Modern Vespa

I have a new MP3 250 with about 61 miles. I pulled off at a scenic overlook to avoid some fellow riding my tail. Started to make a uturn out and the front right wheel looks to have gotten stuck in the wheel well so it was not touching the ground. I struggled to keep the bike upright. Were it not for a fellow nearby helping, I would have had not choice but to put the bike on its side. It took three people to get it on a truck. They said it took a minute to fix but gave no explanation as to the cause. Big mistake buying from a Harley dealer that says its also a Vespa dealership. If one of the front wheels aint' working, its a major struggle and if it goes out at speed, fughedaboutit! Thinking of going two wheels asap.

If going slow enough and off the throttle it is possible to bump the tilt lock and not realize it. However, if this was your situation the tilt lock switch could have corrected the problem. Would have to be either on the seat and single push of switch or off the seat and hit the switch twice. In either case the key would need to be on. I have known this to happen in dropping the bike or nearly dropping the bike.

It is possible this is what the dealer did. If not you and all of us too need to know what they did to fix it. In over two years on this forum I have not seen a report like this.

+1 what Fuzzy said. I believe the tilt lock was bumpt. I have done that accidentally a couple of times. It ain't hard.

Gentlemen: Thank you for the input. Who knows what i bumped. As i pulled off and with gloves, I was thinking about how I Wish the turn indicators were for easier to find then boom, the bike started to tip and even holding up a 250 was a struggle.!!

Yeah, it sounds like you hit the tilt lock switch, which is identical to the turn signal switch but on the other side. It happens-I once tried to honk the horn with my starter button.

Happened to me yesterday!

That's exactly what happened to me on the Dragon when I stopped on that curve you guys puled off on. Hairy!

I did not list names so I would not have to tell on myself.

You kidding? I would have been *screwed* had you not been there to help me get it up - trying to leverage a 500 lb bike up against a steeply banked turn with the damned wheel locked all wonky was scary shit.

Two days in bed because of hurting low back trying to keep this bike upright on a very steep incline. It took three people just to push it up the ramp of a truck and keep it upright just rolling down a hill to the truck.. My hand was no where near the tilt control although I really hope that was what happened otherwise this thing now has me spooked. Anyone interested in a 250 with 61 miles?

Before you throw in the towel, let's talk this over. First of all, is there any doubt that the front wheels got locked up in an uneven position? It either got locked up accidentally or there was a malfunction. You will have to decide for yourself if you could have done something to mistakenly hit that switch. If you stop really abruptly, your hand will bump the switch. As has been noted, it is not that hard to do. Beyond that, if you unload that pretty, brand new MP3, you'll take a financial beating besides missing out on a lot of fun. So, before you do, go back to the dealer. Find out if all they did was unlock the tilt lock as described by Fuzzy above. If you still have doubts, ask them to check over the tilt mechanism. If there's something wrong, you might get it fixed under warranty. If there's nothing wrong, you'll have spent a few bucks. If you spend a few dollars to find out that it is just fine, you'll still have it. Better than losing money on it by being too quick to sell it. Right now you're probably sore and tired and pissed and embarassed at having so much trouble with something you were so looking forward to owning. And every time you look at that thing, you're reminded all over again. Slow down a little bit and this may be salvageable. If you hang on to it, you may take a while to trust it again, but in the long run, you'll come out ahead.

Well said Dave.

Thanks Dave for the very helpful and supportive post to you and all that weighed in. Yes, sore, tired and embarrassed but I will step away for awhile then maybe also talk with Piaggio if I can get their attention. I had just ordered Gavi Topbox, LV muffler and other gadgets.

I know just how this guy feels. I too was ready to give up after dropping mine twice, in my driveway and in the street in front of my driveway. BUT, I let my hand heal some and tried again. I have ridden 2 times since that happened and I now know what to do to avoid that kind of situation again (at least that is what I am hoping.) So, I would say get back on that puppy and try again. Making a little wider turn would not hurt either (it's something I have to work on).

There are threads here about motorcycle safety courses, instructional DVD's and books about riding. Ain't no shame in using what's available. Riding is fun, but it can be dangerous, and it requires skill. The first thing you learn is "When you're going slow, don't touch that front brake."

Wanna bet?

Everyone should consider taking the MSF class. This includes experienced riders who have not taken it. If you have taken it consider the experienced riders course.

+1.

Also highly recommended by many here (including me) is to read "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough. I consider this a must read, and I re-read it at least once a year.

I dropped mine once, practicing slow tight turns and for whatever reason it locked with one wheel way up and the other way down. Hit the unlock switch, and all was back to normal, no further issues.
One thing I have found that can be unnerving is starting to lock the wheels when coming to a stop, then the light changes before you come to a complete stop, so you give it the gas. That will sometimes jerk you around in not good ways. I take pains not to do that.

Thanks all for the help. Will have to consider how sharp to turn and remember I was turning sharply in the direction of a very slanted paved area. If Mary can deal with it twice, so can I move forward. I have ridden bikes before but since its been a long time, I was actually scheduled for a safety class last weekend but changed it as I had my kids in town. It would not have changed what happened though. Man is this mother is heavy! I shudder to think what it must be like to hold up the 400 or 500!

LOL - A little adrenaline and it's light as a feather!
Seriously - I'd bet money it was just as simple as stated - I have no less than three times accidentally locked the wheels at awkward times (yet still struggle to do it smoothly at a light! - Go figure). I've also embarrassed myself sitting on the scoot and accidentally hit the unlock and had to rapidly deploy the pedo-stabilizer units. It's all good as long as it's only your ego that's bruised - we had a guy here one time that was kinda snotty when I described how I dumped my bike once on a road made slippery by moss from running water. Don't bother me none - I posted it because that's how we can warn our friends and fellow riders. Read above where I dropped it on the Dragon - boy did I feel dumb! Right there in front of the guys! But - they are true gentlemen and snickered behind their gloves... (pro tip - look at the camber of the turn before stopping in it - I guarantee your legs aren't long enough to reach - better yet - don't do it.

When I dropped mine the second time all the people were out in my cul de sac and all I heard was " is she ok, do you need some help?" The only problem I am having now is getting down my driveway by my self. I can go up it no problem but backing down is a little scary even with the tilt lock on. My husband tries to get me to back the bike down and then go sideways but that is how I dropped it the first time so I am not willing to do that again. I may have to move my car out of the garage so I will have the whole garage to move the bike around each time so it is facing outward.
You are so right that this 400 is heavy. When I go to take the tilt off lock, I plant my feet as best I can and brace my self for that little sway, but once that is over I am good to go. I NEVER touch that tilt lock until I am parking. The tilt locking jerk is what made me drop it both times. That was suppose to be a positive attribute when the sales guy was talking about the bike but I have since heard from my local shop that it really shouldn't be used unless you are going to park or become use to the jerking motion that you get when you use it. I personally don't like it, I feel much more stable on my own two feet.
I personally like to hear what happens to other people so I can make a mental note and try to avoid it when I am out. I would not have thought about the moss and water thing in a million years. Wow, that must have been very scary and you had no way of controlling that kind of thing.

Noschmo, I am glad to hear that you will not give up. This scoot is so much fun when you are riding it and you have to chalk this one up to experience. It will make us wiser in the end.

Being on a slope may help explain some of the incident. If the wheels are locked while sideways on a slope and then the bike is turned without unlocking then the wheels are at the wrong relative elevation. People have dumped their MP3s rolling them down hill with the lock on and then turning.

Anytime the tilt is locked on a slope, unlock before moving. If you stop on a down hill and lock the front end it is easy to start rolling forward without rolling the throttle on and get in trouble real quick. Once one feels the bike getting off balance it is tough to have the presence of mind to add throttle or find the switch to turn off the tilt lock.

Fuzzy is right about the slope involvement, that's how I had my first tip over. Unfortunately, being told not to do something doesn't register to the same extent as having experienced the problem first hand. The embarrassment involved will, hopefully, prevent you from doing the same thing again.

It's interesting how often our MP3's tip over compared to a 2 wheeler. Fortunately, the vast majority of tips seem to be at or near 0 mph and involve the use of the lock switch.

I wish I has thought to take a picture with my cell phone so those newbies who have not yet had this issue could see not only the slope of the pavement but also the wheel stuck in the wheel well. I do have an email into Piaggio so I can ask someone to explain further so everyone can see what the manufacturer has to say and perhaps avoid the problem. Again, thanks for all the input and support!!!!

Oh, I'm pretty sure we know *exactly* what you're talking about - think of those Captain Morgan commercials where instead of some ninny raising his leg the MP3 has one wheel way up there. Like the crazy thing thinks it's in the marching band or something... While we trying to get mine hoisted on the steep banked curve that one wheel way down was a real PITA to getting the bike upright. Thank goodness me or Fuzzy one remembered that you have to hit it twice to unlock if you're not mounted.

Here is what I tell all new MP3 riders.

The tilt lock system is NOT your friend, you are already trying to familiarize yourself with a new bike do not complicate things by trying to use the tilt lock at every stop especially while still rolling.

Simply put: Start the bike, prepare yourself to balance the bike (both feet on the ground), release the tilt lock with the switch, make sure it is released. Ride the bike like you would any other motorcycle or scooter, do not activate the tilt lock again until you are going to shut down the motor. Your feet should be planted and the bike should be stationary then lock the system.

What could go wrong ... everything!
Just a few examples

You start the bike, tilt lock is on, you put both feet on the running boards you hit the gas. Opps the parking brake is still set, the tilt lock goes off your feet are not on the ground, the bike does not accelerate, and over you go.

You are on a slope, the tilt lock is set you release the brakes, don't hit the throttle because the bike is rolling downhill, you make a turn of just a few degrees left or right and ... you just dropped your scooter.


Using the tilt lock regularly while riding should be considered an advance technique not for the noobs.

Maroy: I wrote that one down. Some great input here. Perhaps my mishap over the weekend will serve with all the posts here to save a lot of new riders grief and injury! Thank you all.

I have decided that pretty much I wil be stopped with feet down before I lock the front wheels because of some bad experiences.... Like almost hitting the car in front of me because I was fooling withthe lock switch and not the brake.. and the lock in a wierd position.. and then acceleration.. kind of throwing me in the direction of the other lane.. That's no good !

Just wanted to say thanks! Did a stupid thing today and ended up with one wheel stuck in the "up" position. I was really hoping that it was just the lock mechanism that was hit at the wrong time. Friend came over to help keep him stable and the wheel came back down.

Got to say that out of all of this, the part that angered me the most is the people that watched it happen, watched me struggle with the bike, drove by and slowed down to look, and walked their dogs nearby and said nothing. Thankfully, I was okay, no damage to anything but pride and body (of the bike), but I really hope that I would stop and ask a person in a crash (bike laying on it's side at least) if they were okay.

And the best part? I am active duty Air Force and was in uniform when it happened!! And still got nothing. So I feel for those that are out further from home with no friends around!

Kelly

I agree with the other riders about limiting your use of the tilt lock. After trying to be slick as a new rider and dumping it a few times, I learned to use it only at traffic lights on windy days and when I'm ready to climb off and park.
I do enjoy the other bikers watching me sitting there solid as a rock when the wind is howling while they struggle to keep theirs still.

While reading your examples I felt like I was experienceing a life review in slow motion. Except I could add one more that happen within my 1st week of learning.

While coasting up to a stop sign I see a break in the traffic and proceed to execute a rolling stop. AKA, California Stop. Better judgement prevailed so I came to a full stop and hit the tilt switch. However I was in a slight lean for the turn and on a slight downward slope as well. Did a slow motion gliding fall into a utility pole. Never hit the ground, but felt stupid as all hell, struggling like a pinned insect against that utility pole.

Had both things happen to me. Dropped it two times.

Learn to ride, then play with the tilt lock

I think the best advice a rider could get is right here in this thread. Remember, the Piaggio customer service fellow in NY is neither an engineer or even very likely to be an MP3 rider. In my experience, Maroy has it exactly right. A new rider should not use the tilt-lock system except when parked. Unlock it before you go, and only lock it after you are fully stopped. And be darned careful about hitting the tilt-lock control by accident. And, yes, MP3s are heavy - and they are clumsy in tight, low speed turns. Be cautious - training and practice are always a good idea.

lets throw in another possibility, with tilt lock on, any throttle movement will disengage it. Simply moving hand off throttle wrong way can do this. Lots of people on any bike, like to rev the bike the last second when stopped, this can become a "thoughtless habit". Just food for thought.

Not only on an MP3, any scoot with a CVT can be a surprise to someone unfamiliar with the breed. They are likely to start the engine and then crank the throttle - BIG surprise.