Modern Vespa

After being off the road for nearly 11 years, I thought it was time to get an ET2 up and running again.

Flat spotted tyres... seized steering bearings... seized front brakes... dead battery. I pushed it (with the associated difficulty) out of the garage to see whether it would even start.

Got a spare battery, jumped it to the battery terminals - dead. Nothing. Not even the fuel/oil lights would come on. Wiggled the ignition key (on and off) and eventually I got the fuel/oil lights to come on (but only in a specific position, so there was definitely corrosion on the ignition switch behind the horn cover), as well as getting the indicators and brake light to work. So far so good.

Next - fuel and oil (both tanks dry). Added a bit of both until I was satisfied that they weren't bone dry.

Spark plug and cylinder - a good dose of contact cleaner on the spark plug, as well as some WD40 inside the cylinder. Used the kick starter to evacuate the contents of the cyliner whilst the spark plug was off, then reassembled.

Whilst the electrical start wasn't working, the kick starter got it going. It was alive! All lights working, horn working, engine running. Turned it off and decided to collect it the next day to carry on the work.

Sprayed all of the seized parts (including the brake disc) with WD40 and left if overnight. The next day, I started disassembly. EVERYTHING was covered in a thick, dry coating of 2T oil. More on this later.

After about £100 worth of degreasers, carb cleaner, shop towels, and disposable gloves it was done. Now time to replace the old/dodgy bits...

Various little bits and pieces missing - leading me to question whoever worked on this bike in the past as already stated (those missing bits and pieces can cause damage to other parts).

Good news - steering bearings were clean/unpitted. The grease on them had solidified. A good clean and re-lube will sort them out.

Drive belt - worn/frayed. Original drive belt. Never replaced for 10 years of road use? Worn rollers (one was particularly flat) - never replaced/inspected for 10 years? Who knows. That said, the gearbox/tranny oil was super clean. Very odd.

I note, the oil tank (and associated fittings) looked new. Seems when it was dropped on its side, the oil tank was damaged... dribbling 2T oil all over the place. It was never cleaned, and the bike was clearly was running like that for a while before it was replaced. So new oil tank, bonus. The cleanup job, not so pleasant.

Fuel hose had cracks, and a massive leak in it. More on this later.

Front master cylinder felt rough (corrosion inside). The actual seizure was down to blocked banjo bolts... and the brake pads literally just fell apart! Again, were the pads never inspected? Was that purely down to storage in a relatively dry garage? See the photo below and decide. I'm not taking any risks with braking, so the whole lot was replaced.

Suspension - whilst it looked OK and worked, it wasn't smooth. Again, no way am I taking risks with suspension. Replaced the lot. Adjustable rear pre-load would be nice anyway.

Front hub - seems someone added grease, but never cleaned the old stuff out. So there was a mix of fresh grease... and the old grease (which had formed what I can only describe as yellowed bathroom silicone). A good clean needed there then.

One tyre was OK, but it was one of those budget "widow maker" types, fitted not long before the bike was dropped. There you go, not worth skimping on that sort of thing. Always get decent tyres. Again, not taking risks with tyres. Replaced both with Michelin City Grip.


Cosmetics can wait. All work completed is for safe/reliable running.


Work completed/parts replaced:

Engine/Fuel/Induction:
-New Malossi cast iron 70cc kit (which includes new cylinder head, reed valves, small end bearing, gaskets etc.).
-New 17.5 PHVA carb clone (original was a 12mm weber).
-New manual choke lever (doesn't need auto choke IMO),
-New Malossi foam air filter.
-New spark plug.
-New CDI and spark plug cap (bargain offer, no rev limiter - could be useful if I decided to get a 'kevved' exhaust).
-Bigger jet to suit the new bigger bore. Currently running a 72 MJ. Unsure about pilot jet (I think it's too big).
-New oil lines.
-New fuel and vacuum lines (more on this later).
-Drained / cleaned oil tank and fuel tank.
-New exhaust heat shield, and bolts/washers.
-Repainted exhaust, and new bolts/washers (mounting bolts were properly seized and washers were missing - 1000nm impact wrench to the rescue).

Transmission:
-New 5.7g rollers (to replace the worn 6.5g originals).
-New gearbox/transmission oil.
-New drive belt.
-New oil belt.
-New bearing on variator cover (for clutch/drive shaft).
-Cleaned and sanded front pulley assembly. New nut.
-Cleaned and polished variator assembly.
-Cleaned and re-greased rear pulley assembly bearings. NOTE - I should also have re-greased the torque driver pins/assembly to make sure it wasn't sticking. Lesson learned.
-Cleaned and sanded clutch bell. New nut for whole assembly.

Wheels/Suspension:
-New front shock absorber and spring (RMS, non-adjustable).
-New rear shock absorber and spring (RMS, adjustable preload).
-New rear hub nut cover (missing)
-New rear locking washer (rusted on, because the hub nut cover was missing).
-New tyres.

Braking:
-New OEM front brake master cylinder.
-New Goodridge braided front brake hose, with stainless steel fittings.
-New OEM front brake disc (and bolts/washers).
-New OEM front brake caliper (comes with new pads), and bolts/washers.
-Cleaned and sanded rear brake drum, and shoes.

Front hub/speedometer:
-New speedo plastic gear.
-New wheel bolts and washers.
-Cleaned and re-greased Speedo cable.
-Cleaned and re-greased front axle/swing assembly.
-Cleaned and re-greased front hub bearings.
-Cleaned and re-greased steering bearings.

Electrical:
-New sealed AGM battery.
-New front headlight unit (old parabolic reflector coating pitted).
-New BA20d halogen bulb.
-New ignition switch (ignition switch plastic cover was missing, leading to corrosion).
-New ignition switch plastic cover (to avoid issues in future).

-Various other new nuts, bolts and washers.

Welcome and good luck!

Thanks. I see you're into Italian pedal bikes too. 👍👍

Yeah, they're quite addictive.

Exhaust before and after:
-Exterior degrease with engine degreaser.
-Heat gun to burn off oily residue from the inside (and out).
-Wire wheel to remove rusty bits.
-800c exhaust paint.
-New shiny heat shield, bolts/fixings.
-Fitted. 👍

Brake master cylinder and braided brake hose:
-New OEM master cylinder (updated, not original Grimeca).
-Goodridge braided hose with SS fittings.

New 70cc cast iron kit, and 17,5mm PHVA clone:
-Kit fitted first
-BR9ES spark plug.
-Reed valve block to crank case had no gasket?! A clean, and a smidge of RTV to fix that. Previous dirt/moisture ingress left marks. Not impressed. Who on earth worked on this thing?!
-Oil and fuel lines replaced after some tinkering. Oil pump adjusted a tiny smidge for the breaking in of the new cylinder/piston rings.
-Carb jet adjusted (not final - need to ride the thing before getting it set up). Needle in middle setting for now.
-Engine starts instantly (after initial priming with the kickstarter, on its first ever start). Even if left for a week, very easily after an initial prime. Very pleased.
-Adjusted idle to allow running of lights without them flickering, or worse, the engine cutting out at traffic lights. Stator puts load on the engine, so better adjust for that from the outset IMO.

The plot thickens - I wonder what happened here? Looks like the pulley had an issue in the past. There's a mark from the fan.

And the drive belt (on a bike that had been serviced not too long before being taken off the road) is badly frayed.

Time to jet.

So initially, MJ was set at 72 as a rough guess (pilot jet is a 38 and air screw at 2.5 turns anti-clockwise):
Bike picks up and revs fine from standstill, and at lower speeds. Throttle control is punchy/responsive - too much so? A bit on/off for a better description. Better at medium speeds, good response….

…but after some time at WOT, on overrun, it's difficult to get the engine to pick up again for a few seconds (think approaching a junction, or coming out of a bend)… like there's a dead spot at 1/4 throttle. If I open it wider, it responds eventually. Clearly the clutch is still engaged at this point whilst slowing down, but engine should respond to throttle inputs. Is something sticking? RESOLVED, SEE https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2563417#2563417

My 17.5mm PHVA clone carb came with a 67 MJ as stock. I tried that:
The hesitation on overrun is not as prominent. Smoother throttle control at lower speeds (how on earth can the MJ make this difference?). After a period at WOT (stuff the break-in period!), the exhaust paint is smoking (when I park up after my brief run) - it's getting way hotter than I'd like. So too lean at WOT.

Next step - go back to 72 MJ, and lower the needle to make the transition smoother/leaner…

…Hmm… slightly better, but not quite there. I note a deeper tone at WOT than the 67 MJ. Possibly a tad too rich at WOT?

So, tried a 70MJ - with the same (lower) needle setting. Not absolutely perfect but a better transition. Throttle still a bit on/off. Weird occasional 'blip' on sudden WOT. Occasional dead spot on over-run. No overheating detected (by my nose) at WOT, but no deep tone either. 45 MPH GPS speed on a long flat run.

I disassembled the lot, to see if I could have another go. My carb isn't an original Dellorto and it got me thinking - what's the quality of the needle & slider, and how do they compare to the 12mm Weber carb (which is stock on UK and US ET2 50cc bikes - my engine is a C161M):

-The slides look the same in terms of angle/shape.
-The plastic needle holder is a better/more secure item on the Weber (no wobbly needle), but has the same holes/protrusions as the Dellorto clone. I'll use the Weber one in my next test.
-The needle is every so slightly shorter… and has a fatter profile. The A7 needle that came with my Dellorto clone has a defect on it too (pic below), so I swapped to the Weber needle. I lowered it one clip, so that it is effectively at the same depth the A7 needle would be in its middle clip setting.



Result: Glad I tried it. 👍
-No brief 'blip' on sudden WOT acceleration runs. So it's a needle transition thing.
-Better throttle control at lower speeds (i guess due to a better transition). I still might go for a slower action throttle next though.
-Moved back up to 72 MJ just to be safe (slightly rich?) at WOT, knowing the weather is reasonably warm at the moment.

I'm using the stock airbox, as well as the weird stock air intake (the one that sucks air in from just behind the luggage hook - bizzare, but useful if flooding/crud is a thing where you live).

If this air intake system is good enough for an ET4 125cc, it should be good enough for the 70cc cylinder. I'll keep as is for now.

I'm using a stock exhaust (derestricted) which won't be able to evacuate more gas than it does already IMO.

In future: Keen to try an exhaust that is free flowing (with some expansion discretely built-in) which isn't loud/lairy and doesn't look like something worth stealing. I'm thinking a Gianelli Go (aka Malossi Wild Lion, and whatever Pollini call theirs). We'll see.

Have you looked into getting a cylinder head temp gauge? That would give you a warning if its going to seize.

It's certainly tempting!

I don't intend to push it to its limits. Trying to find a happy medium at the moment - knowing it'll get leaner as the weather gets colder.

I'm thinking go ever so slightly rich… we'll see if I achieve that.

E-Choke (auto choke).

Having decided to go for a tiny wee manual choke lever… I thought, why not try the auto choky thingy.

Initially, when I installed the PHVA clone carb, I did use the Weber choke that was on the Weber 12mm carb (with no success - different bracket, and I wondered whether the gasket was sealing).

I ordered a manual choke (thinking it was better for initial setup), as well as a new auto choke (apparently specifically for this carb).

Turns out the new auto choke has the same dimensions as the Weber item, save that it has a different bracket to seat it in.

Had a go with it tonight - absolute pants. It seems to be on all of the time (despite going for a ride up and down the road), giving me a low idle speed. It warms up alright, but just doesn't do it's thing effectively.

So, either this clone carb has an issue with auto-chokes (can't see why though), or they're a bit naff.

Manual choke back on. 👍

As soon as I added an aftermarket pipe and upjetted, the auto-enricher (choke) gave me grief as it left the choke on too long and I had no power at WOT as it was super rich. Swapped in a manual choke and it works good to start it and then I just flip it off after like 30 second warm up. Seems to be working ok so far. I have some tuning to do on the lower throttle response.

For info I'm at 3300 feet elevation, running 75 MJ with Malossi red sponge filter (stock airbox), Yansuni Z pipe, 5 gr rollers and +30% clutch springs. Revs out to ~8700 rpm now but pipe (and power) don't hit till around 7000 rpm.

Reassuring to know I'm not the only one. 🙈

I didn't have a problem WOT (apart from decreased acceleration and top end)… but the idle was rubbish - too low. Not cutting out, but at night with your lights on, it's better for them not to dim and flicker. With the manual choke, I can adjust the idle to accommodate the stator load and avoid that.

I'm keeping the stock pipe for now.

To be honest, all the bike needs is a primer pump. If it's been sat for a few days, all it needs is for me (at the moment) to pull the choke for 5 secs (if that) just to get the initial turnover. Wasn't like that at the beginning though.

Same here - lower throttle response could do with a bit of work (seems to be quite punchy with just a cylinder kit, and 0.7g lighter rollers). Works better with the needle swap, but I fancy a more gradual throttle response. So stock clutch springs for me.

I'll order a needle set and have a play with different shapes/sizes. 🤞

It picks up very well up to 30mph, decent ish up to 40. The last 5mph aren't really worth it for my bike's intended use, and it takes a 1/4 mile long straight to achieve… but it it's nice to fiddle in the garage - might go for 50mph one day, just for the challenge.

Pilot jet, atomiser, needle, etc:

I think my pilot jet is a bit too big (38). Being of dubious quality (remember, it's a clone not an original), I've ordered a Dellorto 32 pilot jet as a starting point.

Atomiser - same story, may as well use an original part.

Got two needles - a proper A7, and an A11. Again, both Dellorto.

Updates on progress next week. Hoping to have a more linear throttle response - currently most of the action is at 1/4 to 1/2 throttle. 🤞

UPDATE:
Parts arrived early… thought I'd give it a go.

Tried all sorts of combinations of:
32 pj.
38 pj.
A7 needle
A11 needle.
Weber 'fat' needle.
Various needle clip positions.

I very successfully managed to fumigate my garage, my neighbours' houses and get high on fumes.

I can literally taste 2T oil.

What I've deduced:
32 pilot jet to small (one turn)… 38 too big (2.5 turns). Guess I'll get a 36 (can't see a 35 for sale, but will look again).

Leaving it as is for now: i.e. Weber needle one clip from the top, 38pj, 72 mj.

PS I'm coming down and starting to get a headache. Do I go cold turkey, or should I inhale a bit more before bed time?

Drivetrain inspection: 125 miles.

A bit of delt dust but nothing concerning. Slight odour of clutch if I sniffed around carefully (I know, a sniff test 🤣).

Seems the belt gets near enough to the top of the variator face - not sure if I'd want it to go any higher?

Seems something is either out of round, or the belt has left slightly inconsistent marks on on the variator face (not sure if this is the norm).

Battery:

How can I forget - this is something I did right at the beginning.

Went for a sealed AGM this time… none of this electrolyte faff. I recall Yuasa batteries of old. AGMs tend not to like heat - we'll see how this goes in the long run.

I must say I'm impressed - this thing holds a good voltage and doesn't seem to drop. No need for a drain, and no risk of corrosion due to overflow/spillage.

Can't seem to spot a breather on it - interesting. Perhaps I've not looked hard enough.

I have put a tender lead on it - how long the battery lasts depends on many factors, including the vehicle's charging logic. A bit of maintenance every now and then certainly won't hurt.

Granted there's no power drain when the scoot is not in use (no alarm), and it's only really used for the electric start (and indicators once up and running).

Jets, needles, and other wee bits

So, I received some bits and pieces that I ordered.

1- Reed valve gasket (my temporary fix was RTV), however I had the intention of replacing the item below…
2- Intake manifold. Old was showing cracks (on the outside), however good on the inside (how long for?).
3- Pilot jets (short type, no built-in emulsifier, used as power jets in some applications, stock on the dell 17.5 as far as I can tell).
4- Stock Dellorto slide.
5- New fuel petcock (more on this below).

1+2: Well, the new manifold has so much more flex on it. It actually feels like rubber, and I can see the benefit when taking the bike on/off the centre stand. There's movement which previously wasn't there - so there's more flex between the engine, manifold, carb, and airbox tube. Less vibration is good I guess. 👍

3- Installed a 34 pilot jet. Tried very hard to get any sort of deviation from this textbook number. Bang on 1.5 turns out of the air screw. With this new PJ, thought it were felicitous to use the A7 needle as Piaggio (may have) intended. I might lower the needle (to make it leaner) however it's working well (way better than when I tried faffing last time). Behaves akin to my previous setup with the lean/fat Weber needle (details above), but with much better throttle control at lower speeds. Almost cracked it.

4- Stock slide on this 'clone' carb seemed to be painted metal (aluminium I expect). This new dellorto slide is plastic - interesting. Same dimensions, however a much better throttle cable locking mechanism (same mechanism as my stock Weber slide). Makes for easier needle tuning too - spring can be pulled to one side to remove the needle & holder.

5- When I first installed my 70cc kit, the bike started with no need for choke. That changed over time, and was having to use the choke on cold starts as of late. Tested the old petcock, whilst it worked, I felt the vacuum required to get it going was a bit on the high side. Like the inlet fannimold, the rubber diaphragm had probably hardened but not failed. Cold starts fine, with no choke now, so it seems to have resolved something (explaining this, and its relationship to the carb bowl I will leave to an expert). Could be a bit rich though (ie starting with no choke?).


More adjustments will be needed, however today (after a roundabout exit onto a 40mph dual carriageway) the bike just took off and hit 80km/h indicated without me realising. Seems my twist of the throttle hit an air/fuel sweet spot and the bike just went for it.

Crikey - seems there's more to this 70cc cast iron kit than I realised. Look forward to more tweaking.

250 mile update:

So far so good… a few niggles:

1- Starter motor intermittent. Will check handlebar button, wiring, and the starter itself. It's one of those three.

2- Seems I have a tiny wee exhaust leak at the back of the cylinder port (towards the rear wheel). Either my stock exhaust is ever so slightly off, or the Malossi cylinder is. Not sure which. I'm suspecting exhaust as the bike was dropped down the road (whilst not in my possession).

Won't be making any further carb needle/clip adjustments until that's sorted…

…which leads me to the wonderful opportunity to seek a decent exhaust out.

Going very well with stock (derestricted) exhaust however I know it will definitely go better with an aftermarket exhaust. The question is which one.

The issue, is that these things (well, Piaggio 50cc 2T engines) are mostly modded by kids. Trying to filter adult from kidult posts is challenging on the forums.

What are you getting top speed wise with the stock exhaust and 17 mil carb? 75kph?

Did you ever change the torsion and clutch springs? Didnt see it on your initial list.

Hiya,

Torsion and clutch springs untouched (they work fine).

Indicated 70km/h no problem. A bit longer to get to 75km/h.

Longer still to 80km/h indicated if it's flat… very quick to 80 if there's a slight decline. Will not do 80 if there's a slight incline.

80km/h is the point at which point the engine sounds very loud/boomy. It just won't rev past that really - I suspect it's the exhaust, as I have an 'unrestricted' CDI.

I have no tach, so can't say what the engine RPM is doing unfortunately.

Starter motor and wiring:

So the starter motor was intermittent, then stopped. Kick starter to the rescue.

A quick bit of investigating reveals that the cables (at the bottom, near the starter itself) have an intermittent connection. Quite common due to their exposure to water/salt/crud.

The cables can pinch a bit, in-between the centre stand and crank case. Just be wary of that.

Easy diagnosis method:
1- Zip tie rear brake on.
2- Turn ignition on.
3- Hold starter button with one hand, and wiggle the cable with the other. Start at the bottom… and work all your way up to the battery compartment. No success? Well, could be the starter motor, a clean break in the cables, starter relay, or the starter button. Got off lightly with this one!

The rear mudguard leaves a lot to be desired… check out all of the crud in the pic. Why on earth not just make the mud guard a tad longer?

I ordered a new starter with new wiring for £20 - a sort of 'while you're in there' approach to change both. An opportunity to clean up all of the s**t that's built up over the years.

So, new bits ordered (to compliment something else new - it's a surprise) along with new nuts/bolts/washers. Centre stand will have a good ol' clean with a wire brush too.

Upon arrival of the new starter motor (101 Octane, not OEM), I note a different wiring harness. Designed to be used with a block connector (used on later models perhaps?). Ichanged my wiring (which used to connect directly to the starter relay), in favour of a block connector. Given the failure rate of starter motors (and related ancillaries), it would be beneficial to be able to simply disconnect a block connector, and run various tests. Sold.

One of the starter motor bolts was rounded off (the one closest to the front). I changed them from 8mm to 10mm hoping to avoid issues in future.

Tecnigas Silent Pro:

So, something was eating away at me:
1- Stock exhaust was blowing a tiny bit where it meets the cylinder.
2- Is a stock derestricted exhaust good enough for a mild 70cc kit?

Options are limited for a Vespa ET2 - many of the aftermarket options out there simply won't fit (due to fouling the bodywork).

The exhaust arrived, and first, I derestricted it. The only other 'modifications' I made were to add spring washers to the bolts… and used 'fire gum' as a sealant around the flange.

Differences:
-It's lighter than the stock, derestricted exhaust.
-It makes deeper tone (thud thud), but not noisier overall.
-The flange opening is 1-2mm bigger in diameter (comparing both derestricted exhausts).
-The engine revs up quicker, and the revs drop quicker (when on centre stand, and at a standstill at lights/junctions).
-It's slimmer (I can see more of the back wheel), so it's easier to check/adjust the rear tyre pressure.
-The engine runs a bit richer at lower RPM. Why?
-More torque (noticeable once moving).
-The powerband has shifted higher up the rev range. With 5.7g rollers, the peak power hits after I reach 55km/h indicated (so 50km/h real speed). I might go lighter with the rollers.
-An extra few km/h top speed (nothing to write home about), but it pulls well throughout, and really well from 50-75 km/h indicated.
-Up a long hill, where the bike previously slowed to 65km/h, it maintained 75km/h indicated.
-WOT now does something (previously, there was no difference between 3/4 and WOT).

Weird stuff (wobblers to the rescue):
-The exhaust gets in the way of itself: tightening the lower exhaust mounting bolt took a bit of time.
-The exhaust gets in the way of one of the fan cowling screws.

I'd say it was a good buy. Suits the bike well, and performs well without being loud or obvious. 👍

Needle comparison:

Dellorto A22 needle vs. the Weber 'V' needle found in the stock 12mm carb.

Rain stopping play today, but I expect it'll work well (seems many recommend the A22 with a 70cc cast iron kit if using the stock air box). We'll see. 👍

Fan Failure:

Have you ever wondered… what chaos would ensue…
…if a part of the fan were to detach itself at, say, 10000 rpm?

Have a look at the pics below. You can see the missing piece on the fan, and where it exited the cowling. 🤣

I totally admit fault - broke that little chunk off the fan blade ages ago (I caught it with a bar). I stuck it back on, just as a temporary fix until I got an order for parts in… and, given that most things on this bike have been replaced, I was in no way intending on cheaping out.

But, not all is lost. For a day this thing had a very cool whistle… less turbo, more supercharger sound. Might just sell this as a kit on eBay - I bet the kids would LOVE it.

Fan and fan cowl replaced… back to jetting and needles:

So, having replaced the fan and fan cowl (and bolts), it was time to get to jetting again.

With the Tecnigas Silent Pro exhaust, it seems the setup likes a 74 main jet (with the right needle). See below

Before needle fiddling, I tried some jets:
I tried a 72 MJ - whilst the throttle repose was amazingly punchy to start off with, I lost acceleration/power from approx 65-70 km/h, and the bike didn't really want to do 80 km/h.

I tried a 76 & 78 MJ - acceleration felt a bit flatter to be honest, and the bike didn't want to do 80km/h. I'm sure the 76 MJ will come into its own in the winter.

So, settled on a 74 MJ, I did some needle fiddling.
I tried installing an A22 needle - quite punchy taking off and requires a very nuanced throttle control at lower speeds. Top end isn't as strong with the A22 is it is with A7 needle.

Decided the bike was running too lean in the mid range, so wanted to go back to the A7 for day-to-day usability… but there was still this niggling issue of:
1- Transition from 1/8 or 1/4 throttle to WOT during sudden acceleration.
2- The dead spot on over-run when slowing down a long hill, or after slowing down to a bend from a high speed. RESOLVED, SEE https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2563417#2563417

There are only three other options left - trying an A8 needle (which gets richer quicker), or something similar to the A7 which is narrower in diameter. Or both. See the attached pic.

I note that the A7 and A22 needles have a 2mm diameter. There are needles that have a 1.98mm diameter (but with similar dimensions/tapers otherwise) which might just solve the weird dead/lean spot on over-run.

Given that I have two A7 needles, I decided to sacrifice one - taking a tiny bit of material off by sanding and polishing. How much I took off, I cannot say without a micrometer, but I was very conservative about it.

So, current setup (for clarity, a typical SW UK summer, at pretty much sea level):
-70cc Malossi Cast iron kit.
-PHVA 17.5 (clone).
-Tweaked A7 needle (second to last leanest clip position, but may change my mind).
-GA209 atomiser.
-34 pilot jet.
-74 main jet.
-Malossi single layer foam filter (in stock airbox, and that weird raised air intake/snorkel has been removed).
-Tecnigas silent pro exhaust (derestricted).

Bike will do 82 km/h indicated on the flat (just over 45mph GPS speed) [see update below https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2563417#2563417] 90 km/h (49 mph GPS speed), but it goes really well up to 75 km/h indicated, and will still go 75km/h indicated up some reasonable hills.

There is still odd behaviour on overrun, but less often. I will inspect the torque driver (which might be sticking). I feel like I'm 90% there. So it's either the A23 or A24 needle that I need. RESOLVED, SEE https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2563417#2563417

Nice work!
Would you tell me the brand of the brake master cylinder?
Thanks

Thanks.

The original part was superseded by this, which is what I installed.

https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/product/brake-master-cylinder-piaggio-right_PI56008R

I hoped, there is a cheeper aftermarker brand. But, thank you!

There might be. I never checked.

Thing is, there's a hole in the handlebar to locate the whole assembly. I just wanted something guaranteed to fit, so that I have no issues re-assembling the dashboard...

...and something reputable (ie OEM). Going is one thing... stopping is another!

Absolutely!

So, after a mechanical failure of sorts (Failure & Stranded), I went on to order some replacement bits...

...which arrived, and one looked a little different. Hmm.

A "CIF" branded kit arrived, an all in one solution consisting of:
-Outer pulley
-Fan
-Castle washer
-Nut

I noted that the outer pulley was thicker than standard... and had an outer ring (on the fan side). Looked like an outer pulley for bikes upto 1998, yet the rest of the kit was for bikes from 1998 onwards. Hmm.

The packaging had the right year on it, so I thought I'd give it a go.

It was sh*t. The outer pulley being the culprit - thicker, which meant that the kick starter had to be omitted.... but worse still, the outer 'locating' ring didn't actually locate the fan. All it did was push the fan towards the cover, causing it to rub.

Initially the bike was difficult to start - thought it might be that E10 fuel sitting in the tank. Turns out it was the fan touching the cover. The bike still ran... albeit with a bit of plastic rubbing here and there.

Good news, retailer has agreed to send me the correct part for my bike after I provided photographic evidence the part was wrong. Not only that, a new fan and nut will accompany it. That makes good business sense. 👍

So, if anyone is wondering what the wrong outer pulley looks like, see below.

Also, I noticed I was getting a bit of wear (a notch at the top belt position) on the variator face. Plus the rollers were showing signs of wear, and there was a bit of scoring on the backing plate. Thought it were felicitous to replace that too. Lastly, I felt that 5.7g rollers weren't quite light enough so 5.3g rollers are on the way.

So, a whole new front: pulley/variator/weights are being installed. May as well given how much faff I've had to go through so far. Hopefully this is all staying on for a few years.

The scratches on the rollers are unusual for me.

Scratches on the rollers are interesting. The marks on the variator half look normal. Is it smooth outer to inner? So long as they're just marks, and not actually dips from friction, I wouldn't have a problem running it.