Modern Vespa

Glad to hear you're getting it under control.

I saw a guy on a buddy today and thought of you. Never mind that he was wearing shorts and no helmet, even though it was forty degrees and we're a helmet law state.

He didn't return my "keep two wheels down" wave, either.

One thing I'm still having difficulty is the idle (same for my Bajaj). I could never find the perfect spot where it idles "properly". I kind of got the idea of rich and lean settings but the idle has been a challenge.

This video I found is pretty good and explains how indeed the idle and mixture go hand in hand: Question for the audience - how do you tell if your idle is where it's supposed to be?

I've always thought it's right at the point where it would stay alive and not die (like at a stop light) .. meaning, if try to lower it even a bit it would stall...but I could be wrong. Worth mentioning is that it's easier to tell on a two stroke engines or low RPM engines like the Harley Davidson.

Thoughs?

Dont worry if it stumbles around a little, these little scooter carbs aren't perfect like fuel injection. With my wife's Buddy 125, I notice a difference in the idle on the centerstand versus off, so you may have to play with things a bit.

I'd say once warmed up, try to have an idle that doesn't die on you, doesn't spin the back tire and returns from high revs to idle within 6 seconds.

Key words in there being "once warmed up ".

Take it out and put a few miles on it before you set the idle. Around the block is not warmed up.

Given you're in Chicago, figure that when you're out riding, if you're not cold, it's not warm.

20 minutes on the stand. Yesterday it got to 55 during the day but I couldn't ride; had to work instead

I guess it's OK now and then I'll have to ride it and tune it properly

MJRally - 6 seconds is way too long , man. I aim for like 2 seconds before the idle returns to normal after I blip the throttle

I still suspect that your idle stop and mix are off. There are three tiny holes in the bottom of the venturi, downstream of the throttle plate. All three need to be clean and should shoot jets of carb cleaner if you spritz it up the idle jet hole. I also wonder if the washer and O-ring for the mixture screw are present and that the O-ring isn't cracked. That four turns out on the mix is odd for one of these scoots. Idle should be barely touching the stop with the throttle plate closed.

Pretty sure I have a spare Buddy 125 carb at the shop, I'll look for it tomorrow to see if I can get you more detail.

I'm saying full wind up, screaming. That's how you're gonna be riding this, not blipping it. But, yea on the stand blipping it for tests, 2 sounds good!

Yeah it's weird. And yes, there's washer and O-Ring. Spring, washer and the O-Ring at the end of that screw

Ah I get it, that makes sense. 42 degrees on Sunday in Chicago, that's the day!

BTW, I have this other tread about painting my Bajaj rims, that may be a good day for that too. I tell you, I hear motorcycles buzzing in the distance and I'm thinking I'm ready. Unfortunately, I have to get wifey ready too Scooter for Wifey (Post 2660159)

I fixed it for you

Ha!