Modern Buddy

This summer I will need to lift my scooter into a truck or SUV. I don't have any other way to transport my scooter. I realize most people use a trailer or just ride the scooter but neither will be available to me. (It's a long story trust me). Do any of you have experience lifting a scooter in this manner? What is the weight of a buddy 125? Any ideas or info would be much appreciated.

Buddy 125 weighs just under 225lbs. dry (with no gas or other fluids in it).

Any reason you can't use a ramp?

Something like this is probably one of the better options for a decent price. It's a much safer option than lifting in and out, definitely worth the $55 in saved time, convenience and potential damage.

Go to the hardware store, by a ramparts ramp piece you bolt to a piece of wood, go get a 8 or 10 foot by 1 inch thick board. All this will cost around 25-30 dollars.

Here's some good info in transporting your scoot. It'll be easily accessible in the new FAQ section.... Coming Soon!

In a pinch, I've used a length of 2x6. I wished I had something a bit wider, but it worked. I wouldn't try deadlifting the scooter. Among other things, I'm hoping to save up for a folding ramp, but in the short-term the 2x6 works just fine. MUCH better than trying to lift the Buddy!

Lowe's has ramps in the store for about $60.

I found it online

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

If you have a friend or two it's not a big deal. Use a canyon dancer and some tie straps to hold it in place in a pickup bed.

I have a pickup truck, and I get the Buddy into the truck bed with me & two other people. Two people grab the front wheel of the scoot (grab the hubs...is that the right word?) and lift it into the truck bed. The 3rd person stands in the truck bed, holding the handlebars steady so the wheel stays straight.

Then, the two people grab the back wheel & do the same thing. The 3rd person stays in the truck bed, guiding the front wheel. I'm a small girl & did this with two other female friends. Easier if big guys are around though

I use 4 tie-downs to secure the Buddy; one from each handlebar, & one from each side in the back. Helps if you have a rear rack to secure it to.

Angela wrote:Lowe's has ramps in the store for about $60.

I found it online

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

That's a good one for that price! It makes loading the scooter a 1-person job.

ericalm wrote:

Angela wrote:Lowe's has ramps in the store for about $60.

I found it online

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

That's a good one for that price! It makes loading the scooter a 1-person job.

You may see me using it at AmeriVespa.

Personally, I think every scooter rider and truck/suv owner should have one in case of an emergency situation.

Angela wrote:

ericalm wrote:

Angela wrote:Lowe's has ramps in the store for about $60.

I found it online

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

That's a good one for that price! It makes loading the scooter a 1-person job.

You may see me using it at AmeriVespa.

Personally, I think every scooter rider and truck/suv owner should have one in case of an emergency situation.

That's what roadside assistance is for!

My Rat 110 weighs about the same and I have lifted it out of a truck. I weigh about 225 and need another person mainly just to keep it stable. It does risk a mistake of dropping it the more you do it. Something more permanent would be better.

I bought a trailer.

I got to replace my back rim because of trying to do this. Get a ramp for cheap or at least a board to roll it up into there. Really, it is not worth having to replace your rim.

-v

not sure best way to use the ramp such as the one from Lowe's. If you are by yourself, do you try to ride it onto the bed or push it up. Seems some truck beds will make it a rather steep climb.

schroeder wrote:not sure best way to use the ramp such as the one from Lowe's. If you are by yourself, do you try to ride it onto the bed or push it up. Seems some truck beds will make it a rather steep climb.

i've done it and i'm a little wee person (can't put my feet on the ground while sitting on my buddy).

i pushed. its not easy though. i would suggest 2 people.

Never done a scooter precisely, but for some other large and awkwardly shaped and weighted items, we actually just rolled them to the loading dock of the dorm which had a ramp to the top. Once we were up there, it was easier to lower it down the 6 or 8 inch drop to the truck bed then it was to lift it up 2 or 3 feet.

schroeder wrote:not sure best way to use the ramp such as the one from Lowe's. If you are by yourself, do you try to ride it onto the bed or push it up. Seems some truck beds will make it a rather steep climb.

Pushing is the way to go!

Best way to do it is back the truck up to the edge of a driveway or curb. That lessens the incline.

Yeah a ramp. I got this thing from my dealer that goes on the handle bars and has tie downs on each side, secures it very well. Don't put it in a SUV though.

ZQ8 Blazer wrote:I got this thing from my dealer that goes on the handle bars and has tie downs on each side, secures it very well.

Canyon Dancer?
On sale for $30 at Motorsport!

ericalm wrote:

Angela wrote:Lowe's has ramps in the store for about $60.

I found it online

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

That's a good one for that price! It makes loading the scooter a 1-person job.

Alright, reppin' LOWE'S!!! Anybody want to go halfsies with me on the ramp, I only need one...

Use the second one to walk on.

Syd wrote:Use the second one to walk on.

anyone ever try a cherry picker?

ericalm wrote: Canyon Dancer?
On sale for $30 at Motorsport!

Yep that's them, they're extremely handy.

Syd wrote:Use the second one to walk on.

That add for Lowe's lies. There is only one (there can only be one!) ramp. At least that's how they sell them in the store.

Angela wrote:That add for Lowe's lies. There is only one (there can only be one!) ramp. At least that's how they sell them in the store.

I will have to look into this, as I just so happen to work for Lowe's... The website says width: 4ft. weird.

ericalm wrote:

schroeder wrote:not sure best way to use the ramp such as the one from Lowe's. If you are by yourself, do you try to ride it onto the bed or push it up. Seems some truck beds will make it a rather steep climb.

Pushing is the way to go!

Best way to do it is back the truck up to the edge of a driveway or curb. That lessens the incline.

This is how we do it at our shop, we have a VERY big dip in our driveway so the tailgate is close to the ground.

Option 2, put the truck on airbags and lower it

Angela wrote:

Syd wrote:Use the second one to walk on.

That add for Lowe's lies. There is only one (there can only be one!) ramp. At least that's how they sell them in the store.

I miss Buffy :snif:

Syd wrote:

Angela wrote:

Syd wrote:Use the second one to walk on.

That add for Lowe's lies. There is only one (there can only be one!) ramp. At least that's how they sell them in the store.

I miss Buffy :snif:

Buffy? That's Highlander.

No that's the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar

As I reread it, I'm guessing you are both referring to the ad itself.
If so...dang, I miss quite a bit not having television. I thought you were talking about the "there can be only one" line.

heh I got both of those references and all I can say is........ firefly

When I was getting ready to bring Betsy home once she was prepped, I bought some of the make a ramp with a piece of wood things. I used a 2x8 treated. Damn thing broke in the middle as I was rolling her out of the truck. Went out & bought a ramp the next day at Northern Tool.

Took the broken 2x8 back to Home Depot & asked got a refund.

Scooter was OK.

Lift with your legs, not your back!

msdallas2008 wrote:When I was getting ready to bring Betsy home once she was prepped, I bought some of the make a ramp with a piece of wood things. I used a 2x8 treated. Damn thing broke in the middle as I was rolling her out of the truck. Went out & bought a ramp the next day at Northern Tool.

Took the broken 2x8 back to Home Depot & asked got a refund.

Scooter was OK.

What length of lumber were you using?

It was a piece of 2x8 pressure treated. I don't know if it was pine or something else.

KRUSTYburger wrote:

Angela wrote:That add for Lowe's lies. There is only one (there can only be one!) ramp. At least that's how they sell them in the store.

I will have to look into this, as I just so happen to work for Lowe's... The website says width: 4ft. weird.

Let me know your findings.

I have an 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm gonna try and find a loading dock that is close in height to the back of the Jeep and see if I can just roll it in. I'm hoping that with the mirrors off it will fit inside without having to tip it sideways.

Hubby just picked up our new 2008 Buddy Saint Tropez at Green Tree Scooters in Mason City, IA today. He loaded it in the back of our Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan very easily with this ramp we recently purchased: http://discountramps.com/motocross-ramp.htm (model # AFP-9012)
(All but front seats out of van; mirrors removed on scooter.) He was very excited about how easy it was to one person load the scooter with this ramp. Especially compared to picking up his 2008 Blur in Chicago last summer and three guys lifting that scooter into the same minivan (i.e. struggle, grunt, sore back) and unloading was worse.
The ramp is well made, light weight, and wider than most of the ramps in this price range (yeap, I did my homework). Shipping was very quick from this company.
I assume unloading the new scooter tomorrow night will also be a breeze as well. So for the moment we are a 3 scooter family, but one of them is For Sale soon, which makes having a ramp to transport these 2 wheelers for whatever reason almost as good of an investment as a Battery Tender.

Honestly for your need here why not just make you a ramp from 2x8 board. All you would really need is the board a heavy duty hinge(s) and maybe some material for traction.A bit of some shingles or that tape that's used for non slipping and traction will do just fine.It would be much cheaper and last basically forever.If for some reason you arn't up to putting it together,I bet you know someone who could do it.Just a thought.

I did this for the first time on Sunday. We used a ramp on the way up, then just straight lifted it later in the day (2 people needed, 3 better.) It was pretty easy.

I should've read the tie-down stuff first, though, poor thing toppled twice in the bed of the truck in the first block before we got it sorted out. ;/

The height involved wasn't nearly as far (less than a foot vertical), but I needed something fairly durable for regular use getting my Buddy from the sidewalk to my front porch and back, so I built a little ramp out of wood. I used a 1x12* board with additional pieces of the appropriate size attached at various points to support it (e.g. a 2x4* at the spot where it was 3.5" from the ground, a 2x6* at about 5.5"). Cost me nearly ten bucks.

*For those unfamiliar with lumber standards, a "two by four" is not actually 2" by 4", but only 1.5" by 3.5". Other "named" board dimensions are similarly inflated. Plan accordingly.

Cheshire wrote:

msdallas2008 wrote:When I was getting ready to bring Betsy home once she was prepped, I bought some of the make a ramp with a piece of wood things. I used a 2x8 treated. Damn thing broke in the middle as I was rolling her out of the truck. Went out & bought a ramp the next day at Northern Tool.

Took the broken 2x8 back to Home Depot & asked got a refund.

Scooter was OK.

What length of lumber were you using?

Sorry, I misread your question. I believe it was an 8' piece.

mshaw09 wrote:I have an 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm gonna try and find a loading dock that is close in height to the back of the Jeep and see if I can just roll it in. I'm hoping that with the mirrors off it will fit inside without having to tip it sideways.

If it's close, don't forget you can deflate your front tire to get that extra inch or so off the height.

KRUSTYburger wrote:

mshaw09 wrote:I have an 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm gonna try and find a loading dock that is close in height to the back of the Jeep and see if I can just roll it in. I'm hoping that with the mirrors off it will fit inside without having to tip it sideways.

If it's close, don't forget you can deflate your front tire to get that extra inch or so off the height.

You have probably saved me hours worth of effort trying to make it fit with such a simple and excellent idea.

Thanks!

you're welcome.

DIPA wrote:I have a pickup truck, and I get the Buddy into the truck bed with me & two other people. Two people grab the front wheel of the scoot (grab the hubs...is that the right word?) and lift it into the truck bed. The 3rd person stands in the truck bed, holding the handlebars steady so the wheel stays straight.

Then, the two people grab the back wheel & do the same thing. The 3rd person stays in the truck bed, guiding the front wheel. I'm a small girl & did this with two other female friends. Easier if big guys are around though

I use 4 tie-downs to secure the Buddy; one from each handlebar, & one from each side in the back. Helps if you have a rear rack to secure it to.

this method works great. I've done it with one helper many times. grab the front by the fork legs on each side and lift the front wheel on to the tailgate or bed, reposition to the rear and lift it with the grab rails.

I also have a Versa Hauler (VH50) that is rated for 250#, specifically for 50cc scoots but the Buddy is under the weight limit. We hauled the 125 from NC to DE with the VH on the back of a Dodge Magnum. You can use any vehicle with a Class II or III hitch reveiver.

when I got my Blur (150 miles away) I borrowed my daughters Caravan, folded down all the seats except the 2 front, took the mirrors off the scoot and it fit (snugly) in the back - so tight I barely needed tie-downs but I used them anyway. A naked (-mirrors & windscreen) Buddy should fit easily in a minivan.

pajeanka wrote:Hubby just picked up our new 2008 Buddy Saint Tropez at Green Tree Scooters in Mason City, IA today. He loaded it in the back of our Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan very easily with this ramp we recently purchased: http://discountramps.com/motocross-ramp.htm (model # AFP-9012)

That's a great deal. Thanks for sharing!

mshaw09 wrote:

KRUSTYburger wrote:

mshaw09 wrote:I have an 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm gonna try and find a loading dock that is close in height to the back of the Jeep and see if I can just roll it in. I'm hoping that with the mirrors off it will fit inside without having to tip it sideways.

If it's close, don't forget you can deflate your front tire to get that extra inch or so off the height.

You have probably saved me hours worth of effort trying to make it fit with such a simple and excellent idea.

Thanks!

KRUSTYburger, FTW!