Modern Vespa

My wife (who is not a very experienced rider) has a LX 150. She is 5'4" and is kind of short legged. On the flat, she has a little trouble rocking the scooter off the stand - but can do it. If she is forced to park with the nose of the scooter pointing up a small incline, she can't rock it off the stand. Any suggestions for her dealing with getting her scooter off the stand?

I can't rock it off the stand (while seated on it) no matter how hard I try. I just hold the seat rail and the left handle and push it ever so gently forward ... letting the scooter lean into me. I haven't had any problems ... works for me! I am 5'2.

Yes, she should stand on the left hand side of the bike holding the back brake with her left hand. Her right hand should be on the rack or grabrail, and she should rock it forward and up, using her right hand.

Either that or she should straddle it, both feet on the ground, bum not on seat and bump it forward using both hands and upper body strength, again holding the rear brake. The rear brake will stop the scooter getting out of control as the rear hits the ground and stops the forward motion.

Even though I am 200lb and 6ft tall, I can also have some challenge getting my LX150 off the stand by straddling it and bumping it. It is easier for me to grab the left handle (keep a couple of fingers on the brake), and grab the left rear rail. I wear motorcycle boots and put my foot in front of the stand so that the scooter doesn't slide forwards. Be warned! If you try the foot idea with tennis shoes on, it can hurt!

Ooooh ... good catch there Doug! I forgot to mention that she needs to keep her hand on the brake!

Hurrah. Type II versus Type I heuristic reasoning....

Actually I'd better quit the vino and the smokes right now!

heuristic reasoning? Too much like math if you ask me! It is exactly for this reason that I would make a terrible computer programmer!

No need to quit having a good time ... you're on holiday! Take it easy, relax and leave the reasoning to others.

Oh no I'm back, but in the middle of a teaching marathon. Hence the red wine. And the smokes.

I do the foot thing M_H mentioned, the foot thing. My garage is smooth concrete. If I try to get the center stand off while mounted on the scooter in my garage, all I have accomplished is making a 1 foot chalk mark on the concrete.

I've never tried the foot thing with slippers, though I have never rode my scooter with slippers like 95% of moped & scooter here....yet. I guess if I had slippers I would step on the center stand and move the bike forward.

You remember Hopalong Cassidy and how he would get behind Topper, take a running start, jump up, putting his hands on Topper rump, vaulting into the saddle? Give it a try with the LX. The forward momentum should take it right of the stand. Oh man, I've gotta get out more.

So is this the famous Vespa bump & grind?

Bad idea with a top case. Hurts like a mofo when "the boys" hit the lid.

Thanks for all the responses. On my PX 150 I use the straddle/lean-forward method. I've tried the technique you guys recommend on her LX 150, but it took quite a bit of strength and the stand slides very easily. I'll hone the technique and show her how to do it. Thanks again.

The trick of rocking it off the stand (while seated on it) is to rather aggressively (not running palms on grips) whack it forward first and then "whip" it back.

TrafficJammer I have taught this to many under 5'5" gal's, go out there and prove me right and come back and report.

Best,
SDG

This works for me. When pushing off, try doing it a little off center, either left or right. This tends to put more weight on one, or the other, of the center stand's feet thereby increasing leverage. Forget about the Hoppy thing.

OK, I tried it David and it worked on the seventh try. However, my hands are now sore from whacking it forward, (arthritis don't cha know) ... so I think I will just stick to my own method which is really very simple, much less strenuous and nobody is likely to think I am abusing my scooter!

Well darn it anyway. Did I mention it works 4 out of 5 times? Arthritis isn't helping, so sorry to hear you have that going on in your hands.

No scoot abuse, good call.

Be good

SDG

This is what I usually do, because my garage floor is too slick to do the slide method (the bike just slides forward). Did you know you could do it carefully with flip flops on?

Put a side stand on it. Then you can use the center stand only when it's windy or on anywhere you don't think it will be stable. I have just the side stand on my LT and no problems for the past 3 yrs. I also have one on the LX and use it on a regular basis. Motorsportscooters sells them. Good luck.

I can get my heavier GT200 'bumped' off it's centerstand pretty easily on flat ground, but I've also struggled with it occasionally on a forward facing incline.

My solution? I try damn hard NOT to park on inclines (and usually succeed!). If it means I hafta walk a bit further for something after I get off the scoot, so be it.. 8)

Also I've found that grabbing the bars and rocking the scoot back and forth a few times while sitting on it can expedite a last huge lunge and handlebar push to get it back on the ground...

Judy is right on..use a sidestand..easy to install yourself. Just make sure scooter is on the flats or facing up the slope. Easy-breezy

+1

While straddling the scooter and hands on the grips, just tilt it so the weight shifts left or right (to whatever side you favor). Then a slight forward push will roll it off the centre stand with virtually no effort whatsoever.

I find it a lot easier to just do it standing on the left side, put my foot in front of the stand and push it forward. Even on flat, it's hard to get off its stand and I don't want to think about how it looks.

OK, this has been bugging me, but yes, the LX150 is way too hard to get off of the center stand.

Why is that?

I have to use the method described above:

hand on left (rear brake), left toe on the center stand lever to hold it still, right hand on the rear rack to pull forward.

Every one of my old vespas I can push off of the stand while sitting on it (or drive off of the stand since the rear tire hits the ground.)

My 500 pound motorcycle is WAY easier to get off of its center stand.

The LX150 is a piece of cake to put ONTO its stand using the lever action. Why did they design it so complicated to get off of the stand? I have a big problem with the stand sliding when I'm on smooth concrete as well.

I am 5'9" and I can get the bike off of the stand while sitting on it ONLY if I'm not on smooth pavement.

I see it as a pretty pitiful design when I've been riding much heavier motorcycles with zero problems before this.