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@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
So I bought some cheap 'external' Bluetooth LE TPMS for AU$30/US$22. They also monitor the temperature

EDIT: I also bought internal which is what I used (read further down)
EDIT: crosslinks TPMS measurements and TPMS saved my bacon


Software:
* QR code linking to an Android APP that was not on the app store. Nope, ain't gonna install that.
* Tried a few apps that on the store and found some that worked
* iOS: there's probably something on the store that would work, too lazy to check
* Pairing: this had me confused for a while. Solution: You don't! They broadcast their info without needing pairing.
* Added support to my VespaSnoop app so I don't need these other shite apps plus it lets me record (with the other trip recording data)

Hardware:
* including the locking nut they are 11g/0.39oz each
* are they safe? will this weight damage the stem? hmm, I've seen some people say yes, some say no. Some say install a metal stem and then they're fine.
* I recently also had bought some fancy valve caps. Aluminium with the Vespa logo. They're 6g each and I was hesitant to install them due to weight.
* am considering getting some internal units ...

BLE TPMS
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002912939363.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.6c5b4c4dZ6l0Ly

'Vespa' aluminium valve caps
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001898256387.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4d6spK9n
⚠️ Last edited by SteelBytes on UTC; edited 4 times
@jess avatar
UTC

Petty Tyrant
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@jess avatar
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UTC quote
steelbytes wrote:
* Pairing: this had me confused for a while. Solution: You don't! They broadcast their info without needing pairing.
That’s the magic of BLE! (Something I use in my day job quite often).
@juan_orhea avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
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Location: Bermuda
 
Molto Verboso
@juan_orhea avatar
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
Joined: UTC
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Location: Bermuda
UTC quote
I don’t think screw-on TPMS devices are safe. They rattle around on the stems as the wheel rotates and can smack into nearby hardware. And when they smack too hard they fail and all the air quickly leaks out of the tire.

At least this is what happened to my on my S. I now have internal TPMS modules. They work but make the tire very difficult to mount. I’m very neutral on their value.
@jess avatar
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@jess avatar
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UTC quote
Juan_ORhea wrote:
I don’t think screw-on TPMS devices are safe. They rattle around on the stems as the wheel rotates and can smack into nearby hardware. And when they smack too hard they fail and all the air quickly leaks out of the tire.
Yep. This exact problem was reported a few times way back in the early days of the forum.
OP
@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
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@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
Juan_ORhea wrote:
I don’t think screw-on TPMS devices are safe. They rattle around on the stems as the wheel rotates and can smack into nearby hardware. And when they smack too hard they fail and all the air quickly leaks out of the tire.

At least this is what happened to my on my S. I now have internal TPMS modules. They work but make the tire very difficult to mount. I’m very neutral on their value.
jess wrote:
Yep. This exact problem was reported a few times way back in the early days of the forum.
I expected these comment, tis why I haven't ridden with them (installed, made software work, removed).

So Jess, you say 'early days of the forum', would the early external tpms been significantly heavier? Juan, how long ago was this, were they old and heavy compared to the weights I listed?

Thoughts about metal stems to solve this? saw this mentioned elsewhere as a solution (on motorbikes not vespas)


re internal:? Juan you say they make the tire harder to mount. I don't mount my own tires, I leave that to the tire shop who have bucket loads of experience with vespa tires (they do all the tires for the local vespa dealer). Do you think these experienced guys would have problems or is it only if I was doing the tires myself that I would find it harder?
@fritz_katzenjammer avatar
UTC

Addicted
'07 GTS250ie "Mechanical Squirrel", '66 Honda Benly, '19 Suzuki 250 cafe "Mouse", '42 Henschel PzKw VI Tiger
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@fritz_katzenjammer avatar
'07 GTS250ie "Mechanical Squirrel", '66 Honda Benly, '19 Suzuki 250 cafe "Mouse", '42 Henschel PzKw VI Tiger
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Location: somewhere deep in the back of the garage...Burlington ONT.
UTC quote
These things seem like a lot of hassle for not much return. I’ve used a tire gauge frequently and somehow have survived without these things for over 40 years on motobikes. One thing we don’t need is more gimmicks and complications in our lives...

Damn... I’m starting to sound like my Dad.
@jess avatar
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UTC quote
steelbytes wrote:
So Jess, you say 'early days of the forum', would the early external tpms been significantly heavier? Juan, how long ago was this, were they old and heavy compared to the weights I listed?
It was basically anything heavier or larger than the stock plastic caps. I don’t think it was even TPMS sensors, but some kind of light-up-while-moving LEDs or something. Possibly just valve stem extensions to make it easier to check the pressure.

A handful of members (I really don’t remember the exact cases) found that while they worked at first, as soon as the wheel encountered significant centrifugal force, the add-ons would move under force and then get sheared off when they collided with other parts of the bike (brake calipers? Suspension? I can’t remember). The whole stem would get sheared, and the tire would then rapidly deflate.

We took to warning people not to put anything larger or heavier than the stock caps for many years afterward.

Is it still a problem? I’ve no idea. I haven’t heard any reports of this in quite some time. If you do try these out, please do put some effort into figuring out if they are going to shift at all when the wheels start spinning, and what they might collide with when they do.
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@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
jess wrote:
It was basically anything heavier or larger than the stock plastic caps.
...
We took to warning people not to put anything larger or heavier than the stock caps for many years afterward.
was just googling and saw that ScooterWest sells fancy valve caps. looks like they'd weigh 'bout the same as the other caps I mentioned above which are about 6g (half the weight of the tpms)

have seen right angle caps but the off centre nature of those does really concern me
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@steelbytes avatar
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
Fritz Katzenjammer wrote:
These things seem like a lot of hassle for not much return. I’ve used a tire gauge frequently and somehow have survived without these things for over 40 years on motobikes. One thing we don’t need is more gimmicks and complications in our lives...
two reasons I'm investigating this:

1. detecting punctures. basically play a sound via the bluetooth in my helmet to warn me.

2. curiosity of how much temps and pressures change on long highspeed rides.

btw here's what I was thinking of for internal
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000271201181.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.761d2e0eyoTqBl
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@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
update:

not going to install this on rubber stems.

so either I'll replace the stems with metal ones or get the internal tpms
@christopher_55934 avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2007 Stella 225
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3547
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
 
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@christopher_55934 avatar
2007 Stella 225
Joined: UTC
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Location: Rochester, Minnesota
UTC quote
Part of the issue could be right angle valve stems. On a stem that is straight its probably not as much of an issue. On mine I know the stems are at a right angle.

I've wondered if the stems need atmospheric pressure to "0" and work correctly? If not you could try to attach them internally. My motorcycle has internal tpms and is bolted to the wheel itself, with an aluminum bolt.
@juan_orhea avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
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Location: Bermuda
 
Molto Verboso
@juan_orhea avatar
S150 '09, Beo 500ie '08
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Location: Bermuda
UTC quote
I had two shear off of straight rubber valve stems about two years ago. Not willing to run that risk with metal valve stems. That kinetic energy is still going somewhere it wasn’t designed to go….

The shops don’t seem to have trouble mounting tires with interior TPMS modules…but of the five scooter tires I have them in, one doesn’t work at all and one (with a right angle valve) has a small leak at the stem that requires refilling every other week. Don’t know why but it’s possible they broke or loosened during installation of the TPMS module.
⬆️    About 1 month elapsed    ⬇️
@isilentp avatar
UTC

Member
2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 43
Location: Ohio
 
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@isilentp avatar
2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 43
Location: Ohio
UTC quote
I had the Fobo Bike 2 TPMS that I bought for my maxi-scooter, but never got around to installing it. I installed on my 2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE last night. Called the local Vespa dealer this morning to ask about replacing the rubber stems with metal/chrome. He basically told me that is highly not recommended. Bike was not designed to have an add-on attached to the valve. Basically, went into a tangent explaining centrifical force and really bad things can happen to my bike and danger to me. Based on his guidance, I decided I will be removing these tomorrow before my next ride.

I just survived a horrible spill at 40mph because of release agent on brand new tires and riding on wet surface--something I never knew about, so I am bit paranoid in having a similar accident due to a tire blowout that these TPMS could cause on a small size tire as in the Vespa. I will be selling my Fobos soon so I bought a new digital air pressure gauge from Amazon. My old and achy bones will hate me for all the kneeling/bending to get to the valves to check pressures which I plan to do every other gasoline fill-up.
⚠️ Last edited by iSilentP on UTC; edited 1 time
OP
@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
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@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
iSilentP wrote:
I installed placed on my 2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE last night.
...
I decided I will be removing these tomorrow before my next ride.
I never used the external screw on ones that I bought.

I have purchased internal ones but not had them fitted yet, waiting until I need to replace the tires (front will be probably replaced in 2-4 months at my next service)


Fun fact: they both use the same BLE data protocol so my VespaSnoop app works with both
@isilentp avatar
UTC

Member
2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 43
Location: Ohio
 
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@isilentp avatar
2020 Vespa GTS SuperTech 300 HPE
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Location: Ohio
UTC quote
Probably an option for me, but the tires on my bike only have ~200 miles. I might just take them in and have the internal ones installed. Thanks for the suggestion. Th delayer did mention that there is a Vespa scooter that comes with built-in TPMS. Not sure why they left that feature out of the one I have which is supposed to be one of the "top of the line" scoots. Money is not an issue for this farkle-possessed man...
steelbytes wrote:
I never used the external screw on ones that I bought.

I have purchased internal ones but not had them fitted yet, waiting until I need to replace the tires (front will be probably replaced in 2-4 months at my next service)


Fun fact: they both use the same BLE data protocol so my VespaSnoop app works with both
OP
@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
iSilentP wrote:
Th delayer did mention that there is a Vespa scooter that comes with built-in TPMS.
I've never heard of a Vespa with TPMS as standard.

Maybe one of the other Piaggio scoots do? Maybe the latest Beverley or MP3?

(Certainly some motorbikes do)
⬆️    About 2 months elapsed    ⬇️
OP
@steelbytes avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@steelbytes avatar
2019 GTS300 HPE SuperTech 66,000km
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6790
Location: Batmania aka Melbourne, Australia
UTC quote
an update:

I installed the internal TPMS in my rear wheel.

on a cool day (15-20C) pressure & temps rose from 28PSI/15C to 32/45. This is on a long and fast ride
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