Modern Vespa

Apparently the Yugo incident involved excessive speed. One might argue that for a Yugo, that's anything over 25 mph.
I guess it depends on how nervous one is about riding on different surfaces. A few of us crossed two years ago, and, at least on my part I was too focused on looking around than worrying what I was riding on. IIRC there is an option of riding on asphalt or metal grating at least for part of it. Considering what some of the riding has been in the past, in the West, it should be easy peasy. Well, unless it's windy AF or pouring down rain.

BTW, in case any of the riders have gephyrophobia (fear of crossing bridges), they do have a service to ride your vehicle across for you.

It is a blast to ride, IMO. I hope the Cannonballers enjoy it!

I'm still thinking about the guy who flew a B-47 bomber under it in 1959. Apparently the AF wasn't amused and court martialed him.

A well earned toaster and some cool history!!!
What a fun follow.

My bind died gonna try and jump it.still got problems. Also

What beeps inside a GT200!??

If you have 15 minutes, I’m watching this right now.

Sounds like you definitely have some electrical issues going on.

Years ago a girlfriend’s car was going through alternators like crazy. It was specifically taking out the built in regulator in the alternator. Sounds like similar to what you’re seeing.

Turns out, the whole problem was a bad ground to the alternator. Electricity is electricity. Perhaps a bad ground at the stator?

... and that's how they started making the Vespa 250 ...

Could you have a bad connection under the seat where the regulator and stator connect? If you look at the video above Robot talks about it around the 7:20 minute mark. I also think a poor ground connection could cause this too.

Also, at 12:07 he explains what happens to the regulator when the stator is under-charging.

Gopam texted me. Jump was successful and she’s on the road!

Great news. GoPam!

Is an early sign of a slow leaking rear tire the asr going off like rapid fire on smooth roads?

Try turning off ASR to see what happens.

I can only offer a barely helpful anecdote, but ASR is how I knew when I got my flat. There was a giant nail in the tire though, so it wasn't exactly subtle.

On the charging circuit, the video is good. The shorter version might be that with a volt meter you should check the battery before starting the scooter and it should read above 12.25 volts or so. 12.7 is good. Start the bike and the charging system should give you a voltage of above 13 volts. Again measure this at the battery. If the voltage regulator fails you may get a high voltage reading, like 17 volts. If the alternator is not working and has not caused a short where you see smoke then it won’t charge the battery and the battery voltage could be below 12 volts. You may be able to run the scooter a long ways just on the battery - maybe not with newer Vespas. One last thing is the battery could short a cell and make it very difficult to run the bike, if at all. Each of the 6 cells is 2 volts, so one shorted cell means your battery voltage will be about 10 volts. Correct me where I am wrong - don’t want to mislead.

About 30 miles prior to the rear tire going flat, which while riding felt rather instantaneous, my ASR started going on while riding between 40 and 60 miles an hour on flat roads, so I just disabled it and continued, so I was just curious if it was a slow leak that made the ASR go batty. The puncture look like a typical nail hole in the middle of the tread, I quickly unplugged it and continued on my way

I think GoPam's electrical gremlins are spreading. First GotMojo had isbike shutdown fpdays. He thinks water got in and since once the truck hauled him out of the rain he was able to 4estart and go. So maybe he's right about that.

Then my scoot dies in the middle of going 65ish down Wisconsin 47. So I'm on the truck. Unlike Some I have lights but it doesn't even try to turn over. Hoping we can get it running before midnight as I have all but the last checkpoint and photo bonus for the day. So I don't get a DNF.

Look for loose ground. Lots of vibrating.

It sounds like Carl Frazee/Crazy Carl went down. Can't see the content of the post, but from the replies, he's done. Okay, but out.

Oh no! Take care of yourself Carl!

Sorry to hear Carl

At PowerPac shop bbq. Cory & guys diagnose it’s THE STATOR

I need to find a Vespa shop or dealer near the route if possible

I just bought battery # 4 and 2 battery chargers

To keep riding- I’m going to charge my 2 shit batteries in hotel tonight.

Start tomorrow riding with new battery #4

When it dies —swap out with charged hotel room battery I carry

And 3rd hotel charge battery in support truck

And carry jumper pack too.

I totally had a mental meltdown. I’m exhausted. I had to ride and not stop throttke ever or die. Add gas while someone revs - me pour in hot live bike running. Scary and dumb.

Not sure if this makes sense I’m depleted

Throttle no stop when road closures and f’ing gravel roads.

Lon and ADVscooter saved me - help me add gas. Then I died after ugh.

Jump me and rev bike while I re screw floor rack gas can all shit back.

Then they guide me out safely.

Then they fix throttle cable to rev a little idle for me - when this shit happens again tomorrow!!

Anyways if there is a Vespa dealer anywhere along the route / mayday mayday

Hotel battery #3 coming on gopam pet carrier!!![/img]

If you have a set of jumper cables you could charge two batteries at the same time....
Takes longer, but you'll be sleeping.

When my stator went on my GT200 on Day 2 of Cannonball 2014, I had to pull the the battery out every night and fully charge it. Start once but leave it running for every gas stop, not use the heated grips, and start with a fully charged GPS and I was able to keep it going to the end.

Try that, ride with jumper cables and a other scooter that can jump you if needed. Or with a support car…

It’s as exciting as a Bruce Willis movie!

Holy hell!

Two 12 volt batteries in series produce 24 volts. The voltage of the charger must match the voltage of the battery, so you cannot charge a 24 volt battery with a 12 volt charger but with a 24 volt battery charger yes but by connecting it to the terminals at the ends of the two 12 volt batteries connected in series and charge them as you would for a single 24 volt battery.

https://www.facebook.com/116675411689802/posts/4424593424231291/?app=fbl

That'll buff right out

He says he'll buy an HPE ...

Need mind the mirrors. Mary’s scoot is dead. She’s out now. Day 4 was one really crazy hard day for many.

But thank you all for your help !!

Ah! If i lived in the USA i would have organized a technical truck.

GoPam! GoPam! GoPam! GoPam!

Ok yeah same plan. Zero electronics plugged into scoot.
When scoot died at Mike’s service gas stop - I disconnected the leg shield USB port too. Even though nothing plugged in I now have zero extra bits lit up.

And same - I charge my garmin in hotel for garmin battery use only.

And Charge external brick battery and yesterday rode with GotMojo till his scoot died. Then Cheryl. So I didn’t turn on my garmin or anything until Cheryl told me to go in front of her much later. I save my juice for later in day or when I’m solo.

That worked yesterday. I rode WOT most of the day. split ahead of Cheryl and during my mayday I found she said join the club.

I now have 3 batteries. Charging hotel night.

Big Animals : with GotMojo rain start - 1 bear or werewolf?
Deer , multiple? Heavy rain

Riding with Cheryl - multiple multiple deer, 3 bears …(mama bear with 2 Cubs)

Michigan was great to me. Wisconsin not so much.

I get low blood sugar & food crash - and that on top of severe sleep deprivation & the exhaustion & stress of —-I thought our support truck was full with 2 bikes. GotMojo picked up in rain. Then Cheryl. I knew I HAD to keep that scoot running. Took off rain jacket that had my jerky meat pocket. So then I’m riding - can’t stop or bike will die. And now no food. So add food crash on top of everything & I became a full monster break down hot mess. Constantly apologizing for me behavior. Embarrassed.
Spoke with Carl last night. Puts things back in perspective. I feel terrible for what he went through. Carl is an amazing person who helped me with my scoot every day. Many many helped me. And I’m really glad I got to meet you in person Carl. You’re rad. I’m glad I got to see your turn by turns in person too. They kick ass I threw my turn by turns in scoot day 1. I need digital guide. I have garmin & Gaia gps app on iPhone - that I loaded days before event. So glad I did. Because of my garmin dies - iPhone keeps me on route!
Today cutting myself some slack. It’s a new day with a new plan & I’m going to lower my competition level & eat more. Wisconsin gas stations didn’t have hot dogs either. That’s my go to quick hot meal.
I’m vomiting out my thoughts here so I can remember things too. Since most is not being filmed.
Ps I found my SD cards. Thank God.

Mosquitos / wow Michigan & Wisconsin wow

Charge them in parallel (not series); connect one batter to the charger as normal, then connect the two positives together and the two negatives together. This way the two batteries just behave like one big 12V battery.

Pam - it just hit me this morning.....I should have given you that jumper cable I showed you on wednesday. I feel like crap for not thinking of that - it would have prevented you from getting into the battery compartment each time you needed jumping.

That cable has a SAE plug on one end and alligator clips on the other end. It plugs in where your battery tender plug is - and the alligator clips go to the "donor" battery. Be very mindful of the polarity with this rig.

For future Cannonballs - a cable with SAE plugs on both ends could go from scoot to scoot provided they both have battery tender leads attached.

Best of luck to you, kiddo. Hoping it all gets sorted, and you get some rest.