VESPA 150 Installation guide

,
OPERATlON AND MAINTENANCE

t
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

2nd EDITION Drw N. 2~2~OM PONTEDERA WORKS'
The descrlpllons ond lIIostrollons In this booklet ore not 10 be loken os binding on the Monoloctorer. The essenllol leotores 01 Ihe model described
and Illustrated herein remaining unaltered, the rlAGGIO firm reserves therefore the right 10 corry out at any moment, without being obliged 10 bring
this booklet up-tD-dote In due course, modUicotlonsthot moy occur concerning machineunits and ports. or delivery 0'accessories,thotthe thm deems
to be convenient on Improvement purposesor for what may con:ern manufacturingor commercial requirements.
NOTICE
In order, to keep their VESPA in perfect running conditions and not to
invalidate the guarantee offered by the contract, customers should always have
their machines repaired by sale agents or authorized service stations. Demand
original Piagg~o spare parts exclusively.
Special care should be taken in regard to fuel mixture which should be
of a good quality gasoline and oil of make. grade and in the amount prescribed
in this booklet, page 19.
INDEX OF MAIN DIRECTIONS
Introduction
Controls scheme
Identification data
Main specifIcation
Engine: description
Frame: d9scription
pag. 3
5
6
8
8
10
Electric wiring
Accessories
Operation
Maintenance
Lubrication chart
Fault finding .
Pag. 14
17
19
}} 26
30
32

INTRODUCTION
The "PIAGGIO Co" welcoming you in the family of the Vespa owners, wishes
to thank you for your preference, trusting that this scooter will be of your full
satisfaction.
For its own characteristics (comfort, low fuel consumption, noiseless running,
neatness etc.) the Vespa can have a large field of use; for work reasons as well
as tourist trips, both along large highways and narrow farm roads.
Long and hard rides will not worry you and, driving the Vespa, you will soon
realize its excellent performances.
This booklet, in which are described the simple instructions for the use and
maintenance, will enable you to know better your own Vespa and use it in
the most suitable way.
- 3

Fig 1 .VESPA150

Fig. f-VESPA controls
1. Switch, horn button, earth contact - 2. Gear shift clutch control - .3. Front brake lever - 4. Horn - 5. Rear brake pedal
6. Soutter of carburotlor housing. 7. Kickstarter - 8. Fuel cock - 9. Choke - 10. Filling cap. - 11. Throttl. control grip
-5

-IDENTIFICATION DATA
Fig. 3 - Stamping on engine
Serial numbers with prefixes are stam-
ped on both engine and frame, in the
positions indicated on Figs. 3 and 4
respectively.
Such numbers and prefixes indentify
the Vespa as prescribed by law and
are repeated on the test card and
other documents of the Vespa.
Fig. 4 - Stamping on frame
6-

..
Fig. 5 . Scheme of Ihe engine ~
1. Spork plug. 2. Plug lead. 3. Cylinder head. 4. 1
Piston. 5. Cylinder - 6. Connecting rod - 7. Flywheel
8. Generating Coil - 9. low tension coil . 10. ./I .
,,~
8
~';~'LJVJ

PERFORMANCE
Fuel consumption at economic speed:
2.2liters to100Kms (107
miles per USA gal.; 120
miles per imp. gal.).
Max speed: 80 Km h (50 m. p. h.)
Garrying capacity: 2 persons and 10Kg.
of luggage.
Range: 370 Km. (230mls)
MAIN SPECIFICATION
Wheel base. . . 1165mm. (45.8 in)
Max width on han-
dlebars . 770 .. (30.3.. )
Max length. . . 1700 " (66.9.. )
Max height. . . 10qO .. (40.9.. )
Minimum height of floorboard
220 .. (8.7" )
Minimum turning circle 1500 mm. (59" )
Weight (without fuel) 92 Kg. (200Ibs)
ENGINE
Cycle: Single cylinder, two - stroke,
with reverse flow scavenge and de-
flector piston.
Bore.
Stroke . .
Displacement
. 57 mm.' (2.2qin.)
. 57 mm. (2.2qin.)
.145.6 cc. (8.88cu.in.)
Compression ratio: 6.3 to 1.
Ignition: by an external coil with pri-
mary winding fed by another coil in-
side the flywheel magneto. Sparkplug:
either Marelli CW 225 D, or AC q5 L.
Ignition timing with spark advance of
28 + 10.
8-

Lubrication: by mixture for piston-
cylinder and gudgeon pin -con. rod-
crankshaft-main bearings units.
Both clutch and gear box operate in
oil bath.
Feeding: Fuel feed to the carburettor
is provided for by gravity directly from
the tank with gasoline-oil mixture.
Carburettor with float -chamber. Fuel
tank with total capacity 8.2 liters (2.17
USA gals 1.8 imp. gals) and emergency
reserve.
Three way cock (" open" - ., closed" -
reserve ,,) with sediment bowl.
Cooling: by a centrifugal fan.
Transmission: The engine is installed
on the swinging bracket of the rea'r su-
spension and drives directly the rear
wheel through clutch, cush drive and
gear box.
Clutch: Wet type; steel plates with
cork inserts.
Control by lever, on left hand side of
handlebars (see fig. 2), and adjustable
cable.
Gear box: 3-speed drive with mesh
gears in oil bath.
Its adjustable twistgrip control is cou-
pled with that of the clutch, on left
hand side of handlebars.
Engine to wheel transmission ratios:
First:
Second:
Third:
12. 2 to 1
7.46 to 1
4.73 to 1
Starting: By means of kickstarter, right
hand side of scooter.
- 9

Silencer: Expansion and absorption
combined type.
Air cleaner: Mounted inside the body.
Silencing chamber with tangential in-
take tube, and with filter moistened
by fuel mixture.
Notice; We recommend not to alter
the silencer and air cleaner but to keep
them in perfect efficiency; in order to
avoid an unnecessary and disadvan-
tageous noise and not to break the
law regulations on the subject.
FRAME
Stressed skin body: of pressed steel
sheet, with streamlined, monocoque
type structure.
Handlebars: clamped in a split, sup-
port with rubber dampers in -between
and a friction device for locking the
throttle control grip in the required
position.
Steering column, suspensions and
wheels: Handlebars are clamped on
top of steering column.
The front wheel- swinging hub is pivo-
ted at the bottom of the column. .
Front suspension with
coil spring and double
lie damper.
variable rate
action hydrau-
10 -

Rear suspension: swinging bracket for
engine and rear wheel. variable rate
coil spring and coaxial double action
hydraulic damper.
The wheels are interchangeable with
rims of pressed steel sheet 0 8".
Tyres of dia. 3.50 - 8".
"
Saddle: It is of the nose-pivoted sprung
type and is secured on top of the
body; an other spring is fitted in the
front of the saddle.
Brakes: Expanding type with cable
control. Front: lever on right hand
side of handlebars. Rear: control
pedal on right hand side of' floor-
board.
Drums in light alloy with cooling
fins.
Central stand: A two-leg stand, easy to
operate, is arranged under the floor-
board.
Two strong return springs hold it in
contact with the floorboard and keep
it from vibrating while the scooter is
being ridden.
Steering lock: A suitable security lock
is arranged on the frame, near the
handlebars. Turning the key anticlock-
wise and the handlebars to the left,
the lock engages the lugs welded on
the .steering column, so that the machi-
ne can only turn around. Turn the key
clockwise and the handlebars back to
normal position for releasing the stee-
ring system (see fig. 6).
-11
""'-&.;..'-

~ig. 6 - Security lock
1. :'\ormal posilion . 2. Closed
We recommend not to lubricate the
steering lock, even if it does not
function properly.
Do not attempt to ride the machine
unless the key is in, and remains in the
lock and the handlebars move freely.
Speedometer: The speedometer is
housed in the handlebars -head lamp
support. (see fig. 6) and adds to the
performance and appearance of the
scooter.
It is driven by the front wheel. the
flexible shaft being completely en-
closed in the steering column.
The speedometer head is lit during
rides at night by a bulb installed in
suitable position in the head lamp.
12 -

LIGHTING AND HORN
Either alternating or direct current for
both horn and lighting system is sup-
plied as follows (see Fig. 7):
- Traffic and country beam, speedo-
meter light, tail lamp and horn are
directly fed with a. c. by the six-po-
le flywheel magneto (nominal vol-
tage: 6 V).
~"I
«-- Parking lights, front and rear, are
fed with d. c. by a 6V - 4Ah battery
which is re-charged by the flywheel
magneto through a metallic rectifier.
The head lamp, 0150, installed on
the handlebars is provided with a
25/25 \Iv double filament bulb (traffic
and country beam), and with a 3 W
bulb (town and parking light).
The tail lamp, with red catadioptre
has a 5 W bulb.
The light and dimmer switch unit
with two levers is installed on the
right hand side of the handlebars;
one of the levers controls has three
light positions (town light and tail
lamp-oH-head and tail lamp), the other
- 13

Fig. 7 - Electric wiring diagram
1. Switch positions - 2. Horn !>utton - 3. Main beam - 4. Dipping light - 5. Head lamp, speedometer, tail lamp - 6. lights off
- 7. Town light, tail lamp and speedometer - 8. Earth button - 9. To clamp cC'-gr~en - 10.To clamp cA. yellow - 11. To the
battery (positive polegreenl - 12. Rectifier- 13.Speedometerlamp - 14. Inside view of head lamp.Doublefila,llent bulb, 6V,
25-25W, town light, 6V-3W - 15. Head lamp earthing cable - 16.Blue- 17.Marron-18. Violet- 19.Pink- 20.White - 21.Num-
bers corresponding with those inside the switch - 22. Yellow. 23.Red - 24. Black- 25.Green -26.Horn,6V,12W - 27. Switch
(Inside view) - 28. Battery, 6V, 4 Ah - 29. Sparkplug .30. low tension socket and earthing tag. - 31. Tail light, 6V,5W
32. White - 33. Clamps - 34. Ignition coil - 35. To the sparkplug - 36. To the f.ywheel, magneto

one gives the two light
of the head lamp (traffic
try beam).
conditions
and coun- The switch has
tons for cut -out
tively.
also two push but-
and horn respec-
SETTING THE HEAD LAMP
The correct orientation
beam can be obtained
follows.
of the main
vertically as
Check that both front and rear tyres
are inflated to .8 and 1.8 atm. (11.3
and 25.5 psi.) respectively.
Place the scooter on a level floor
in front of a white wall as seen on
Fig. 8.
Start the engine, hold the throttle
control twistgrip at about 1/3 and set
the switch on "country beam".
With two persons on the Vespa. slack-
en the screw "V" (see Fig. 8), then
move the head lamp as required, in
order that the beam axis coincides
with point "0" on the wall.
Tighten screw "V" firmly.
This operation can be carried out
also with driver only sitting on the
- 15

osaddle.
-'-- In such a case, of course, the beam
alignment should de altered whene-
ver the scooter is being ridden by
both driver and passenger.
I,
i
Irn.5
Fig. 8 - Adjustment of head lamp
16 -

TOOL KIT
Spanners: 1 four-ended box spanner
(11 - lLl - 21 - 22 mmJ.
1 double open-ended spanner (11-
lLl mm.).
3 single open-ended spanners (17-8and
10 mm.)
Screwdriver: n. 1.
These tools are contained in a canvas
roll which is placed in the left wing
together with this booklet and the test
card.
A security lock is arranged on the
lid of the tool box
ACCESSORIES
..
On request the Vespa 150can be equip-
ped with following accessories:
Pillion seat: It is of the nose-pivoted
sprung type.
The pillion seat is secured to three
holes on the rear luggage carrier of
the scooter. The seat is small and at-
tractive looking, gives remarkable com-
fort to the passenger, thus completing
the efficiency of suspension (see fig. 9).
- 17

I.
I
I
I
Fig. 9 - Pillion seal, spare wheel and bracket
Spare wheel and support: The wheel
support can be secured to the scooter
frame by two holes on its central lon-
geron, with a suitable rubber packing
in-between.
It is very robust and simple and holds
the wheel in such a position where it
is easily accessible and does not deran-
ge the driver at all.
Owing to the simple and rational design
of Vespa scooter, no particular expe-
rience is required for its operation, nor
skilled personnel for its maintenance.
The tasks can be quite well earned out
by any customer, even unexperienced,
by carefully following some general
rules.
18 -

OPERATION
Running-in: Important rules to be
followed while running-in (2000 Kms.
or 1250 miles):
Do not exceed following speeds:
~
1st gear: 20 Km/h
2nd gear: 35 Km h
3rd gear: 55 Km/h
(10 mph)
(19 mph)
(31 mph)
Do not hold these max speeds for
long periods. neither use full throttle
opening up-hill specially when riding
with a passenger.
- Change oil in the gear box after
the first 1000 Kms (600 miles).
-- Check that nuts and bolts are not
slack after the first 1000 Kms (600
miles).
- 19