General checks

A routine check of brake systems will ensure that any problems are discovered and remedied before safety is jeopardised. Make sure all brake fasteners, including the reservoir cover screws, brake hose banjo bolts and caliper mounting bolts, are tight. Make sure the brake light operates when each brake lever is pulled in. Brake light switches are not adjustable. If they fail to operate properly, check them.

Brake fluid level check

Warning: Brake fluid can harm your eyes and damage painted surfaces, so use extreme caution when handling and pouring it.
Set the handlebars so the reservoir is level and check the fluid level through the window in the reservoir body, via the aperture in the handlebar cover where appropriate – the level must be above the lower level line.
Where necessary, remove the handlebar cover. Undo the reservoir cover screws and remove the cover, diaphragm plate and diaphragm.
Top up with new clean DOT 4 hydraulic fluid, until the level is up to the upper line on the inside of the reservoir. Do not overfill and take care to avoid spills.
Wipe any moisture out of the diaphragm with a tissue.
Ensure that the diaphragm is correctly seated before fitting the plate and cover. Secure the cover with its screws.

Disc brake pad wear check

Each brake pad has wear indicators, either in the form of cut-outs in the face of the friction material, or in the form of a groove in the side of the friction material. The wear indicators should be visible by looking at the edges of the friction material from the best vantage point. An accumulation of road dirt and brake dust could make them difficult to see. If the indicators aren’t visible, then the amount of friction material remaining should be and it will be obvious when the pads need replacing. Anything less than 1mm should be considered worn. Some aftermarket pads may use different indicators to those on the original equipment.
If the pads are worn to or beyond the wear indicator, or there is little friction material remaining, they must be replaced with new ones, though it is advisable to fit new pads before they become this worn.
If the pads are dirty or if you are in doubt as to the amount of friction material remaining, remove them for inspection. If they are excessively worn, check the brake discs.

Drum brake shoe and drum wear check

Make sure the amount of rear brake pedal free-play is correct. As the brake shoes wear and the free-play is adjusted to compensate, the wear indicator moves closer to the wear limit line on the casing.
Apply the brake and check the position of the wear indicator on the top of the brake arm in relation to the limit line on the casing. If the indicator has reached the line, replace the brake shoes.
With the wheel removed check the condition of the drum lining, and measure its internal diameter. If it has worn to or beyond the service limit specified, replace with a new one.

Brake levers

Check the brake levers for looseness, rough action, excessive play and other damage. Replace any worn or damaged parts with new ones.
The lever pivots should be lubricated periodically to reduce wear and ensure safe and trouble-free operation. In order for the lubricant to be applied where it will do most good, the lever should be removed. However, if an aerosol lubricant is being used, it can be applied to the pivot joint gaps and will usually work its way into the areas where friction occurs. If motor oil or light grease is being used, apply it sparingly as it may attract dirt.
Note: One of the best lubricants for the control lever pivots is a dry-film lubricant.
Where disc brakes are fitted, if the lever action is spongy, first check the fluid level, then bleed the brakes. Where a rear drum brake is fitted, check the amount of free-play in the left-hand brake lever before the brake comes on. If not, adjust it by turning the adjuster nut on the brake drum end of the brake cable as required until the free-play is correct – to reduce free-play in the lever, turn the nut clockwise; to increase free-play, turn the nut anti-clockwise. Make sure the nut is set so its cut-out seats around the pivot piece in the arm. After adjustment turn the rear wheel and check that there is no brake drag.

Brake hoses and pipes

Note: For a complete check of all brake hose and pipe connections, especially on models with a rear disc brake and on S-wing models with ABS, remove the body covers and panels as required according to model for access.
Where disc brakes are fitted, look for leaks at the hose connections. Twist and flex the hose while looking for cracks, bulges and seeping fluid. Check extra carefully where the hose connects to the banjo fittings as this is a common area for hose failure. On 2009-on SH models with a rear disc brake and on all Pantheon and S-wing models, also check the hoses and pipes linking the front and rear brake systems via the delay valve and on S-wing models with ABS via the modulator, removing the body panels as required for access.
Inspect the banjo fittings and where applicable the pipe fittings; if they are rusted, cracked or damaged, fit new hoses. Inspect the banjo union connections, and where applicable the pipe gland nuts, for leaking fluid. If they leak when tightened securely, unscrew the banjo bolt and fit new washers, or fit a new pipe and gland nuts.
Flexible hydraulic hoses will deteriorate with age and should be replaced with new ones every three years regardless of their apparent condition.

Brake fluid

The fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir(s) should be checked before riding the machine. It will degrade over a period of time. Honda recommends that it should be changed every two years, or whenever a new master cylinder or caliper is fitted.

Brake caliper and master cylinder seals

Check the brake master cylinder(s) and caliper(s) for signs of leaking fluid. Brake system seals will deteriorate over a period of time and lose their effectiveness. Old master cylinder seals will cause sticky operation of the brake lever; old caliper seals will cause the pistons to stick or fluid to leak out. The seals should be renewed if defects are evident.

Drum brake cable

The rear wheel should spin freely when the brake lever is not activated. If the brake is binding without the handlebar lever being pulled, first check that the lever is moving freely, and that there is the correct amount of free-play. Disconnect the cable from the left-hand brake lever, the actuating arm on the back of the brake drum, and the arm under the front brake lever. Check that the inner cable slides smoothly in the outer cable. If the action is stiff, inspect along the length of the outer cable for splits and kinks, and the ends of the inner cable for frays, and replace it with a new one if necessary. If there are no signs of damage, lubricate the cable. If the cable is still stiff after lubrication, replace it with a new one.
The cable should be lubricated periodically to ensure safe and trouble-free operation. To lubricate, disconnect it at its upper end and use a pressure adapter and aerosol cable lubricant. Reconnect the cable and adjust the free-play.
If the handlebar lever and cable are in good condition, check the operation of the brake cam.

Drum brake cam

To check the operation of the brake cam, first disconnect the end of the cable from the brake actuating arm. Note the fitting of the bush in the arm and the location of the cable return spring, and make sure that it is not damaged. Apply the brake using hand pressure on the arm and ensure that the arm returns to the rest position when it is released. If the brake arm is binding in the backplate, remove the brake shoes and inspect the brake cam and the springs on the brake shoes. Apply some copper grease to the bearing surfaces of the cam and its shaft before reassembly. Adjust the free-play on completion.
Caution: Do not apply too much grease otherwise there is a risk of it contaminating the brake drum and shoe linings.

Win a Haynes Honda manual

The workshop routines shown on these pages are extracts from the new Haynes manual ‘Honda SH, Dylan, PS, Pantheon and S-wing 2000-2009’ (Haynes 4873). To tie in with the release of this latest manual, Haynes have kindly given T&G six copies to give away to our readers.

All you have to do to win a copy is to answer the following multiple choice question:

What is one of the best lubricants for control lever pivots?

1 Water
2 Petrol
3 A dry-film lubricant

Enter here>>

THIS MONTH...

Honda brake check

My Yamaha QT50 runs strange. It pulls away OK, gets to 25mph and starts to four-stroke. If I ease off the gas a bit, it runs OK again. I’ve stripped and cleaned all the carb jets etc, set needle on all four grooves (finding the top groove the best), fitted inline filter, decoked top end plus exhaust, set the mixture, but it’s still the same.

Rob

Firstly, I have to admit that I’m not fully up to speed on the Yamaha QT, as there are so few of them left around they’re not an everyday visitor to the workshop.

The biggest clue you have given is that it runs best on the top groove on the needle. This would indicate that the bike is running too rich and by lowering the needle you are leaning off the mixture, but not quite enough. Given the tasks you’ve already carried out, I would be looking for two or three things, Check the fuel float level height; if too high, it can give a rich mixture. Check the condition of the float needle valve. Thirdly, remove the throttle slide and needle and peer down into the atomiser tube. These are brass items that with vibration and prolonged use, can become oval allowing over fuelling.

The fault could probably be masked by the fitting of a smaller main jet to compensate for wear in the atomiser tube of the carburettor. While not a long term fix, it will give you a good indication of where the fault lies.

Hot Runner

I’d like to fit heated grips to my Runner VXR 200 but am wondering if they will be more trouble than they are worth. Will they keep draining the battery? Where is the best place to take the live feed from?

Nick Hod

This is quite a popular seasonal modification, the first thing to consider is the manufacturer of the grips, you get what you pay for. Cheaper grips will indeed kill off your battery if left on in a momentary lapse of concentration. Higher end grips are protected and will cut out should the supply voltage drop below 12v. So even if you do forget to switch them off they will allow you 12 volts to start the bike when you next fire it up.

If you’re going to fit them yourself, it’s worth using a 30amp relay to switch the grips on and off when the ignition is powered on. This way, when you turn off the ignition, the power supply to the grips is cut. With high amps consumption products like heated grips, I would always take my live feed direct from the battery. Taking a feed direct from the loom could end in a melted wire should you choose a circuit not up to the job.

I’ve got wind

I’m purchasing a new scooter and would like a standard screen fitted. Would this increase wind resistance, or reduce it? Also, would a screen affect the mpg?

William Long

Normally a screen would reduce wind resistance and improve fuel efficiency. This obviously depends on a mass of factors (mainly the size and efficiency of the screen you are fitting). However, if you’re fitting a large grandad screen with the aerodynamics of a breezeblock, you are going to be bucking the trend a little. A normal sports screen will deflect the air over the large non-aerodynamic lump usually referred to as the rider, making things more comfortable, improving top speed a little and returning a small increase in fuel efficiency.

PREVIOUS MONTHS...

Oil conflicts

This is my first contact with Twist & Go, although I’ve been reading it for some time now; I thought Workshop could perhaps answer my question. I have a Piaggio X9 250. The owners manual says that to check the engine oil, one should place the bike on its sidestand; the main agent says it should be done on its centrestand. As there’s quite a difference in the quantity, it could be important.

Avid reader, Nepalstar

You are correct in what you state. Oil level is very important. Sometimes however, things do get lost in translation and it seems as if this case is no different. I have checked the Piaggio Online owner’s manual and the following instructions are given: Every time the vehicle is used, visually inspect the level of the engine oil when the engine is cold (after completely unscrewing the oil cap/dipstick). The oil level should be somewhere between the MAX and MIN index marks on the level rod. During the oil check, the vehicle must be resting on its centrestand, on an even, horizontal surface. If the check is carried out after the vehicle has been used (and therefore with a hot engine), the level line will be lower. In order to carry out a correct check, wait at least 10 minutes after the engine has been stopped, so as to get the correct level.
Given the above instructions, I would suggest that you have an early owner’s manual that has now been replaced with an updated manual containing the correct information. On a plus note, common sense prevailed and your main agent provided you with the correct information.

Stubborn brake

The front brake on my Honda CLR 125 sticks on. It pumps itself up so that the pads are locked on the disc and you can’t move the lever. Sometimes it goes back to normal if I leave it, but not for long. It has just done it again, but the bleed nipple is rounded off, so I had no choice but to loosen the banjo and let some fluid out. After this it was OK for a bit, but then does it again. The weird thing is that I don’t have to pump the brake for it to do this. It happens even when I just leave it over night.
It’s been doing this since I had to push the pads back and I stupidly pulled the lever when the wheel was off. Have I got some air trapped in there, or could it be something else?

Blata39

This can usually only happen with a non-recuperating master cylinder. However as this is a brake issue, I would suggest the first point of call be a Honda dealer. I’m afraid I cannot – and would not – advise on how to fix brakes on a bike that I could not physically inspect.

Belt busting

I have recently been having problems with the belt on my Speedfight 50. Originally the scooter would rev and not go anywhere; a friend helped diagnose the problem and as I live in a small village, the local car mechanic said he could fix it for me. A new belt was fitted but the scooter never felt the same and has since snapped two more belts in the space of three weeks. Could this be down to the mechanic fitting the belt wrongly, or is there an underlying problem???

Frank Staniford

It’s always better to replace a belt at the specified service interval, rather than when it has snapped. When the belt snaps, all sorts of damage can be done. I would hazard a guess that your mechanic has fitted the belt correctly in the direction of rotation and re-tightened the pulley bolts sufficiently to stop these coming loose. I would suggest that you are suffering from the dreaded Peugeot torque driver failure (the torque driver on the bike you have, has been known for the welds to break, causing the rear pulleys to operate incorrectly and put increased wear on the belt causing very premature failure).
I would suggest that you take the bike to someone who has experience with scooter transmissions, as they would have spotted this fault on installation of the new belt first time around.
Now the bad news is that the part you require is not available to buy separately – you will need to buy a complete rear pulley/clutch assembly and these do not come cheap. However, as the bike is a popular model, the breakers yards are full of them, so sourcing a quality used one should be simple.

Off for a spin

I have an 07 Runner 200. When starting from cold it spins over for sometime before firing. It’s almost like it has to drag the fuel up. When it starts it won’t idle for a few minutes either; you have to hold the throttle for a while and warm it up a bit before riding off. It’s fine after that. The bike has stood unused for a good few months, but despite a 70mph, 70 mile motorway ride, it hasn't cleared it at all. Any ideas what the cause of this is or what to start checking?

Taipan

The cause sounds to be coming from the cold start device; the auto choke is supplied with voltage when the bike is running and slowly closes off a port in the carburettor. My guess would be a gummed-up carb due to the bike standing idle for a good few months and that has caused the plunger to become seized within its bore due to the stale fuel situation.
A carburettor strip would be my first task. Buy a good quality carb and fuel system cleaner and soak the metal parts in it, allowing it time to get into the galleries. Blow through all the drillings with compressed air, reassemble and give it a try.

Thirsty Hexagon

I've got a 1995 Hexagon 125, coming up to 9000 miles. I've set the rear spring to max compression for my 13 stone, but my problem seems to be mpg. I believe it's the same engine as the Runner two-stroke? My riding is mainly urban (around Exeter and district), so quite a bit of stop-start. I’m aware of how fuel-sapping full throttle acceleration is to mpg, but have previously eked 173mpg out of a Yamaha T80 Townmate, so I do know how to ride. I’ve also passed the IAM motorcycle test and have owned 59 bikes and scooters.

Fuel consumption is between 34.9 and 46mpg, so not a particularly economical scooter at present. I have owned Burgmans, Majestys and a 180 Runner FXR; all were more economical. My 2.0HDi Citroen does 46-51mpg (but isn't fun like the scooter)! How does this compare with the model range, and or your own experience?

Piaggio_Hexagon_125

To be honest it can’t compare with any model currently in production; it’s a 14-year-old scooter that was made well before euro regulations insisted on clean and very efficient motors. Two-stroke 125s are pretty much finished now with the introduction of euro 3 regulations and four-stroke is seen as the way forward.

I suppose the way to tell if yours is using more fuel than it should is to have it checked over to ensure it isn’t running rich due to a clogged air filter or that the choke stuck on, etc. If you know the bike is running as intended on and the mpg is still the same, the conclusion must be made that it isn’t a particularly economical scooter, Hence the reason it has been killed off due to emissions.

No spark

I recently acquired a pre Leader ET4, 1997, which needed clutch repairs. That’s all done now, but it’s not sparking at all. It has been stored for six-eight months. Any common issues causing it not to spark? Will be checking all connections for corrosion, but I wonder if it’s the immobiliser? Is there a way to bypass this?

Scootliferob

Hmm interesting. It could be your immobiliser. This should be diagnosable through the blinking red LED on the dash (if fitted). With the normal everyday key it should just flash the once, enabling start up.
If the master key is used it will flash once slow, then quicker flashes to indicate the number of keys stored on the CDI. If you don’t have an LED on your dash, there will be a two-pin connector under your seat-tub towards the front of your engine compartment.
A 12v LED can be put across these terminals to gain a flash code for fault finding. The none-Leader motor is switched off by earthing the green wire from the CDI to earth at the ignition switch. This green wire has been known to short to earth under the footboards, especially on older vehicles and would be well worth a check with a multimeter.
If the above checks out, you should then be looking at the stator values, pick-up (trigger) resistance and CDI. Currently there’s no way to bypass the original immobiliser. We believe a non-immobilised CDI is in production and should be available shortly – at a price.

Where’s the battery?

My Honda Dylan battery has died onmeafter I left the ignition on too long. I’ll get a charger later, but wondered where the battery is?
oOSourceOo

This is one recurring question that we always get asked and confused us the first time we came across it. You’ll need to remove the seat and its base (four bolts in total from memory). Once the seat base is removed, to the front of the seat there’s a black plastic cover and the battery is hidden away in there. It would be a good idea to invest in a motorcycle battery charger that’s supplied with leads that can be left connected to the battery so you no longer need to go through the above exercise to charge your battery.

Sick Latin lovely

My Gilera Runner has been back on the road a few weeks and has got slower pulling away. Going home in the rain and wind last night I had to stop on two occasions and then I had problems starting it again. I also thought I could hear a weird noise that would go when I got over 30mph; the noise sounded like rubbing/wearing in the engine.

I filled up with petrol and went to start this bike this morning and drained the battery. I even tried jump-starting it, but it won’t go (it recently suffered a heat seize, which has been sorted). Any ideas would be grateful?
Mark Gulliver

This sounds like a variety of problems all happening at the same time. The strange noise that disappears above 30mph is most likely something awry in the variator and belt area, while the poor starting is linked directly to the carburation and ignition side of things. I would get a general health check on the scoot, covering things like the state of battery, carburettor set up (including the auto choke) compression levels, drive belt and rollers. Poor starting in the wet is often the fault of the spark plug cap and HT lead, so try cleaning them off to get rid of the road salt and using a waterproofing spray to keep it dry.

Greece is the word

I’ve owned a 2002 two-stroke Honda Pantheon 125 from new and it has always been a slow starter from cold. It fires instantly and dies; nothing keeps it going. Then I have to turn the starter to crank the engine for about 40 seconds and it limps into life – a fair amount of smoke is then evident for a while. It runs fine and will then start instantly all day long till next morning, when the same thing happens. Fuel usage is good, oil usage minimal, but a slight leak is evident from the oil tank. The dealer has never fixed this, but I would love to cure it, as in all other ways it's OK. Seems to me as though the oil is maybe draining into the cylinder overnight? Any help much appreciated.

Rod Sutton
Greece

This sounds like the auto choke mechanism isn’t working correctly as in all other areas the bike is running well. There will be no option but to replace the choke unit as a whole, as there are no serviceable parts to adjust or repair. As for the oil leak, this can only be a leaking pipe or the union where it attaches to the tank. Often, taking the pipe off this connection and giving it a good clean up before re-attaching it will cure the seepage.

Picasso on two wheels

Coming back to two wheels after some 25 years away from it, I have been intrigued by the decoration of some of the featured scooters in Twist & Go. As I'm a bit of an amateur artist (watercolours), I thought it a challenge to tackle the panels of my newly acquired Piaggio X8 – something to do over the winter months – and to show how to grow old disgracefully (I'm 65!).

My questions are...
■ How do I prepare the panels for painting?
■ What type of paint is suitable, and sources for buying?
■ What is the best application of paint... brush, airbrush, aerosol?
■ Is the use of transfers a viable option – and sources for purchase?
■ What protective finish is required for road use?
■ Does the DVLA need to be informed of decoration if the general colours do not change too much?

I fully intend to keep the X8 for fun, and have a Suzuki 650 Burgman for serious work, so the little one will cause no problems about selling at a later date. For your information, the X8 feels like riding a bumblebee, with its 125 engine, mirrors like antennae and great agility, so you can imagine my thoughts for painting!
I hope this would be of interest with other readers who wish to experiment.
Thank you for a smashing magazine
David Garrad

The preparation of the panels providing they aren’t damaged is relatively simple.
Just flatten them off with a fine grade ‘wet and dry’ before applying your new
schemes. If the outer layer of the original paint isn’t disturbed, then any paint will work well. However, if you have to go down below the outer coats, you will
need to seal the lower layers before applying new coats. Airbrushing is the
quickest way to get great results, although the traditional brush methods
can do a great job too – albeit more time consuming – but without the need
for so much masking out between coats.

Transfers can be another option, but the thickness of these means much
work has to be done to get a good finish at the end. As for finishing the job off, just blast away with clear lacquer, flattening off between coats for the perfect shiny finish. There should be no need to tell DVLA providing the bike is still the original colour, although if you value your work it may be prudent to tell your insurance company in case of any future damage.

Under pressure

My Peugeot Speedfight 50 has started to handle quite weirdly. It’s OK in a straight line, but as soon as any angle of lean is applied, the front end goes haywire. If I then try to brake, it feels as if the wheel is loose, although my dad has had a look and says it is OK and nothing is loose. I don’t know the correct pressure for either tyre; I had been pumping them up to the same as my dad’s bike, which has 28psi in the front and 32 in the rear, so that may be a starting point, but failing that, any ideas that I can try?

Andy Middleton
Doncaster, South Yorks

Providing there is no side-to-side play when pulling on the wheel, then the bearings and suspension can be judged as being in good condition. The tyre tread can be a cause of this upset however, especially if it has been run either under or over pressure, as the deformity this creates on the tyre does make it wear unevenly. The pressures you quote are far too high and should be a good deal lower – Peugeot quote 18 and 23psi for the front and rear respectively. If the tyre has been run with these higher pressures for very long, it may well be that the carcass has become damaged and that is the main reason behind your strange feeling front end. There may be no choice but to replace the tyres and start again. Seek professional help and do not take any chances in this area of your machine’s safety.

The future is bright

On trying to change the headlight bulb for a brighter one on my Piaggio Fly 125, I had a problem as the manual says that the scooter is fitted with an off-the-shelf H4 bulb, but I took the headlight unit apart to only find something very different – an S2 fitting giving out a much lower output than a H4 at 55/65W. Have they fitted the wrong unit in?
Michael Odams-Baker
Cardiff

The specification of machines can change without notice (and often does), especially with European-built scoots. The manual will have been printed long since, although finding an S2 bulb (or Bosch as it’s more commonly known) in a Piaggio is hardly surprising. The bad news is that there’s a limited availability of high wattage S2 bulbs, although a few bike suppliers do list a 35W, halogen version, which may well improve things.

Majestic pricing

I have a Yamaha YP400 with just 1600 miles on the clock. The costs for the first major service are £118.80 plus parts costing £28.41, totalling £172.98 (inc VAT). Is this typical for scoots as it sounds on the pricey side? Are bikes cheaper to service? If you have a dealer stamped service book, does this make a difference at trade in?
Jim Campbell
Musselburgh, Edinburgh

Expect the bill to be far higher for a conventional motorcycle as the engines are more complex and harder to get to. It is a good idea to keep the bike maintained by a Yamaha dealer as they have the expertise and genuine parts to hand while also keeping you within the confines of the manufacturer’s warranty. If anything goes wrong they will have to sort it for you, whereas if an unauthorised dealer has been in there, it does make things difficult should a warranty repair be necessary. When it comes time for a trade in once again a bit of history goes a long way to keeping the values higher, so it does make sense to stick with the main dealer and get that book stamped accordingly.

LX problems

My 2006 Vespa LX125 has once before had a problem where it would not pull away properly. I was told it was a problem with the drive belt being worn. It was replaced under warranty and it seemed to cure the problem for a while, but it has now reappeared. Do you have any suggestions? I'm also having a problem similar to the X9 owners (ie my scoot not starting from cold and it also doesn't hold revs for the first 3km or so). It went in for a service last week and the spark plug was replaced, but within a few days the problem has come back. Again any suggestions would be very welcome.
Graham Doyle
Southampton

If the belt is wearing this often it could well be time for a good clean-out in the pulley area and fit replacement rollers too. If the rollers are worn with flats on them they do tend to stick, which in turn creates excessive wear in the belt and also the pulling away problems you describe. As for the cold start issue, try a dose of Silkolene Pro FST. This was developed in conjunction with Kawasaki to help cure their massive carburettor icing problems of the early 90s and it really does work in scooters too.

Oily warning

Hi, great mag, keep it up and the new look is good. I have a standard low mileage Gilera DNA 125. I've had it for nine months and it has never let me down. But recently I noticed the oil light quickly flashes on and straight off when cornering or braking hard(ish). A shop checked it and there is plenty of oil in it and said it’s probably a faulty connection, but I'm scared of seizing it. Should I be worried? Also, I noticed that sometimes a squealing/grinding sound comes from where the drive belt is when I start it from cold. Any ideas what it could be?
Steven Howley
Scunthorpe

The oil sensor does slop around a fair bit often giving a spurious signal when the light comes on. There is no way around this, apart from using thicker oil to stop it moving so easily. As for the noise in the transmission, people often forget the belt and rollers are service items and as such do need regular cleaning and replacement too. Get in there and have a good clean up to remove any dust and other dirt that builds up over time. Check the belt and rollers for wear and once everything is as it should be, see if the noise goes away.

Another awkward burger

We have recently purchased a Burgman 125 scooter, but as my husband has only just passed his CBT, we have only used it once or twice up and down his parent’s driveway. It has been stood in the garage at their house for about two weeks without being started. Now that we have come to move it, it will not start. We have charged the battery and that is fine and the engine does start, but just will not hold enough revs to keep in going and the engine cuts out. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Joanne Warrilow
St Georges, Telford

The most likely cause of this fault is water, or even stale petrol, in the carburettor. The float bowl will need draining to clear the fuel system of the contaminants and a drain screw is provided on the bottom of the carb, exactly for this function. However, if you don’t feel competent to do this, then any repair shop should do it for you for a small cost.

ET flash home

I am having a few electrical problems with my Vespa ET2 and need some help. First of all I can’t find a flasher relay anywhere on the bike. On other bikes I have owned, it has been easy to locate and could be heard clicking in time with the lights flashing, but I am frustrated in my hunt for it on this bike. Also, can you tell me how to test the auto choke; I can remove it from the carb without any problems, but so far I can’t see how it works.
Harry Coombs
Rotherham, Sth Yorks

The flasher relay on this model is part of the regulator and rectifier unit and as such is solid state and totally silent. If this isn’t working, you can replace it with a conventional relay by tapping into a common live feed, (any white wire should be live with the ignition on) and then let the relay supply the blue and black wire that goes into the handlebar switch. As for the choke, this is a little more complex; warm the engine up fully and then let it cool for around 10 minutes. Then place a multi meter, set to measure resistance, across the two feed wires for the choke unit. The reading should be between 30 and 40 ohms - if not the only thing you can do is replace the unit with a new one.

Open the taps and count to ten

I've had my Piaggio NRG about four months now and everything has been fine. I’ve done about 3000km in that time and recently started having a problem. It seems that as soon as I hit 6000rpm the engine starts to splutter and lose power.It seems fine again after about 10 seconds,but it can be a hassle, especially if I’m just going onto a dual carriageway. Do you have any ideas as to what could be wrong with it?
Lee Martin Leeds

The problem you describe could be a number of things,but start with the easiest, cheapest things to try and establish what is causing it while not laying out too much for parts etc.Try fitting a new spark plug as these do wear and cause misfires.Failing that,the next port of call would be the fuel supply,particularly the jets and float height within the carburettor itself. Once again, the parts inside a carb do wear,get blocked or even wander out of adjustment.

Technical lingo

Often in Twist & Go you describe a scooter frame as an ‘underbone’ and brake calipers as ‘floating’. Please tell me what these terms are as I have never heard these phrases anywhere else. I am studying mechanics at college and my tutor is at a loss too, so I would love to be able to inform him what they mean.
Tom Hartley
Clitheroe
Lancs

The term ‘underbone’ is used when describing a step-through scooter that has its frame pass under where the rider’s feet go making the spine of the frame near to the ground, rather than pass under the tank as on a normal machine. As for ‘floating brakes’, this term is used to describe a caliper that has its pistons on one side only. This requires the caliper body to slide across and pull the opposing pad onto the disc area rather than having a piston on each side and squeezing the disc equally on both sides, hence the term ‘floating’.

No charge

I bought a 1997 Peugeot Speedfight 100 scooter a while back for my son to get to college on. He wasn't very keen on riding it, as he had problems starting it. We have replaced the battery twice, but although we can start it up, the battery doesn't appear to charge up when it is being ridden. I want to get it repaired so that I can sell it. Has anybody any idea how much it would cost to resolve this problem and whether we would be throwing our money down the drain?
Melanie Berry
Heskin, Chorley

A 1997 Speedfight 100 in decent condition has a book price of around £600 so you will have to decide whether it is worth the expense to get it sorted. I can’t imagine the parts will add up to a great deal, even if a new regulator unit is required, so it may well be worthwhile getting a second opinion. It might just be a loose connection somewhere and the total cost could be very small indeed.

Off road quad – literally

I have just acquired a 100cc quad that looks to be around three years old. The trouble is it doesn’t work and is in need of some small parts to get it going, but no one local to me is willing to get involved. I didn’t pay a lot for it and once it is running again, it will be a real bargain. But who do I turn to? I was led to believe it is an Apache quad, but there are no decals, etc, on the bodywork.
Lesley Richards
Corby, Northants

Your local repair shops and dealers must be in a very privileged position of having too much work on for them not to be showing an interest in your plight. Surely, by helping out, they will be gaining a customer who will, in turn, need all of the usual consumables on a regular basis.
Either way, it is their loss, try giving Apache a shout on 01299 253771 as they are helpful people who will have the parts if it is one of their machines (or a damn good idea what or who will be able to help if it isn’t).

Dead wasp

On my Vespa ET2 (50cc) I have a problem where the engine goes dead after 10 minutes or so of riding. The machine can idle forever, but when riding the engine dies suddenly. All the electrics still work when it dies and the clutch stays engaged as the bike stops abruptly. It feels as though the fuel is suddenly being cut off. I have checked fuel tap and diaphragm; I have taken out and stripped/cleaned all the carb components.

I eventually got hold of a van and took it to a mechanic who said it had no compression and would be minimum £300 to fix. I have since changed the complete top end, but still no luck – although it now idles beautifully. I haven’t measured compression (no tool). Any ideas could it be the choke or even carb icing? Please help.
Matt Lincoln, Copthorne

This sounds like a really tough one to get a grip on. With the stopping being so abrupt, it is difficult to imagine it is the fuel side of things that is the culprit. You need to get a mechanic to ride it and hopefully the problem will arise during the test. If it was me, I would connect a meter up to the ignition side of things and tape this to the handlebars so I could see exactly what was happening during the ride when the engine stops. If it isn’t electrical then the likely culprit is the fuel cap. This needs to breathe or else the fuel can’t come out of the tank. Please do let us know how you get on.

PGO new engine design

I have heard that PGO are redefining the two-stroke engine and making it more environmentally friendly. Is this so and if so, how are they going to do it and will we get them over here?

It would be a shame if two-strokes die off and get taken over by those slow four-strokes.
Anthony West, Spondon, Derby

You are partially correct in your question. Yes PGO are involved in a revolutionary two-stroke engine that should make them commercially viable for use in Europe and anywhere else that has strict emission regs - but the actual idea is a British one. The design uses a rotating disc to control the inlet and exhaust process, so preventing any of the wrong gases and fluids from leaving the engine, like a conventional two-stroke engine does. We are planning to cover this interesting technical development fully in a future issue, so keep an eye out.

The Hull flasher

I was wondering if you could help me and my poor scooter get through, what has been, a very bad winter. Most things on my scoot a (Piaggio NRG Extreme) are beginning to fail and I'm slowly working my way through the repairs, but one problem confuses me to the point of screaming.

When the bike is running and I click the indicator switch in either direction, the indicators refuse to... well... indicate!

As well as this little hiccup, the rev meter spasms and the battery level will drop to zero; sometimes the headlights will dim or even blink on and off. Obviously this could all be solved by not indicating, but I'm pretty sure that it is an offence punishable by death, so I do not really like that idea! It would seem I have an electrical gremlin, and ‘Gremlins’ made me cry as a kid so I really need your help!
Paul Lundgren, Hedon, Hull

There are a few things you need to establish before killing off your gremlin. First of all is the condition of your battery. Is it holding a full charge and capable of running the indicators etc? Secondly, do you have the correct wattage bulbs fitted in the indicators themselves? They should be 10 watts each. After establishing those factors, try disconnecting the indicators one at a time or checking them to see if one is shorting to earth etc. The wires to look out for are a pink wire for the left indicator and a blue/white one for the right. You could even try supplying 12 volts directly from the battery to each indicator wire to ensure they are working correctly. If all of these are working correctly then the most likely cause of your gremlin is the flasher relay.

More electrickery

I’ve owned a 650 Burgman from new and generally it has been very good. Of late however it has developed an annoying problem, which so far both my friendly dealer and I have failed to diagnose.

My big scoot has an intermittent spark. I’ve changed the plugs and have checked the plug caps in case they are leaking to earth, but so far I’m lost. Sometimes it starts and runs fine and other times it starts and misfires before stopping and I have no spark. If I leave it then the spark returns and I can start the scoot and sometimes ride off.
John Lewis, Watford

Hot favourite to be the culprit would be the side-stand switch as these do cause problems particularly on high mileage machines. Try replacing this switch or bypassing it temporarily to see if this helps the problem. Failing that the ignition coils are actually part of the plug caps and as such can be easily tested. With a simple multi-meter check the readings across the input (primary) and output (secondary) stages. The resistance should be 08-2.5 ohm for the primary and 8-18K ohm secondary, measured with one of the meter probes touching the plug connector and the other connected to the earth side of the input stage. You can also test the peak voltage going into the coil from the ECU unit which should be 80 volts although great care should be taken during this test and it is probably best left for a dealer to perform. A battery in a poor condition can also cause problems with the AN650 ignition so get your dealer to check that out too.

Slowfight

I recently bought a Peugeot Speedfight 50cc with 7000 miles showing on the speedo. I took it to get de-restricted, but the garage showed me it had already been done. I then decided to have a go at the exhaust, but this has already been crimped. The thing that worried me most is that it only does about 35mph. Could you please help me on what it could be?
Nigel Kelly, Latchford, Cheshire

Don’t forget there is also a washer in the variator that limits performance. But these are often the very first thing that gets removed and is unlikely to be present in your machine. Although 7000 miles isn’t excessive, it could well be the case that your exhaust has become blocked, as this will slow the bike down considerably. It could well prove worthwhile visiting a specialist scooter dealer, if you haven’t done so already, as they will know instantly what the problem is with your machine and help you out with the minimum of cost and wasted time.

Idle Honda

My 2002 Honda X8R-X has started to behave badly. The scoot starts and idles fine from cold, but after a short riding time, it will stop idling and is difficult to start until it cools down.
John Salmon, Shipston on Stour

This is possibly a problem with the automatic choke, which could well have become stuck in the fully open position. The result of this would be a rich mixture ideal for starting the cold engine but of no use to a fully warm power plant which would then stall and not start until cold again. Remove the auto choke unit and see where the needle and plunger are. If it is fully up against the spring this is normal so run the engine for a few minutes or just leave the ignition on while the choke element warms up and the plunger should extend. If it doesn’t then this is your problem and a new unit will be needed. If this is working fine then it will be something else that is making the engine rich – an incorrectly set airscrew, float-level or even a main jet that has dropped out for instance.

Oil be seeing you

I was beginning a long journey home and all of a sudden the oil warning light came on for my scoot. Fearing that the two-stroke oil would run out before I got home (35 miles) I stopped to fill up. I usually have a bottle under the seat, but this had leaked and run completely out of the bottom of the helmet holder all over the engine leaving me with none to refill the tank. I called in at the next petrol station but it only had basic oil and not the fully synthetic I usually run my ped on.

The girl behind the counter also told me that they were the only station open for some distance on my route. I reluctantly bought the cheap stuff, put that in the tank and made my way home. OK, there were no problems, but what am I supposed to do now? Do I drain the tank and refill with my usual stuff or what? I am very worried.
Andy Barkins
Kirton Lindsey, nr Scunthorpe

• I would say at the absolute worst take some of the cheap oil out of the tank and refill with your top quality lubricant. Don’t consider a total drain as you may get air into the system and that could prove even worse than the predicament you have now. There are many false beliefs about two-stroke oils and some say that cheap oils do not mix with the expensive stuff and likewise with synthetic and mineral oils. I have yet to see any evidence to substantiate this. Besides, if there were products that didn’t mix, but were likely to meet, then surely the bottle should list them so they can be avoided?

Oooooh my stiff back

My MBK Ovetto 50 suffers from an over-stiff rear suspension: it's like riding with an old-fashioned three-penny bit for a rear wheel. Will this improve with mileage, or is it possibly a seized rear shock or out-of-round tyre? Is it possible to fit foldout rear pegs to the frame under the footboards? My passenger doesn't feel safe with toes tucked in on the small rear platforms?
Barrie Stockton, Burnley

• The suspension should move through most of its length of travel simply by putting your bodyweight fully on the rear end. It should then spring back as you lift up. If it shows any resistance then something is amiss.
Compare it to other scoots, not just an Ovetto. A new shock should sort this out, although sometimes the problem can be with the engine mounts. As for the footrests, this would involve some pretty serious modification work involving attaching a piece of metal running the width of the footboards to fit pegs where currently there aren’t any. This is just an idea but it might prove easier to get a new pillion passenger.

Another forking problem

Is it possible to rebuild the front forks of my Piaggio Skipper? If so, where can I get the parts?
Dean Stanyer
Trent Vale, Stoke on Trent

• It is possible to rebuild most Piaggio forks, although there may be problems due to corroded bolts etc, which makes disassembly very difficult. Once apart any Piaggio dealer will be able to source the correct parts for you and may even have them in stock. Make sure the bike is firmly held off the ground before you begin and try to get hold of a manual before beginning so you can make sure you have the correct tools etc. Haynes produce a book that covers your model in great detail.

Heave ho Evo

You guessed it; my Piaggio X9 Evo 125 has the same cold start problems as every other owner I have ever met. I am getting bored and sick of this bike after only six months. The dealer thinks it's dampness in the spark plug, could this be possible? The bike is sitting in my back yard at the moment as an ornamental feature to my flowerbeds. It cuts out in traffic, fails to start in the morning and I'm becoming very disappointed. I wish I'd got a motorcycle instead.
Graham Reed, Roker, Sunderland

• Oh dear this doesn’t sound good does it? Surely by now Piaggio should have this one sorted. Dampness in or around the spark plug can easily be remedied by simply changing the spark plug, so try that first. In the likely event that this doesn’t cure it, then take it back to your dealer for him to fix. Under the Sale of Goods Act your scooter must be able to scoot, otherwise it is just, as you rightly say, an ornament. Insist that they either fix or replace the offending items and don’t be put off or sent off less than satisfied.

Wriggly customer

I have been thinking of derestricting my Peugeot Ludix Snake but I don’t know much about it. I went to the bike shop I got my ped, but he didn’t give me much information. He just said that it would be fine, but I am not so sure. My dad is a keen biker and doesn’t think I should do it as my bike runs lovely as it is. I wondered if you could help me with some reasons for and against getting it derestricted and if there are any dangers in doing it.
Ashley Hawins, Mannintree Essex

• Providing you use parts intended for your machine and strictly adhere to the fitting and setup guides there is no reason why the bike cannot be liberated of a few horses and stay reliable.
Please bear in mind any insurance and licence implications however. Once you are sure what you want to do check out http://malossiuk.com/ and do a search for the Ludix in the parts section. There you will find all you need to make the Snake wriggle a little more.

Piaggio a go go

I have a 2004 Piaggio X9 Evo 500. I am thinking of changing the standard exhaust to a performance exhaust. I would like to know whether or not it would increase the performance of the bike? I was looking at the GPR and Giannelli exhausts. Is there any difference between the two, apart from the price?
John Pardo, X9 Owners’ Club

• The Evolution has a beautiful stainless system as standard, which is already a freer flowing item when compared to the original SL version. An after-market exhaust may release a little more power, although you lose the ecological benefits of the catalytic converter (which the standard pipe has fitted). The cost, however, is fairly high for the relatively small amount of power gain. A better bet may be to fit a Malossi or Polini variator, which retunes the transmission to 'sport mode' and offers a noticeable change in acceleration from a standing start all the way up to around 70mph. The top speed of the machine exceeds 100mph anyway, and the top speed is governed by a rev limiter, which the Evo will hit at an indicated 110mph or thereabouts. You will see no increase in top speed by using either the pipe or variator. The pipe retails at around £200-250, while the variator is around £140-160. Fitting should be around 30 minutes either way!

Exhausting problem

I read with interest your article last month on the 50cc scooter exhaust, and was amazed at the speed increase gained. I currently have a 2001 100cc Speedfight 2, and the exhaust is starting to blow. What exhaust would you recommend, and what sort of speed could I realistically expect? Also, would I need any other work done as well and what price would I expect to pay? I have £200 spare to spend on it.
Stan the Man
Wymondham

• Any of the after-market exhausts will yield great returns in performance, but be prepared to modify the gearing by around 20 per cent to suit the altered power curve and let the engine benefit from any work. Around £100 will get you a Giannelli exhaust, so some change will be left over for transmission parts. Other pipes can be more costly, so bear in mind the need to change the transmission and do not leave yourself short.

A big bag of chips please

I've recently bought a hand made Leo Vinci ZX power pipe for my Suzuki AY50W Katana. Everything about it is fine, apart from my top speed (45-50mph). My dealer says that this is because of a chip restricting the revs. I've looked everywhere and not even my dealer knows anyone who supplies such a chip.
Please help as all my friends are laughing at me.
Ben White
Bishop Sutton, Bristol

• There is a mismatch with the standard, very low, gearing and the Leo Vinci pipes that see the engine rev away to 12,000rpm while the pipe is producing its maximum power much lower than that. A dyno run may well show this and enable the fitting of some different weight rollers and a gear-up kit to stop the engine shooting up into the high rev band. This needs sorting, sooner rather than later, as the over revving is not good for crankshaft and engine bearing life. The CDI box (the chip your dealer refers to) is also a source of restriction and a fully unrestricted after-market item is required to fully liberate the AP's power.
Now for the boring bit, please make sure you are fully entitled to ride such a machine before carrying out the work.

It's a right burger

I could really use your help with a long running problem I am having with my Suzuki Burgman AN400. I purchased it from a main dealer in July 2003 and almost immediately had problems with it running in cold weather. It starts fine, but after about a minute, will cut out when not being throttled and does not stop cutting out until the bike has been run for at least 10 miles.
The bike has been back to the dealer over 10 times since I bought it. Suzuki even sent one of their guys from Head Office to make some modifications, but still the problem continues. The warranty runs out in January and Suzuki seem to be totally unable to rectify the problem.
I've looked on the internet and I do not appear to be alone with this problem. Have you heard of any similar problems with the Burgmans and do you have any suggestions of what can be done? Best regards.
Dave Jones (email)

• We at T&G would try a can of Silkolene Pro FST petrol additive as a potential cure for this problem, as it certainly sounds like carburettor icing to us. Failing that, it may well be a faulty choke solenoid that is not operating smoothly. Either way surely the dealer can sort it by replacing the carburettor or such like.

Exhausted the supply

I need some help. I bought an Aprilia area 51 scooter; it is a Y registered scooter. Recently my exhaust was found to have rotted inside and is now wrecked. I tried to find a new exhaust to fit, but when I tried all the companies who claimed to make an exhaust for my scooter, they said they stopped making that particular exhaust because the scooter is rare and no one has them. I have tried Giannelli and Leo Vinci and all the others I can think of. The only exhaust I have found that will fit is an Aprilia one, but it is £290! Are there any exhaust companies you know that make them for this particular bike.
Many thanks
David Lewis

• Giannelli used to produce a couple of exhausts that were listed as fitting the Area 51. Unfortunately these ceased production last year and all remaining stocks have, as far as we can ascertain, been sold. Kundo, TNT and Scorpion have never listed this model, but as the Area 51 uses a horizontal Minarelli motor, it should be possible to adapt one from a different model that uses the same motor. We are currently checking out which models may fit so keep a look out in T&G soon

What's that Skippy?

I am having trouble with my Honda X8R-X. When I ride along at any speed it sometimes kangaroos a little bit, then loses speed then all of a sudden, it picks up speed again. It does it on and off all the time while riding along.
I would like to see if you know what the reason for this is, because I would be able to do the work that is needed. I wanted to know what was wrong so I could sort the problem.
Thanks,
Bryan Ellis

• This could be something as simple as a duff spark plug or plug cap. Plugs sometimes develop a whisker that sits across the electrode, occasionally shorting the plug and causing such 'kangarooing'. These two items are easily changed as part of a regular service or maintenance. Also check the air-filter for cleanliness and float bowl for any contaminants like water.

Dealer has wrong vibe

I have a 2000 W reg Suzuki AN400X. For a while now it has had a pulsating hum or vibration from the engine and transmission area above 50 mph. The local Suzuki dealer changed the drive belt, which was torn. Since then I have had return it in to the dealer with the same problem. This time the dealer said the belt had torn because it was an inferior pattern and credited me towards a more expensive Suzuki original. Unfortunately the vibration has not gone away. I have spoken to Suzuki Customer Services, who would not give any advice and referred me back to the dealer. I don't know what the problem is, but neither does the dealer. So where do I go from here? Do you have any advice?
Barry Ring.

• A mechanic who can't find an evident problem has to be brought into question. If it's vibrating, surely a Suzuki dealer can establish why. I reckon you should change dealers. There must be a bearing or such-like that is causing this problem and any decent mechanic will soon find it. When you do, take the damaged parts back to the original dealer who couldn't find the problem and show them to him.

Shocking experience

Dear grey-haired scooter fixer-upper-type person.
Since you are all-knowing and omnipotent in the world of scooter-type quandaries, I was wondering if you could advise me on my current scoot question.
After 750 miles one of the rear shockers on my new DNA 180 literally exploded. It was replaced quickly under warranty by my dealer (thanks to Faulkners, Oxford), but now I don't entirely 'trust' the machine.
I put 2000 miles on my old (and rather kick-ass) SR 125 and didn't touch its single rear shocker, and had no problems at all. Yet this twin-shock machine fails in no time.
I'm now going to change the rear shockers to something more impressive. Any ideas?
I've spotted some nice ones in last month's issue, on Rich Haywood's Dragster, and on the slightly modified MBK Rocket 748 (Fournales). Any idea where I can get them?
Many thanks
Neil 'The Welsh Scooter-Riding Prison Officer', Kidlington, Oxon

• We spoke to dealer John Thompson at Thompsons Scooters in St Albans and it would seem that an exploding shock is a very unusual occurrence. Certainly we at T+G have never come across one before. You don't say how long ago you purchased your DNA, but Gilera stopped making the 180 version over a year ago, so it is possible that you have purchased a machine that has stood in a showroom window in the strong sunlight for quite a while and this may have caused the problem, but we can't be sure.
We feel you might struggle to find a suitable alternative shock for this particular model although, at the recent Munich show, Sebac stated they were looking into the possibility of producing one.
Whatever happens, don't give up on your DNA just because of one bad experience.

Scoot, too hot for comfort ?

I have recently bought a second-hand Peugeot Speedfight 50 that is a lot faster (55mph actually) than the 30mph it is supposed to do. Whilst I am very happy with this, am I breaking the law doing such speeds as I am only just 16 – what could be the result if I get caught?
Danny
Walthamstow

• By definition a moped is a vehicle restricted to 30mph by design and is the only type of vehicle you are legally entitled to ride at 16. By de-restricting the bike, it is no longer a moped and there could be some serious consequences should you be found riding it, such as no insurance cover and certainly no licence entitlement.
Riding with no insurance is a serious offence and as such will carry a heavy points and fine penalty. Also, should you for instance, cause an incident where people are injured or property is damaged, the onus would be upon you to repay any losses that your policy would normally take up. So don't go crashing into jumbo jets loaded with nuclear waste parked in the centre of London, as a part time job at MacDonald's may well not be enough to get you out of trouble!
Whatever you decide to do is up to you and it must be difficult making a decision when just about every scoot out there is unrestricted, hence faster than 30mph. We cannot endorse such behaviour, as it is illegal in the UK – even if we do happen to think that faster bikes are safer in the long run and without doubt more fun.

To BHP or not to BHP, what was the question?

I am the owner of the GT125 Vespa and thinking about upgrading the speed of the engine, and there’s so much advice out there. Is it true, like PM powerpipe? They say two more horses – and the Malossi 210. Is there anything else – like do you have to jet up the carb?
I know I ask a lot, but if the truth is out there I want a good and fast scooter, before I pay out the money on all go fast goodies. Also I notice two different pipes at PM, one with an E on it, are there anymore out there, road legal.
Please seek out the truth.
Gary Shortlands

• The advice offered by the many tuners and parts retailers is generally correct providing the instructions are followed to the letter. Any mods will need an up jetting usually to compensate for high revs and fuel flow and this alone can be fraught with danger and expense. In most cases someone will have been there before you so do ask around who has done what with which parts and why.
Companies like PM and Malossi have a wealth of experience in this field and are all too willing to offer help and assistance.

Dash that blasted rain

I am thinking about buying a 2004 Evolution 125 X9 and have found that some of the Evos have problems with their computer dashboards due to water getting in them when it rains. Do you know if Piaggio has cured this problem and if not how can I cure the problem myself. Are there any other design faults that you may know about with this scooter?
Karen Williams

• We approached one of the country’s leading Piaggio dealers Thompsons (www.piaggio-center.co.uk) who have two very busy shops one in St Albans and the other in Luton they said the following:
“This is a problem that occurs on some X9s, and is a well known foible. The water ingresses via the rubber buttons, and is easily and permanently cured by removing the LCD display, removing the rubber buttons and sealing them with clear silicone sealant.
It takes 20 minutes to carry this out before the bike is used, and should be done by a caring dealer. We now seal all X9 dashes, and the problem has all but gone away. You can do this yourself with an Allen key, Phillips screwdriver and tube of sealant. This part is, however, covered by the warranty (two years’ standard, £30 for the third year) and does not afflict every machine by any means. Prevention is better than cure however!”

Constant acceleration

Dear Sir,
Can you please give me some advice on my bike problem. I own an Aprilia SR50 Stealth L/C type MZ variant version 03, 1997 on P registration plate. This bike was de-restricted by the shop from new. I have owned the bike from new, ex-shop demo, and it has been fitted with standard Aprilia parts from new and will run and accelerate up to 50mph with no problem. I have now fitted a non standard exhaust, a Doppler part number 265275, and when I ride the bike, it will not accelerate past about 30mph and seems to be restricted. But if you ride down a hill, the bike will suddenly accelerate very fast up to about 55-60mph. Could you please advise me what I have to do to alleviate this problem and achieve constant acceleration up to 55-60mph. Do I need to fit special rollers, and if so could you please advise where I could purchase the necessary rollers?
Regards
Graham Burston

• Perhaps there may be a fault with either the pipe or the jetting it may require as this has only occurred since fitting it; you may need to seek pro help with this one as jetting can be both a difficult and expensive problem to get sorted. If that doesn't help, then it may well be the power has shifted out of the range of the current variator and now the engine is bogging down instead of being able to pull through the whole in the rev range, which of course is then helped by the hill, after all gravity is THE best performance enhancement of all time.

DNA Filters

Can you tell if or what K&N filters you can get for a 70cc DNA? I have tried two K&Ns before, but they just kept slowing down when I full throttled it. There was too much air going in. I was thinking of getting the 19mm Malossi carb kit that comes with a K&N.
Ben Russell

• Certainly there are some cheap pattern parts available and quality can be an issue, so always try and buy from reputable sources and ask all of the right questions before handing over the lolly. The open K&N type of filter is quite a maintenance heavy item and there are many things that can cause the symptoms you describe, the element could be too dry or even too wet so follow any instructions supplied with it to the letter. The problem could also be jetting as the idea behind the filter is to allow more air into the engine and that will normally require more fuel to suit.

Same cold start problems

I read in your magazine last month a letter about the cold start problems on the X9 125 Evolution. Mine suffers from exactly the same problems.
On a recent ride to my parents some 26km away, the ride home was appalling. The bike started OK, but was under-powered all the way home. The bike cut out at traffic lights three times and was a misery to restart. I also noticed that the temperature gauge went to 3¼4 rather than the 1¼2 where it normally sits. All the way home the bike had no power and no pull.
I am becoming really frustrated with the bike of late. This 125 evolution is three weeks old. I will be calling in at the dealer to see what their mechanics have to say...
I would really like you to publish this letter as an update to the last letter published and to see if there are any others out there suffering with this problem.
I think an article looms here... (how else can we mere mortals get anything done about this problem?)
Regards – Paul

• You and all the X9 owners experiencing this have our complete sympathy. It would appear that Piaggio have been bombarded with similar complaints and as yet have no answers that result in a cure. To me it still sounds like carb icing and the increase in engine temperature will have been caused by the mixture leaning out as the jets etc, block with the ice. I would love to hear if anyone has actually tried the various additives to remedy this complaint. Having personally spoken to a few X9 owners it would appear the dealers, and indeed the importers, are dong precious little to cure this and reports of adjustments made to carbs and valve clearances have yielded no positive results to date.
The only item in the carb that can be the culprit is the auto choke, which in turn would actually aid cold starting and running, and tight valve clearances would eventually stop the bike completely, never to run again until these were attended to. As you can imagine I am not too impressed with these two theories.
Should the symptoms present themselves again, it would be best to stop the journey straight away, switch off and let the heat from the engine work its way back up into the carb, this can be helped by holding the throttle open. Any ice present in the inlet tract will not melt while the engine is running as it is caused by the extreme pressure drop, created by the very act of carburation.
After a short while, try starting the engine and see if it responds better to the twistgrip's commands. If the ice has been effectively removed it should not occur again during that journey. If this is a carb ice issue, then the only cure is going to be the replacement of every carb out there for one with some kind of heating incorporated, just like the majority of Japanese manufacturers had to do when faced with this same problem in the 80s. Incidentally a lot of far eastern machines have ducts etc directing hot air from the cylinder area onto the carb body exactly for this reason.