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 Had the 10000k service done on my vespa gts today was a little shocked when i first saw the bill.  But found out they changed the belt as part of the service aswell.  This way I wont have to have the Vespa sevice until the 20000k mark.  Interesting that the dealer has changed the handbook service to do away with the minor service inbetween the major ones.  Just wondering if anyone else has been told this for their vespa gts?

Just one opinion - Unless you have the finest oil money can buy (racing synth) installed, and do 10K over a relatively short period of time, you would do well to NOT think about leaving servicing for that long no matter what the book says. Cheers

digitalscoot:

 Had the 10000k service done on my vespa gts today was a little shocked when i first saw the bill.  But found out they changed the belt as part of the service aswell.  This way I wont have to have the Vespa sevice until the 20000k mark.  Interesting that the dealer has changed the handbook service to do away with the minor service inbetween the major ones.  Just wondering if anyone else has been told this for their vespa gts?

 If you do 10,000kms in no more than 6 months & run full synthetic oil , then 10,000kms will be fine for oil & oil filter , i generally work on 6months/10000kms cycle & it serves me very well , spark plug in the GTS every 20000kms , clean & re-oil airfilter every 10-20000kms depending on conditions eg --a bit of dirt road then do at 10,000 , tar road only --do at 20,000kms .

The belt & rollers--book says 15,000 , experience says 20-25,000kms , if you do constant city stop/start then go 20,000kms, always do rollers at the same time , usually replace variator hub at 45,000 onwards {starts to rattle on take off} , to put a belt on at 10,000kms is just a plain rip off and you'de do well to avoid that particular dealer unless you enjoy getting around with no shirt on ya back?

my GTS has 55,000kms on it and i've used the above mentioned formula to maintain it since 5,000kms and its still as fit as a mallie bull

bradr:

to put a belt on at 10,000kms is just a plain rip off and you'de do well to avoid that particular dealer unless you enjoy getting around with no shirt on ya back?

Where I live i have little other choice for scooter servicing unless i want to take a decent trip to melbourne or DIY.  You would think that this dealer would be wiser as their parent company is the import company for piaggio in australia.  I think after the warrenty period is up ill be using the workshop manual do conduct my own servicing  

Next major service they will proberly replace the belt & rollers again, maybe i should ask for the old parts to see what the wear is actually like.  I do ride my vespa quiet hard and do lots of higher speed k's.

tonyr:

finest oil money can buy (racing synth)

could you please explain further tonyr?

 If I may ask, what was the damage?

digitalscoot:

I think after the warrenty period is up ill be using the workshop manual do conduct my own servicing

that makes sense to me, it looks like an easy job, that you would carefully go through the first time little by little over a period of days, say prepare to take cover off day 1, day 2 take cover off etc. Looking, reading, looking etc. buying/making correct tools. Thereafter a cinch.

bearamundi:

 If I may ask, what was the damage?

3/4 of a metric ton was the damage or about 9% of the orginal purchase price of the vespa.  With a spilt of 50% parts and 50% labour.

 Haynes do a manual for the Vespa GTS now http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vespa-GTS-GTV-LXV-125/dp/184425898X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302331025&sr=1-1  

pyrah:

 Haynes do a manual for the Vespa GTS now

I think i have enough GTS manuals now thanks to the internet i have the workshop manual, parts list manual and piaggio training program for scooter mechanics.

Bradr knows a lot about the service intervals of a GTS, and Allen made a ripper video of a GTS service in Scootersales.

http://www.scootersales.com.au/News-3551-scooter-service-special.aspx

I think a belt change at 10,000ks is way too early and got mine done at 15,000ks. Even then the belt looked fine,  but unless youve got the tools and mechanical knowledge its always a challenge to decide to do it yourself. My Vespa is out of warranty now and Im considering on doing the minor services myself, and changing the oil at those 5,000k intervals, and taking it to the workshop for the belt, oil filter, and roller services. That way a mechanic can regularly check that the scooter is safe.

 I bought one recently, the best $52 i've ever spent , i too have all the downloadable stuff available & believe you me the Haynes manual is very well layed out & all the tutorials are really simply laid out , as a mechanic i would tend to just flick through most manuals thinking oh yeh,know all that , where's that little bit i need to know? , darn dosen't talk about that topic , but not the Haynes , its got the lot

digitalscoot:

I do ride my vespa quiet hard and do lots of higher speed k's.

   The best sort of riding as far as belt life goes, high speed rural riding

digitalscoot:

 

3/4 of a metric ton was the damage or about 9% of the orginal purchase price of the vespa.  With a spilt of 50% parts and 50% labour.

 sounds too much to pay to me. mechanics pull the variator and clutch apart with a rattle gun. Takes seconds (but alot of skill). They're making their money not from selling scooters (slim margins) but servicing them (larger margins). Still, digitalscoot look on the bright side, you have contributed to the owners Christmas bonus

bradr:

 I bought one recently, the best $52 i've ever spent , i too have all the downloadable stuff available & believe you me the Haynes manual is very well layed out & all the tutorials are really simply laid out , as a mechanic i would tend to just flick through most manuals thinking oh yeh,know all that , where's that little bit i need to know? , darn dosen't talk about that topic , but not the Haynes , its got the lot

 I'll add it to this years santa's list I think the hardest thing is disassembling body parts for the first time incase there are little plastic hooks that you dont want to on the removal.

bearamundi:

They're making their money not from selling scooters (slim margins) but servicing them (larger margins). Still, digitalscoot look on the bright side, you have contributed to the owners Christmas bonus

I knew this but servicing 3 bikes there 1 or 2 twice a year per bike and buying new bikes through them, my stupidness thought i would be looked after better