So far a good day...

Motorcycling
1

Got home last night and checked on my pushbike; somebody has vandalised it by removing the handlebars. To get that out, they have had to cut the break and gear cables. All this in the “security” of my locked courtyard!

This morning, got to my bike and the bl00dy thing wouldn’t start again! Just made whining noises. So, trekked upstairs to bring the battery charger down.

While walking downstairs, fell and “broke” a knuckle in my right hand. Swelling went down when I forced my gloves on, but it’s still battered and bruised.

When I get home, I’ll just turn all the lights off and go under the duvet and not materialise again until June.

Have booked the bike in for a check-up on Tuesday. A new city dealers (Square Mile Motorbikes, nr Cannon St) said that they’ve already had half a dozen of GT 125s there with the same problem, even with brand new batteries. So, they’re replacing mine with a new 200cc bike battery, as they work. That’s another £55 + labour after the £100 or so I paid just two months ago to get the 9V battery replaced by the 12V battery it should have had in the first place.

2

sorry to hear that, Paivi.

I slipped on the stairs at work this morning, put my hands to save myself and have sprained my left wrist and it hurts. Ice pack has reduced the swelling but it’s not easy typing I can tell ya!

good luck with the bike.

3

Sorry to hear about your bad luck Paivi. I know exactly how you feel if it’s any conselation.

4

Poor luck Paivi.

As they say round these parts, when the going gets tough, the tough get out another bottle of Champers

5

Sorry to hear that Paivi! You can have my Coffe Torrone, it it can make you feel better!

6

Not having a very good time are you Paivi

Hope your hand heals ok and quickly.

I’m sure things will get better when the summer comes

7

aww poor poor Paivi, things can only get better

8

Sorry to hear that Paivi, had a day like that yesterday,so definatly know how you feel!

9

So sorry to hear of your bike problems, that with doing your knuckle, you really are not having a good time are you. I hope the hand gets better quickly. As for the bike, I hope that it gets sorted, sounds like a right nightmare. Try to look on the bright side, things can only get better (fingers crossed 4 yer).

10

Blimey! sounds like you’ve got a good plan there tho.

Execute it forthwith. As MM says, you should get some champers in an ice bucket to drown misery and reduce knuckle swelling in one go.

11

Aaaaah, guys, you’re too sweet!

The bike didn’t start again on my way home, but luckily I never travel without my portable (heh, the size of a small fridge!) battery charger!

The swelling’s still there and it’s looking nicely technicolour, but I managed to ride the bike without too many problems. It’s just very sensitive to touch, so no kissing it better, guys!

Pity I don’t like champagne… Have to see if a hot choc in Soho will be a panacea.

12

Could be worst…lets hope the problems gets sorted once and for all…

Hope u feel better 2 :slight_smile:

13

Hope your hand gets better…Mondays’ are supposed to be like this not Friday

14

I don’t think you have the problems you think you have.

The battery was probably 9ah not 9V. 9V wouldn’t have started the bike and if the charging system was working it would have cooked it.

If the battery you have is only 2 months old it is still under warranty. Take it back.

Probably a charging fault rather than the battery as you say it is under 2 months old. Takes about 5 mins to check the charging system and I would do this before stumping up £55 for a new battery which to be honest is so overpriced it’s silly and by the sounds of it is unlikely to be the problem.

The only possible difference between a 125 and 200 battery is capacity so if your charging system isn’t working it will just take longer to discharge.

15

Exactly, and even if there will be a need for a new battery just find the best offer in the shops and buy, I’ll be more than happy to fit it for u. At least you’ll cut the labour costs.

16

Just goes to show, you should always wear Kevlar gloves when walking down the stairs!

bad luck though

17

The problem is that, not being a mechanic, I’m at the mercy of garages. If they tell me I need to replace my two-year-old battery, which then turns out to be a 9something with the 12something it should have had at the start, I have no choice but to do that. And pay for the labour if I want it done immediately, i.e., so that I have transport the next day to go to work.

If then, two months later, another garage tells me that they’ve seen lots of bikes with similar problems, and replacing my battery with a 200cc bike’s battery is the cure, again, I don’t know any better, I have to trust them and part with more money.

I don’t know what could be causing the problem, and I certainly wouldn’t know how to start measuring any inputs and outputs to verify it. And I certainly wouldn’t know how to fix it.

From my first visit to the garage in November (when they replaced the battery), I remember them saying the alternator doesn’t work, so the battery isn’t charging when I’m idling. I would have thought that was a warranty repair, but they thought otherwise, and said a new battery should fix it anyway.

With the new garage, on Tuesday, I’ll have to ask them to check the bike over to find the problem and fix that once and for all, no matter how many £££s it’s going to cost, as I can’t be replacing batteries every time it gets a bit nippy. Hopefully some of it would go on warranty…

And, the hand’s getting worse. Last night there was just a small bruise, now it’s spread to the entire outside of the hand.

Jono: my gloves have Kevlar lining, but damn, was I wearing them at the time??? Armoured jacket, check; Alpinestar boots, check; helmet, check; gloves, of course not!

18

OH Pavi, you are having a run of bad luck, just remember things can only get better! Failing that, then hot choc and the duvet sounds goodHope your hand mends soon mate…

19

Paivi, the easiest way to check is your alternator working is to watch the front light while reving it. If it goes brighter with higher revs than on idle then it’s fine.

20

Paivi

Is the Vespa still under warranty? If the alternator/generator/charging system is dead it will be a warranty job if it is still under warranty.

I’m sure one of us could check the generator output and if it’s low go with you to back you up (assuming its still under warranty) at the shop.

As you have already been told the charging system isn’t working correctly I think getting a new battery will be a waste of time and money without a thorough check