SBF Classic Vespa's Cafe 2009 / 2010

[JbAtRaCeR]

Originally posted by Sharpey@Jun 13 2006, 05:04 PM

errrr.... that place in Jln Besar plaza... perhaps... but don't get your hopes up, think they also don't have 'em....

 

Tells you something though doesn't it.... Nobody really messes around with their carb enough!!!! Virtually all piston jams can be avoided with proper carb settings... (getting em aint easy though)

 

Life is hard eh?

 

Buy online if you really can't find em here...

 

scooterpartsdirect.com ship from usa

beedspeed.com ship from the uk.

 

both have decent rates... see which suits you better

I went to Jalan besar this afternoon...too bad they only have 120,160,180 and 200...

I can see that not alot of vespa riders play around with the carb settings..Is it possible that vespa shops in JB have stock?...Heard that there's a vespa shop in Kampung Majidee,but not sure with the exact location.Anyone regular there?..

[Sharpey]

If you want better mileage buy a Wave.... Why on earth woud you want to punish your px by putting a 20/20 on there...

 

It will make the scooter have a hard time breathing... meaning you need higher revs to get where you're going.... Higher revs mean more fuel....

 

Save fuel by not reving the engine high, not engine braking, turning off at stop lights and when riding down hill... oh.... and by losing weight (possibly the best way to make your scoot fuel efficient....)

 

Oh I forgot... a windscreen (search cuppini or something) will also help...

 

 

[Sharpey]

Yup... shame about the lack of some parts... Try Malaysia, you never know...

 

Easiest way is to order online... just order a bunch of small stuff you want that doesn't weigh much (like key chains and main jets....) That way you'll always have spares...

 

I've noticed that main jets are limited also... can't get a 128 here!

 

Oh well. Good luck mate.

[Retro_King]

After reading this thread, I spoke to my mechanic about tubeless tyres and he said that in the event of a puncture, there isn't really too much of a difference between tubed or tubeless tyres because scooters are generally lighter than other motorcycles and that somehow affects how the bike will react to a blow out.

 

I don't know how true this is but I'm assuming he has good intentions la. After all, at $100 per tubeless tyre, who wouldn't want to make that money right? He advised me to keep my tubed ones and just change the tyre ($40 each) when the thread is bare.

 

I've had a punctured tyre with my tubed tyres on the road once but wasn't going too fast so I managed to pull safely to the side of the road. So maybe he's not wrong.

 

Would like to hear all your opinions though.

 

One more thing, how often do you change clutch cable? My clutch cable has snapped on me three times in the last 1.5 years. Wonder if it's the way I ride... or if it's quite normal.

[Gweester]

Hi Guys,

 

Been reading the writeup on your discussion on classic vespa and this has been re-kindling my passion for classic vespa...they are very interesting too...

Will definitely meet up with you guys when i restore my baby which is lay up now.....(but it may only happen next year)

Used to ride a 1978 V-sprint for 4 years but have since moved on to bigger bikes....thinking of restoring it next year....

currently reading up more on vesps thingy as i want to re-live my vespa passion....

used to patronise ah wee and auntie at tong aik and i am surprised the auntie atill remember me after all these years when i paid her a visit a few weeks back....

might need some help on the stuff nowadays as don't know whether much has changed or not.....cos i did some mods to my bike the previous time...alloy block, 24/24 carbs, proma exhaust and all....and will be re-doing all the vespa stuffs again

if need be, will drop a question or two in this thread...

Till then, keep the classic scoots going!!!

 

[Gweester]

Originally posted by Retro_King@Jun 14 2006, 01:31 PM

After reading this thread, I spoke to my mechanic about tubeless tyres and he said that in the event of a puncture, there isn't really too much of a difference between tubed or tubeless tyres because scooters are generally lighter than other motorcycles and that somehow affects how the bike will react to a blow out.

 

I don't know how true this is but I'm assuming he has good intentions la. After all, at $100 per tubeless tyre, who wouldn't want to make that money right? He advised me to keep my tubed ones and just change the tyre ($40 each) when the thread is bare.

 

I've had a punctured tyre with my tubed tyres on the road once but wasn't going too fast so I managed to pull safely to the side of the road. So maybe he's not wrong.

 

Would like to hear all your opinions though.

 

One more thing, how often do you change clutch cable? My clutch cable has snapped on me three times in the last 1.5 years. Wonder if it's the way I ride... or if it's quite normal.

hi retro king,

 

I think the price of the tubeless is a little steep but as Sharpey has mentioned, it is definitely much safer to have tubeless tire as it will prevent a blowout and it delay the impact of puncture types as well (tube will be totally flat in a while)....

I would still go for the tube tire as it is economical and relatively cheap to get a new set of tires...

As for puncture tires, u can always keep a spare tire on your bike cos changing the types takes only a while....(well, most vespa do have spare tires...)

 

As for the clutch cables, from my previous experience, it is one thing i always check and i also have a spare clutch cable on my bike so in the event of it snapping, i won't be stuck without help....(happen once before)....

i guess the duration of changing of the clutch cables varies but i have changed abt 2-3 times during my 4 years of riding a vespa...and that amounts to about the same number of times you have changed....guess maybe we can always make it a point to change the cables once a year to prevent the unforeseen circumstances of happening....relatively cheap to do that too (a few dollars only)

 

just my 2cents worth.........

[ackl]

yup should be changing my tyre soon..

will change the tube as well..

my punctured tyre experience .

 

the front tyre - can feel that the balance of the bike is off.have to ride slowly to the nearest petro station.

 

the rear tyre - it come so suddenly that i nearly lost my control during the turn.,very diffcult to control the bike.

 

as for clutch cable i change once every 5-6 mth.(cos don"t know how to change myself )

the only thing I don"t really like after changing the clutch cable is

the feeling of the clutch in is different.

[Sharpey]

Hey Gweester.... Glad to hear you'll be scootering again... Big bikes are cool... Scooters as I'm sure you know are Uber Cool.

 

Ok.... lets get the whole tube/tubeless thing straight...

 

When a tubed wheel gets a puncture the loss of air pressure is likely to be very quick... When the tube gets a hole in it air can escape into the tyre and then out through every little gap between the wheel halves... When the tube tears, this just happens even faster....

 

When a tubeless wheel gets a punture, air can only escape through that hole... also, anything that punctures the tyre (eg nail) will likely stay in the tyre, effectively sealing the hole.... Either way, deflation will NOT be anywhere near as fast as in a tubed wheel....

 

Akl, I'd get that tube changed asap.... if it is deflating quickly (whether after rain only or not) its defective and unsafe...

 

 

Yup clutch cables snap... that happens... and yep, carry a spare... watch what the mech does when you get it changed next, so you'll know what to do when it snaps on you in Ulu ulu Singapore at some crazy time at night in the rain.... (oh... put a torch in your glove box )

 

Happy scootering

[Gweester]

Originally posted by Sharpey@Jun 14 2006, 03:56 PM

Hey Gweester.... Glad to hear you'll be scootering again... Big bikes are cool... Scooters as I'm sure you know are Uber Cool.

 

Ok.... lets get the whole tube/tubeless thing straight...

 

When a tubed wheel gets a puncture the loss of air pressure is likely to be very quick... When the tube gets a hole in it air can escape into the tyre and then out through every little gap between the wheel halves... When the tube tears, this just happens even faster....

 

When a tubeless wheel gets a punture, air can only escape through that hole... also, anything that punctures the tyre (eg nail) will likely stay in the tyre, effectively sealing the hole.... Either way, deflation will NOT be anywhere near as fast as in a tubed wheel....

 

Akl, I'd get that tube changed asap.... if it is deflating quickly (whether after rain only or not) its defective and unsafe...

 

 

Yup clutch cables snap... that happens... and yep, carry a spare... watch what the mech does when you get it changed next, so you'll know what to do when it snaps on you in Ulu ulu Singapore at some crazy time at night in the rain.... (oh... put a torch in your glove box )

 

Happy scootering

Sharpey, thanks for the welcome....

my sprints has been my most beloved when i was riding it and it still is....and the tot of restoring will be painful in the beginning (to the pockets) but the end result would definitely great!!!

 

Guess when i am looking for spare parts, need all of your eyes to help me look out for those classic old parts i need....

 

as for the tires...there are pros and cons of them....well i guess the rider must gauge it themsleves...

clear and detailed explanation on the tube/tubeless dude!

 

[Sharpey]

Quite right... it is your choice as a rider at the end of the day... If you look over on other forums, the split is clearly 50/50.... some folks prefer the practicality of tubed... others the safety of tubless.... Whatever floats your boat

 

Will keep an eye out for ya... I'd love a sprint, but am afraid my wife wouldn't love me anymore if I had another scooter... 2 wives is plenty I reckon

[Gweester]

Originally posted by Sharpey@Jun 14 2006, 04:55 PM

Quite right... it is your choice as a rider at the end of the day... If you look over on other forums, the split is clearly 50/50.... some folks prefer the practicality of tubed... others the safety of tubless.... Whatever floats your boat

 

Will keep an eye out for ya... I'd love a sprint, but am afraid my wife wouldn't love me anymore if I had another scooter... 2 wives is plenty I reckon

hahaha....2 wives already?

me too....just dat one of them is sleeping...

thanks in advance...

[ackl]

I also wanted another wife..!!

But not at this moment of time..cannot afford another bike.

and don"t think I willing to sell my vespa .

so far i really enjoy riding my vespa .esp in and around city.

but then if goes to any end of the island -- not that smooth .

if i get another another will be one of the auto scooter range.

(X9,silverwing,Burgman..etc)

[emrun]

got 3 questions to ask..

 

1. which spark plug is best for alloy block?

long or short ones?

i've been usin' the short ones all this while.

 

2. which is the best engine oil for vespa and how much to put?

i'm usin' castrol R4 ($20+) but its not as smooth as the usual $5 ones.

and my gear suddenly feel 'quite' hard to turn.

 

3. is there any other improvements in cdi? other than brighter lights,

easy kickstart. does it improve in speed, acceleration, ease vibrations?

if the answer is yes, might be thinking about it. TA quote it for $400-$500.

i dont want to spend that amount of money for better lights. heh.

 

thanks in advance.

[Sharpey]

No Idea about cdi's... mine's got one anyways...

 

Check which spark plug you need be either A) asking a mech who knows about kits... or B) Taking off your cylinderhead and checking to see where the plug is seated... if there is space between where it ends and the head (i.e. too short)... thats bad.... if it is too long (threads poke out into cylinder head... thats REALLY BAD.

 

I use whatever engine oil they put in mine... no big deal there... If you wan't to get a smoother gear change, get a cosa clutch

 

 

 

Ackl.... Auto scooters are the dark side... don't go there man!

[Gweester]

Originally posted by ackl@Jun 15 2006, 08:48 PM

I also wanted another wife..!!

But not at this moment of time..cannot afford another bike.

and don"t think I willing to sell my vespa .

so far i really enjoy riding my vespa .esp in and around city.

but then if goes to any end of the island -- not that smooth .

if i get another another will be one of the auto scooter range.

(X9,silverwing,Burgman..etc)

never sell off your vespa....

if need be, lay up as what i did.....

Vespa and especially classic need to be well taken care off and normally we who ride the classic would spend a lot of time doing it up, taking care of them etc.

so to sell it off would mean heartbreak!!

keep the vespa and probably get another "wife" if you need....

[darksoul81]

Hi frens

a fren of mine wants to buy a vintage kinda look vespa. Which shops shld he go to? And if 2nd hand what he shld luk out for? roughly hw much?

appreciate ur replies..thx in advance:smile:

[Gweester]

Originally posted by emrun@Jun 16 2006, 09:55 AM

got 3 questions to ask..

 

1. which spark plug is best for alloy block?

long or short ones?

i've been usin' the short ones all this while.

 

2. which is the best engine oil for vespa and how much to put?

i'm usin' castrol R4 ($20+) but its not as smooth as the usual $5 ones.

and my gear suddenly feel 'quite' hard to turn.

 

3. is there any other improvements in cdi? other than brighter lights,

easy kickstart. does it improve in speed, acceleration, ease vibrations?

if the answer is yes, might be thinking about it. TA quote it for $400-$500.

i dont want to spend that amount of money for better lights. heh.

 

thanks in advance.

for the spark plugs, I was using the shorts ones that TA recommends and it works perfectly (was using alloy block too)....don't meddle with you plugs unnecessarily as it could have a HUGE impact on your block and piston....

just use the recommended ones from the vespa shops...if need be, sought advise from your mechanic....

 

As for engine oil, same for me, i use the ones they put in when i was doing my servicing...works fine and it's smooth...you can try other engine oils and get a feel for yourself....if it is not good, switch back or try others....i usually consult the mechanic for recommended engine oil (for my big bike) as they would know the best...once asked, just try it out yourself to get the feel....mechanics need to advise on whether that particular engine oil suits your bike....

 

changing to the CDI from the traditional magneto (contact) gets you the a brighter lights and better kickstarts...

It does saves you from the backfire when your taillight blows (happens to me a few times)....

Not too sure on whether it improves you acceleration or speed...doubt so though....changing to the CDI is just changing the way your vespa functions electrically....

 

I think un-sith changed his to a CDI (as i have read), i was also asking him the performance and improvement....you might wanna post and ask him...

or maybe we can wait for his reply....

[Sharpey]

Admins... we really need a sticky on classic scoots... what to do, where to go, how much things cost..... Can???

[Gweester]

Sharpey,

 

Cosa clutch?? how's the performance? Price?

Other than this aftermarket clutch mentioned above, is there others?

[Gweester]

Originally posted by Sharpey@Jun 16 2006, 10:44 AM

Admins... we really need a sticky on classic scoots... what to do, where to go, how much things cost..... Can???

i second that!!!

[Gweester]

Originally posted by darksoul81@Jun 16 2006, 10:35 AM

Hi frens

a fren of mine wants to buy a vintage kinda look vespa. Which shops shld he go to? And if 2nd hand what he shld luk out for? roughly hw much?

appreciate ur replies..thx in advance:smile:

read on the classic threads and you should be able to know which shops to go to....and maybe what to look for....

Tong Aik at golden wall center (beside sim lim square), ah joo at ubi....are some shops you can go...

price wise...standard classic vespa is from 3or 4k onwards....there are newer PX version that is slightly on the cheaper side....

 

One word of advice, if you are looking for a classic, please check whether the roadtax is renewable or not...the previous owner must renew his roadtax for 10yrs....and it is ever renewable....cos if he renews for 5yrs....the bike will be scrapped after that...

[darksoul81]

thanks for yur info..

btw my fren luking for 1965 sprint or super? anybody selling?

[ackl]

wow!! 1965 sprint or super actually i am not sure if there is any..

But well anything 1965 must have some deep pocket to buy from collector or shop(i don"t think there will restore untill someone order.)

so far i can think of at least one shop (Ah Joon in ubi but perpare lots of $$.)

 

back to the question.

- spark plugs, shorts ones that TA recommends (so far i only buy from them. so far so good.)

 

-engine oil - actually i never chk. AS long as after the servicing can feel the different

 

-CDI. HUm..i do a bit of read up about this..been very temp to change.

beside better light ,better start, the power of the bike will be improve also..at the very least will not have the problem i sometime face now..due to contact point. brake and engine die / or have to chk did the rear light blow also wil have the same problem

louder horn possible with CDI and also bulb 12v as compare to 6v easily to find.

as for the price wise..i chk with TA and AJ .a big different in price(in term of Hundred) not sure why the different .?

(should be some spare part new as comapre to recycle)

maybe someone here can help to answer this?

 

someone ask me this question CDI..after changing it is still a classic ?

[Sharpey]

What is classic and what is not... people always disagree...

 

I think my Px200 built in the year 2000 is a classic... That's just me...

 

I think the PX is gorgeous in its own way, and cry when I see people hacking them to bits... but again, that's just me....

 

 

Gweester... The cosa clutch (as found on all PX's with the disc brake) is a huge improvement over the old one... it is much smoother and easier to engage/disengage... What I don't know, is whether or not shops here are used to doing the swap (if people never ask, they obviously they will never do it...) I know it can be done [lots in the US and UK do....] but don't know how much for.... Maybe I'll check with Mdm Soh next time I pop by TA

 

Cheers....

[Sharpey]

the only other thing I know you can do to a clutch.. cosa or not cosa... is to put in stiffer clutch springs... Mdm Soh sells the Malossi clutch springs...

 

These are usefull if your scoot is making large ammounts of power (enough to have clutch slip during acceleration) as they make the clutch alot stiffer... They also make it much harder to use... Many [i have read] think that they're overkill and go instead for what are called 'cosa uprated' clutch springs....