Modern Vespa

So I downloaded all the service, part, and owners manuals for my 250 and I want to start tinkering by installing a few needed items, such as a garage door opener, but the manuals don't really walk you through which panels and screws to take off first.

I'm used to seeing tech manuals from cars, like Toyota, that basically treat the service tech like a 3 year old... which I sort of feel like with the MP3.

Anyway, I want to get behind the panels to see how much room there is and which wires I can tap 12V off of, etc. How are you guys doing it? I don't want to break tabs or anything just by poking around or misinterpreting the drawings.

Anybody have a step-by-step guide for taking off the plastic around the steering column??

Thanks in advance,
Peter

Breaking tabs is a given. I don't know how anyone who didn't learn to do it in the factory could possibly not break tabs. Thank god for the screws, or there would be nothing holding my bike together

And then that said - be doubly careful to make sure you track and document where those screws went and which ones went where. Alrwady seen a couple of threads folks saying they had leftovers after....
regards,
Jon

I'm mostly concerned with trying to understand which panel or screws come out first? The drawings don't show sequence in order to get at something.

Well on my 400 you take the front "V" shaped piece that has the Piaggio badge. then you remove the windshield, then the black cover that's under that. If you want to remove the fairing remove the black fenders that have the front turn signals, then the fairing.
Hope that wasn't too generic.
regards,
Jon

There have been a couple of threads with instructions on how to remove a few panels. Not for the 250 IIRC. My 500 has been very easyt to disassemble/reassemble. It's pretty common sense stuff with no hidden screws or snaps, at least so far.

And the only broken tab I've had was the one that the dealer broke.

I didn't get much help from the manuals either. I just spent a few afternoons slowly figuring out how to take the thing apart. It's not too hard to tell what's ready to come off and what still has something holding it in place if you use a gentle touch.

After two afternoons I'd figured out enough to allow me to run the power wire for my GPS mount down through the handlebars, behind the fairing, along the side, and right into the battery case.

Only had two screws left over, which after a short panic session I realized belonged to the battery cover that I hadn't yet reattached

That's how I reduce weight on my machine!

BTW, glad to see you guys made it home. That's a looong ride.