If you search Modern Vespa for seat hinge problems, you will certainly come across many Vespa owners that had the chrome crash bars installed complain about the seat not closing properly. It seems that crash bar end that bolts onto the back of the seat support plastic interferes somehow with many Vespas. Some never complain and others do. Some say it goes away in time and others like me were not so fortunate.
The agreed solution is to raise the latch bar under the seat by placing a washer under the two screws. The following video explains the process.
Now that this is fixed, I plan to change the variators and belt. I have watch many videos and have recorded them all, cut the best of each and put them all together into one amazing instructional step-by-step video. I would share this but I do not have the rights and it is for my own personal use. However, I promise to make one after I have done this a few times, which I surely will now that I own two Vespa.
I guess I should add a few pages on top and start to record the maintenance of each Vespa separately. This is yet another to-do on my list of things to do.
MG Driving/Riding Adventures 
Hello Peter…
I can’t watch your video from the office as it is blocked, but will take a look when I get home. I have experienced the same problem with the seat..
Some History…
I purchased for my MP3 and GTS old Seats from ebay.com for like $50 to $100 from wrecked bikes… The model year does not matter for the MP3 or GTS, they are basically all the same.
Then I send them to Pirates Upholstery in NY, to have them reworked to be in a Beautiful Waterproof Leather, Custom Stitching, with a Foam/Jelly Fill insides. They also offer a Digital Heated Option, which may be a good idea for you guys up North. The Seat will be way better then stock, and in the case of the GTS with the White Piping, I had them install there version of the White Piping which is larger in roundness. I also did the Back Rest on the Top-Case to match since they clearly don’t match any longer. (Note: It takes about 4 to 6 months to get on Pirates Calendar before you get your seat back.)
With that said, the Seat Pans lack the indention for the Metal brackets which is more on the topic you mention, so over time after opening and closing, and sitting on the seat, it will wear an indention into the seat and it opens and closes normally. I didn’t feel a modification was needed, but I am anxious to see your video.
My complaint is more with the Chrome Crash Bars design, but I have found after looking at so many of them, the OEM Vespa ones provide the best protection, and look. Most of the other brands are just for show and provide little protection. The OEM Vespa Crash Bars use this cheap stick on foam on the underside of the crash bars to protect your bikes paint. I didn’t use it, and found something better. The company that makes the rolls of Permanent Stick on Velcro that you cut to size… I used the soft side of the Velcro and cut strips to match the size of the crash bars used that instead. My Crash Bars have been installed over a year now, and it looks as good as the day I installed. Since this is thinker, it took a little longer to break the seat in to Open and Close correctly. I have observed other installations with the cheap foam, and over time it turns dark and ugly, or just comes off.
Take Care,
Keith in Atlanta, Georgia
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Very nice Peter. I have the same issue, will do the same fix. Ditto with the top case. Thanks a bunch.
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Just doing a follow up now that I seen the video… Adding the washers was a novel ideal to raise the latch. My only concern would be and I am sure it’s not that big of deal. Is raising the latch opening a gap big enough to allow water to enter the seat pan in a hard rain. I guess hosing around the seat would answer the question. In my case my seat has broken in, so I can’t see adding the washers now after the fact. Well done Peter as always. Keith, Marietta GA…
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Hi there, for all time i used to check web site posts here in the early
hours in the dawn, as i love to learn more and more.
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