Modern Vespa

So I just picked up my new GT 200 this past week. So far, I have about 100 miles on it and I absolutely love it. It is a bit of a project vehicle, but with just some very minor things. I knew that going into it, plus I got a really good deal on it.

I was hoping to get a little advice on a few things. First, the tires need to be replaced. Any recommendations?

Secondly, the scoot fell over a few times from the previous owner and so the paint is a little scratched. The dents are very minor and I think I'm just going to leave them, but I want to do something about the scratches. I've looked into painting them with touch up paint, which I've located for $9 a bottle, but I'm afraid it wont look right because there are so many scratches. So now I'm considering just designing some sweet custom decals to cover them up with, which I was considering doing any way. I'll probably get the paint regardless, because there are a few small spots on the top box that are scratches.

Can anyone tell me by looking at the photos if they think fixing the scratches with touch up paint is realistic. And if not, any decal ideas would be great! I'd like to do something Italian themed with green, white, and red that's very classy.

Thanks in advance!

Tyres Heidenau k66 for wet climates and K61s for drier climates.

I have a k61 on the rear and will put one on the front. There are many posts on this forum about tyres and the Heidenaus get a great reputation on the forum for extreme longevity and good grip. They are German made.

They can be hard to get and you may need to order them in. Its worth it though.

The problem with the scratches you have is that after they have started rusting, just covering them up with touch-up paint or stickers won't do anything to stop the corrosion. You'll have to sand, prime, and paint, and even then a non-professional job may not be enough.

On the other hand, professional bodywork on Vespas is quite expensive (I suspect several hundreds for the kind of damage you have) and by my own experience it may be worth waiting a bit, especially on a "project" scoot as you say this is, because dings on cowls just happen. And if they do, next time your insurance will pay.

I've used & like the Michelin Pilot Sport
and the Pirelli GTS 23 (front) & 24 (rear)

The Heidenaus are supposed to be better, but they're not as widely available
You'd probably need to order those from one of the site sponsors Personally, I think the touch up paint is a bad idea
(and I do have considerable experience with scratched cowls) Oooo! I like that plan
I would do decals on the topbox, too
That's made of plastic; it can't rust

About the scratches on the cowls:
It looks like I see scratches down to the metal and rusted metal
If so, I would spring for a professional to media blast & paint it
This is not urgent and will not be cheap

In the meantime, yess! get yourself some decals to distract from the damage
Many of mine came from the Graphics section of Harris Decals ( http://www.harrisdecals.com/graphics.asp )
They cut their designs in a variety of sizes & in a wide variety of interesting vinyls



However,
for completely custom designs, you might want to go with someone local

http://www.scootgraphics.com/welcome.htm

Haven't tried them myself, but have a large selection, cater to scoots.

Also:

http://www.reflectivedecals.com/

http://www.streetglo.net/