Modern Vespa

I have a newly purchased LX-150. It was only slight used and it now has 530 miles on. I rode to work and it was fine, I just rode back and the speedometer/odometer stopped working. The lights still work on the dash.

How do I figure out what is wrong? I am very far away from a Vespa dealer, so if this is an easy repair, I would like to do it myself.

A cursory look though the boards shows that there might be a cable problem -- it might have come unattached -- I can't find enough information or a how to.

Can anyone help. I've had the thing for a week and a a half and am disappointed, but I shall assume this is no big thing and that Vespa's need attention...

Thanks.

Jack

You should see a cable running to the left side/rear of the front wheel. It will look like it attaches to the hub. This is your speedo cable. (Don't confuse it with your brake line which is attached to the brake caliper).

Check to make sure it is attached/snug. This is not a normal thing to come loose, unless it has been tampered with (either mistakenly during a tyre change or if someone did it intentionally so that miles aren't racked up).

You can also check it at the headset where it attaches to the underside of your instrument panel, but that will require some disassembly of the bodywork.

Or it could just be premature failure of the cable itself... it happens.

Usually, though, speedo cables telegraph their imminent failure with a jumpy speedo needle.

At 530 miles?...

You rule!!!! I found it, it was hanging by what looks like a metal thread, I just slipped it back in and it works. Now the speedometer works again! Thank you!!!

So, is there anything I can do to secure it better so as to prevent this from happening again?

My first Vespa repair. I'm so proud.

If it's like the GTS it should go through a metal plate screwed into the hub. There should also be a metal tab with a rubber grommit holding it in position.


Harvey

If you put it on good it should be all right. My guess is your dealer didn't do a through check (prep) of the scooter before selling it to you. You could always bring it back to the dealer and have their mechanic go over it for you. I would tell them what happened. You paid for the prep. Good for you on your first fix

I didn't say it SHOULD fail... I said it COULD. Defective parts are manufactured all the time. Sometimes they barely make it off the dealer's lot.

So, it popped out again. I spoke to soon. And now, I can't get it to stay in or to get the speedo to work when it is in even briefly. I tested the cable, and its not the cable, it is entirely the result of me not getting the cable to remain in the hole on the hub.

So, what do I do? Part of the issue is that I don't know what holds the cable in place. Is it the wire bracket that is now bent out of shape? (What shape should it be?) is it the rubber gasket/nipple that the wire bracket seems to go into but wont stay in the groove? Or is is it the metal lip in two r three inches or so from the end of the cable that can move up and down with much effort?

If there were a vespa dealer near me, I would bring it in, but since I am many hours away from the nearest one and had to rent a u-haul truck and drive five hours to bring the scooter home, I may be on my own here.

(Hopefully, there is a picture attached.)

From the looks of the picture that wire hanger is at least part of what holds the cable in. Try to bend it back to shape. If you could take the hanger of and rework it so it will hold on to the cable than put the hanger back on.

Could someone with an LX 150 post a pic of their speedo cable showing how it is attached/secured to help out this dood?

There should be a rubber donut fitting on that wire. Undo the bolt, remove the metal plate and fit the speedo cable through, push it in as far as possible and tighten up the bolt.


Harvey

From memory - the small 'thing' with a hole and a bolt securing it to the fork should be up on the cable above one of the metal collars. That should be what secures the cable in the right spot.

This might be time for some imagination with a cable-tie as a new end-stop.

I just took a look at my et4 and it looks the same as your set up. I would loosen the bolt push the cable in and pivot the plate when you tighten up the bolt and it should stay in there locked on the end of the cable.

OK. I think I got it. That is basically what I did.

The metal collar is too far up the cable to be against the donut but it seems to be secure. If it comes out again, I may just get a hose clamp or something to act as a new collar, and to prevent sliding.

I was wary of undoing the bolt for the bracket because I didn't know what else was connected to it. But I will try that if necessary.

Being far away from a Vespa dealer complicates things but I will have to learn to be competent.

Thank you all of you for your help. It is nice to have a community.

I will post a pic of the scoot soon enough.

Thanks again!!

Having a similar issue myself; the cable itself is traveling to far down into the wheel hub (not the outer housing, it is secure) which in turn pulls it out up top from the speedometer disabling the speedometer itself.

I am able to unbolt the 10mm nut at the wheel hub and shove the cable back up into place (into speedo housing in the instrument panel) button it back up (at the wheel hub)and it works til the next stop. Where it attaches at the speedo itself is good and tight and after inspection the nylon interface looks good so it has to be something at the other end in the wheel hub itself....like another nylon deal on that end.

anybody got any hands on with this?