Modern Vespa

I'm always surprised that more folks don't just change their batteries every year. I guess part of the answer is that a large percentage of scooterists live in FL and Southern CA

I think most of them are in the Far East, and nowhere near the US. You are a 'small world' to yourselves, even though you valiantly went to the moon.

Exonic, good posts about the conductance meter and also suggestions about the voltmeter and ammeter. Thanks! Considering that the battery is the Achilles Heel of scooters, I'm always surprised that more folks don't just change their batteries every year. I guess part of the answer is that a large percentage of scooterists live in FL and Southern CA where they don't have seasonal issues with batteries. For the rest of us, it seems like the yearly battery change would be fairly cheap insurance against the miseries of battery failure... My $0.02. IMHO. YMMV. ATTATT.

changing it every year is crazy, and totally unnecessary, a battery in the worst environments should last at least 3 years

In my tiny world a standard wet lead-acid battery would be expected to last three years. Failure at two years is OK, failure after four years is a win. And that's assuming at least 10,000 miles a year, daily use, and no short journeys.

don't take this personnally but do you fill your car when it is 1/2 full to avoid running out or change the tires when there is still 1/2 the thread wear left to avoid punctures, eat between meals to avoid feeling hungry, throw half your fruit away to avoid having it rot and the possibly attract a fruit fly, wash things that are not dirty, repaint your car every two years to avoid rust, I hope you haven't been talking to your funeral director, or I might have to come around and dig you out ????

I don't get it, are you saying you walk around with a condom in case you might need it. that has to be a little uncomfortable and just a little too safe,

So do you drive them until they strand you for the purpose of saving money by putting off a battery purchase?

Jimc---is there a way to trouble shoot whether you have a bad "alternator"?---assuming scoots even have one.

Curious what the mechanism is in a scoot that charges the battery and how to determine if that's gone bad.

I'm having similar issues...

cheers.

In the USA, the AMA provides free MC and Car towing with their $39 membership (about $100 cheaper than going with the AAA plus RV option).

http://www.ama-cycle.org/