Modern Vespa

Right, I need peoples opinion on this as i'm fairly cheesed off. Also, a warning, but lets wait for that.

2 weeks ago i came across a problem with my bike. Every time i braked, my engine would lurch until i had took my foot off the brake pedal. I did not notice that this was the problem until (yes, this is true), my cat sat on it when it was idling outside my window. I checked all the wiring to see if it was shorting out on the metal work, if i had loose connections, and nothing was shouting out to be wrong. During this i happened to shatter my back lamp lens after an anger incident with a screwdriver. I removed the lens to find that my light had blown.

Fair enough i thought.

Fast Forward 3 days; new bulb had arrived and had been fitted. Success! The braking problem had gone. Or so i thought. I went out to cannock chase on a Saturday drive following my dad in his vw bay window. Just as i was entering the visitor center, my bike backfired and i braked, and it lurched. My face mask covered most of my foul language as i rolled into the mud bath of which was the car park. I was 18 miles from my home with no brake light nor a rear brake that could function properly. With some struggle, i managed to fit my bike into the back of the van so i could get it home without to much trouble.

Right, now for the warning; My bike sat at home for a good few days as i tried to find a scooter specialist that would figure out this problem of mine as i only knew of one other place which last time i went there i had the most disappointing service of my life. It was a place in Dudley, i can't exactly remember the name. It was quite a big place, the main one for the area i thought would give a good service, oh god how i was disappointed.

Anyway

I found a scooter servicing unit at walsall called "WS9 Scooters". After a short conversation with them over the phone, he appeared to know what my problem was so i drove up to there using my front brake all the way. I left it there in hope that this would be a weekend job of just fitting a regulator to the coil to stop the power going too high for the bulb. My dad likes to keep updated on things like this so he phoned every two days to hassle them and try to get it done asap. One day when we phoned, we got some bad news that the regulator wasn't the reason for the power surges. The crankshaft had been bent part way down the casing and was catching the metalwork and slowing down causing a rise and fall in power. This would of gone down fine normally as its just something that happens right? The thing that got me was the fact that during may this year, i had the engine stripped and all worn parts replaced giving myself a decent engine, (or so I'd hoped). This was done by the first company i had gone to which didn't satisfy my expectations.

So basically, Should it of gone so quickly? Mind you that so far in my scootering life I've never been took off, collided with anything or had any mishap whatsoever?

no idea about your problem but it just concerns me that you seem to rely on the back brake and not the front when it should be the front brake that you use more than the back............

Moved to the Not So Modern forum.

Got a call off the repair shop. Apprently, the screws had never been took out the engine casing, and that they were still at factory tightness. Im now considering claiming the £600 I payed for the engine rebuild back or taking it to court.

I would be WAY more concerned if someone was relying on the front brake on a Vintage. Vintage scooters do not ride, handle, shift or stop anything like a modern scooter with adjustable shocks, cvt and disc brakes.

I don't have and suggestions for you however this is the most useful thing I have ever heard of a cat doing

so you think just the rear drum brake on a front and back drum brake is fine???

whatever

been doing this since early 80's, geared and auto i know sod all me........

I did not say or suggest that I think just the rear drum brake on a front and back drum brake is fine???

I am very puzzled as to your response. It is not something that I would suggest or condone. Would you agree that there is a vast difference between vintage front drum and modern disc? If not...why did they even bother making the change.

I think it is wonderful that you have been doing this since the early 80's, very good for you!

I do not understand, but I do not believe that I have any desire to"sod" you even if you do roll your eyes at me.

take it anyway you like mate..........

i didn't ask you to sod me....... you obviously didn't take the time to read my reply correctly <----- that's a wink

what i said was "i (that's me) know sod all"

a "sod" being a lump of earth (a lump of earth knows nothing)

therefore sarcasticly (an English trait) i was saying "you obviously think i know nothing when in point of fact i actually know a thing or two"

applying the front brake first in any braking situation moves the weight of the vehicle onto the front (steering) area and maintains grip where it is needed, directional control, i don't care what vehicle it is, a Ferrari California or a lambretta model A the principle is the same, relying totally on the rear brake is suicide.

what did you think when i said "sod"???? i'm really interested

......what on EARTH does this mean???????

........of course the modern front disc brake on a GTs is more powerful than the front drum brake on a vespa P range HOWEVER i would never suggest not using the front drum on a P range just because it wasn't a disc and rely TOTALLY on the rear DRUM alone, that would be stupidity, braking needs to be front first THEN rear, this moves the weight forward and aids grip at the steering end which is the way to go, unless of course your a speedway rider........

This means that cats.. in general...don't usually do a lot of useful things. Don't get me wrong...I like cats...I wish I could nap as much as they can

I think our conflict has arisen by the use of the word "rely". One should not "rely" on only the front or only the rear brakes. I agree with you as to braking technique and the concept of relying on both brakes.

Thank you for agreeing with me. Again...I think the problem is with the word "rely" Did I suggest that ONLY the rear brake be engaged? no..and i do not understand how this leap of "not relying on the front brake" has been made to the assumption that it is advocated to use ONLY the rear. If my statement let you to believe that then I am sincerly sorry that you misunderstood.


why are you winking at me?

to try and keep things light hearted

...anyway it seems the guy was charged for engine work that was never done

Ive alwayed used the rear brake as much as i can, as i feel 100% more confident as i don't like the feeling of the front of my bike dipping down as come to a halt. it makes me feel like im a SODDING idiot [/b]

That may be true on modern scooters bc they have better front suspension, old ones brake with the back first, the front is just to stabilize. Anyway it is more safe to brake with both, if the front locks you go down 99%.

hey Mr. O.P. I'd get a second opinion on the engine screws thing,,, just to be sure.

but if someone charged you money for a re-build and you can prove that NO rebuild occurred, I'd go after them...

as for the two guys who just argued over semantics for 5 replies before finally agreeing with each other,,, BRAVO.. that was funny.