GTS OWNERS CLUB

MikeHolland · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 5:24 am Post subject: Fitting Eco-Leather grips

Fitted some new eco-leather grips to my GT200 yesterday, and had some wierd problems.

Firstly, the right hand grip (accelerator) was a fraction too long, so when I tightened up the weight on the end, it tightened up against the grip, and the throttle wouldn't turn. A couple of washers on the screw between the weight and bar end resolved that one.

Secondly, the left hand grip was too short, leaving a 5mm gap! I measured the the new grips, and they are both 125mm long. So I measured the original grips, and found the one was 125mm and the other 130mm!!!

If I saw 5mm off the end of the bar, I will be sawing away the thread that the screw goes into, so I rejected that option.

I tried to set up the weight in my lathe to deepen the indentation that the bar end fits into by 5mm, but had no way to grip the weight in my small lathe. So I'm planning to take it to an engineering shop.

Has anybody else had any of these hassles? Do they only happen with a 2004 GT200?

Mike
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Vespa GTS250 Vintage Red

Maver · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 2:36 pm Post subject:

never seen any of these leather grips but it sounds like you've stetched the grips whilst fitting them, were they a tight fit / bugger to get on??????

how do the original grips measure up???

i wouldn't adapt the bars or weights just to fit a pair of grips.....

maybe remove them and re-fit using plenty of surface cleaner as lube if that doesn't affect the leather....
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MikeHolland · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject:

These grips are the aftermarket Piaggio grips for the GT and GTS. They have an aluminium base, so cannot stretch, and they slide on easily and are held on by grub screws.

As mentioned in my post, I did measure the original grips, and found that the left one was 5mm longer than the right. The bar ends of the handlebars are different lengths!

I was wondering whether this peculiarity was confined to early model GTs.

Mike
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Vespa GTS250 Vintage Red

Maver · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:

sorry i should have read your post a bit better.....

maybe you've been given a 2 lefts or 2 rights instead of a pair........ Wink

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MikeHolland · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:52 am Post subject:

No chance. The two grips have different inside diameters - the throttle mechanism uses a much bigger hole.

Still wouldn't explain why my scooter had original grips of different lengths, or why the inside bar (which is one piece from side to side) should extrude further one side than the other!

Will measure someone else's grips at the next scooter club meet.

Mike
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Vespa GTS250 Vintage Red

MikeHolland · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

So I used a router bit in the drill press, and deepened the recess in the weight so that the bar could go further into it.

All now looks beautiful. Can't wait to ride it (engine still in pieces).

Mike
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Vespa GTS250 Vintage Red

Maver · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject:

what happened to the chrome on the bar end?
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MikeHolland · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

Chrome? It looked like solid stainless steel to me!

All the work I did was inside the existing recess in the weight. It was a heavier weight that came with the top box.

I had tried to do this in the lathe, but could not figure a way to hold the weight on the chuck, or to get a tool in there. Could never have held it against a drill bit, and that would have left a tapered recess anyway. I was looking over my Dremel bits and pieces when I discovered the router bit.

Mike
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Vespa GTS250 Vintage Red