Just as with any type of vehicle there are certain parts that are easy to fix if they have been properly maintained. Parts that are more often changed on a scooter are the wheels and tyres. One way you can make the tyres last longer are to repair small damage such as a puncture, there are a number of ways you can repair and maintain your tyres and wheels to prevent them needing changing often:

Get a repair kit – You can get repair kits from most shops or some garages that stock accessories for scooters. There have been ones developed now that can pump the tyres up whilst blocking up the hole as well. Firstly you need to find exactly where the hole is so if you gently squeeze on the tyre and place your hand over the tyre and turn it round whilst squeezing you will be able to feel the air rush. Once you have found the hole you will place the nozzle in the hole and as the foam fills the hole compressed air is released to pump the tyre up at the same time.

If not using often - Regular reviewing and maintenance of your tyres will be required to keep them at their best. If you are not using your scooter for long periods of time, you should at least have someone either spin the tyres round a little or even drive it down the drive and back, so they are not sitting on one portion of the tyre for weeks on end. Dry rot is a problem for tyres if they are not used very often. A scooter not used for three months at a time can easily end up having dry rot on the tyres. Dry rot can be spotted by the cracks in the tyres, which can if left un-treated can lead to leaks in the tyre and once that has happened the entire tyre would need re-placing.

One of the main things that you need to check in order for your scooter to even start is the spark plugs having enough spark from the ignition to start the engine. To check this you can do this simple test:

The easiest way is to remove the spark plug and put it back in the spark plug cap. Then ground it onto the engine choose a section that is not painted. Make sure there is good on the metal from the spark plug to the engine. Then in a slightly darkened area (because it will be hard to see in the light) you try to start the engine as well, you should see a spark at the tip of the plug. The colour of the spark determines how strong the spark is; blue – strong spark, white – fairly strong and if it is yellow – it’s a very weak spark. Most scooter starting systems are a bit weak (compared to cars). Even a yellow spark should start your scooter just fine normally. Next, the spark must occur at the right time. Just about all scooters made since around 1980 have electronic ignition.

These systems rarely can be set. You'll have to follow the timing procedure in the manual of your scooter to get the timing correct. In general, the spark occurs just before the piston reaches the top of its stroke. There is a slight delay between the spark plug fire and the fuel-air mixture ignition. Most ignition systems have an advance unit build in, so that as the engine speeds up the time of the spark restrains for a little bit and helps the engine fire the mixture at the proper time. If the spark does not occur at all then there could be a problem with your ignition so its best to take it into a professional garage to determine the exact problem, because unless you have great knowledge on the ignition of scooters it will be impossible for you to carry the work out your self.

There are many checks and tips on maintenance available either online or you can take courses that show you how to take care of your scooter correctly to keep it running at its best for the longest period of time.