Modern Vespa

Winter is here. I enjoyed both days of spring. Summer was sweltering. Leaves are everywhere. Time to put the toys away for their 6 months of slumber. Those of you in the southern states please have pity on us, and don't make us sickly jealous.

What I do to winterize the scooters is:

- Full tank of premium ethanol free gas. Usually with some Stabil. (Some people say drain the tank!)
- Turn of the fuel tap and run the carb dry before killing the ignition.
- Pull the plug and spray fogging oil in the cylinder.
- Pump the tires to 30 psi.
- If there is a battery put it on a battery tender. Sometimes I take the battery out.
- Give it a wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
- Put a cover on it.
- Kick it over every couple months.

Or, if the wife lets me, put some of them in the den .

What do others do to winterize their scoots??

Not a single thing, I've never used any fuel stabilizer, always ethanol full fuel and whatever is left in any tank. Waste of time in my opinion and never had an issue on anything. I would rather clean a carb then have to mess around with yet another thing to do repeatedly each year….

I have yet to have had to pull a carb.

let the summer air out of the tires to make way for the winter air, then ride 'em.

Yes, ride the things, wear more appropriate clothing.

Up here in the cold wet PacNW, i park my nice scooters for the winter. I drain the fuel tank, run the engine until the carb bowl it empty, and throw a cover over the top. On my year around road going PX200, i install a windscreen, flip the switch on for my grip heaters, and keep riding....though now as much as i used to 10 years ago! 10 years ago i would commute 5 days a week to work in the gravel, rain, dark, and the occasional dusting of snow. Now that sucked, but at lease i could always find free parking when i was on a scooter (i would simply remove the license plate and not pay for parking).

It is ALMOST here but not yet -- come on, you can still ride for a bit longer!

I follow most of the recommendations for L/T storage that you practice. I'm using ethanol free gas more and more now as well in all carbureted motorcycles and small engines, even though the closest fill up spot for that is 27 mi away and it can be a hassle to get there often. It's just about $4.50/gal for 91 Oct non eth. across the border in Winchester, NH.

After every ride, before putting away I also shut the fuel tap while bike's still running and let the gas expire from the carb.

I'd add to your fine list that the driest storage area possible is best for these decades-old thin sheet metal frames that are rust-prone in many climates. In the countryside, old wooden barns are better than unheated garages with concrete or even dirt floors. I've even taken to placing crappy old rugs under my bikes to absorb light moisture.

Winter ... izing?

For me that's knobby tires and heavier gloves.

Oh, and these. I swear by these.

I used to winterize my scooters by putting on snow tires and a lap blanket.

Now, though, I just swap the ventilated for non-ventilated jacket & gloves.

I like your list, Chatis, much more thorough than mine. I'll ride all bundled up until it snows and the roads are salted. Then I perform your first and second steps—full tank of ethanol-free + Sta-bil, carb run dry—and tuck her in with a little plaid blanket for the winter. That's all. I prob should do more…. Thanks for sharing your steps. Not sure I believe your wife reeeeally allows scoots in the den

Hi All,
This question has been in the back of my mind since I read somewhere that premix can go off in a few months and in cold weather?
My experience has been that if I leave pre-mix in the tank over winter. so far i have had no issues?
Does anyone have thoughts?
Do you drain the premix after winter and add fresh or do you just start-up and ride?

Cheers Robbie

No expert but my thought is that is not correct. The oil may separate but after a few miles it will mix again. There is nothing in the oil to go off. Gas will lose some volatility and absorb water - especially with ethanol blends. If there is little air (moisture) and it us well sealed it can last quite a long time - more rhan six months. Adding stabiliser can keep gas fresh for longer.

Winter tyres on place. Now waiting for snow and ice.

Total newbie here...just got license and we picked up a 2007 GTV 250...so fun to drive the weekend before snow came. My daughter made a "baby" blanket for it...a good start for hibernation.

Our friends we bought from said to either remove battery attach a charger "thing."

I would love some step-by-step guidance or videos.

I read your list:
Full tank of premium ethanol free gas. Usually with some Stabil. (Some people say drain the tank!)
- Turn of the fuel tap and run the carb dry before killing the ignition.
- Pull the plug and spray fogging oil in the cylinder.
- Pump the tires to 30 psi.
- If there is a battery put it on a battery tender. Sometimes I take the battery out.
- Give it a wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
- Put a cover on it.
- Kick it over every couple months.

And would love to know what this means:
- Turn of the fuel tap and run the carb dry before killing the ignition.
- Pull the plug and spray fogging oil in the cylinder.

Also, do you have a recommendation for a battery tender?

Finally, would love recommendations of videos or websites for basic maintenance. I truly am a newbie...

Thanks and have a great day!

Fuel tank made out of steel should not be left empty for long periods of time to avoid rusting.

I'd rather leave the carb full, since drained bowl will allow condensation inside, which in turn can cause corrosion.

Personally I'd stick high octane lower ethanol in the tank right to the brim to prevent tank corrosion, never drain tank. Worst thing you could is drain a tank imo. You can also duck oil under floor and also under mudguard seam etc. the newer px often rots along mudguard seam, I cake mine with duck oil all through the year.,

I don't know if the 2007 GTV is classified as "not so modern". It's a four stroke. I don't know if it has a fuel tap. A fuel tap is a valve that shuts off the fuel to the carburetor or allows it flow. Its a three way valve. Reserve fuel (fill up asap), main fuel and off. Turning it off and running the scoot till it dies (emptying the fuel from the carburetor) will prevent fuel in the carburetor from evaporating and leaving problematic gunk behind.

Fogging the cylinder puts a layer of oil on the cylinder walls to prevent rust. Most two strokes have oil there so this a little like a belt and suspenders - but I do it!

No battery tender recommendations. Just make sure that it a maintainer and not just a charger.

YouTube is full of videos. Just search what you are looking for. Robot is legend with great videos...

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the hints...found Robot. Helped a lot! Got the battery maintainer thing and figuring out the rest this week. Hoping for the roads to be ice-free by Wed!