1. Removing the body panels.

1a. Air vent and silver/grey panel.

       This is a very easy panel to remove as it only has 4 screws holding it in place. Unless accesing the radiator there is no other reason to remove this panel other than to reveal screws for other panels. Simply remove the 4 screws arrowed in fig.1a and remove the panel noting the groves it sits into.

1a

1b. Grab rail, spark plug access panel and rear rack panel.

       These parts must be removed in order to access screws holding the main panels in place. both are very simple. For the grab rail simply undo the two hex key bolts arrowed and remove. This will reveal the two screws for the rack panel. Remove the screws and lift the panel out noting the way it clips just in under the seat. The spark plug access panel has just the one screw at the center top of the panel. 

1b. grab rail       1b. spark plug access panel.

1c. Grey footwell panel.

           Removing the grey footwell panel. This panel only really needs to be removed if its gets damaged after a fall. This one is a bit trickier. First remove the rubber foot pad by simply pulling it up. Under this you will see two large screws which must be removed. Then the tricky bit, to the rear of the panel and locate two screws behind the panel one at the top and one at the bottem. To romove these you will need either a short screwdrive or some type of flexable driver. I got a flexable rachet set from Woolworths and it worked fine. The sequence is the same for both sides.

1d. Main side panel.

          Firstly you will need to remove the rubber foot mat and the rear grab rail and rack panel as described in section 1b. The main thing to remember when you get this many screws is to take note of where each screw goes because many of the screws on the same panel are different sizes and if you get them mixed up you will be spending a while finding which ones go where. Firstly you must remove the two large screws in the footwell panel as described in 1c. Then you need to have a look underneath the scooter just back from the radiator and you will see the first screw. Next one is located at the bottem right where the air vent panel was. Next just above the spark plug access panel at the join between the two panels. The next screw is found at the top of the panel along the side of the helmet bay followed by a large screw at the back were the rear rack panel was and lastly just underneath the rear lights. With all the screws undone hold the panel firmly at both ends and gently push the panel towards the back of the bike which will release the tabs holding it in place. Procedure is the same for both sides however be aware of the seat lock mechanism on the left side.

1d

1e. Seat and helmet bay removal.

                     Although the seat is easy to remove the whole helmet bay is alot harder. To remove the seat open it and remove the two screws on the hinge and the seat lifts away. To remove the helmet bay firstly locate and the remove the screws located two on either side of the hinge and two at the rear by the oil filler. There are also two screws inside the bay on the base towards the front. Secondly remove the battery cover and disconnect the battery wires and remove the battery. Now the difficult bit if your new to taking your Runner apart. Arrowed in red you will see the hole were the battery wires enter the bay, likewise on the left side a wire connected to the fuse enters in the same way. Disconnect the two connectors from the bottom of the fuse and withdraw both sets of wires through the holes and leave to hang at the side of the frame. Then you must remove the oil filler cap and the rubber tray below the filler tube. Then gently lift the bay up noting that if you still have the grey panel mounted as I do in the picture  you will need to beware not to pull on the panel. With this all done the full helmet bay should lift clear. Caution: when re-assembling the battery and fuse connectors make sure they are connected correctly and test that everything works before riding your Runner.

1e     

1f. front leg shield panels.

               After that last section these panels are not to difficult. To start with you must remove the front access panel by uncliping the Gilera rings using a flathead screwdriver or something similar minding not to scratch the paintwork. Then remove the screw behind the badge and push the panel upwards and off it comes. Then locate and remove the screw at the top of the panel followed by the larger screw which also holds the headlight in place. Another screw located just under the headlight  and another below and to the left of the indicator. Push the panel towards the front and it should come clear. The left side panel is the same but for an extra screw behind the fuel flap. Caution: as you remove the panel note the two wires connected to the indicator. Disconnect the wires and note the way they were connected. When re-assembling test indicator before riding your Runner.

1f

1g. headset panel.

                    To remove this panel you first must remove the mirrors and visor. The mirrors are removed by prizing out the rubber bungs at the base of the stem and undoing the hex head bolts. Having removed the mirrors you then undo the two screws located at the very front of the visor which will then come away. Then, beside the starter and horn buttons you will find two inset screws which must then be removed. With this done simply unclip the panel from its tabs around the top of the instruments and it will come free.

2. Brakes.

2a. front brake pad removal/replacement(check pads every 500 miles or so and change when nessesary. i.e 1.5mm min thickness)

                      To change the front brake pads first you must remove the wheel. This is done by removing the nut on the right (as you look from the front) Suspention strut. Then slacken the two hex bolts arrowed in 2a1. The axel can then be removed. When removing hold the wheel, do not let the wheel drop out or you may damage the speedometer cable.Turn the speedometer unit anti-clockwise to disengage it from the small catch and remove from the wheel. You can then set the wheel aside. To remove the pads loosen on remove the two hex pins arrowed in 2a2 and the pads fall free. If simply checking the pads clean the caliper with something like a toothbrush and smear a small amount of copper grease on the hex pins then remount the pads. If you are fitting new pads follow the same procedure as before, however when refitting the new pads you will need to push the two pistons back to make way for the extra width of the new pads. Beware not to scratch or otherwise damage the pistons. When refitting the pads push them against the spring at the rear of the caliper to align the holes and refit the hex pins. Then refit the wheel. This is easiest done by pushing the wheel up  into place from below as opposed to in from the front. Ensure that all fastnings are tight and then pump the brake lever untill the correct amount of feel returns. Beware when driving for the first few miles as the brake will feel diferent and if possible go for a drive on a quiet road to become acustomed to the feel. 

2a1*     2a2*           FA194, EBC's 125/180 front pads.

*(Thanks to Gary Cooper for the use of these pictures) 

2b. Rear brake pads removal/replacement.

                                 Despite what most people say you don't have to remove the exhaust when changing the rear pads. You will have to remove the wheel nuts and sit the wheel over against the exhaust, this will give the required space for changing the pads. To remove the pads you will need to remove the half moon shaped circlip on the exhaust side of the caliper, this can be simply done with a small screw driver but beware not to lose the clip.. This done, remove the pin it held from the other side of the caliper being aware of the small metal retainer that holds the pads in place. Carfully note the position of this retainer. This done you should be able to pull the pads out. If they are a little tight use a pliers to remove them. Before fitting the new pads you must first push the pistons back into the caliper to make room for the width of the new pads. You can do this carfully using a screw driver to prize  the pistons in but beware not to damage the piston or disk. NOTE: once you have pushed one piston in you will need to hold it in place while you push the second one in as the pressure will force it back out again. With this done fit the new pads and re-assemble the retainer, pin and circlip as described above. Before you refit the wheel  pump the brake to regain feel in the lever and to make sure everything is assembled correctly. Then re-fit the wheel.  

2c. Brake cable removal/replacement and fluid refilling.

First you will need to get some DOT4 brake fluid such as putoline dot4 or similar.You will also need up to 8 new copper washers for use with brake cables. Then you will need a clean container and a lenght of tubeing. First you will need to remove all the left side panels if you are removing both front and rear cabels(see section 1A, 1C, 1D AND 1F above). You will also need to remove the headset panel(see section 1G above) Then place the container under the front caliper and undo the banjo bolt. Remove and discard the copper washers as new ones must be used. Once the fluid has drained leave the cable hanging by the wheel. Use the same procedure for the rear. Then, moving to the headset undo the banjo bolts from the fluid resevoirs. New washers will again need to be used. Use a rag to block the resevoir outlet so as not to spill any brake fluid. Now you will need to follow along the lenght of the cables and free it from all the fastnings you can find noting how they fit. For the front you will need to free it from a rubber mount in the bulkhead about halfway down and remove the plastic panel on the suspention forks and note how the cable is held by it. For the rear there are two important bolts securing the cable to the underside of the transmission case which keep the cable away from the rear wheel. Once both cables are free you should be able to withdraw them from the bike making sure not to pull on any other cables or wires when doing so. Refitting is the same as removal making sure to follow the same route as the cable took originally and securing all fastnings as before. Then you will need to fit the banjo bolts using two new washers either side at both brakes and at both fluid resevoirs. Next in order to regain feel to the brakes you will need to fill the resevoirs with new DOT 4 brake fluid and pump the brake lever a few times to let the fluid flow down the cables. Then locate the outlet valve on the calipers, remove the rubber dust cap. Hold the brake lever back to the handlebar and undo the valve then pump again and undo the valve and so on. For the first few times just air and a small amount of fluid will be expelled. Continue to do so until the feel in the lever is as normal and when the valve is opened fluid squirts out and no bubbles appear in the fluid resevoir. Make sure that all fittings are tight and secure and refit the resevoir caps. Test the brakes up and down your garden or on the road if its quite enough. When you are absolutly sure that everything is ok refit all the panels. Caution. Make sure to wash any brake fluid off with clean water as it will damage painted parts. Disgard all old brake fluid as it cannot be re-used.  

2c12c2

2d. Brake lever replacement.

To remove/replace the brake levers you will first need to remove the mirrors and headset panel(see section 1g above) With this done you will be able to see the lever fixing consisting of a straight screw head on top threaded through a nut underneath. There are also two washers set into grooves above and below the fixing and you have to be carefull not to drop these. Remove this while holding the lever as the master cylinder will be pushing against the lever as it loosens. When re-fitting apply some grease or good quality spray oil to the screw to prevent the lever seizing. Push the master cylinder piston(covered with a rubber boot) back with the piston face of the lever to sit the lever in line with the hole then re-fit the screw and washers-don't overtighten the screw. Turn the ignition on and check that the brake light functions when you pull the lever. 

3. Transmission.

3a. Drive belt removal and replacement. (replace belt between 6500 and 7500 miles)

In order to carry out this procedure you will need to have access to an air socket gun or a special Piaggio tool. First you will need to remove the kick start lever by removing the nut holding it in place and sliding it off the shaft. Then you will have to remove the plastic cover from the transmission housing. This is done by removing the 3 screws at the front and the nuts holding it in place. In the same manner remove all the nuts from the metal transmisson cover noting where they all go as some are different lenghts(for the 180cc also remove the large nut at the rear of the casing). You may have to tap the cover with a soft mallet as it can be tightly sealed. Note the wire connected to the cover by one of the screws as the engine will not start if this wire is not reconnected upon assembly. Then undo the nut from the front pully(with cooling fins) using the air gun and slide it from the shaft noting the retainer and washers that come with it. Then undo the nut from the clutch assembly and remove the clutch bell from the shaft. This may be very tight. With this done the entire clutch and rear pullys will come off together. Remove the belt and check for any scratches , fraying or other damage and replace the belt if any are found. Refit the clutch section with the belt set deeply between the pullys so as to give enough slack to refit the front pully. with this done replace the transmission cover, the plastic cover and the kick start lever. Start the engine and twist the throttle until the rear wheel spins so as to set the belt in place for driving. 

3b. roller replacement.

Firstly remove the kick start handle transmission cover and front pully only as described in the belt replacement section. With the front pully removed slide the cylinder shaped spacer off the shaft then remove the variator assembly. Place the variator face down of a cloth to avoid scratching the smooth surface and remove the 3 screws holding the retainer. Remove the retainer and the backing plate. with this done the 6 rollers will be visible. Remove them and check for flat spots and other damage. Replace the rollers smearing grease on them and re-assemble the front pully and transmission cover etc. Go for a drive to test that the rollers are correctly fitted. 

For different performance results you can fit lighter or heavier rollers.

If acceleration is fast but engine revs very high and has poor top speed-rollers to light.

If acceleration is poor and is very slow to reach top speed then the rollers are to heavy. 

4. Exhaust 

First you must purchase a good quality high tempurature paint. Then to remove the exhaust  you will need to remove the two bolts securing the silencer to the down pipe. I is likley that these bolts will be rusted and/or siezed so spray them with something like WD40 and use a high power rachet to open them. Remove the gasket and throw away as a new one must be used. As the bolts can be messy to reach I found it easier to lay the bike gently onto its side on grass or something that not going to scratch the paint. CAUTION: If the bike's petrol tank if full it is not recomended to lay the bike down as petrol will leak from the tank. After you loosen and remove the two nuts you will need to undo the two hex head screws securing the exhaust to the crank case 1 above and 1 below the silencer. This done the exhaust will come away.  CAUTION: The exhaust is heavy so when undoing the last nut be prepared to take the weight so as not to drop the exhaust and damage it. Once the exhaust is removed you will need to remove the paint from it. Ideally you should have it sandblasted as this will leave the perfect finish for respraying. However you can also us a drill with a sanding attachment and once the paint is gone you should wash the surface with paint thinners. This done, begin to apply the paint. First with a light spray and when this is dry add a thorough layer minding to keep it even to avoid running or thick patches. When all is dry refit the exhaust and enjoy its rust freeness.:)

5. Carb.

5a. Carb. removal/inspection

updated soon

5b. Main jet removal/change updated soon

5c. Reed block removal/inspection

For easiest access to the carb. assembly remove the access panel in the base of the helmet bay. To remove the reed block it is not necessary to remove the connections from the carb. Simply undo the two mounting bolts and the jubilee clip connected to the airfilter housing then sit the carb over to one side being carfull not to strain any of the connections. Lift the reed block out of the crankcase and place a clean, lint free rag over the hole to prevent any dirt entering the crank. If there are any oily deposits around the reed block on the crank case then the seal between the block and the crankcase or manifold may be contaminated. Clean the sealing faces and refit if continues to leak there may be a crack and the part will have to be replaced. When inspecting the reed block hold it up to a light and look through the reeds and if any light is coming through then new reeds are recommended. Look also for any cracks with the light that might not be visible to the naked eye. When re-fitting the block note that it should be slanting forward and securly tighten the mounting bolts. Note that when you fit a new reed block, especially an after market one(such as Malossi) you may have to adjust the idle speed using the black plastic adjuster on the exhaust side to the carb to get the correct engine speed. 

6. Suspension.

7. Liquids.

7a. Gear box oil drain/change. (hub oil)

Piaggio recommend changing the gear box(hub) oil every 5000 miles or 2 years.  First you will need to get some new gearbox oil. The oil used in the Runner is the same as that used in car gear boxes and so is available from any motor store. To check the level of oil unscrew the plastic filler cap located at the top/rear of the transmission case at the rear wheel hub. This cap is also a dipstick so when checking the level remove the cap, wipe clean and refit. then remove again and check that the fluid is between the two notches. If not check for leaks around the underside of the hub and transmission case. To drain the oil, locate the hex head drain screw located on the underside of the transmission case/hub opposite the filler cap. Undo this and allow the oil to drain into a suitable container. Wipe and refit the drain screw and clean any excess oil off surrounding areas. Begin to refill the oil checking with the dipstick regularly and stop when the level reaches the upper notch. refit the cap/dipstick and spin the wheel by hand to spread the oil inside the hub. 

7b. Coolant drain/change.

Piaggio recommend changing draining and changing the coolant every 10,000 miles or 3 years. Before starting you will need fresh coolant of the correct type (50% antifreeze, 50% distilled water, Safe for use with alloy radiators). To check the level you must remove the front access panel by removing the Gilera badge and undoing the screw behind it. You will then see the white coolant resevior. check that the level is between the 'max' and 'min' markers. To drain the system, locate the drain nipple on the cylinder head crown, attach a length of pipe leading to a suitable container and open the drain nipple. It is not necessary to remove the nipple. When refilling, close the nipple and refill the resevoir no higher then the 'max' level. With this done, leave the coolant cap off and start the engine to run the cooant through the system. When coolant begins to re-enter the resevoir through an inlet at the top is has fully gone through the system.

8. Lights and electrics.

8a. Removing and replacing lenses (not headlamp)

To remove the front indicator lenses simply remove the screw at the front of the lens and remove. The rear indicator/brake light lenses are all held in place by the two red plastic screws in the brake lens. Note any grooves that the lenses sit into and refit the same way.

8b. Replacing bulbs, removing headlamp.

The indicator and brake light bulbs are all push and twist fittings similar to normal house light bulbs. The indicator bulbs are the same as used on most motorcycles and cars (10w) and so are available in any motor store as with the brake light bulb although you must make sure that it has a double element for brake light and driving light(21/5w). The head light bulbs are the same fittments as cars use(H1-high beam, H7 low beam and a 4w clip in bulb for the side light. H8 bulbs are used on the runner 50, only available in motorcycle stores). To fit them you will need to remove the headlight, this is done by removing the front access panel(see front leg shield section above). There are two screws on top of the lamp unit one on the left and one on the right. There is also a screw underneath the lamp unit. With these three screws removed  gently pull the lamp unit out noting the slots it sits into on the left and right. Pull off the rubber backing cover to access the bulbs. For the sidelight bulb, in the top center of the unit, simply slide it out of its slot, unclip the bulb and replace. For the main headlight bulbs unclip the wires attached to the back and any clips holding them in place noting how they fit. NOTE: When replacing the main headlight bulbs make sure NOT to touch the bulb glass as this will drastically shorten the bulbs life. With this done re-fit the headlamp unit and chech the lights are working correctly.

8c. Headlamp adjustment.

The headlamp beam is hight adjustable on all Runners. To do this you must first remove the front access cover(see section 1f above). You will see a small gold coloured screw in the center/top of the lamp unit. Have a some-one sit on your Runner, off its stand,  on a flat surface and turn the screw to higher or lower the beam. Do not set the beam to high as this will be dangerous to oncoming traffic.

8d. Speedometer cable replacement.

To replace the speedo cable you must first remove the headset panel and the front access panel(see section 1f and 1g). With this done you will see the rear of the speedometer dial with the cable screwed into it. Unscrew the ring and withdraw the cable. Then at the wheel, pull back the rubber cover and, again, unscrew the ring and disconnect the cable. To be sure that the cable is broken pull on the inner, square shaped cable and it should slide out from the broken area. Remove the old cable following the route it takes making sure not to catch any other wires. Refit the new cable following the same route and screw in the two ends.  Re-fit the panels and take a quick spin to make sure the new cable is working.

8e. Ignition coil replacement.

The ignition coil is normally a reliable part but it was the first major original part to fail on my Runner so I've included it here. Iys quite easy to change but fairly expensive to buy so don't change it unles you've checked everything(see fault finding checklist) The first thing is to remove the right side panel(see section 1d). Then between the fuel tank and the underseat storage area you will see the cylinder shaped coil bolted to the frame. It has two wired attached, the insite wire is the wire to the ignition switch and the second, with the rubber boot over it is the HP lead connected to the spark plug. Unclip the ignition wire and pop the HT lead off the spark plug. Then undo the two 8mm nuts securing the coil to the frame and remove. You can also remove the HT cable by twisting it anticlockwise. When refitting make sure the HT lead is tightly fitted back in place and the plug cap is clicked back onto the spark plug.

9.Engine and related systems.

9b. Oil pump drive belt replacement.

updated soon

Disclaimer:
All information on this page is for guidence only and I, Paul Loughnane, cannot accept any responsibility for any loss of parts or damage caused while attempting the above procedures. Never dismantle any part of your scooter if you are not confident that you can re-assemble it correctly and safely. Should you encounter any problems take your Runner to a qualified person and have the problem rectified as soon as possible.