Modern Vespa

Even though I keep my Scooters inside the garage it has been -12 to
-15 F (-23 celsius) here in Frostbite Falls Minnesota. I called my
scooter dealer's service department. Due to the color we have
determined it is coolant leaking out of fittings expanding and contracting
in the extreme temperature swings.

Damn, this neck of the woods is hard on everything.

Snow fall levels for the current Season, puts the 2022-2023 Winter
in the top 2 in over a hundred years.

I stayed home from work for the latest two days to avoid the road
conditions.

Bob Copeland

So, I surmise the road is where the houses and trees aren't? That's just incredible, I complain when we get more than a few inches every other year. You must have to be a tough old codger to live up there. Here, in beautiful Tega Cay, SC, it hit 81 degrees yesterday. I'm guessing all the cold is staying north this year.

How do you get pizza delivered to your house?

Tierney/max6200,

Despite my complaining about all the snow and cold, we have
amazing snowplow resources. So, pizza delivery was shut down
during the blizzards.

When I grew up here I enjoyed getting out down hill skiing,
snowmobiling, ice skating. Since getting older, it is just more
of a inconvenience and pain in the butt. I expect this why so
many go South during the Winter and actually move.

Hanging out in this "Fargo Speaking" frozen world.

Bob Copeland

Rob, My Kymco guy says that the leak looks like it's coming off the back of the under tray which is the wrong side for the water pump so it's probably a hose up front.

Bikes sold in Greece and Cyprus have had a few leaks from the top hose spigot on the block but this part has been modified on the MK2 version.

Keep me posted on what develops.

Dog,

It is slightly dripping out up front. I will keep you updated.
The old Burgman 400 never lost a drop of anything. Well
maintained, those Suzuki's are bullet proof.

From those guys who brought us Pearl Harbor.

Bob Copeland

I put another 3800 miles on that bike and all it needed was an oil and filter change.

I kinda miss it.

I owned a home in Salina Kansas. B4 life got in the way of living, I was planning and prototyping a wind generator and space heater for my garage. Then I moved to Florida. The new owner was happy to attempt to complete the project.

Did you get your coolant leak resolved ?

Bill Dog,

Sorry, I did not update the tread. My dealer was accurate. It was simply a small amount of coolant leaking out of connecting hoses due to the extreme temperature swings in Minnesota while in my garage over the Winter.

The dealer needed a minimal amount of coolant to top it off and went through and tightened all the hose connectors and cleaned it up. My dealer has some very good service techs. They have now had the Kymco 550 to sell and service for almost two years. As a result of their increased familiarity with the scoot the following has been determined:

1. During the course of the Winter Storage, the batteries in the Keyless remote fobs die and have to be replaced. I had the same problem. I brought the two remote fobs (they give you two with your scoot) and had them replace the batteries in both of them. They were both dead. Cost $4.00.

2. The Kymco AD550 has advanced electronics. More stuff than I need. As a result, if unridden for a period of time, the main battery will discharge. The dealer installs (before sold) a tail cord that can easily be plugged into your
battery tender. So, in between group rides, I plug the scoot into a battery tender in my garage.

3. You have to keep the remote start fobs a distance away from the Kymco when not riding or they will discharge the battery.

4. All of their Kymco 550s experienced the same hose coolant drip unless kept in the warm showroom all Winter. The dealer has a (none heated) storage building were you can have them store your scoot for the winter.

So, Bill Dog, despite the above slight annoyances, the machine is a magnificent powerful rocket. It is great looking, comfortable foot forward
riding position, and very well balanced with smooth riding characteristics.
I had to relearn throttle control because it has so much power at every rpm level. The Burgman 400 was great, but this thing can super accelerate and any speed. If you are going 70 mph and gun the throttle, it will snap your head back and hit 100 mph almost instantly.

I miss the Burgman 400. Several members of my riding group have bought new ones. I just can't go back after experiencing the Kymco 550.

So, I deal with the electronic quirks and the cold Winter storage weather here in Frostbite Falls MN.

Bob Copeland