Modern Vespa

At first glance I couldn't understand how a 2020 scooter could be listed as a "spares or repair project" (unless the current owner really rode with no fear of reduced resale values):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134763374471

Then I read the description and saw the photo of the display in the listing:

"The scooter is being sold on a spares or repair basis due to the fact the scooter sometimes throws a service urgently code from time to time. We have just had the secondary battery replaced at a piaggio dealer but it is still showing up. The garage was a little stumped and unsure what the issue is."



I live in fear of the day mine starts throwing up error messages that nobody understands. Until then...

I know when I had mine serviced at the dealer, that the servicing was mostly computer updates that they themselves have to apply to the bike. I wonder if this is a "bug" that has been cured in a newer software release.

Also curious as to what they consider the "secondary battery".

When my 12v battery went under the floor, I had a lot of strange symptoms, error warnings, swapping the language to Italian etc.

The 12v battery only charges up when in "Ready" mode, or when the traction battery is less than 100%. I think some people park the Elettrica up for the winter and assume the 12v is being maintained by the traction battery, when it isn't.

My mechanic told me that if I wasn't using the Elettrica for a bit, to activate it and leave it in "Ready" mode for 10-20 minutes every few weeks to keep the 12v battery in a good condition.

Aside from the error code, there is corrosion bubbling under the paintwork at the lower legshield seam. On a three year old scooter.

Same old story.

I like the idea of having an Elettrica, one day... but I can't see myself getting one before 2030... I'm not yet wealthy enough to be an early-adopter of an item with that kind of price point

I like stuff that, if/when I encounter an issue, there are already a dozen threads on the net with information about the issue, and if I still can't solve it I can bring it to a pro who's already seen and solved it 100 times.

I'm in a few HD LiveWire groups and a lot of those guys know end up having to learn more about fixing their bikes than what the HD techs know, because they're sold in such small volumes that the HD techs just aren't familiar or comfortable with them yet. I think that's going to take a while too.

I wish I knew as much as my trusted mechanics, but I don't wish to have to know as much as them.