Modern Vespa

Okay, so we're still waiting for the dealer to finish windscreen and top case installation on the wife's 500. Meanwhile, I'm riding mine to work most days (though still have less than 100 miles on the bike) and getting to know the MP3 as best I can through experience and reading this forum.

One thing that's been bugging me on my bike is the remote seat release and I wanted to see if there's something I'm doing wrong. It seems like after sitting overnight, I cannot get the remote key fob to open the seat lock unless I first turn on ignition to juice up the electrical system. Then when I turn the ignition off and remove the key, the remote seat lock release works fine...and continues to throughout the day (at lunch, in the evening when I get home, etc.). But...next morning I go out to grab my reflective belt and parking pass and it's dead again--until I restart the electrical system.

Does this sound at all normal? Is there anything you can think of that might be causing an anomaly like this on a brand new bike? It did just occur to me that our dealer told me/us to use the key only to turn off the bike--leave the engine RUN/OFF switch at the RUN position. Could this be causing a sneak power drain somewhere? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

no the run/off switch will no cause a power drain. If you look at the dash you should see a red led blinking, when that stops blinking the scoot goes into a hibernate mode and to reactivate you need to cycle the key in the ignition. this is to prevent excess drain on the Battery.

Mine normally does this after two days. The reason it does it is referenced in the manual.

D'oh...of COURSE it was in the manual! I'm still wading/jumping sporadically through mine rather slowly (used it last night for help about adjusting preload tension on the shocks)...but I haven't come across this part yet. I'll keep looking--thanks to you and 'old as dirt' for putting my concerns to rest rather quickly and definitively!

No worries, but whom ever sold the scoots to you should have gone over this with you.

here is some more lite reading for you wildblue. The service manual. http://www.scootermanuals.us/manuals/Gilera%20Fuoco/index.htm

I downloaded it to my adobe so I don't have to go back and relook it up .

Hmm...it's in the manual, but now you find it...figures you wear bars...

If you even get put in charge of some AFSC 462s or 463s, let them keep reading their manuals!

I'm starting to get the sense that there is a LOT that our dealer could have covered that they didn't...but it's a new Vespa dealer that primarily sells cars so this scooter business seems more like a side venture than a primary revenue stream for them.

@ old as dirt--I downloaded all the referenced manuals and PDFs for future reference..."lite reading" indeed!

@ rjeffb--I left my bars behind me a LOOOOONG time ago, but that's still no excuse to stop reading the manuals so I'll be trying to find some time this weekend to soak up all the stock information in the manual and service brochures mentioned earlier.

Thanks all!

they don't have those shred outs any more. The AF went to a weird way like the army style.

Have you given any thought to using a Battery Tender? I expect you're familiar with them and considering the benefits they provide they're well worth the money. I use one on Red Dog and it's dead simple; just plug it into the auxillary outlet under the seat, then let the seat rest gently on the cord without closing the seat latch. When it's time to ride the battery's always up to speed fully charged.

LL75

Funny you mention this; I bought two battery tenders this weekend, a Duracell and a Peak unit. Both have the 12V adapters that go into the aux outlet under the seat. Funny thing is that it was actually surprisingly difficult to find a battery tender with this type of connection. All the others we could find at auto or motorcyle parts dealers in the local area (2 motorcycle shops, a Harley dealer, then O'Reilley's, Advance, and AutoZone autoparts stores) had alligator clips and spades for permanent attachment, but no 12V adapters for a socket connection.

However, the Duracell charger says in the fine print that you should unhook the tender when the battery was fully charged, thus eliminating the "set-it-and-forget-it" aspect that I was really looking for. I may return the Duracell unit just for this reason alone; I haven't opened the Peak unit yet to see if it advises similarly.

What do you use for your battery tender--do you leave it hooked up all the time or only use it sporadically?

Just found this thread cuz I was having the same issue.

Thanks for the answers - belated I know!

I figured it was that because once the red immobilizer light stopped flashing was when the fob stopped working.

I checked my manual, you said overnight the immoblizer cuts out, that's not according to the manual this time spand should be 48 hrs. When you first look at the control panel is the LED flashing or is it out? If it's flashing a code there may be a fault that your dealer needs to check. Pg 58 in my manual under the heading Immobilizer device LED. I do not know if he can reset the timer back to 48 hrs, but ask him

you have this a little off. If the scoot is not running key off and out of the ignition the led flashes for up to 48 hrs. Some quit after 24 or 30 hrs. The flashing at this point is ok and the key fob will work to open the seat. When the flashing stops then the key fob will not work until you recycle the key in the iginition and turn it to the on position then back off.

The flashing your referring to is the code it sends out if there is a fault when the key is on and not running.

That's an interesting point, mine shuts down even with the key in the ing (48 hrs), to open the seat or pet carrier (i love that ) I have to turn my key on and take it out of the ing, if I just take the key out without turning it on first , I can't work a thing. There must be slight changes from model to model

just leaving the key in does not keep it activated you need to cycle the ignition on then off to reset the time function of the system. They all work this way.

interesting the level of eletroics these thing have, very cool

Hi check your message folder for a PM