Modern Vespa

My tech says he researched the steering notching issue, and Piaggio, according to him, says they have NO warrantee claims on this issue.
As if it doesn't exist. This seems crazy.
Has anyone had this issue covered UNDER WARRANTEE? I am confused.

On the 500 or just the MP3?

Wayne B

I had three replacements under warranty (until my guinea-pig efforts resulted in *how* to do it rather than by the manual). Of course it's a well-known issue, and please name and shame any Piaggio 'spokesperson' who claims otherwise - as they are liars.

On any MP3. I cannot fathom such a statement from Piaggio, when this has not been a rare thing on this forum alone. Are we all hallucinating?
The only way it could be possible would be if it always happened out of warrantee ( as mine would be if it happened now).
I did recall Jim had 3 issues, and I thought they were under warrantee, so I am glad to hear that confirmed.
Anyone else?

Had mine done under warrenty only last month.

Mine was out of warrenty when done, but Piaggio paid for the bearings. I was also told by my dealer that Piaggio said that this was not considered a serious or frequent re occurring problem on these bikes.
I was also told that Piaggio monitored these forums, but apparently this was also BS.
Might be time for a class action suit.

Give me a fucking break. Why are Americans so fucking sue happy? Oh, I got a hang nail opening a package, lets sue

How many people on this board have had their steering bearings replaced? One or two dozen?

They have figured out the problem and seemed to have fixed it.

I bought a 2 year extended warranty because this was a new bike and I wanted the insurance that problems would be covered. You had the same option when you bought your scooter.

Wayne B

Wayne B

I sent the following note to the local Vespa dealer and service where Loretta got her 625 mile service:

"... I am concerned about a couple of service topics I have been following in an online forum. The most notable is a severe problem that could occur - apparently likely to according to some - with the steering bearings due to lack of factory lubrication. Are you aware of this? Is there a Piaggio service bulletin or such on this? Here's a link with info I read, follow thru
to final postings: https://modernvespa.com/forum/topic44951."

The answer I got back (I asked about a few issues):

"I could not find anything in my Piaggio technical bulletins regarding the other issues you asked about."

Skimpy response, to be sure. Before I send back to them I wanted to post here and pull this thread further.

So... if the 'notchy steering' is really that common, then a), there is no tech bulletin for the mechanics (bad), or b), there is and he has not seen it (also bad), or c), there is and he HAS seen it (worse). Clearly Piaggio is aware of this problem on several continents - do they really intend to handle this case by case? I have not had any problem yet but I almost feel like I should expect it.

A class action suit might get their attention but generally those suits just serve to enrich the law firms...

The lubrication isn't really a problem. They don't need much grease, as long as the little that is there stays there. Loads of extra grease in there helps to keep crap out, that's all.

The problem was lack of back-off of the lower locking rings at the factory, on *some* bikes, and the lower-mileage ones that are only now hitting 6000 miles or so after two years may be susceptible.

New MP3s *should* be relatively trouble-free - but it you hit a deep pot-hole or high kerb with some force you can easily damage otherwise good bearings. So my bet is that probably half the ones needing replacement were caused by the over-tightening, and the rest (and maybe all new cases on more recently built MP3s) are down to 'hard knocks'. That's just a reasoned guess though.

Thanks, Jim. As I understood it from the original posts I read it was a lack of lubrication and tightening of the retainers, but in any case if there were a tech bulletin he should have been aware of it. I will pass this along to the service guy and hope it picques his interest a smidge more than what has been shown so far!

FWIW I have not noticed any steering issues at all and Loretta sure qualifies as 'lower-mileage', but I am remaining sensitive to it and watching out.

If they have fixed the problem, more power to them. But if they haven't and they keep denying there is a problem then a lawsuit may be the only way to get these problems fixed. It is not about money. It is about the inconvenience of something not being done right and their responsibility to consumers.
You don't know me and you don't have any idea what options I may or may not have had when I bought my scooter. An extended warranty would not have paid for me not having the use of my scooter for a month and a half.
I respect the opinions of others, but you don't have to be an absolute dick when you give your opinion on a subject. Agree or disagree, some ribbing or a dig here and there are acceptable. Sorry I am getting off subject.
JimC, I have been thinking about my steering bearing problem. You said that hitting a high kerb or a pot hole could possibly cause the bearing to fail. There was a lot of road construction in the area I was riding frequently before the problem arose. There were a lot of those big steel plates used to cover holes in the roadway. Do you think running over these time after time could have caused this problem?
If so I may just owe Piaggio an apology for blaming it on them. It still shouldn't have taken so long to fix, but that wouldn't have been their fault.
If they have the problem fixed and no one else brings it up on this forum then I also have to apologize to Wayne B for getting his knickers in a twist by suggesting that any action be taken to get the problem resolved for every one.

Jagony,

The reason I went off is because your first reaction was "Class Action Suit" and you don't even have the problem

Wayne B

Yes, of course. As it might with any bike. Smaller-engineered (not necessarily smaller wheeled) bikes will be particularly vulnerable. There is a long-lasting 'taste in the mouth' that Piaggio steering bearings are made out of cheese. Not an opinion held here, the bearings are top-quality, and I put some of the blame on some of the production workers at the factory. Some other steering bearing failures are due to unusual stresses applied while riding.

That said, X9 bearings used to go with monotonous regularity at 18,000 miles (all models), regardless of age. Stopped after 2005. Work that one out...

Harsh words, Wayne. There's nothing wrong with US class action suits when it's used to cattle-prod corporations into behaving.

I would love it if companies in the UK/Europe were as scared of being sued as they are in the states.

Currently, UK/European corps, companies and even smaller businesses feel free to do you up the behind with impunity because they know you are pretty much powerless to do anything about it.

For example, when Sony introduced CDs that were unplayable and introduced viruses on some people's PCs in the states folks got together, sued Sony, got their money back and forced them to change what they were doing.

What happened in the UK over that very same issue? A half-hearted internet campaign and moaning session which resulted in nothing.

Bring on the lawyers! (but not the ones that helped Sony sue a 12-year-olds family into the dust for her 'copyright infringement').

Well, this post has gone adrift, but from the results it seems very few, around here at least, have had claims for this issue under warrantee.

Still, there have been a few, which is more than Piaggio seems to be admitting to.

I assume the others ( and I am curious how many of them there really are) must have had the work done on their own (ouch!).

Head bearings on my MP3 500 have been fine for all 8000 miles that I've had it for. Mine was also one of the first imported into the UK, so has been subject to a lot of gremlins, but head bearings has not been one of them.

Are you SURE it is the head bearings? Sometimes, a flap of plastic near the suspension catches and makes it 'notch', right in the middle of steering, and very similar to head bearing notchiness.

Here's a pic to illustrate:


This is the air duct from the fan at the front of the Fuoco - you can see quite clearly that I've had to cut the plastic flaps down to stop the arm interfering and causing what I thought was head bearning notchiness. Please check this on your bike also.

If it is head bearings, just what JimC said - name and shame, they are feeding you a line.


[cracks fingers] They are, hence the Health and Safety brigade and ambulance chasers that you always see on the TV.

A suing culture is what we have to thank for the way things are today. 50 years ago, if someone tripped on the pavement, they got a clip round the back of the head and told to watch where they were walking. Now, they get awarded £10,000 from an already stretched council, and apologised to over and again for something that was in essence, borne out of their own inability to walk in a straight line and avoid obstacles.

Our reliance on third parties and the 'magic' that goes on behind the scenes is all too sickening these days. We are becoming a race of lazy sods, harbouring a blame culture because we're not big enough to agree that we should take more responsibility.

Well said Wayne.

It's not the first line of action though. Do you not get this, it is the LAST RESORT.

Wayne B

Take it down a notch, gentlemen.

Had to take my 500 in for a this. Took two trips for them to realize what the problem was and it was an easy enough fix.

All seems well now though.

I've had this - but with my X9 500. The dealer (who replaced the head bearing at a cost of GB£30 (around $50) says that he only sees this as an issue based on where the riders are normally based. All the road maintenance is undertaken by the indivisual county maintenance teams. As such, he's dentified those counties that - well - simply donlt bother. Basically, their road maintenance and the surfaces the bike rides on is dreadful, and because of this the wear on the brearing is considerably more.

I think chasing Piaggio in the hope of a free replacement for what is fair wear and tear is a long shot - especially as is trying to hold them responsible for the maintenance (or lack of) of your local road network!