Modern Vespa

What purpose do the black, plastic covers above the glovebox serve?

They are commonly called knee guards so I suppose that was their intended purpose.

i think their purpose is to allow access to the coolant reservoir and electrics.

The cavity behind the left knee pad is relatively empty but has a connector for an alarm (which would fit in that cavity). Many have made use of the connector to power electrical components and for converting the blinkers into running lights. I also split the Stebel horn and put the compressor in there. Some have purchased and aftermarket kneepad from www.scooterwest.com to that has a cigarette lighter on it for charging portable devices (phones, GPS, cameras, ...)

The right kneepad provides access to the radiator coolant. Not much room left on that side.

Scooterwest also has other color replacement kneepads and some have replaced them to match other scooter components.

You remove the cover with a screwdiver. Worth taking a look in there, you can't hurt anything by simply taking off the covers and looking.
Best
Miguel

ive replaced my black ones with stainless steel ones

Thanks, everyone.

I was checking out those steel ones. They looks quite a bit better.

1+ Thumbs up...very through explanation Miguel! But you may have missed one important thing that I like to mention to everyone who pops open any panel, cover, etc. After doing all of that and before buttoning it up..."gaze in wonderment at what is in front of you...even if it's a bunch of wires that you know nothing about!"...which accurately describes me!

Oh...but at least I get the dust brush or compressed air and clean it out!

TB, Thx for the thumbs up.

Who sells the stainless ones?

I'd love to find one painted P. Green to match the color of my GTV. I see no aesthetic reason for them to be any other color. I may ultimately paint them.

Best
Miguel

I've had brown glove box tops for nearly the entire two years I've had my GTV. I added a garage door button, the Piaggio alarm, and the 12v socket (before it was availible already installed in it) to the left side one. Unfortunately in the intense Colorado sun nearly every day, all the red is starting to fade out of them, so they're turning a bit greenish. It looks a little odd. Almost rather have the black ones back on.

I do still have the original black pair. I'm considering possibly painting them. Brown, if I can find the right shade, or ivory to match the bike itself (I already have a perfectly matchin Krylon color), though it's quite possible I'd need to do that repeatedly, as the sun fades everything around here after a while. To those of you who've got the steel ones... do you think they could stand up to a drill press? I'd want to install all my little accessories into the left side one.

On GTS models with ABS (not available in the US), the space behind the left kneepad is filled with a tangle of pipes that only a plumber from the movie Brazil could love.

Good point, I'd forgotten aout the ABS. I guess that means you can't have an alarm on the ABS version?

Best
Miguel

Skewwer,

Where'd you get your steel ones?

Not sure, really. Haven't seen it up close.

Here's a picture:

i got my stainless ones from s.i.p scooters,germany,