Dead Battery Prevention

Nothing causes the phone in the VespistiSF shop to ring more than extended periods of cold, wet weather. It causes one thing - a dead battery.

In San Francisco, the typical scooterist puts an average of 4 miles per day on his or her Vespa. Short trips, combined with the headlight being on at all times, cause batteries to run at about 66% charged. This charge is enough to start the bike as long as the scooter is ridden daily. A rainy spell causes many to park their Vespas in favor of warmer, drier methods of transportation to get to school, work, the grocery store, etc. It doesn't take much for the battery charge to become so low that it can't start the scooter.

What's the best way to prevent a dead battery? A quality battery maintainer is a good start. Maintainers are miniature battery chargers supplied with two separate wiring harnesses that attach to the battery terminals, either semi-permanently using the battery cable hardware or temporarily with alligator clips. When the scooter sits dormant, even for a couple of days, it's smart to hook up the maintainer and plug it in. Use of a maintainer does require you have a parking space with nearby access to a power source.

Not all of us are lucky enough to have inside parking. I've been asked, "Can I charge the battery in my home using the maintainer?" You can but I don't recommend this as it exposes you, your home and your Vespa to harm. The battery is filled with diluted sulfuric acid; charging creates flammable hydrogen gas, reversing battery polarity; and careless placement of the battery upon installation can, and will, create an unhappy ending. As simple as it may appear, the installation of the battery is best left to a professional.

One way of avoiding a dead battery is to get "geared up" prior to attempting to start the Vespa. Put your jacket, helmet and gloves on before switching the key to the on position. Having the lights on before starting the scooter doesn't "warm up the battery", it kills it.

The best way to prevent a dead battery is to ride your scooter often. During rainy times when you can't or won't ride, start the scooter up and let it idle for 3 or 4 minutes. This is usually enough to keep the battery from dying and helps you avoid paying for a tow to get your battery re-charged.