Destroyer of Worlds
LML Star 125, Vespa GT200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2011
Location: London, United Kingdom
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TrafficJammer wrote: Welcome cwnation!
Pearls of Wisdom for Newbie Modern Vespa Members - Updated October, 2009
The following is a compilation of advice to newbies from many Modern Vespa members both past and present - too numerous to mention. This information is updated and added to as and when new things come up which are beneficial to new riders. If anyone has suggestions to help newbies, please speak up and your suggestions will be added!
We were all newbies to scootering at some point, so take this advice as offered ... Free of Charge and with the best of intentions from all of us at Modern Vespa!
Before You Ride:Take the MSF course (or equivalent) available in your area. For the USA see: http://www.msf-usa.org/ MSF has some invaluable links online: For Scooter School info see: http://www.msf-usa.org/scooterschool.cfm and for their riding tips booklet see: http://msf-usa.org/downloads/Scooter_tips-screen.pdf
For Canada see: http://safety-council.org/training/motorcycle-training-program/
For the UK see: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/RidingMotorcyclesAndMopeds/DG_4022430
Get yourself a copy of Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well by David Hough http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536 This is an excellent book!
Before getting on your scooter, practice moving it around with the engine off and then with the engine on. Be very careful not to hit the throttle by accident! I don't even touch the throttle handle when moving my scooter if the engine is on. I use the left handgrip and the seat handrail only.
Get on the scooter and get a feel for how the brakes work using different hand pressures.
Use the center stand all the time. It is much safer than the side stand (if your scooter has one). Learn how to put it on and take it off the center stand. There is a technique which is not nearly as difficult as some think. Even a 100 pound woman can easily master this. There are several videos on Youtube. All you need to do is balance your scooter and use your your own body weight to lift the scooter onto the center stand. No muscle and no back strain is involved if you do it right. I find this to be the best video: Don't try to put the scooter on the center stand while your engine is running. If you hit the throttle by accident, you could run over your own foot! (One of our members did that!)
Practice! Learn to ride on gravel, grass, sand, wet roads, in muddy conditions, on hills, in tight spaces. Pratice u-turns, tight circles (both directions), figure 8, backing up and practice covering brakes and using throttle at the same time ... (like using heel-toe in a car). Practice stopping quickly.
Dress for the crash, not the ride and ALWAYS wear a helmet!
If possible and practical for your location ... wear high visibility safety gear such as this: http://www.aerostich.com/hi-viz-advantages-2 Hi visibility gear can help save your life and perhaps save you from a lot of pain. Toreador Pants = All The Gear, All The Time!
Remember to apply the brakes before you hit the starter switch. Some newbies have posted that their engine won't start. Often, it is because they simply forgot to apply the brake.
Do not lose your red/brown key! Use the blue key for everyday use and put your red/brown key away in a safe place together with your keycode card. If you do lose your red/brown key or need spare keys for your scooter, contact Jimh (a sponsor here at MV) https://modernvespa.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4101
Don't drink alcoholic beverages before or during your ride. Riding Safety Tips:
Beware of sand or gravel on the road, mud, painted lines in the rain, railway tracks, wooden bridges, wet leaves, manhole covers, cattle grids, etc. All can be treacherous to a rider!
Never put your foot down (or leg out) when making a turn. It will not catch you in the event of a fall and you could do serious injury to yourself.
REMEMBER to cancel your turn signals after you've completed your turn! Leaving your turn signal on can confuse drivers and may end up causing you a lot of unnecessary grief. Just press in on the indicator button to cancel your signal. If you constantly forget to cancel your signal, you may want to get an audible turn signal alarm such as this one http://www.audicator.com/audicator.htm or you can do it less expensively for just a few dollars. Here is a great "how to" by one of our members (addicted) ... ALL: Loud Turn Signals Save Lives
Ride with your headlight on even during the day. A headlight helps make you more visible. You may also want to consider getting a headlight modulator such as this: https://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=2 ... many here swear by them.
The stock scooter horn on your Vespas is relatively insipid. Many members have chosen to install a Stebel air horn which tends to get people's attention better than the little "meep meep" of the stock horn. I have one on one of my LX's and am definitely impressed with the difference. The more you can do to make yourself more visible and more easily heard ... the better!
Just because you don't hear anyone or see anyone (in your mirrors), it doesn't mean they're not there; perform frequent shoulder checks!
If riding on the freeway makes you nervous, then don't do it! Scooters are not just a mode of transportation, they are supposed to be fun. So take your time and arrive safely!
Check your tire pressure regularly. Riding on tires which are under inflated can make your steering very sloppy ... not to mention dangerous.
Stay alert at all times. You are not driving a car, you are riding a scooter. You are very vulnerable and the shortest span of inattention could be painful and perhaps fatal. Always make yourself as visible to vehicles ahead of you as possible. Do not ride in their blind spots. The best and safest place to ride is in the tire track rather than the center of the lane. This is the cleanest part of the road with the best traction. If you can't see the side view mirror of the vehicle ahead of you, they can't see you! In addition, riding in the tire track provides you with the best possible escape route should you need to swerve to miss someone stopping too quickly.
Riding in the Rain:Recommend a full face or modular helmet. Open face helmets can be a problem in the rain as rain drops can really sting ... making riding unbearable and even dangerous! If you do have an open face helmet, make sure you carry a snap on face shield or goggles. RainX http://www.rainx.com/ is helpful in making the rain drops run off your windshield and face shield more effectively. The Vee-Wipe is also a handy little item to have. http://www.bobheathvisors.co.uk/accessories.html
Wear a high viz vest (over your jacket) http://www.aerostich.com/hi-viz-advantages-2 and make use of reflective tape/stickers http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/flashback/ on your helmet and on your scooter wherever possible!
If your riding jacket comes with a rain insert, keep it in with your scooter at all times. If not, get yourself some rain gear. (See above)
If you don't want the full body rain suit or pants, there are Vespa brand scooter aprons/skirts and other brands that will fit a Vespa. http://www.scooterskirts.com/
A full windshield is very helpful in the rain. It not only helps to increase visibility but it also helps keep you dryer than without a windshield. Some swear by them ... others, not so much. The choice is yours.
Handlebar muffs help a lot if riding in the rain or in cold weather on a regular basis. They will keep your hands dry and warm. There are a few products suitable for Vespa's such as http://www.hippohands.com/vespa_scooters.htm ... there are others as well.
Accelerate slowly and gently for best traction.
Good tires as well as proper tire pressure are critical if riding in the rain. Check your tire pressure and tire condition often!
Take care on turns. Approach your turns more slowly than normal.
Leave double the stopping distance between yourself and other vehicles.
Ride on the left or right hand side of the lane.
Avoid riding through puddles whenever possible and slow right down if you must ride through a puddle. You don't know if there are any hidden potholes under the surface of the water.
Whenever possible, avoid painted lines, manhole covers, cobblestone streets, drainage grates and wet leaves. All of these things have similar properties to ice when wet.
Watch where you put your feet at stops. Oily patches, mud, metal, road paint, sand, gravel, leaves and puddles can cause your foot to slip. Notes on Cagers (4 wheel vehicles):Ride as though you are invisible to cagers (car drivers) - because mostly, they really don't see you!
Stay out of cager's blind spots - unless you want to become road pizza. Be sure that they know you are behind or beside them. Many of us have been in a situation where a cager has not been aware of a scooter's presence and they will suddenly change lanes right on top of you!
Save your road rage. You won't win a fight with a 4 wheel vehicle. Even if they cut you off, take a deep breath, let it go and be on your way. Vespa Maintenance Advice:Read your Owner's Manual! You would be surprised how many answers to simple questions can be found in there. You would be even more surprised by how many people are too lazy to bother!
There are shop manuals available for your scooter. One of our moderators (Jim C) has kindly posted them on his own site at: http://manuals.wotmeworry.org.uk/Vespa/
Check your oil level frequently and change your oil often. The recommendations for oil change intervals are noted in your owner's manual.
Don't try to kick start your LX 125 or 150 (if your scooter has a kick starter) as you could incur possible crank case damage. This feature has been removed as of 2009/2010 though some 2009 models seem to still have it for some reason.
Learn to do the basics yourself. An oil change is pretty simple and there is a lot of "how to" info available on this site as well as on YouTube. Just search for it or if unable to find what you are looking for, post and ask if there are any "how to" posts for your particular project. One of the best (recent) videos I have seen (by one of our own members) is how to change the rear tire on a Vespa LX150: and how to change the oil too! &feature=related
Carry tools with you at all times. It is also recommended that you carry a tire puncture kit, spare bulbs, fuses and other small parts you can practically keep on hand. A headlamp bulb is hard to find at midnight and could prevent you from getting home.
Always double check what your mechanic has done. Check the oil level and other fluid levels, air pressure in your tires yourself. Look under the pet carrier and make sure no wires are sticking out in odd places. I got my scooter home after an oil change only to discover my mechanic had put in waaaay too much oil! Thankfully, I hadn't ridden more than about 10 miles. I also discovered that a tire shop had put in 75 Lbs. of pressure in a brand new rear tire and 69 Lbs. in the front. Bloody idiot! The point is, although in most cases, all will be well ... you just never know what someone else might do.
Don't overfill your fuel tank! This can cause hard starting problems. The method that seems to work best is to position the handle of the filler nozzle over the pet carrier as opposed to out to the side or from the back. Some pumps you have to pull up the collar, others you don't. If you use the correct position with the handle, though, and you keep the nozzle down into the filler neck as far as possible, you shouldn't experience any over-fill mishaps.
Don't apply your brakes going into a turn. Slow down before the turn. Applying your brakes going into a turn can be hazardous to your health! General Advice:If you have an accident, don't be embarrassed ... almost everyone has had a mishap at one time or another. Don't let fear take hold and prevent you from riding. Just like being thrown from a horse, the best advise is to get your scooter fixed and get back on the road as soon as possible!
If you filter to the front of traffic, give the cager driver an acknowledging nod. Mutual respect, goes a long way.
Don't leave a pressurized can or bottle of soda in the pet carrier. What can happen isn't pretty!
Tighten screws and bolts every few weeks religiously. They can vibrate loose.
Ride your own ride! Don't let the riding habits of others influence you to ride beyond your own capabilities and experience level.
Don't try to dry your wet gloves on a catalysed exhaust, they will melt/curl up/catch fire. Carry a spare pair instead.
If going touring, take a spare exhaust collar (for those that have them between downpipe and silencer [muffler]). They will always fail at the furthest point possible from a dealer that's open and who may have one in stock.
If going touring take along a spare belt. Almost any garage with an air-gun (impact-wrench) can change it for you.
Learn HOW your bike works, and how to identify the problems. You don't have to be a mechanical savante, but when you know what the problem is, you'll at least know what is needed to fix it and approximately how much it should cost. Knowledge is power! About Modern Vespa: I appreciate the contribution, but do you think you can post this in the Wiki and just link to it next time? I can help you do that if need be.
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but my wife has a new car, and i have a 72VW Bus. the golf was just sitting there.
Wow! I never knew half of this! thanks TrafficJammer!
