hello all! i have a 2011 buddy 50 that i kind of want to mess with a bit. its stock right now and want to help it with hills in the hudson valley.
what are no-brainer upgrades?
2011 buddy 50
Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
You've heard the old saying, "there is no replacement for displacement". That thinking points you toward a big bore kit such as this one.
https://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Cylind ... P8850.aspx
https://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Cylind ... P8850.aspx
Before modifying your 50, you should be aware that under New York State law, any "limited use motorcycle" that can exceed 30mph is considered a Class A Limited Use Motorcycle, and requires a motorcycle license.
If you modify your Buddy 50 to exceed 30mph and do not have a motorcycle license, you are subject to citation and impounding of your scooter.
If you do have a motorcycle license, why not just buy a 125?
If you modify your Buddy 50 to exceed 30mph and do not have a motorcycle license, you are subject to citation and impounding of your scooter.
If you do have a motorcycle license, why not just buy a 125?
its already unrestricted-- i have it to drive to/from the train station & boat club... i dont cruise with it, its 5 minute trips sometimes with our 7 year old on the back going up a hill in the hudson valley...eggsalad wrote:Before modifying your 50, you should be aware that under New York State law, any "limited use motorcycle" that can exceed 30mph is considered a Class A Limited Use Motorcycle, and requires a motorcycle license.
If you modify your Buddy 50 to exceed 30mph and do not have a motorcycle license, you are subject to citation and impounding of your scooter.
If you do have a motorcycle license, why not just buy a 125?
Unless you're making an a$$ of yourself, it is highly unlikely that anybody in Westchester is going to care if a 50cc is going 47, which is about as fast as a BBK will get you on a Buddy.
Not impossible - just unlikely.
But I will say it's interesting and highly educational to take an MSI course over a weekend and get an actual M license. I did mine in Long Island although I also live in Westchester, and one of the instructors was a stunt driver. On breaks he took somebody's course-supplied Honda at random and rode it around the range like a demon, throwing sparks on tight turns, etc. It was awesome.
Oh, and do join the Scooterfleet (Westchester-Connecticut sector) on Facebook. You're exactly the demographic. I'll send you a sticker.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/596233447684750
Not impossible - just unlikely.
But I will say it's interesting and highly educational to take an MSI course over a weekend and get an actual M license. I did mine in Long Island although I also live in Westchester, and one of the instructors was a stunt driver. On breaks he took somebody's course-supplied Honda at random and rode it around the range like a demon, throwing sparks on tight turns, etc. It was awesome.
Oh, and do join the Scooterfleet (Westchester-Connecticut sector) on Facebook. You're exactly the demographic. I'll send you a sticker.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/596233447684750
tenders wrote:Unless you're making an a$$ 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 over a weekend and get an actual M license. I did mine in Long Island although I also live in Westchester, and one of the instructors was a stunt driver. On breaks he took somebody's course-supplied Honda at random and rode it around the range like a demon, throwing sparks on tight turns, etc. It was awesome.
Oh, and do join the Scooterfleet (Westchester-Connecticut sector) on Facebook. You're exactly the demographic. I'll send you a sticker.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/596233447684750
yeah thats a realistic take on this area!
ive been on dirtbikes on/off since I was 12... this scooter was literally an exercise in avoidance... avoiding buying a train station parking pass (chained to fence) avoid high insurance, avoiding license endorsements, avoid high gas prices, and most importantly, avoiding walking up the steep hill to our house after work... I dont need top end speed, I need to get up our hill with our 7 year old on the back a bit quicker...while avoiding buying a new scoot!
im looking on ebay and they have frighteningly cheap BBK! what is the issue with those options?
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-“compatible� BBK without a direct personal recommendation for somebody.
wrd- step 1 is just a BBK... for ~$60 its hard to resist...tenders wrote: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-“compatible� BBK without a direct personal recommendation for somebody.
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 basket-case Chinese scooter on which to inflict your bargain-basement mechanical whims. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with those whims. I just don't see the point of Tao-Tao-ing a perfectly good Buddy with a part that may or may not even fit it.
There is this testimonial from the Scooterworks kit:
http://www.modernbuddy.com/forum/topic12299.html
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 basket-case Chinese scooter on which to inflict your bargain-basement mechanical whims. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with those whims. I just don't see the point of Tao-Tao-ing a perfectly good Buddy with a part that may or may not even fit it.
There is this testimonial from the Scooterworks kit:
http://www.modernbuddy.com/forum/topic12299.html
You can get a Malossi 70cc BBK from ScooterWest for $136. Unless that is unaffordable I would go for that instead of an unknown Ebay China BBK and risk just wasting the $60.
I put one of the Malossi BBK on a Buddy 125 (kit from ScooterWest) and I thought it was very good quality. With just the BBK the stock carb worked fine and it sounds like from Tenders linked post that the stock carb works for the 50 with a BBK also although that was at higher elevation.
The BBK install on the 125 was a simple straight forward job, it probably is also for a 50.
I put one of the Malossi BBK on a Buddy 125 (kit from ScooterWest) and I thought it was very good quality. With just the BBK the stock carb worked fine and it sounds like from Tenders linked post that the stock carb works for the 50 with a BBK also although that was at higher elevation.
The BBK install on the 125 was a simple straight forward job, it probably is also for a 50.
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 perky and fun, and of course all that 2T oil smells pretty badass. But it isn't as perky or fun as a 150cc.
It definitely still smells more badass.
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 perky and fun, and of course all that 2T oil smells pretty badass. But it isn't as perky or fun as a 150cc.
It definitely still smells more badass.
If by “pin� you mean “jet,� 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 isn’t difficult, especially once you’ve taken the carb apart a few times, but I wouldn’t recommend pulling the carb just to check the jet size unless you have a reason to suspect it’s been messed with.
The idle jet, which is physically larger than the main jet and irrelevant to kitting, is #40 size, although in some documentation it says #35. My original ‘09 idle jet was #40, and the 2019 replacement carb’s jet was also #40.
The idle jet, which is physically larger than the main jet and irrelevant to kitting, is #40 size, although in some documentation it says #35. My original ‘09 idle jet was #40, and the 2019 replacement carb’s jet was also #40.
Re: 2011 buddy 50
I'm trying to decide a similar path for a Roughhouse 50- the only difference here is that I have the luxury of having a whole extra drivetrain sitting outside the bike. What I really WANT to do is see how cheaply I could go insane- the Buddy/RH 50 is essentially a QMB139 clone. As such, one COULD get a BBK for < $50, a variator for < $50 and a Mikuni clone slide carb for < $30 as well. On the other end of the spectrum is the $90 Malossi variator kit, an NCY BBK for $180 and a better Mikuni OEM carb for $75+.
I've got all winter to think about it thankfully.
I've got all winter to think about it thankfully.
Re: 2011 buddy 50
im starting things off by testing different roller weights. $8 per set is a cheap way to start things off.
most id do is a 70CC kit and jetting the carb.
the boat is hibernating for the winter, so i need something to fidget with-but dang did my fingers get cold last night just swapping weights!
most id do is a 70CC kit and jetting the carb.
the boat is hibernating for the winter, so i need something to fidget with-but dang did my fingers get cold last night just swapping weights!
Re: 2011 buddy 50
Not a ton of discussion that I recall about changing weights on stock Buddies. Let us know what you find.
Re: 2011 buddy 50
I went from the stock 7.5’s to 7’s. Then down to 6g.
I’ve noticed a bit more pep off the line and still manage to get the needle up a bit past 40mph on level ground.
I’m still looking at a BBK.
I’ve noticed a bit more pep off the line and still manage to get the needle up a bit past 40mph on level ground.
I’m still looking at a BBK.
Re: 2011 buddy 50
BBK's can be a lot of fun but you'll be pushing reliability to the max. I used to do Zuma bug-eyes and we rode 'em hard and put 'em up wet. We managed to pretty much bullet proof them at 55mph with the throttle at WOT for loooong runs. But here's what will happen. Something will break (usually transmission related) or you will get a soft seize (from weather changes) when trying to get somewhere important. Not saying don't do it, but the Zumas were strictly toys because of the fear of breaking down. On the weekend running around with friends, no big deal. Breaking down going to work, no thanks. I found my sweet spot with 125-150cc scooters and no longer mess with the 2-strokes but I will admit I sometimes miss having one.
If you do go BBK start small. LEARN how everything works and basic theory. Tuning Matters is a excellent resource along with Moped Army. Don't jump into a high revving aluminum race set-up. Start with a quality street cast kit (Malossi is a favorite of mine) and matching pipe (Yasuni R is also a fav). I've also seen good results from properly tuned stage 1 set-ups. Reeds, pipe (Yasuni Z), transmission and optimized carb settings/jetting if needed.
If you do go BBK start small. LEARN how everything works and basic theory. Tuning Matters is a excellent resource along with Moped Army. Don't jump into a high revving aluminum race set-up. Start with a quality street cast kit (Malossi is a favorite of mine) and matching pipe (Yasuni R is also a fav). I've also seen good results from properly tuned stage 1 set-ups. Reeds, pipe (Yasuni Z), transmission and optimized carb settings/jetting if needed.
Re: 2011 buddy 50
One important point here. The buddy50/roughhouse are NOT NOT NOT qmb clones. Qmb139 is a 4 cycle, buddy/roughhouse are two cycle. They use a minarelli horizontal style 2t engine.buzzvert wrote: ↑Mon Nov 23, 2020 3:18 pm I'm trying to decide a similar path for a Roughhouse 50- the only difference here is that I have the luxury of having a whole extra drivetrain sitting outside the bike. What I really WANT to do is see how cheaply I could go insane- the Buddy/RH 50 is essentially a QMB139 clone. As such, one COULD get a BBK for < $50, a variator for < $50 and a Mikuni clone slide carb for < $30 as well. On the other end of the spectrum is the $90 Malossi variator kit, an NCY BBK for $180 and a better Mikuni OEM carb for $75+.
I've got all winter to think about it thankfully.