Walking to my scooter after work I saw Mike, a fellow Vespa rider, busily trying to kickstart his LX150. With earplugs in and helmet on I couldn’t really hear anything when he demonstrated the sound the engine was making when he pushed the starter button. After taking them off it only took a second to determine he had a near dead battery.
I suggested jumping the scooter battery from a car. After a moment to convince him that the 12 volt system in the Vespa would be just fine with the car battery we got out the jumper cables and using the same technique one would use with a car brought the scooter to life.
In the winter if you aren’t riding regularly a dead battery is common. It takes more than an occasional start of the engine and a few minutes of idling to keep the battery fully charged. A Battery Tender is in order if you aren’t going to be out on the road at least weekly. At idle I think the Vespa headlight and tail light take more juice than the machine generates and won’t help much to keep the battery fully charged.
The ride home tonight was sort of gloomy. Gray skies and mist in the air. I stopped for a gallon of milk at Meyers Dairy and got home just as the mist turned into a sprinkle of rain. I just can’t wait for sun and warm air…
Ah yes, sun warm air and a kick start. I kick my wife’s ET4 into life from time to time (she is unable to ride owing to protracted recovery for wrist surgery). I am the Last of The Mohicans when it comes to kick starts. No broken crankcases either. I just wish the Bonneville had one- even though i ride too much to allow the battery to go dead. Ah yes sun and warm air you said…?
Hi Steve, you and me both waiting for some decent weather.
Last week I came close to giving THE weather THE finger.
Tim
Boy, I’m with you on waiting for better weather. Snow this afternoon, then about an hour of freezing rain this evening. Its hard to believe that the blue jays, and robins were in the yard 3 days ago, and now it’s back to the same old cold gray days.
Have fun,
Bill
conchscooter: A kickstarter would be a nice thing to have. One less ride ending thing to worry about.
It’s sunny and bright here this morning! Ahh, but it’s 21 degrees…
Tim: I understand your feelings. It has to get warm sometime.
Bill: I guess we are all being given a wonderful opportunity to practice patience!
Here’s affirmation for a battery tender. I have on on my wife’s Reflex and haven’t fried a battery since installation.