Modern Vespa

Maybe a silly question, but I'm just curious.

Are there many Vespa accessories that don't require some type of fitting to actually get onto the bike properly? Is there really such a thing as "bolt-on" when it comes to the modern ones?

Take my list of accessories for example.
--Front fender trim is almost bolt-on, but requires breaking and removing the reflectors.
--Faco front rack is probably the closest thing to bolt-on. I do like to put small circles of plastic between the bottom support cups and the legshield, or else it mars the paint. Not a permanent mounting, so I don't know if that counts.
--Mid-size screen seems bolt-on, although I did not install it myself. I did have to adjust it, when the dealer installed it incorrectly. So maybe bolt-on, but not idiot-proof.
--Piaggio alarm needs at least one hole drilled for the blinky light keyhole.
--Vespa rear crash bars were definately not bolt-on. Had to file down the pieces in the back to get them to fit, then whacked them together with a mallet.
--Backrest was mostly bolt-on, but took some fussing with to get it lined up correctly, and I ended up buying nicer hardware for it.
--Even the mudflap I just recieved needed bits to be cut from it to get it to fit.

I've gotten to the point that if a Vespa-specific accessory doesn't seem like it needs altering, I immediately wonder if something's wrong with it. Not a rant, just an observation. Everything I ever put on my old little Scarabeo fit extremely easily, except the jerry-rigged front rack I made for it.

Haven't you ever heard of "Fit at Assembly"

As my brother said..."it's fun to get your hands dirty"...I don't think so...I would prefer just a simple "plug and play".

Here's another one...I removed my reflectors and got those cover caps from Scooterwest. I had to ream out each hole to get them to fit...then again these may not be a Piaggio part so it doesn't count.

There's the floormat. It just sits in place. But you have to take it off all the time to clean under it if you don't want your floorboards all dinged up. Oh, and I just remembered: I had to trim off bits of it to get it to fit around the rear crashbar mounts.

Leg shield mirror.

That's all I could come up with.

at least, witch, you have the knowhow and manual dexterity to figure those things out and are able to make the modifications necessary. some people are just lost and don't even try themselves so good for you.

one would think that when they design these accessories they would test them to make sure they fit properly. unfortunately taking more art and technical classes out of the school curriculum doesn't help.

maybe someday i can design and sell some well thought out and tasteful accessories for vespas such as those dog leg levers that some have made.

Hah!...trimming that doesn't count...
(I installed mine without cutting )...

My son and my wife get a little worried when I install anything...if it doesn't fit...I end up saying, "I'll make it fit!" Then they scurry away and come back much later to see what damage I've done.

Heh, thanks. I've gotten most of the stuff on the scoot by myself. I also have an engineer for a boyfriend, when I really do get stumped on making Vespa stuff fit right. His belt sander was the only reason we got those crash bars on. I get the feeling I'll be paying for extra labor time when I need to go in for a service, if it's for something those bars have to come off for.

The rear crash bars have to come off to get the rear wheel off, i.e., every 3000 miles, for the new tire...

For a couple of years I used to be a surgical instrument repair specialist and had access to a mobile van that had a workshop in back...I know what you mean...the belt sander!!!...friend took over when I went back into sales and still have access to the power equip. if I need it...challenge to take something that doesn't fit quite well and we tweak it to make it work. Amazing what you can do with a vise, bending block, belt sander, grinder, bead blast, etc.

Which is easy to do once you've sanded the fucker down.


I had no issues putting rear crash bars on my friends Stella.

Witch, I know what you mean:
Vespa rear crash bars: didn't have an issue with the rear fit (thankfully) on the GTV but hated all the fiddly Dremel cutting needed to get the right had side to bolt on properly. Had the fit problem on the LX as well as the issue of trying to get the bars to fit with the rear rack.
Faco front rack: pretty much works as advertised. A wee bit concerned about the rubber bumpers rubbing the paint.
Mid size screen: quite disappointed, the installation was easy, but the screen is thinner than the original and just flaps around looking cheap at stops (even with some extra gasket material added in). Have a Vespa tall windscreen on order that I will probably wind up cutting down using the helpful tips found on MV.
Front fender trim: supposed to fit without removing the reflectors, but absolutely won't work that way -- need to find a suitable way to reattach the reflectors because I am concerned about visibility.
Front Chrome fork cover: what a pain to install with the front wheel in place; thankfully my wife's smaller hands were able to get into the tight places mine hands wouldn't go.
My understanding is that ScooterWest stopped carrying the front crash bars for the GTV because customers had such a hell of a time installing them. Sad because they discontinued them about a month before I wanted to buy them

Anyway, it's all part of the fun of it, I guess

Cheers

Not to piss in anyone's cheerios, but even with those descriptions, those are all bolt on.

It's not like you put on the cowl protectors then spent 4 hours reworking your air fuel mixture.

I think you're taking the term 'bolt on' too literally.

Maybe they should be called "wrestle-on." Most people assume that a bolt-on accessorie will simply bolt-on without modifications such as grinding down parts.

my upright back rest just bolted on as did my top box no prob