If you’ve ever experienced that sinking feeling when your scooter won’t start, and you realise you’re not going anywhere fast, then you’ll appreciate the following tips. When you start up the scooter, it needs three things: a spark, cylinder compression and fuel. When your scooter doesn’t fire up then one of these three elements is missing. The obvious first thing to check is that you actually have enough fuel. Don’t simply rely on the fuel gauge in case it’s faulty – open up the tank and have a look. Now you’ve ruled that out, here are some troubleshooting steps you can take:

Next, make sure you are completing all the steps necessary to start your scooter. Most models need the following actions – ignition turned on, kill switch in ‘on’ position, rear brake lever compressed, and starter button pressed. If your scooter requires additional steps, these will be detailed in the owner’s manual. These are the steps required to complete the electrical circuit that starts the scooter.

If nothing happens once you’ve completed all of the above, there’s likely to be an electrical problem inside the battery. Is the battery fully charged? If so, then check to see if a fuse has blown. If that doesn’t seem to be the issue, then it might be that not enough voltage is reaching the starter motor’s terminals. If you still cannot find the problem, you could have a faulty starter motor. Check your owner’s manual for instructions on kick starting your scooter. Now it’s time to book your scooter into a garage that specialises in scooter repair in London.

If your scooter is turning over but won’t start, you need to know if fuel is reaching the engine and for this you’ll need to check the spark. Removing the spark plug from the cylinder, the tip of the plug needs to be held against the cylinder head. Crank the engine and you should see a spark. If you don’t, then that’s a sign that your ignition is the problem.

If a spark is present, it’s likely to be an issue with fuel reaching the engine. Most scooters have the fuel tank positioned higher than the carburettor, with the fuel flowing to the engine through gravity. This is where things can get complicated so it’s always best to have your scooter checked over by a professional.

If you’re seeing a spark, you’re fairly confident that fuel is reaching the carburettor and the engine is turning over – it could be the electrical automatic choke that is failing. If it’s burnt out, it will need a replacement and if it’s stuck in position, it’s most likely a wiring issues.

Often the most common reasons for scooter not firing up are dead batteries, poor carburettor adjustment or a build-up of grimy deposits in the carburettor. Issues with a carburettor often occur gradually though, so if your scooter is fine one day but not the next, it’s most likely an electrical fault that’s best fixed at a specialist scooter repair garage.