Modern Vespa

Hi - my GTS 250 hasn't even finished running-in and is doing something wierd:
Runs fine on the centre stand, whether rear wheel is turning or braked, and then instantly stops as soon as it is lowered off the stand.
Anyone seen this behaviour before?
Lawrence

Hi Lawrence - Welcome to the forum! We've lots of members from your side of the pond. I don't have the same scooter, so can really offer any concrete help. Not to worry! You'll likely have some help provided before too long. In the meanwhile, explore the past threads with the search function and see if that helps at all.



Michael

Is this when fully warmed up or after starting from cold in the morning? If the former no idea[1], but if the latter get your idle mixtures and idle speed re-checked, as the auto-choke device may just be leaning off the mixture after you've started and then throw it off the stand.

Also if when from cold, what happens if you start it astride it off the centre stand?

[1] Except if your side-stand switch is not adjusted correctly and/or the side-stand spring(s) are weak.

Well, after much time, fustration & cold nights waiting for breakdown trucks I finally have my solution.
The problem is the length of the HT cable: it is too short so pulls out of the coil when going over a bump/pothole - found that out 3 weeks ago - apologies for not updating this thread then.
It is too short, by design(!).
I the shop I bought it from (Scooter World in Chiswick), asked for the whole bike to be returned so that a new cable could be fitted (!)- more waiting for breakdown trucks.

After collecting my bike (buses & tube rides later), the same problem recurred. Exactly the same length of new HT cable had been fitted. Thanks Scooterworld.
Still, no problem, now I knew the cause, all I had to do was to re-attach the cable to the coil. However, the cable, being too short, also has to rest across the cylinder head, gets very hot and, a little while after getting back on the road, melted-through and AGAIN left me stranded.

Scooterworld in Chiswick were fantastically innefficient and, in two weeks, were unable to furnish me with either a replacement or longer cable (saying that Piaggio were unable to supply the HT cable or connectors).

They eventually agreed to make a new one, after I spent a very long time on calls & leaving messages (not returned) after I suggested that maybe they could take the connectors from the old cable with which to make a new longer one (!) rather than send them the whole bike again (which is what they were insisting on) but having already spent more time than is reasonable waiting for yet anothyer breakdown truck for want of 12 inches of cable, I decided that this would not be good use of time.

The longer HT cable is now in place, away from the exhaust/head and the problem no longer occurs.

Thanks for your responses and I will report back any other 'interesting' features of my GTS 250 as and when they arise.

Regards, Lawrence

what a complete pain in the arse i'm sorry to hear that you had such a hard time with your dealer, but good to hear that it's finally sorted.

Lawrence, thanks for the update on your situation. Welcome to Modern Vespa. I hope your dealings with your dealership are better in the future. I hope you're enjoying your GTS now that it is fixed.

Welcome to the board! I've found it really useful.

If you need a good(ish) garage in a central west direction, I've had a good experience with ET Scooters off Sloane Avenue. Gave me free advice, help and screws and a 'deal' on an exhaust. They seem passionate about it - they all ride them.