even finger-tight. Whups!

I bought a cheap (a few bucks/quid) adjustable c-spanner from eBay (bicycle shops sell them too). I set up a torque wrench with the required torque and got a feel for how hard to turn it at the same length as the c-spanner. Just practise on something solid like a wheelnut. I deliberately over tightened it a little, worked it left and right a few times, then backed off and torqued it after a few practises on the torque wrench and then checked the steering moved as freely as before.

I greased the top bearing (it was pretty dry) but the bottom one is inaccessible unless you go all the way.

The whole operation took me about 75 minutes...plus 20 more when I found the plastic cover for the bearing AFTER my successful road test. Doh! Experience has taught me to leave packing the tools away until last.

The bike feels much better, which makes sense., no clunks and less wobbles.

Thank you for this post!
I finally get rid of that noise on the front of my gts!
I´m a bike mechanic and I use the tool for the BB of a road bike to tight the bearings. (same procedure for the headset of a road bike)

Thanks for the great pics Burgerbob, though I see this was posted many years ago! Do you have any experience dropping out the fork and replacing with a new one. I'd imagine that once it's at the point where you can loosen the column it's just a matter or removing the nuts and dropping it down.

Hello friends, these days I started to change the steering bearing. My lower steering bearing was broken and there were ball injuries on its bracelet. I decided to photograph the whole change process step by step. So to facilitate another who wants to make the change of bearings himself. I hope the video gives you clarity. If you have questions, write them in a comment below the video on YouTube. I will be happy to help! Cheers!

Thanks for posting yet another useful video. I like your tips about using a rubber glove finger and elastic band to seal off the brake hose and also using tape to ensure the mudguard is aligned with the scooter body.