Joys of Maxi scoot ownership

[MrGrumpy]

Nasty rattles from 2009 Tmax diagnosed as knackered front wheel bearings - last week I had nasty noises from my 2017 Tmax which turned out to be knackered rear wheel bearings! Just what is going on????

[scootabout]

I got a call at work once, my wife had locked the keys to the SH300 under the seat when filling up. Hmmm, just a quick 130 mile round trip to resolve...

When I had the Beverley 350, the Piaggio top box just clicked shut to lock it. I was constantly paranoid about locking my keys in and had several false alarms. I developed a routine of always putting the key in the top box lock, whenever I used it, only taking it out when the box was closed. The kept my blood pressure down

[OneFootInTheGravy]

I don't quite go to the same lengths as Roadster, but I keep a lock-box in the garden with a spare house key in it. It has saved my bacon a time or 2 now

[Bellman]

One of the advantages of the often criticised keyless ignition is you can’t accidentally lock the key under the seat.

[MrGrumpy]

One of the advantages of the often criticised keyless ignition is you can’t accidentally lock the key under the seat.

No, its entirely possible to do this, but you should be OK - unless you've turned the key off and put it under the seat (on the Tmax mk6, the seat locks if you shut it and don't reopen it for 30 secs or whatever - actually the entire scoot will switch itself off and lock itself if left unattended). I assume it will turn itself off without the key being switched on or present, but I could be wrong! Admittedly it seems unlikely that you would put a switched off key under the seat, but practically anything is possible by a mistake! I normally keep the smart key on a lanyard round my neck....shouldn't lose that...maybe).

Smart keys can also give rise to a whole new set of problems. Its entirely possible to start a keyless scoot and ride off, whilst having left the key behind (eg after a late change of riding gear). Then you are in a right pickle, especially if you turn the scoot off, before you discover the key is missing! And of course, if your key fails or battery goes flat, or you don't have the key, the emergency procedures are incredibly difficult and error prone. A mistake I once made with the Tmax is since I don't have the smart key on the same ring as the rest of the keys, I once left the topbox key in the topbox lock, and rode off, only discovering my error on arriving home! Fortunately the key stayed in the lock the whole way! Thank you Mr Givi!

[Ministerofsillywalks]

Reminds me of something I did a couple of weeks ago. I shop at Aldi followed by Asda. After finishing at Aldi I went to Asda, put a disc lock on the back wheel (which didn't need a key) before getting a cable lock out to secure the front wheel to a post (which needed a key). I then realised I didn't have my keys. I must have dropped them at Aldi. So there I was with a scooter that wouldn't move and no key to unlock the disc lock. So I had to get a taxi back to Aldi to see if my keys were still where I had parked. They weren't, so I had to get another taxi home to get my spare keys. Fortunately I keep my house keys on a separate ring. Then another one back to Asda. All the time wondering if a thief had broken the disc lock and had my scooter away. I breathed a sigh of relief when it was still there. I now check and double check I have my keys!

[Andym]

A suggestion used by overland riders (because if you are 30 miles up a dirt track in Umbongoland and your keys are in Luton you won't be having fun);

Designate a pocket that must never be opened. It's better if this is a trouser pocket because if someone steals your trousers you'll at least have a story about it.

Put your spare keys in there. As the name suggests you never, ever, open this pocket except in dire emergency.

Your normal keys need to be part of a fixed routine. They go back in the same jacket pocket unless you are using them. One of the pluses to keyless is that you can do this once a day indoors unless somewhere uncivilized (London, Manchester etc.) where scanning is an issue.

Your disc lock and house keys go on separate fobs, preferably ones that look and feel different. A bad day is worse if thief who stole your jacket can undo all the locks. Ditch dealer key fobs, it's bad enough a Honda key ID's itself without a Dobles fob that matches a Dobles number plate. Your day is less ruined if you only have to source a new spare key not also get the disc cut off and replaced before heading home to wait for the house locksmith.

Get into the habit and you can actually feel if there is something missing from a pocket. Stops the voices in your head ruining stuff too.

Andy

[Bellman]

This seems all rather complicated. I always have house keys on a chain clipped to my belt loops with a carabiner to whatever pants I'm wearing. The set of bike keys I'm using stays in an outside jacket pocket after using Smart key or top box key. All l have to do is check they're there and not accidentally left in the top box lock when I ride off.

The other Smart key and duplicate keys for ABUS locks and top box are in an inside pocket of whatever riding jacket I'm wearing, I don’t use them but I'll check the Smart key battery life occasionally The Smart key in use I've noticed the battery is getting low, so I'lll change it.

[John A]

He like his:

[knight2]

Thanks for that throughly enjoyed it. Couldn't have come from a more experienced rider, he's about as good as it gets.