I think the SH range is pretty good regarding electrics these days. Not heard of anyone moaning particularly about them. In fact, would agree with Grumpy that Italian electrics are now pretty much as good as any others. My Vespa GTS is 3.5 years old and has been used in all weather and has remained totally reliable. Good luck.

It seems, from what I read here and see on ebay, that almost no-one is putting the miles on these bikes. I would be heading into uncharted territory. I normally do about 8,000-10,000 miles a year, I suppose it will just be a risk I take if I decide to buy one. The annoying thing is, I could get a decent 2nd hand car for that money, which would last me years and do over 100,000 miles, but cars and London are never a winning formula.

I suppose any second hand machine can be a risk, not just a sh 300, which can be reduced by buying one which has been looked after with FSH.

I nearly bought a gnarly old SH125 recently - 45000 on the clock and it looked like it had been stolen and recovered a couple of times, but the engine ran well and it displayed no electrical problems. I have a couple of mates who run SH300s and they've never reported electrical issues. Both their bikes live outside, too.

As far as Italian machinery goes, I had an Xevo 400 at seven years old. The wiring had gone a bit hard in places, but the worst problem was that the electrically operated boot lid wouldn't always open in wet weather. That had done about 50000 miles last I heard (it's now two owners on and living in Spain!).

I think these days electrical problems are mostly down to repairs and 'improvements' made by previous owners rather than being inherent to any brand (though I'll stop short of extending that statement to any product of the PRC, or anything wearing a Peugeot badge).

Ive a friend selling a well maintained sh 300 with new tyres and a tucano leg cover for £1450.

horobags wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:34 pm Ive a friend selling a well maintained sh 300 with new tyres and a tucano leg cover for £1450.

I am not back till the 26th August and my first job is to get a job. Hopefully I will get one before I get back.

On my first Silver wing 600 I started having electrical problems at 30/35000mls. Main fuse blowing for no apparent reason, replaced run a couple of weeks then blew again. I put it in part ex for a new Silverwing600, in 2014. When this one got to 35000 mls ABS light kept coming on for short periods, then a short in the wiring. I was stranded on a ride out when the main fuse relay overheated and melted. Just had it repaired by autoelectrition, now at 43560 mls. As I have a Cruisym300 Iam going to get rid of the Silverwing600. I just do not trust the electrics.

I would not touch another piaggio if you gave it to me for free

I had 3 and all had electrical issues. Not Aprilia and gilera or anything else. No italian for me

Use dielctric grease when you need some water resistance for a connection

I think if youre looking for a high mileage scooter, the thing i woupd suggest is buy one from an oder chap if you can who has service history receipts.
Maybe you can get a pre buy check at a garage? Have thrm check the electrical system? Check regulator/rectifier and do a compression check and open cvt to see thr plates

My Piaggio Bev had its issues, but Italian electrics seem much better than they use to be.

Yep, Italian electrics are fine these days. As said above, in the main it really seems to be bikes (of any make) that have had electrical work carried out by owners who haven't done it properly that seem to display issues when they get a bit older. I've never experienced any electrical issues on any bikes that I've owned over the last 50 years. Yes, that's some luck I guess too, but as some of you know I used to cover huge mileages each year for work and in all weathers. Never had an issue. The GTS bikes that I've serviced with very high mileages on them also never had any issues with switches or wiring. Yet my new VW Golf bought some 5 years ago had multiple electrical issues that resulted in it melting much of it's engine bay wiring. So it's difficult to draw conclusions about a brand these days as the bad bikes from yesteryear are no longer bad bike. But a fault can occur on any machine at anytime, that's for sure, but much rarer these days.