Modern Vespa

I noticed last night after fitting some crash bars that the centre stand wasn't retracting fully.

The two aren't anywhere near each other so it wasn't the bars fouling it in any way.

It retracts to a point a couple of inches below where it used to do and looking at the forward facing feet, it's possible it's been doing it for a while and I just haven't noticed it. There's signs of the feet being scraped along the road, which is a bit worrying to say the least.

With my 60 yr old ears, a FF, and earplugs, I wouldn't have heard anything.

Anyway, the scoots still under warranty, but my dealer is 20 miles away, and there's no-one nearer.

I've read the threads on it and advice ranges from remove/clean/grease and refit the whole thing, to slackening off the main bolt a quarter of a turn and spray greasing all round, to just squirting it.

If it's best to remove it, I'll take it in.

I'll try the bolt/grease first.

If it's the bolt here it's a tight sucker but I'll have a go. Is this what I need to slacken off ? The thinking was it can tighten up after a while stopping the stand retracting fully.

Whatever, in future I'll be checking it's fully retracted before setting off

Well, I had a go anyway. Loosened off this nut a quarter turn, sprayed all round with grease - voila - back to normal

I think it's been happening a while as there's signs of it scraping the road, so another lesson learned, and one more for the pre-flight checks.

I clean/lube mine each time I change the oil. Also, a drop of oil on each spring-end where they are anchored to the pins.

I've noticed my centre stand getting sticky as well. Looks like it's time for a lube.

Yep just clean it and lube it.
The oil on the spring ends are only going to give dirt a place to cling.