“My Vespa is dead”. That’s the message I got while sitting at the Pump Station awaiting Gordon’s arrival. A quick conversation led us both to believe the battery was dead — a victim of too little riding during the winter despite being tethered to a Battery Tender. Tranquility interrupted because of a dead battery is not the way you want to start your riding day. The call reminded me that I want to think hard about purchasing an emergency battery for the scooter.
I arrived at the scene with the little bag of tricks.
Unlike my older Vespa GTS 250 that requires a common Phillips head screwdriver to expose the battery his bright red 300 calls for a Torx bit. Like a blind squirrel finding an acorn, Gordon had one with him and had already removed the cover so we could jump start the scooter. I’ve jump started mine several times from a car battery.
Out of habit I flicked the kill switch on and off and hit the starter button. The scooter engine turned over and came to life. Gordon had one of those looks you get when you think you’ve done something stupid; I probably had the look of a magician who just pulled a fast one over the audience.
The kill switch contacts could have been dirty or the battery really is on it’s last legs. For now it was enough to have the engine running.
There’s a special camaraderie among scooter and motorcycle riders that does not extend to automobile owners — a willingness to help out when things breakdown on the road. Not just with friends, but with strangers as well.
I followed Gordon home to make sure the scooter functioned ok and to let Lily the Hammer, my wife’s Belgian Sheepdog puppy play with Gordon’s dog for awhile. Success on all counts and tranquility interrupted gave way to a fine day.
Steve,
Please pass my sympathies along to Gordon and let him know that it happens more often then some of us would care to admit.
My friends consider me to be a serious scooter nerd; I do my own wrenching on my small herd of older Vespas, Hondas and Yamahas. My two “new” scooters, a ’12 Kymco Yager and a ’13 Genuine Stella 4T, go to the dealer for work. Not for lack of ability on my part, but for the belief that both “sales” and “service” are part of supporting one’s local scooter shop.
The Kymco was the instrument of my downfall. I’d ridden out to a friend’s workplace one evening with the intent of riding wing on his evening commute. I arrived before his shift end, so I pulled up next to his Helix, dropped my sidestand and went to a nearby bench to read my e-mail and wait.
Once my friend had arrived, we prepared to leave. When I switched on my Kymco, I noticed that the “check engine” light didn’t illuminate to signal the startup of the fuel injection computer. I also noticed an absence of sound from the fuel pump. The scooter had not started with its usual immediacy when I left home, so I was concerned that something had failed. I toggled the kill switch a few times and cycled the ignition, all to no effect. The running lights all came came on, the digital dashboard powerd up and the horn still worked. The starter cranked too, which made it all the more peculiar.
Being a serious scooter nerd, I decided to dig into the bike there and then. I popped the bike up on the center stand, popped the seat release and pulled out my tool set. First item on the list was the battery. Once uncovered, I checked battery voltage and made sure the battery cables were secure. As a precaution, the cables were disconnected, the contacts were scrubbed with a wire brush and firmly reconnected . The scooter still wouldn’t start, so I moved on to the fuse panel. All fuses were pulled for inspection; all appeared to be in good order. Each fuse blade was cleaned before the fuses were re-seated. Again, power was cycled and the fuel injection refused to power on. My friend was concerned and I, the serious scooter nerd, had no idea why my scooter wouldn’t start.
Please note, I made no mention of retracting the sidestand. The reason being that I hadn’t done so. Due to an earlier mishap where I’d found my Kymco knocked over in a parking lot, the sidestand was not my preferred method of parking the bike. This particular evening, I’d used the sidestand without thinking and forgot it was down. I also forgot that Kymco had engineered a safety interlock into the sidestand that powered down the fuel injection if the stand was left down.
The stand was retracted and the fuel injection powered up. The scooter started with no fuss. My friend had a good laugh and my serious scooter geek card had a corner clipped off.
A bit of humbling goes a long way towards remembering to check the simple stuff first.
Missing the simple stuff can sting anyone. Your story is a great reminder of that.
I once had to make a sudden stop when a bee got in my helmet and stung me on the cheek. During the panic stop I must have hit the kill switch. I never use the switch. After clearing the bee and tending to the sting I couldn’t get the scooter to start. Checked the battery cables, fiddled with connections, fuses and still nothing. I was only a half mile from home so I started to push the LX150 up the hill.
Lots of things enter your head when you’re pushing a dead scooter. Unfortunately for me the kill switch idea didn’t show itself until I was in front of the house.
Humbled, I always check the kill switch now if things don’t work.
What is it will kill switches? My Stella forum advises to bypass it! It’s a simple ‘bell’ circuit for crying out loud!
I’ve never heard of any problems with kill switches other than on scooters. Not sure why that’s the case unless they’re cheaper or perhaps scooters are in worse weather. For myself, I would rather replace a kill switch than bypass it. You never know when you wish you could turn the engine off with your thumb rather than reaching for the key…
It sounds to me like you have a magic touch indeed, Steve.
And I think you’re spot on about that two-wheelers’ camaraderie: A few years back I was riding in fairly remote eastern Nevada. I had just reached pavement after being on dirt for a while, and I stopped in a turnout to put in earbuds and to strap on the iPod. On a downgrade in the oncoming lane an approaching tractor-trailer began engine-braking until it came to a stop across the highway from me. The driver stepped out of the cab and hollered. It took a few times back and forth for me to hear above the idling tractor that he was asking if I was alright, if I needed any help. I was so surprised that I almost failed to thank him for his concern–almost. I’m convinced that he was a fellow motorcyclist. Then again, maybe he was just a nice guy.
I bet your experience is common among solo riders. I stop a lot in rural areas to take pictures and many, many drivers have stopped to ask if I need help. Not sure if they’re riders or just feel sorry for a scooter rider so obviously out of place.
Regardless, I like to think I pay that kindness back when I can.
Steve well said, and Ry I’ve had many instances of help offered by all kinds of folks too. The camaraderie extends beyond motorcyclist to motorcyclist although I can’t help thinking being on two wheels attracts . I can’t count the times when a car driver or tractor trailer operator has offered a helping hand. I’m smiling Steve because I was in your neck of the woods last summer and pulled in for gas and a bathroom stop at a service centre. My mistake was getting gas first giving time for the tour bus to unload and the line up at the ladies room to become an hour long. A trucker started talking to me about my bike and how he was a rider. He must have noticed the look of terror on my face as I gazed toward the line up. Then and there he became my best friend when he said, “You’re never going to get in there; but just on the other side of that big sign out there, there’s another rest stop and you’d rather use that bathroom anyway!” Help comes in many forms. Pay it forward.
A fine example, VStarLady: Tipping big and similar grand gestures can make for great social media headlines, but micro acts of kindness, little courtesies between passing strangers, help to sustain my faith in humanity. Maybe it’s because the smaller the act and the smaller the courtesy, the harder it is to fake sincerity or to have ulterior motives…
After your latest medical encounter was thinking “he needs a spare battery to jump start his heart now and then…” Not!
Interesting story, and can see the implications.
BTW using a Battery Tender does not mean
your battery will always function come spring;
in yourcase you ever really stop riding.
Funny things about batteries for vehicles; at one time your four-wheeler would go five years on a battery. Not these days. Three years is about the limit. My 2011 Honda
Ridgeline truck is on its second BIG battery and it shall be replaced next year.
Methinks those Vespa scooters have electrical demands albeit different. So to replace the battery every three years, makes sense.
BTW Have you been allowed to return to employment or did they tell you to
“take it easy” for a bit?
Bryce,
Batteries have been the single biggest headache for me — Vespa and cars. They don’t seem to make them like they used to. I change the Vespa battery every two years now just so I don’t get caught in the wilderness with no way to start the engine.
The external emergency battery is something I just need to pull the trigger on. Maybe I can keep the Vespa battery longer with that on board.
My plan for work is to return on June 1. But the cardiologist will make that determination later this week. I have a lot of sick leave saved up so whatever happens I’m ready.
You Sir, have the magic touch apparently….or is it you’re touched in the head? 😉
Usually, my magic touch breaks things rather than fixing them.
Touched in the head — obviously. Otherwise I would be riding a URAL right??
Quite right Sir, quite right….