Modern Vespa

Here's a little explanation about the running lights mod i did on my GTS.
This only goes for GT/GTS models with the "double" indicator bulbs.

What you need is:

*philips screwdriver to remove the indicators and the left knee pad.
*some wire
*soldering gun or electrical clamps. (the kind you use to connect two electrical wires without cutting them)(don't know the name of those)



*2 leds type T10 with a max diameter of 13mm (0,51 inch)!

*When you remove the left knee pad, i'll find a rather big electrical plug, called the alarm connector. This is normally used for the optional alarm system. We are going to use the white wire of this plug. This wire only provides power when the contact is switched on.



*If you remove the indicator, you see black and white wires. Choose where you want to place the led, in the upper part or the lower part of the indicator.
(i used the lower part)

*Cut the white wire only ! Not the black one!



*Use some extra wire and solder or use electrical clamps to connect both white wires from the left and right indicator.
Then connect this wire to the white wire of the alarm connector under the left knee pad. This wire only gives power when the contact is switched on.

*Test using the leds. (reminding if they do not work, turn them around 180° and try again.

That's it !

again a very nice mod !

you must have loads of time

The only advantage of a economical crisis...

No, i did that some months ago, only now decided to post it here.

Aaah ok... Do you have a photo with the lights on ?

Photo with flash :

nice !!!

Hi there,
I understand that you have to cut the white wire, and then connect to the led bulb as well.
But what do you do with the negative black wire from the led bulb.
Where does it connect?

As I have been looking at the scooterwest mod for the same thing on you tube, which is a direct plug and play mod.

Cheers

the black wire stays connected as it is.

I'm sure you're right but your diagrams don't follow - it looks like the led is still connected to the indicator circuit - surely it will flash only ! You say to cut the white cable but then what ?

Look closely to this picture :




You'll see two rubber sockets with each two wires connected, one black wire-the ground wire- and one white wire -the "indicator wire". They all go to the white connector.

1 Do NOT cut the black wire, this will still provide the "ground" to the led.

2 Choose which socket you want to use for the daylight led, the upper or lower one.

3 Cut the white wire (this gives the indicator signal) of the socket you choose.
Both left and right indicators.

4 Now connect these cut white wires left & right together AND to a third wire you connect to the white wire of the alarm connector under the left knee pad. This wire only gives power when the contact is switched on.

I'll try to draw a diagram.

This is the original indicator connector, two sockets with each one white & one black wire. Choose which one you want to use for the running lights. The other one remains his indicator function.





This is what you'll need to do :

Cut only the white wire from the socket you need and connect that wire to the other indicator AND then to the white wire of the alarm socket located under the left kneepad.

Thanks very much - makes it clearer now.

Thankyou Kristof,
This explanation is perfect, and very easy to understand.
It looks like you have spent a lot of time helping with the diagrams etc.

I will be doing this modification later today!
Thanks.
Shaun

Can you let me know what leds you're going to use and where you buy them?
Thanks in advance!

By the way what wattage are these led's and how many led's on each unit ?

Wattage is not important and not something you can choose when buying the leds.
What is important is that you buy the right socket type T10 or 194 AND
that the diameter of the led is small enough to fit it in the socket.
I would choose the largest leds that you can fit.

Hi. kris.
Thank you for explain and I have question about those signal housing.
I have 2010 GTV 250, My front signal housing has only one bulb socket hole.
Yours has two, because GTS and GTV different? or did you purchase from aftermarket housing?

Older Gt's & GTV's have indeed a front signal housing that has only one bulb socket hole.

Scooterwest makes a kit that fit these :

http://www.scooterwest.com/items/?_pageCCS=t#page=/item_details/LED-Running-Light-Turn-Signal-Wiring-Kit-Vespa-GTS-GTV-300-Super/9423

The US has never gotten the signal housings with 2 socket holes. So yeah, you'd need to purchase them as spare parts, or modify them with a Dremel to fit another socket in (which I did with mine).

Love this running light setup!

Thank you Kristof and Clarice

Hi everyone.
I have finally done this mod on my scoot.
The mod took no time at all, it took longer unscrewing the indicators, horn cover and knee panel from the scooter than actually completing the mod. Unfortunately one of my LED's doesn't work, so I will have to get another.
The original wires I cut, I have put bullet crimps on so that I can easily swap it back to the standard lighting configuration, if required.
Thanks for the modification photos and notes, it made the mod simple.

Safe riding,
Shaun.

Shaun, if a led doesn't work turn it for 90° and put it back. Now it will do his job. When using a T10 you have always 50% that it's works. It's the + and - in the socket.

Marc,
Thanks for that, I did turn the LED round but still it didn't work, I rechecked the wiring and found out that one of the blue wire clamps (shown in the first picture at the beginning of this thread) had not cut through the insulation, so the led was not getting any power.
Anyway sorted now, although I am going to now change the bulbs in the main headlight to LED's as the bulbs are not very good compared to the LED's.

Safe riding,
Shaun

The 'blue clamps' in the first picture are subtly different to those sold in the UK (sadly). If you look closely, the ones pictured have a small sharp 'tang' in the middle of the insulation cutting gap - this will pierce the cable and provide a good connection regardless of the (frankly rather dodgy) attempted side connections. The UK ones are iffy in the first place, and invariably fail with stranded wire if there's any vibration or if exposed to the elements - both of which they'll encounter on a scooter.

So I don't ever use them in the UK, unless I've managed to grab some while on a trip across the Channel. Better by far to cut, solder and heatshrink, or cut and use crimp connectors.

like the idea but how well does the indicator show up when its flashing

Ey up andy,
The indicators show up really well. That is one of the things I thought would be a problem, but they are just as good and bright.
To be honest, they only really need to be visible (IMHO) from the back.
I did the mod in a way, so that if I was not a100% happy with the lighting, I can return it to standard in 10 minutes.
I do feel a lot safer on the scooter with the extra lighting.

Go for it !!

Safe riding
Shaun.