Working outside...

Yard work?  Not me.

Joan's scooter is like mine in that it has no exposed handlebar.  Yes, there is a handlebar, but it is clad in plastic panels.  That means there is no easy way to add accessories like a phone holder.  I solved that on my scoot by attaching mounting brackets to the mirror stems.  Joan did not want to do that, and found a Yamaha accessory that replaces one of those panels with what is essentially a handle (to attach accessories to) and a USB connection.  Seeing how it is a Yamaha part, once installed, it looks "factory."

Joan let me get that piece for her and install it as part of her birthday present.  The part came in today, and she asked, "Do I have to wait until my birthday to put this on my bike?"

Happy Birthday.  Other than the wind, it is a great day to take on a project like this: cool and overcast.  I went after it.  What I wasn't aware of: you have to take most of the front fairing panels off to get at the electrical connection for the USB charging port.

The kit came with decent instructions; when I looked them over, I could see this was not going to be a 10 minute, bolt it on, and call it done kinds project.  If you have never had to get beneath the skin of a Japanese scooter - all those plastic pieces use tabs that hold one piece to the next.  It gives the scoot a nice smooth body, but they are a lot of work and delicate to take apart.  To get the panels apart enough to get at the electrical part, it was necessary to remove panels from the floorboards forward and the windshield down. 

I didn't take photos of the process... kinda busy.  Joan held screws and parts as I worked my way into the front end of the scoot; and supervised.  It turned into a nearly two-hour project.  With the electrical stuff done, it was a matter of putting it all back together.

"We should make sure it all works before we get it put back together."  Good thought.  No, it didn't work.  While Joan tried different phones and chords, I tried to determine which fuse runs that 12v connection (it splices off the 12v plug inside one of the compartments).  Apparently, that is no one's business.  I'll try for "other."  Yep, it was the fuse.  Good thing we figured that out before putting it all back together: the fuse box is behind one of the front panels I removed.

OK, it works.  With everything buttoned up, it looks good, too.  And, no parts left over - I'm calling that a win!

Looks pretty simple - the USB connection is under that Yamaha pentagon shaped thing in the middle of the photo.  In order for it to look built in, it took a good design from Yamaha and careful disassembly and reassembly.  Looks slick, should work good.

While we were at it, Joan wanted her windshield lowered.  Done.  It was perfect for my height the way it came, but Joan thought it would be best if it was sized for her.  On her bike.  I know: kinda selfish, huh?  I asked her if she wanted to take the scoot for a quick ride to see if the airflow is better with the windshield lowered.  Not now.  I'm OK with that... my back is tired from standing on concrete to get it done.

And then: pizza.