Modern Vespa

hi all -
so i am going to run a new harness - i mistakingly said before i was switching to 12v -- but as it turns out the harness i got is still 6v but get s rid of battery and has 2 new coils(?) for stator to give good power.
so 1st any good tips on how to proceed?
2nd he told me to wire it like a sprint/super and i have diagrams but i'm not sure where to start ....?
i have a good friend who's helping me along with this who has elec. experience so at least im not totally up sh** creek!!
so any help , links , tips or mumbled wellwishes /prayers happily accepted!!
thx , the Falcon

what on earth are you on about?

Your SS, stock, has a 6 volt points based system...load balanced, and exactly like the US-spec non-battery sprint.

It's exactly what i run in my SS180 and my GS160's.

Why do you want to change it?

If i were you i'd be more inclined to make the existing electrics work than be in a hurry to pull a new harness. That's one of the most annoying bike surgeries to have to do, unless you've got it stripped down to parts.

eric -
it was from france ... it has battery///
all the plastic coating of wires is cracked and i have a short so i am replacing harness with the one you are talking about.
i'm sorry if my terminology is incorrect please bear with me -( remember i am noob)
i am asking really for tips in doing the job - i cant find any posts explaining order of job. if you have time i would really appreciate any advice.
i really think i should change it because all the wiring is so cracked (the bike sat in the sun alot .)and i keep blowing fuses if i have battery in bike- also if i run it without battery and start to rev up its starts popping or backfiring a little--it seems like a short to ground ?i really dont know how else to approach it...

any way thanks and please excuse my stupidity as i am trying to learn and doing my best to explain things.
~~~ the Falcon

Wow..a noob with an SS180...very adventurous!

Very rare model to have a battery in a GS. On these models, the magneto would power the headlamp and taillight and the battery powered the brake light, horn, and added power for the spark. I do not think SS's ever had a battery as Eric mentioned.

I think in the long run, a non battery scoot is the best set up and the correct set up. Eric knows his shit about GS's and SS's in and out so just do whatever he says.

Cheers and good luck!

yes i am a noob at working on vespas but i have ridden two powered wheels since the age of 12 (i am, 42 now)and always tried to do as much of my own work as well... so i dont feel too adventurous just need help of you people who know your shit to make my like easier and make sure i do right by this beautiful scoot! i will go to my friends house where i am working on bike ( i would get no where without his help sometimes !Big Up Terry)) and take pic of system so you can see what i am seeing.

I Really Appreciate your help - all of you - thanks alot ~

the Falcon

OK.... here's your situation. Because of your current setup, you have a couple options:

1) Buy a US-spec SS180 wiring harness for a points based bike, like that of a sprint. You'll need to buy a new horn, a new handlebar switch, a new brakelight switch, a new wiring harness, and new coils for you stator. At the end, you'll have a 6v points system that you'll have to make sure all bulbs are installed and working ( or else you'll pop other bulbs )...and you'll have a setup that's ultimately incorrect for your relatively rare and collectible bike.

2) Buy a Euro-spec SS180 battery harness for your bike. You won't need to buy ANYTHING else, because it's proper to the bike you've got. In the end, you'll have a battery in your SS180, which kinda blows because it's reliant on you having a functional rectifier, but in the end if you get everything working as it should your bike is probably worth some amount more because it's original. ( i forgot what you bike looks like, but i'm hoping you've kept it stock ) In the end you have a 6volt, battery setup.

3) As long as we're pulling harnesses, i might as well propose this little ditty. Pull a Scooterworks EIK harness, which is a single power wire regulated harness. It comes with the brake switch and handlebar switch you need. You then install 2 Bajaj 12v coils on your stator that have been wired in series for a single wire 12v lighting output. You run that into your regulator, and voila...you've got an SS180 running 12v lights, but is still points ignition. You'll need to buy a horn to install, since your current horn is DC and you'll need an AC one...but they sell AC versions of the clamshell horn if you wanted to go that route.


If it were my bike, and i were interested in keeping it period correct, i'd go Euro spec harness and run a battery. If it was already modified and resprayed and such, i'd probably go with #3.

On a GS160 mk1 restoration i'm doing for a buddy, he very much wants it to look original, but wants it to be modernized ...so i'm doing #3 for him.

Eric , you are the man ! i dont want to puff up your head , but you come through every time! i have been reading alot of old posts about problems and fixes and i notice you always give great advice< Kudos to you my friend~

i admit after careful reflection i feel a bit in over my head on this project and i am going to talk to Jeb @ Soundspeed today to see what he would charge me to do it. i want to get it back on the road as my front fork is all reassembled and seat is in last stages and i am afraid of getting in a mess...
looks to be a real Bitch to get wires to horn and maybe back brake ?

any advice or tips as to how to get the trouble spots? or would you be willing to tell me what order you would proceed with job? i am sure many people would find this info really useful as i cant find an article/post that is at all specific about what to do. (you were talking about a video help guide b4? great topic!)

well as always thanks and all the best to u ~~

the Falcon
PS - heres pic to refresh your memory-

To pull a harness you need to have the headset off, and the gas tank out ...

Figure out which end of the new harness goes to the headlight, and feed it up from the hole under the gas tank, through the chassis and up through the headset.

This gets hard right around the area where the brake pedal attaches to the center channel, as there's a reinforcing plate in there that restricts the hole to pass through cables to a little tiny area. I've used a cable inner fed through, and taped to the harness to pull it through....like fishtape.

you want the harness to come up on the side of the column lock - side of the fork.

I actually prefer to re-run old harnesses if they are in good shape ( like i did for my GS / SS ) because they are thin and slip through easily. It's the big harnesses that have been made lately, with tons of electrical tape balls on them and stuff...those are a pain in the ass to pull through.

I too had a bitch of a time getting the harness through the part of the channel Eric mentioned. It took me several evenings of pushing , pulling, cursing, throwing tools, and giving up for the night. I did finally get. For some reason, the SS is way harder than the 2 VNBs that I've done.

made the mistake of trying to pull the old harness out the headset...finally pulled it back out the tank area and got it out...now waiting to get conduit fishing line tape whatever from my buddy to fish the new one in..

I've been having really good luck using heavy string trimmer line for fishing wires and replacing cable outers. I may just be getting lucky but it has been working better than anything else I have tried. I use the "blue" size. (What can I say...it was laying around in the garage for a few years.)