Modern Buddy

tenders

I replaced the stock horn in my Buddy 50 a year ago with this one, and it works well without additional wiring: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000DINKPQ This is the low-pitch version, which seems to be more popular as a stand-alone. A high pitch version exists too. Some install both, but it won’t work r...

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I have a pretty strict policy about not fixing what isn't broken and isn't recommended in the manual. So far, no broken throttle cables (knock on wood).

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My daughters inform me that Quinn XCII is somewhat famous. This was filmed in Newport, RI, where there is a big fleet of rental Buddies and no helmet law. It's one continuous shot - I wonder how many takes they did as the sun set that day. He waves to somebody walking down the sidewalk, so, I'm gues...

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So...low. Any reason to expect the engine had seized? If not, It’s possible if it’s been sitting for a while that the rings are sticking and will free up after some run time, maybe with a double dose of oil in the fuel in addition to the injector oil. I like to use Marvel Mystery Oil for this in oth...

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The idle jet or other carb passageways are not clean. You’ll need to try again.

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Does no good under the seat - you have to stop and dismount to get it out.* A bottle of Elijah Craig will fit right into the cubby for rapid access. Suggest wrapping with duct tape first to obscure the label. Not compatible with Gen-U-Bin, however. ====================== *Did you know you don’t have...

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I don't follow Kymco scooters that carefully, but it looks like the People is the one with a four-valve engine.

https://kymcousa.com/2021-scooters/2021-people-s150/

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I don't know about the Where's Waldo big-wheel scoots, but what *is* the deal with all the Genuine 200cc models? Those would seem to be entirely new.

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Love that, Bill. Ride that Zuma like you stole it!

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I doubt I know a thing more than the next guy. Skipper20 comes here about every 15 months asking the same questions with a different set of scooters. Makes me think he's looking for company more than sensible direction. I have a 50cc and a 400cc. I put 3X the miles on the 50 I do on the Burgman. Li...

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Scooterwest did have a podcast for a while, but has let it lapse since mid-2018. Robot was never featured, as far as I can tell. This is the video podcast, which was just a video of them recording the podcast. Well-intentioned, but not very carefully written or edited. https://www.scooterwest.com/di...

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I enjoyed this, thank you. And the others too, particularly Uncle Phil. Ms. Donovan’s fondness for Stellas is peculiar, because in her blog her Stella seemed to give her nothing but trouble. Yet apparently she’s back again with Fireball #1, which lingered for sooooooo long on the “for sale” page. Wo...

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You should watch Ryan F9’s treatment of this topic. My takeaway: I’m not going to be a lithium customer. Don’t need the weight reduction, and don’t want to deal with the cold weather constraints. No benefit for the cost. AGM FTW for me.

https://youtu.be/3ywopGAXP-I

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Not a ton of discussion that I recall about changing weights on stock Buddies. Let us know what you find.

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Curly quotes are coming across obscured by spurious special characters. See towards the bottom of this thread for examples:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32624

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Wowee! Thank you!!! Looks great so far (30 seconds). I had feared the worst after the last batch of simultaneous lame spam.

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If by â€œpinâ€� you mean â€œjet,â€� the stock main jet on the Buddy 50 carb is #75. You confirm this by removing the jet and scrutinizing the tiny numbers that are embossed on the base. This isnâ€™t difficult, especially once youâ€™ve taken the carb apart a few times, but I wouldnâ€™t recommend pull...

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The stock carb and exhaust on the 50 does work with the 70cc BBK kit. You just upjet the main jet to an 85 and add a shot or so of extra 2T oil to each gallon of fuel in addition to what the oil injector already adds. The other member of Scooterfleet has this exact setup with his blue Buddy. It's pe...

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If your repair time is worth nothing and you don't mind the inconvenience of an inoperative scooter, then go for it! Personally I don't have patience for cheaply-manufactured parts in internal combustion engines, although it did take me a while to come to that conclusion. Maybe you should buy a bask...

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BBKs are not my expertise at all but a lot of Chinese stuff on eBay is touted as compatible with the Buddy 50 but is not. The carbs, for example. And more of it is terrible quality. Carb jet kits, for example. I would be entirely leery of a cheap Chinese Buddy-â€œcompatibleâ€� BBK without a direct p...

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Unless you're making an a$$ of yourself, it is highly unlikely that anybody in Westchester is going to care if a 50cc is going 47, which is about as fast as a BBK will get you on a Buddy. Not impossible - just unlikely. But I will say it's interesting and highly educational to take an MSI course ove...

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Ok, so I guess Iâ€™m going to pass on that Blur! Thought more people would suggest a Genuine. Iâ€™ll keep an eye out for a GTS. Thanks. "I owned 2 Hooligans, a '15 and a '16. The fuel-injected 170i engine was bullet-proof and cruised all day long at 55 mph GPS verified. Highly recommended.&quo...

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Good advice. I would generalize #1 by suggesting that riders develop a hypervigilant Spider Sense whenever they find themselves in or near a nearby vehicleâ€™s blind spot. Doesnâ€™t matter whether you are overtaking or being overtaken, or on which side - whenever youâ€™re near somebody who might not...

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If you do go the used Vespa route, make sure the seller can provide you a complete service history. You're rarely going to get this. Alternatively: buy a Vespa at a price that bakes in the expectation that you'll have to do a lot of maintenance on it immediately. Fluids, belt, tires, brake pads - p...

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Watch this guy take a tire off a motorcycle rim, put a new one on and inflate it less than 2 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8en0AKzytb8 Pretty good performance! And he didn't even look particularly rushed, just efficient. I find that scooter tires are harder than motorcycle tires - the li...

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You donâ€™t have to fill the ultrasonic cleaner tank with cleaning solution. You can put small parts into a Ziploc bag with a few shots of cleaner, squeeze the air out, seal the bag, and put the bag into water in the tank. You can also use a small glass or plastic jar, without a lid, as long as the ...

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I donâ€™t think the OP is a shill - if so, jokeâ€™s on him. I think the seller is reluctant and the OP is suffering from unrequited love.

Break up with this scoot over $1500! And maybe less.

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I too somehow restrained myself from making that crude comment as I had no experience to contribute.

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Donâ€™t get attached to something from a reluctant seller. For less than $2k you can get a newer, better, fuel-injected 170i and have all kinds of fun riding it around long before this dolt comes down to a reasonable price. Even if you have to pay a few hundred in shipping.

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You'll wonder a lot of things about what could be going on with that scooter for the first few thousand miles of ownership.

Under those circumstances, "are these eight-year-old-tires going to be OK" is a dumb one to wonder about.

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My opinion: you will spend more time and money messing around with an upgrade kit than you will getting a proper license and a 125 or 150cc scoot. If you LIKE the fuss factor, and many people do, including me on lots of things but not on 50cc scooters, then go for it. But if you just want to go fast...

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I don't have a Roughhouse, and I don't know much about mods, but if you've upped the exhaust, isn't it more likely to be running lean rather than rich? The screw you're referring to only adjusts the idle air/fuel mixture. Typically when you change the displacement, exhaust, or intake, the high speed...

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I donâ€™t have a larger Buddy to compare to but idle mixture screws work in opposite ways in different carb designs. Some control idle air, and some, idle fuel. My notes on my Vespa S150 suggest that its carb works the same as the Buddy 50, though Iâ€™m not 100% sure of that. Both are Keihin carbs. ...

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Out is richer, in is leaner.

At least thatâ€™s what I carefully made a point of writing down in my notes when I last was fiddling with the carb.

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An elderly man on a Genuine Buddy 50, International Italia version, looking about 100 years old, pulls up next to a doctor in a flashy red car at a traffic light. Looking at the shiny car, the old man leans over and says, "Whatchya driving there, sonny?" The doctor replies, "This is a...

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Sounds like theyâ€™re trying to get their money back from the upgrades: top box, front rack, suspension. Unfortunately for them, it doesnâ€™t work that way. Iâ€™d say $1500 for this scooter; $1300 if it were stock; expect to have to replace tires, all fluids, possibly brake pads. Note that there is ...

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* LED headlight, $20 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KTXL7FW/ * Wire in deadlights with kit and replace with LEDs, $16 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0721FNCWP/ * RAM style wireless phone mount, $25 Search for â€œMotorcycle Phone QC3.0 USB Qi Fast Charging Wireless Chargerâ€� on AliExpress....

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So, you're asking us to guess what aftermarket parts might be installed on this? I'm not sure what aftermarket parts would bog the starter down. I don't think BBKs do, but I could be mistaken. Does the kickstart work to get it started? Is the voltage at the starter correct? Is the starter relay work...

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Did you do anything to stabilize that video?

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I donâ€™t know what the problem is, but a mere 15 mile run at any speed and temperature should not be triggering a limp mode unless itâ€™s programmed to be extra-sensitive during the break in period. I think this is going to end up being a dealer problem.

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The knob bolts replace the Phillips screws you have to remove to pull out the plastic bin to get full access to the carburetor and other engine/electrical components. There's a little access hatch in the bottom of the storage compartment that will supposedly allow access to the idle speed screw on t...

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I agree with the dealer. This combo voltmeter/dual USB charger is more useful than the stock USB charger, and just plugs into the 12V outlet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TM8VWX8/

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I use Motul 710 synthetic, which may be the most expensive thatâ€™s commonly available. I figure for as little oil as the Buddy uses, the difference between a $9 quart and an $18 quart is negligible. However, I donâ€™t think dino vs. synthetic matters much in 2T oils. Itâ€™s sacrificial and only get...

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Your dealerâ€™s mechanic is terrible for not putting the bolts on properly, for not addressing what was wrong with the exhaust, and not being able to troubleshoot your symptoms. Where in Indiana are you? There are four dealers in the state. I would register dissatisfaction to Genuine directly if I w...

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Carbon buildup used to be a big issue with 2T scooters - my old '86 Honda Spree needed cleanouts every 1500 miles, and doing so made a big difference. I think that was due to soot in the 2T oils used at the time, and perhaps the exhausts didn't contain any catalytic components. (Do all of them now?)...

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I think you're on the right track. That looks like some kind of baffling or muffling material that's broken loose inside the muffler, causing an exhaust blockage. That would be a very logical explanation for the symptoms you're seeing. Is the Buddy still under warranty? Maybe you should find a bette...

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In addition to the limited weight you can put on the steering column, I don't care for the look of the front rack and don't like drilling holes in the front plastics.

You could bungee a duffel bag onto the seat behind you while you wait for the top case.

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Not sure there is any precedent for a variable-brightness fuel idiot light. Or any idiot light, for that matter. The fuel lights on my machinery might flash a few times as the level sloshes around at the trigger point, but thatâ€™s it.

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I was referring to anyone who finds themselves in sc00terâ€™s initial position of being quoted absurd prices for brake pads.

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So...don't buy them there. NCY pads, $25 via Amazon. I saw another manufacturer's set for $20.

https://www.amazon.com/NCY-1000-1314-Pe ... 00GBJZ2WK/

Modern Buddy

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