Modern Vespa

When the financial world is crumbeling around us, who wouldn`t mind saving a few bucks on service and maintenance?

This is my "fuel and drive" scootering program:

My Vespa GTS 250ie ABS has currently 11000km on the meter, this is what I`ve do so far in terms of upgrades & maintenace:

0 km PM Tuning exhaust and PM Tuning fuel injection module
4000 km Changed the terrible (slippery in the wet) original tyres
5000 km Top of oil
10500 km New injector, broke the old one
10800 km Oil and filter change, old oil was run through a NAS4 purifier and no larger particles detected. And no particles in the oilscreen.

In addition to this the scooter has been washed at least 4 times the last 2 years.

Scooter status:

Due to all year driving the scooter has some wear:
- A bit of rust on crome parts,
- Crome flaking from Vespa logo,
- Rust is starting to develop on nuts and bolts,
- A few spots of missing paint,
- Paint is flaking from variator cover due to aluminum corrosion
- Suspension feels soft, not very nice when the ABS kicks in
- Rear brake is starting to seize up, mainly because I rarly use it

The scooter is in very good working order and is used for commuting almost every day.
This is kind of impressive due to the fact that during the winter rather liberal amounts of salt water brine is used on the roads to keep it free of ice and snow.

Future work on the scooter includes:
- Air filter (springtime)
- PM Tuning transmission kit (spring)
- A wash to get the salt of the scoot (spring)
- Suspension upgrade (spring - full Bitubo set up)
- New tires (2000km?)

11400km Front and rear brake pads changed, 100% worn out.

An update here has been long overdue....

I drove the scoot without a speedo wire for 6 months so the kilometers are a bit of...

The scooter now has 13700km on the meter (real approx 16-17000kms).

Changed to a PM tuning Transmission kit - BIG improvment i acceleration!!
Changed the outer bearing on the rear axle, bearing was 100% worn out and missing balls.
Installed the PM Tuning db-killer, sound is still deep and thoaty but not as loud.

The brake system probably need an overhaul as it is starting to feel quite weak when braking.

The general apperance of the scooter is now a tad rough, and I`m curious to se the result of another (the 3rd) winter with salty roads here in Norway.
Paint is now really flaking of the variator cover and bolts and nuts have a brownish patina to them....
Riding is still fun although I now prefer to ride my -08 Ducati S4R when the weather allows, the Ducati will not be subject to the same maintenace neglect project as the Vespa.

You're very close to coming due for a new belt (and maybe rollers, too).

All included in the PM-Tuning kit.... the old belt and rollers were ok, the change was done only to get better performance.
I try to keep proactive maintenance to an absolute minimum here...

Time for a quick update.
The scoot now has 15 300km on the meter.

After a 2 month period in the garage the thing started on the first try!

Still no real mechanical issues, but the third winter with road salt is defenetly starting to show:

No paint left on the underside frame due to "sandblasting" from the front wheel.
Rust starting to appear in frame joints.
Heavy corrosion on engine casings & passenger footpegs.
All crome is starting to flake.
Suspension is gone.
PM-Tuning exhaust is starting to wear out in the joint between pipe and can.
Bearing on rear axle is starting to wear out again.
Plastic is becoming brittle and cracks are appearing close to screws.
ABS works but brakes are weak.

Spring has arrived in Norway and I mainly use my Ducati S4R for commuting, and I am thinking of doing a 100% overhaul on the scoot.

Crome parts has been removed and will be redone, hopefulle with a better quality than original.
Wheels, engine, stands, footpegs, suspension parts will be powder coated.
New suspension (bitubo?)
And of course new paint.
New brakes?

Hard to believe your scooter is so deteriorated with only a couple years' use and such low mileage. Must be the Norwegian climate!

My GT200 just turned 23,000 km and only the exhaust muffler paint is slightly worn off in the middle from sitting in the rain.

I guess most of the wear comes from salt... and lack of maintenance
But some of it has to be blamed on Vespa, I think it`s just not designed to be used in Norwegian winter conditions?

But I`m happy with the scoot and it has been a good tool so far.
It has NEVER let me down even in temperatures way below freezing (if i remember to charge the battery every now and then).

Hopefully a high quality overhaul will last for 4-5 years.

I wouldn't be so quick to point at Vespa. Even vehicles built to endure Scandinavian winter conditions have their share of maintenance issues!

The Vespa is still going strong... or strongish.

It now has 21 000km on the meter.

Today I changed out the original suspension for Bitubo, the scoot now feels almost as good as new
Put on a new rear tyre and new brake calipers as well.
Had to change the outer bearing on the rear axle for the second time, these seem to last as long as rear tires.

The PM-Tuning exhaust is starting to fail in the joint between the header and the can. It looks like the material used in the can is to soft and it has now a very loose fit, with a considerable exhaust leak as a result.

The wobbling has also become more annoying lately, maybe a bearing that is getting close to failing?

Anyhow, the scoot is now ready for a new winter.

Cool on the update and that the Vespa is still going strong. I was wondering if we were going to get another update this year. I'd say your doing pretty good for living in such a harsh environment. Be safe and have fun this winter. Would love to see some pics of your scoot in the winter riding. Hint,hint

Today the PM-Tuning exhaust fell off on the highway
I was doing 110 when the pipe came loose... the exhaust was still hanging from the rear mount but the front pipe were bouncing around
I managed to tie the pipe to the engine and limped home safely but rather noisy.

The pipe has parted from the flange, broken clean off in the weld.
Probably caused by me fixing the joint between the can and pipe in order to reduce leaks.

Well... have to fit the original exhaust tomorrow.
Hopefully the Lambda sensor is undamaged.

Hmm... if by "fixing the joint between the can and pipe" you mean you welded or otherwise immobilized the slip joint that is intended to be there, then -- yep -- you probably caused the problem. That joint is intended to isolate the pipe from any bouncing caused by road shocks, as well as to make the rear wheel easier to remove.

That is 100% correct...
The exhaust was worn to the point that a major leak in the joint needed tp be fixed somehow.
What i did was to grind two slots in the box end and use a hose clamp to fix it to the pin.

It really doesent matter, I`ll just use the original exhaust. The PM is getting binned.

A picture of what`s left of the flange, studs & nuts... not to promising

Removing the studs and nuts seems impossible, the scoot is getting it`s first visit to the local Vespa mechanic tomorrow.

There is a flexible joint because heat expands the exhaust pipe. And when it cools, it shrinks again. If there is not flexible joint something will broke for sure at some point.

*******

"HalvorV": It would be nice to see more pictures. Engine already looks terrible to me.

The engine only looks like that seen from below, the rest is in almost like new condition.
When the picture was taken the scoot had just been ridden so it`s still wet, it`s not an oil leak....
Basically I only wash the scoot once or twice during the winter... I`m conviced the dirt protect the scoot from wear and tear.

I`m now going to dremel off the "nuts" and see if i can get the flange off.
Hopefully I`ll be able to loosen the studs with a wise grip.

My faith in this is very limited to say the least... but I have to do something, I just hate to drive my Ducati in the weather we have now and bicycling for 20km each way to and from work is not very appealing either.

It looks like my Vespa adventure is getting close to an end...
Today i reserved a KTM 690 SMC R that are to be delivered early February.
http://www.ktm.com/supermoto/690-smc-r-eu/highlights.html

I will repair the exhaust and sell the scoot in the spring.
For the time being my Trek with studded tires will get me to and from work (20km one way), after a month or two I`ll be super fit!!!

It looks like my Vespa adventure is getting close to an end...
Today i reserved a KTM 690 SMC R that are to be delivered early February.
http://www.ktm.com/supermoto/690-smc-r-eu/highlights.html

I will repair the exhaust and sell the scoot in the spring.
For the time being my Trek with studded tires will get me to and from work (20km one way), after a month or two I`ll be super fit!!!

Someone is having a good and well maintained, low mileage used scooter soon. Maybe new owner comes here and wonder why Vespa is such poor quality.

Well...
Vespa IS poor quality, no question about that
When I sell stuff I`m honest about what state it is in and if the state of the scoot is reflected in the price, what could be the problem?

In Norway a low milage 2006 250 GTS will go for 35-40000NOK (5800-6600USD, a new 300 is 11300USD)
I guess mine will go on the market for half of that of a scoot in OK condition.

And hey! It has an unused original exhaust mounted soon, that has to count for something?

And suddenly it got sold... I didn`t even get to fix the exhaust, a DIYer was more than happy to deal with any issues the scoot had.

He`s happy and I´m happy.

Signing off..... I`ll be over at the KTM forums

It was fun following the progress!

Appalling thread

Good thread I agree.

11300USD sure seems to be a lot, at first. But if it is 2-3 months salary, it's reasonably priced, not expensive. (They earn a lot of money in Norway I've heard.)

I think this topic is a good example of the quality of the Vespa and how well it retains its value. Even if you neglect the maintenance and washing you could get some money when you sell the Vespa. Vespa may not be best when it comes to quality, but Vespa is well worth the money. Actually cheap compared to cars or motorcycles.

After KTM you can always buy a new Vespa. Vespa is a lot cheaper to keep than KTM, it is for sure. For sure KTM is fun too, but different kind of fun. Good luck.

What kind of terrain are you mostly riding on? I have 12 k and my brakes are sqeaking a little bit in the ealy morning. I keep putting it off inspecting the rear one. I need the special mirror ...

Good thread BTW. I definitely baby my scooter in some ways and neglect it in others. One way or another, they certainly keep us busy, don't they?

I suppose we've learnt that covering your metal and chrome scooter in salt and then leaving it that way strangely affects the metalwork. Also that modifying your scoot without really knowing a great deal about what you're doing tends to damage things. Oddly I've had my GT since 2003 and my GTS since 2008. They never get washed but I do ride in all weathers. I also rarely service them but I am beginning to feel guilty about this. One or the other scooter gets ridden every day and both function perfectly - go figure.

Partanen is not very far off here, Norwegians are Europes answer to Saudis (not quite but close enough)
I think the only reason it still had some value is because it is a Vespa, it might be crappy but it still has charm and classic good looks.

Max6200; I mostly used it in city traffic, lots of stop and go.
And being quite heavy build I probably need to brake harder than the average Vespa rider. Also it didn`t take long before the brakes calipers was suffering from corrosion as a result from this maybe the pads touched the discs more than than normal.

mike_bike_kite; I knew something had to give eventually, but I stuck to my initial plan of doing as little as possible and still have a running scooter.

Please feel free to use me as a bad example, It`ll be a real honour

I'll be the first to admit my plan was quite similar. I tend to smash up my motorbikes every 1/3 years (generally due to pilot error). This means I don't tend to bother with too much maintenance - it's also why I have more than 1 bike. Unfortunately my plan has gone a bit screwy with these scooters as I don't seem to crash them much - sure I've taken them for slides down the road but never anything serious. If I ignore petrol, oil, tyres, belts etc then I think my total maintenance budget for both is well below £200.

I'll admit I'm secretly dreaming of adding an LV exhaust, Dr Pulley sliders and a few big stickers to cover the dents but this desire is countered by the fact it seems silly to mess with a perfectly functioning scoot. All in all I've actually found them to be quite economical bikes to run.

If I were you I'd just get a standard scooter with a plastic shell (a Gillera Runner VX200 might suit or a Honda Sh300i). Then ask them to put on a stainless exhaust and coat any fasteners with gunk to keep the salt out. I'd also consider giving it a quick spray wash around the wheels etc on really salty days.

Have fun on the KTM though!

I probably would have kept the Vespa a bit longer had I not changed the place I work. I now ride on the motorway (90-100kmh) and lets face it, the Vespa is not perfect for this.

I`m well aware that the KTM SMC is no "autobahn cruise missile" but it`s much more stable than the scoot. Also, with the 17" wheels, the possibility to fit racing rain tires are a big plus.
And the bully in me really need a motard right now

I still have the Monster 796 for longer trips and nice weather (if we ever get that again)

As far as gunk goes, I´ll try the scottoiler gunk (http://www.scottoiler.com/uk/products/scottoiler-fs-365.html)

The GTS 250 has no problems doing 100kmh. None whatsoever. If you weren't able to maintain that, you were doing it wrong.

Hehe, no 100 is no problem I´ve even seen 140 on the speedo going downhill.

This does not mean that the Vespa behaves anywhere nearly as good as a motorcycle in these speeds.
I dare you to let go of the handlebars doing 100. The GTS is a inherently unstable design, which is übernice for scooting thru traffic but not desired (at least by me) at higher speeds.

Stability, brakes and all over safety margins are in a totally different league on a full size bike.

Stability I'd agree with - I wouldn't let go of the bars at 30mph. Also full size wheels are inherently more stable but look crap on a Vespa - they would also make the bike ponderous in the city where most Vespas are used. I actually think the braking is better on my GTS 250 than on most full size bikes but then you only use 50% of the available braking (you mentioned above you hardly ever use the rear brake). Braking on scooters really benefits from using both brakes as the weight transference isn't as noticeable on full size bikes so both wheels can supply a fair amount of braking force. I also feel that the contact patch is larger (when compared to the inertia it's trying to stop) compared to larger motorbikes. This is obviously a bit subjective but I often find I can out brake most larger bikes when riding "competitively" in town. YMMV

HalvorV, congrats. on the new ktm, i hope you have better luck than i did with that, you know ktm stands for "keeps takin money" and they do. i sold mine and got a husqvarna instead.

Brakes:
I have tested, full on white knuckle braking, the Vespa alongside the 796 which also has ABS. And not very suprisingly the Ducati wins hands down every time, from 90kmh the difference is scary. In the wet even more so...
The difference at lower speeds are of course not that big.

Dont get me wrong, the scooter is a great and even fun ride.
I have owned it now for 5yrs and have used it more than any of my other bikes...
But it is what it is, and thats a great thing about a Vespa. 100% pure scooter.

KTM has arrived, I`m currently breaking her in... 8)

Ooo that's nice, supermoto looks great on that. Must glide over bumps n speed humps.

Speedbumps? Sure you don`t mean launch ramps?

Perfect bikes for a cold Sunday ride:

Haha nah I meant speed bumps, I used to hit them at around the 100mph mark on a suped up yam DT, was very fun until on the way home I forgot I was on the r6....not nice

The answer is yes, speed bumps are absorbed silky smooth.
But can also be used as launch ramps