OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Hi Folks. 2018 GTS Touring. Went to ride this morning and wouldn’t start. Turned key, dash did its thing, heard the fuel pump, pulled the brake lever, pushed the starter and nothin’. No clicks. Have been riding almost daily. Will the fuel pump kick in if the battery is low but not have enough juice to get the starter to turn over? Checked all the usual things…kill switch, side stand, tried the red key. Still nothing. Didn’t have time to investigate and am out now, but will check battery connectors when I get home. Any suggestions? Thanks. Jon
@pegasus_prime avatar
UTC

Hooked
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
 
Hooked
@pegasus_prime avatar
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
UTC quote
First check "Fuel-Spark-Air", the three main things that run the engine
1. Fuel & Lines
2. Battery & Cables
3. Sparkplug Cables
4. Air Vacuum Tubes

When you say nothing = when you pressed the starter button it did not turn at all? If that's the case, could be the button or starter with a short / dirty connection
OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Thanks. No clicks at all. I’ll check the battery connections.
@pegasus_prime avatar
UTC

Hooked
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
 
Hooked
@pegasus_prime avatar
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
UTC quote
How many miles? 2018 not that old of a model -- ever had any issues starting or cutting out while running before?
OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Oddly no. Never an issue at all. I still wonder if it’s a battery. Can a low battery activate the fuel pump and then not have enough juice to activate the starter?
@jimc avatar
UTC

Moderaptor
The Hornet (GT200, aka Love Bug) and 'Dimples' - a GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 44525
Location: Pleasant Hill, CA
 
Moderaptor
@jimc avatar
The Hornet (GT200, aka Love Bug) and 'Dimples' - a GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 44525
Location: Pleasant Hill, CA
UTC quote
Did the brake light come on? This is the usual way people find out their brake light switches have failed.

So try the other brake lever.
@pegasus_prime avatar
UTC

Hooked
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
 
Hooked
@pegasus_prime avatar
2021 Vespa GTS 300 Super HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 113
Location: Fort Pierce, Florida
UTC quote
Blackguard wrote:
Oddly no. Never an issue at all. I still wonder if it’s a battery. Can a low battery activate the fuel pump and then not have enough juice to activate the starter?
¯\(ツ)/¯ the dash and fuel pump came on so you would have at least some sound or movement from the starter when activated -- unless something is preventing it (brake, kickstand, killswitch)
@dooglas avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 13505
Location: Oregon City, OR
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@dooglas avatar
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
Joined: UTC
Posts: 13505
Location: Oregon City, OR
UTC quote
I had exactly those symptoms once on my GTS. One of the battery connections had vibrated loose. Tightened the connections and the problem went away.
OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Tried both brake levers. Moved the side stand back and forth. And rocked the kill switch. Off home now to check battery cons.
OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Thanks for the help friends. Oddly enough, I got home, put in the key and it started right up. It was fine this morning and I rode it into town for a coffee. I checked the battery terminals and they are tight and clean. Intermittant problems can be a b**ch, so I hope it doesn't keep happening. What I really hope is that it was the Vespa gods keeping me from riding into some kind of weird situation. I can be superstitious that way. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Jon
@mopedlar avatar
UTC

Addicted
2001 GTS Super (white), 2021 GTS Super (yellow), 1976 Bianchi Snark moped, 1980 General 5 Star moped
Joined: UTC
Posts: 790
Location: Powhatan, Virginia
 
Addicted
@mopedlar avatar
2001 GTS Super (white), 2021 GTS Super (yellow), 1976 Bianchi Snark moped, 1980 General 5 Star moped
Joined: UTC
Posts: 790
Location: Powhatan, Virginia
UTC quote
If it were my bike, I wouldn’t travel too far from home until you are confident that the issue is definitely resolved, especially if you don’t have towing on your bike. I had a starting issue with my GT 200 recently, and until I was sure I had fixed the problem, I didn’t venture out far from home. Best of luck! I hope it doesn’t do it again for you.
OP
@blackguard avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
 
Enthusiast
@blackguard avatar
GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 56
Location: Western Massachusetts
UTC quote
Thanks Mopedlar, My previous GTS eventually needed a full wiring harness replacement (long story, out of warranty, no help from Vespa) and I got the towing package from AAA. They towed it from near Springfield,MA all the way to the dealer southwest of Hartford(now closed). Well worth the extra $ added to our regular policy. I think they call it the RV package. Saved me a packet.
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38089
Location: Bay Area, California
 
Petty Tyrant
@jess avatar
0:7 And counting
Joined: UTC
Posts: 38089
Location: Bay Area, California
UTC quote
Kill switches have been known to get dodgy. In situations like this, repeatedly jabbing at the kill switch (on and off) a few times is recommended, just to eliminate the possibility that the contacts have some dirt or corrosion blocking the circuit.
@jackp avatar
UTC

Member
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 47
Location: Syracuse
 
Member
@jackp avatar
Vespa GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 47
Location: Syracuse
UTC quote
I also have a 2018 Vespa 300 Gts and my bike is doing the same thing. Sometimes mine starts and sometimes it doesn’t with the same symptoms you described with yours. I put a new battery in about a month ago so it’s definitely not a battery issue. The crazy thing is it will eventually start if I wait long enough. I’m afraid to go anywheres with it as it seems to be happening more consistently.
UTC

Member
Kymco , Honda and Vespa GTS Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 23
Location: East Tennessee
 
Member
Kymco , Honda and Vespa GTS Super
Joined: UTC
Posts: 23
Location: East Tennessee
UTC quote
I have a 2018 GTS Super, no problems to this point so I'm following.
DoubleGood Design banner

Modern Vespa is the premier site for modern Vespa and Piaggio scooters. Vespa GTS300, GTS250, GTV, GT200, LX150, LXS, ET4, ET2, MP3, Fuoco, Elettrica and more.

Buy Me A Coffee
 

Shop on Amazon with Modern Vespa

Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com


All Content Copyright 2005-2025 by Modern Vespa.
All Rights Reserved.


[ Time: 0.0141s ][ Queries: 3 (0.0058s) ][ live ][ 323 ][ ThingOne ]