Modern Vespa

Howdy! My wife rides a BV500 and I ride a Yamaha motorcycle. She usually logs about 8000 miles a year or so and loves to tour.

The super scoot is only 2 years old and recently blew both fork seals. I have already replaced them, but I am curious if this happens regulary with Piaggio scoots?

I have already gone round and round with this scooter over the fuel pump issue that caused stalls. With that finally fixed I encountered this. I have never seen fork seals blow on a 2 year old bike before. I figured with some of the old scooter mechanics on here I could get some interesting input.

Sorry Wes, the best I could find for you was a penguin with forks. I'll keep looking for a seal with forks... Hang in there, buddy.

Hopefully, someone with more constructive advice will show up soon.

Welcome to the forum, by the way...

Thanks for the welcome. I like this forum as it has helped me with the BV several times. I have to keep the wife riding. Having a spouse who likes to ride is great. Before I used to feel guilty leaving her at home when I went on new adventures. Now the only problem is she has a heavy hand on the throttle.

I used to blow the fork seals on my R80 regularly.

The solution was to install fork gaiters. After I put the gaiters on, I never needed to replace a fork seal, despite racking up big miles.

Just a suggestion.

P.

Yeah, that should work!

I think I need more coffee, or less coffee, one or the other.

The BV has covers over the forks and the wiper seals look perfect. I was just curious if Piaggio/Aprilla/Vespa had the same problem. My wife has the only BV I have ever seen so I have no one to compare it to.

Thanks for the idea.

Not that I am aware of. I haven't seen the issue reported in an of the forums that discuss these bikes as a regular occurrence.

Hi Wes,

This is the first I've heard of either the big BV or Beo needing fork seal replacements. For that matter this is the first I've heard of any front fork problems. Hopefully just a fluke thing. I hope it is anyway since I have an 07 and I don't relsih the thought of yanking those 41mm forks apart.
Anyway the fuel pump issue has been known for a while and I still can't understand why they won't simply own up to it and fix the bikes if and when they present with the classic symptoms. For that matter just add $3.00 to the price and make them right in the first place. I hope things go better for you from here on out with you BV.

Maybe she does too many Endo stopping.

I know she likes to wheelie but hasn't learned stoppies yet.

Two years does sound early for fork seals, especially if the scoot was ridden nearly every day. However if you lay it up for say two to three months in the winter, the chrome on the fork tubes can start to pit - and if not carefully cleaned before next use will tear the seals slightly.

I like your thinking, Cattle!

Google an image search for blown seal... too funny.

Wes,
I've not come across any notices about blown fork seals either. Have you tried the Yahoo Beverly Group? They are devoted to just that bike.
-Arjen

I Googled blown seal myself and only got porn sites with bald black men.

I don't think those sites will have the correct solution for the scooter, though.

I don't know. I think you have to watch them all, review in slo-mo zoom lense, with the drapes/blinds tight. Then solutions to the scooter will... never mind lost my train of thought. Picture in picture is not a time saving device.

Has the scooter been hauled......as in, on a trailer or in a truck.......with the front suspension fully compressed?

fried okra

No, I think I just got a set of seals that weren't that great as no one else has had the problem.

The fork protectors need removing (difficult to get at self tapper on the inside), they are rust protectors, the stanchions will pit with rust if not cleaned and the seals will get damaged, I took mine off today on a 2 year old bike, just in time to save them and grease up the area.

howdy, actually , I also had that problem with the fork seals after only a few thousand miles. I had put it down to twistin the bar hard to re-center it. it took several weeks to get the seal from Italy but found out later that there were ones available locally that would have worked. I had 0ver 300 bucks in those seals when all was said and done.

it seems to be a weakness of that machine.

lotsa miles and smiles to ya
ken