Headlights...low beams vs.high

Mark,

The bulbs in the bottom of the headlight assembly are not the low beams, they are parking lights.  It sounds like your high beam/low beam selector switch is set to high beam and that's what you are seeing when you pull the switch all the way out.  Check your high beam/low beam selector switch.  It is typically on the turn signal stalk or may be a foot operated push switch on the floor board.  With the switch pulled all the way out, you should be able to switch between high beam and low beam using this selector switch.

James

Yes...Those little bulbs that come on are what we used to call parking lights. It's possible that you have a hi/lo beam switch located on the right side of your steering column on the under-edge of the dashboard. Mine is located there by VS. It's just a little button that triggers the relay for the beam selection. Look up under there for it.

Also "Welcome to the Madness" and Congratulations !!

Hope this helps......Bruce

Thanks guys!  I never saw the small switch on the turn signal.  That did the trick.

Problem solved in 1.........2..........that was it, two posts. Now if only all our troubles were this easy.

Show's how skimpy the owner's manual is.  

Mark, another little documented feature is that you can flash your headlights when the headlight switch is OFF by tapping the hi beam/low beam selector.

Not all VS cars are wired this way, but some are - give it a try.

This is handy for acknowledging all the waves you'll be getting from other drivers as they approach, slow down, and give you a thumbs up. Check out how many motorcyclists dig these cars, too.

Thanks for the heads up!  Thats funny... the first day I drove it, i got 2 thumbs up, one "nice car!", and one mo-ped driver who followed me and kept asking questions about the car. Good times!

Those motorcyclists see that you don't have to wear a helmet and are jealous.

Troy Sloan posted:

Those motorcyclists see that you don't have to wear a helmet and are jealous.

That's very true.

Except lots of states have no motorcycle helmet laws as well. Dumb as it might be, I've been known to ride helmetless for short rides now and again where allowed 

FREEDOM lol (don't judge  

Not really jealous about no helmet, I like protecting my noggin with a helmet when I'm riding my Vespa. Our granddaughter Allison likes protecting her head as well when she's riding with me (as seen above).

I love my Vespa and I'm learning to love my Speedster but my Vespa gets 70 mpg and my Speedster seems stuck in the 15 mpg range.

My Speedster is a dilettante requiring constant care and feeding while my Vespa has over 15,000 miles (in 5 years) with only oil changes and tire replacements.

I get thumbs-up while driving/riding both.

And as far as carrying-capacity, they're tied.

Both put a smile on my face...when they're running properly, which means the Vespa wins that race hands-down!

The speedster should get about 25-30. Needs the carbs to be dialed-in, and maybe a tune-up.

What Ed said.

Will, I think you said you were having backfiring issues, too. That and the low gas mileage are pretty good signs the carbs may not be set up right.

I usually get around 20-22 mpg and 25+ at steady highway speeds. (But who drives these cars at steady highway speeds?)

This article from the archives is a good place to start.

Note that he says a number of other things (like fuel pressure and ignition timing) need to be right first before you even start fiddling with the carbs.

my last backfiring engine turned out to be a burnt intake valve.

Will,

I can't remember if you've got IDFs or Kadrons. If it's Kadrons... there's your problem. Individual runner carbs, nicely set up will deliver 25- 30 mpg even with a wild engine. There are guys with IDAs (48s) with the extra progression port(s) drilled who get that kind of mileage as well.

... but it's rare to find a Kad-guy getting 20 mpg. Most of them are set up pig-rich.