Modern Buddy

Quick question: when in the center stand and off, how free should the back tire spin. I ask because when I do spin it, it seems like it is catching/dragging on something and I want to know if it's normal. Thanks.

How any miles on your scooter, what is it? You might want to put your scooter model in your byline, so people know what you're talking about. Rear wheel spinning at idle is often a symptom of shot clutch contra spring. The rear wheel will engage at low rpms. I've only seen it happen on high mileage scooters. It will give you a rough idle at the stop sign which lessens when you apply the rear brake.

If you're trying to spin it like a roulette wheel (i.e. giving a push and letting go), it won't freewheel like the front tire. That's because it's connected to a gear train. It's somewhat like flicking the hour hand on a clock - the resistance of the gear train prevents any appreciable further motion.

Now, if you're manually pushing the wheel through an entire revolution and and feeling a binding or catching only at certain points, then something's amiss. Dragging clutch shoe, dragging brake, bad bearing, etc. If the resistance is constant throughout the entire revolution, then that's just the normal resistance of the gear train.

charlie55 wrote:If you're trying to spin it like a roulette wheel (i.e. giving a push and letting go), it won't freewheel like the front tire. That's because it's connected to a gear train. It's somewhat like flicking the hour hand on a clock - the resistance of the gear train prevents any appreciable further motion.

Now, if you're manually pushing the wheel through an entire revolution and and feeling a binding or catching only at certain points, then something's amiss. Dragging clutch shoe, dragging brake, bad bearing, etc. If the resistance is constant throughout the entire revolution, then that's just the normal resistance of the gear train.

Thanks. When I push it like you said, it definitely gets harder to spin at one particular point. I'll ask the shop to take a look at it when I take it in next week for its first service.

It's just the rear brake shoes dragging, perfectly normal.

babblefish wrote:It's just the rear brake shoes dragging, perfectly normal.

Really? Man that seems like something you wouldn't want to be normal. All buddies do this?

A little brake drag is normal, but it shouldn't be binding up.

giddyup98 wrote:A little brake drag is normal, but it shouldn't be binding up.

yeah , I wouldnt say it binds up, but defintiely "rubs" and I have to give it some more oomph to get it past that spot.

I wouldn't sweat it.