Modern Vespa

It just started about a month ago and it has gotten worse. When you steer either right or left of center you feel a hard spot almost like a "Detent" You really feel a resistance and kinda a bump like your going over a little cam, either right or left of center. After that the steering feels OK. Any Ideas before I pull the fork?

It sounds like the bearings to me, I'll bet they developed a flat spot. My guess is slow speed maneuvers are not as carefree as they used to be.

Dave

Your steering bearings need replacing. This can be a dangerous condition if not sorted soon.

Yeah- It's most likely the lower headset bearing. I just had mine replaced a couple of months ago. The top bearing was OK but it was replaced at the same time. Mine started at about 11K.

Bob

p.s. If you need the p/n I can get that for you. Not sure if the 250 is the same as the 200.

Ive kinda come to that conclusion, its just hard for me to think a bike with so few miles (8000) would develop a bad bearing. Beside the speedometer cable, which end of the brake line should I take loose? I think besides going the headset and handlebars those are the only two things to fish thru? Anyone got any pointers cause the repair manual lacks some detail

The one detail the repair manual has left out is that when torquing up the locking rings the lower ring should be backed off (I'd try 90 degrees) before the washer and upper ring are torqued down.

You may need to make a long drift to get the lower bearing shell out.

What was the delivery on the bearing? Did you go thru a dealer?

2-3 DAYS. I had Vespa of Cleveland (Miles Road) do the work. Perfect job. Not a scratch. Worth it in my mind to have a pro do this one. I'm at work right now - don't tell anyone I'm posting this during work hours 8) - but I can get you the number to the kit if you'd like this evening.

Bob

bob please email me that info

Well my son and I removed the headset and loosened the locknuts. The effect was better but you can feel the flat spot on the roller bearing. After getting it that far I'm a bit worried about actually dropping the fork. So tell me Jim how hard is it to get the roller bearing off the fork? Also if I take the brake line off the caliper, can it be fished thru the slot in the fender?

You often have to chisel the roller bearing race off the fork - but that's not the major problem. The real tussle is getting the bearing rings out of the outer steering tube. You may have to be inventive making 'the long drift', there is only about 0.5mm of surface to 'ping' on, and it will be just after a widening of the inside of the tube. It took me about three hours to make a satisfactory tool, two minutes to get the rings out first time round.

A good workshop can do the whole job in under half-an-hour. If you aren't happy about making tools etc, my advice would be to get the shop to do it. Do ask them if they know about the back-off of the lower ring though. To be fair, any decent m/c shop would do this by instinct.

Good advice Jim but 1/2 hour total is a bit optimistic. My shop charged 1.5 hours and I thought that was amazing! There's quite a bit of stuff that has to be removed and then replaced. I think Piaggio dealers have a specific drift tool to pop out the bearing race from the fork tube.

Bob

Piaggio have expensive model specific tools to extract the bearing rings. I've not met a dealer yet who has bought one. There are better ways...

OK, half an hour might be pushing it, but assuming they've got a decent bike lift it's not an OTT assumption. I've done it very lazily with copious liquid intake in well under an hour.

You guys have better beer over on your side of the pond- that must be the trick! My great grand parents were from SW London and we still have family over there. I'd like to make it over someday.

Bob