THIS MONTH...

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.

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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.