Modern Vespa

Good morning.

My Vespa is a 2020 GTS 300 supertech.

I rode it to work on Thursday with no problems. I went out to start it on my break and it idled just fine. It was on the center stand and I was not sitting on it. However, when I gave it gas it bogged down, stuttered and backfired. No CEL.

I had the dealer come pick it up. I was pretty upset since it only had 60 miles on it .... period.

So here's the fix.... Don't expect it to run well when you aren't sitting on it. Apparently, there is a switch that senses whether you are on it or not. If you are not, it just won't let you rev the scoot. It's all in the name of safety.

I picked it up from the dealer, rode it home and it did not miss a lick.

It might be a useful bit of info that may come in handy.


EDIT: It runs badly when on the center stand AND with the traction control engaged. Apparently, and unlike other owners manuals, this info is not in the one for the 2020 SUPERTECH.

Don

Pardon? I've never heard of that!! are you sure??


Graham

I would not have believed it had I not experienced it. I even tried it when I got the scoot home.

I'm thinking ABS/Traction Control. If the rear wheel starts to spin and the front one isn't, it cuts the throttle.

Very possible. Simple test; put it on the centerstand, sit on it, start it, rev it.

My lawnmower has a device like this (also my two agricultural vehicles) but on a scooter it is the first time I hear something like this. Good idea!

The MP3 models have always had a safety switch in the seat. (Otherwise if you rev it the suspension will unlock and it will fall over).

Greetings:

What Sully said. I'm betting there's no seat sensor. Just traction control doing what it's designed to do.

I'm pretty sure that behavior is documented in their own quaint way in the user manual section on the ASR. The part where it says not to do that.

You wouldn't want the scooter to come off the center stand with the rear wheel already in a high spin state would you ? That would be even worse than calling the dealer because their English is challenging you.

Learn something everyday.

Easy test. Switch off the ASR and then try again.

Or else hold the rear wheel with your foot while it is on the centre stand.

If you think about it, it all makes sense:

- If you have the bike on its center-stand, and Traction control is engaged, and you give the thing throttle, only the rear wheel is moving...well, you can figure out the rest.

Thank you. Traction control off when on center stand. I can imagine the frustration if it's in the shop and someone unfamiliar with this is trying to do work on it.

[/i]

You ModernVespa guys figure everything out.

Bob Copeland
Frost Bite Falls MN

The references from your owners manual are not the ones for the Supertech. No wonder I was having problems.

Well you might like to think so, but those images I posted came directly from the Supertech PDF manual I received last year from Vespa. And not from the one I use for my scooter.

I can't believe your manual doesn't suggest something similar in some arcane round about way.

We're savvy AF. 8)

I'm not trying to be difficult but I did not receive mine from Vespa and just found it on a google search. It could be that this is an older version? The one I downloaded (ED. 03_04/2019 COD 1Q000743) is certainly missing that.

Be that as it may, thank you for helping me with my issues.

Then the google one you found is not up-to date.

I think perhaps you need a better dealer, as mine made sure to point out this safety feature to me before I left with the new scooter.

As a new owner you can get Vespa to provide you with a PDF version of the Manual that is for your specific scooter. It seems their site isn't working for me today; or possibly its that new Firefox update yesterday which broke it.
https://www.vespa.com/us_EN
http://manuals.vespa.com/

desliderman,

Many dealers leave the manual in the under seat storage while the
Vespa is on the show room floor. These manuals get stolen before the
scoot is sold. Many times dealers will just grab one off another Vespa on
the floor if it is gone. I did not get a manual with mine.

I simply went on line and down loaded the manual. Not as nice, but
it works.

The same thing occurs at car dealers.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota

You are right Bob, I also did not get manual with my scooter.

The problem is not to receive duplicate keys and / or the unlock code ... many do not think about it...