Scooter News

If you have decided to store your scooter at home this winter, there are a few things that you should do to avoid having trouble in the spring. First, let's talk about your storage space. If you have underground parking or a heated garage/extremely well-insulated garage, or even a cosy space in your kitchen, you're set. Ideally, your scoot should be stored in an environment that doesn't drop below 5 degrees. Sitting out in the driveway with a tarp over it is not good. Protect your investment! Now here's what you'll need to do:

1. Fill up your tank and add fuel stabilizer. Take a ride to the gas station and bring your bottle of fuel stabilizer with you. We sell Spectro Fuel Conditioner at the shop. Fuel stabilizer measurements will vary by brand, but if you are using Spectro, the rule is that you need to add 1/2 ounce of stabilizer for every gallon of fuel in your tank. For instance, a full LX 150 tank holds 2.3 gallons, so you would need to add 1.15 ounces of stabilizer (check your manual to find out how big your tank is). Use the measuring spout on your stabilizer bottle to measure out the correct amount. If you happen to add 1.25 ounces instead of 1.15, no big deal. Just try to get it as close as possible.
2. Check your tires. You can do this at the gas station air pump if you don't happen to have a tire gauge and pump at home.They should be properly inflated according to your owner's manual specs. The correct pressures are usually recorded on a sticker in your glove box as well.
3. Take the long way home. So you've filled your tank and added your stabilizer. Now you need to go for a little ride to allow the two to mix and circulate. A ten minute ride will do it.
4. Clean your scoot! Mix up a little dish soap in a bucket of warm water and wash that thing really well! Get off all of the bug guts and the grease. When it is clean and dry, use a gentle wax, paying special attention to any chrome. Doesn't that look nice?
5. Take out your battery and attach it to a tender. I can't stress how important it is to do this! A Battery Tender Junior from the shop only costs $65, but a new battery can be quite a bit more. Please see us to get the proper charger for your scooter!! There are plenty on the market, but most are not appropriate for a scooter battery. We carry exactly what your scooter needs and can show you how to use it if you're not sure.
6. Cover your scoot! We have a cover to fit every machine.
7. Make sure your kill switch in the "run" position? We get tons of calls every spring from people who have bumped their kill switch into the "kill" position (the circle with an x through it) over the winter, and then wonder why their scooters won't start. If you have to, tape your kill switch on run. As much as we love to talk to you, this will save us all a troubleshooting call in the spring.

Maintenance

If you've followed these instructions, your scooter will be set until the spring. Some people believe in leaving their batteries in their scoots and just letting them run for a few minutes every couple of weeks. Do not do this! In that few minutes you are not giving your battery enough time to properly charge, you are only depleting it. Invest in a proper charger, put your battery on it, and forget about it.