"Naked" Blackjack

[ericalm]

I've always wondered if it would be cool to make a naked version of a Buddy. Looks like someone's done it:


This is from Manny at NoHo Scooters. I'll ask if he has any more pics of it.

[Keys]

Yeag. It's cool.

[Christophers]

Love it!

[SYMbionic Duo]

moar pics!!

I'd like to see how he cleaned up the handle bar area.

I've been thinking of doing naked handlebars on my BJ kinda like the rattler.

[PeteH]

I'd love to see how he relocated all that wiring under the front cover. There's a snake-pit of it in there.

[SYMbionic Duo]

I'm guessing that without the headset, he doesn't need half of it. and the signals are attached to the basket, so perhaps, he just zip-tied the mess, to the back of the basket, where it would be sorta hidden.

[Tocsik]

I'd love to see how he relocated all that wiring under the front cover. There's a snake-pit of it in there.

If you click on the pic it'll take you to the source at Flickr and you can zoom it up. It looks like all the wires are run in one of those corrugated wiring conduits.

It would be cool if it had a cut down front fender.
The handlebar area looks a little wimpy around the triple tree! I would love this if it had a small box covering that area like the Ruckus.

[Mousenut]

How does he not have helmet hair?

[jmer1234]

No helmet can tame that mop!

[JHScoot]

tbh it doesn't look good

[BuddyLicious]

Around here we don't call that a Naked Buddy,we call it a Stolen buddy!

[JHScoot]

^ Right?

Hi guys i have this ultra cool scooter with a matte black finish. Gonna rip the panels off so it looks like a lame frame and engine

[theflash784]

I don't care for the look of that. I think it's a terrible thing to do to a Blackjack. I think the body panels make the scooter- IMHO

[JohnKiniston]

It can work with the right bike, But I don't think there is enough stuff on the front of his to keep it from looking like a Stick.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_ ... site"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OeVY ... 132111.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>

[ericalm]

This was a crashed Buddy that's owned by a mechanic. It was going to be totaled. He salvaged it and was able to do this with it. I got some more pics today and will upload later. It's not elegant, rough and hacked together, runs like a champ from what I'm told.

[Southerner]

Isn't this what the Brits call a "skelly?" There's a certain rough & ready practicality to it. It calls to mind some of the pictures I've seen of early racing scooters.

[brianwheelies]

I love the way the Brit's do the stripped scoots. This has potential but needs some finishing touches. Losing the seat it one of them.

Think of the weight savings with all of the bike...gone! Must be quick but poor aero's must limit top speed and efficiency.

[Southerner]

I expect the weight loss more that makes up for the loss in aerodynamics, especially within a Buddy's operating envelope.

[jrsjr]

Paint the frame RED!

[ericalm]

Again, this is a salvage scoot. The frame is slightly bent. Running it like this is probably illegal. I mentioned something to Boris (owner) about zip-tying the speedo on and he said, "No—too much weight." Then he wheelied it down the alley and disappeared.




Don't put your foot up against that valve cover!

[Southerner]

Too much weight?.

Also, does the term 'ratbike' have an equivalent in scooterspeak?

[k1dude]

Looks like a little cord management is in order.

[Lagerhead]

I'd like to see how he cleaned up the handle bar area.

I've been thinking of doing naked handlebars on my BJ kinda like the rattler.

Buddy by benandangie, on Flickr

[SuperFlyBuddy]

Number Five is ALIVE!

[spr0k3t]

I think a needed wire tuck is a major understatement.

[ericalm]

Too much weight?.

He may have been kidding. Or not. Hard to tell with him.

Also, does the term 'ratbike' have an equivalent in scooterspeak?

Yeah, we call them ratbikes.

[AHRMA69]

I am the owner of the Genuine Buddy Black Jack. I thought I would tell you a little more about the scoot and myself to clear up any mystery.

I do not prefer scooters as a mode of transportation aside from getting gas when on the race track (my skateboard works just as well and it is easier to fit in the truck with a race bike and other stuff). Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy a fuel efficient commuter motorcycle at the moment (most of my money goes to racing) so I must ride my ZX10R back and forth from work. I would not even consider owning a scooter unless it was free or in my case $210 which covered registration, front turn signals and a new flasher.

I understand that most would consider this a rat-scoot or electrical fire waiting to happen. The truth is that I do not care how it looks. The reason I took off the bodywork was because it would have fallen off on it's own at some point and I didn't want to be riding it when that happened. I have no intention of putting in any effort into making it look better or worse. My goal was to get it streetable for the least amount of time/money and ride it into the ground.

After a week of riding the scoot here is a comparison and evaluation.

Buddy Black Jack Naked.


A. 28 MPG (average cruising speed 55mph+) Neutral
B. More comfortable than the Ninja Pro
C. Don't have to wear ear plugs Pro
D. Impressive handling at top speed Pro
E. 65 MPH top speed Pro
F. Hard to get a speeding ticket Pro
G. Has ample storage for grocery store runs Pro
H. Poor braking due to small tires Con
I. Cheap maintenance Pro
J. Headlight is bright Pro

08 ZX10R

http://youtu.be/H9JsHMNm1EE

A. 28 MPG (average cruising speed 80+mph) Neutral
B. Not comfortable unless you are going 100+mph Con
C. Have to wear ear plugs Con
D. Impressive handling at any speed (racetech tuned) Pro
E. 190 MPH top speed Neutral
F. I have yet to get a speeding ticket on it Neutral
(catch me if you can)
G. No storage or passenger capabilities Con
H. Incredible braking with DOT race tires Pro
I. Expensive maintenance Con
J. I made my ninja naked as well and the cheap autozone fake angel eye is useless at night. Con

Conclusion.
I would rather put miles on a $210 scooter than on a $10,000 Liter bike.

Hope this info is helpful.

[spr0k3t]

You got the go-fast-nads Boris... when you doing Isle of Mann?

[AHRMA69]

You got the go-fast-nads Boris... when you doing Isle of Mann?

I only race in America through the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA). Will be racing at Miller raceway at the end of August.

[k1dude]

28 mpg on the Blackjack? Something is wrong. It should be around 78 mpg.

[theflash784]

Thanks for the explaintion although why it was done is your own business. It's just that - IMHO- the Blackjack is a really sharp looking scooter and it would be a shame for someone to strip off the body panels just to do some crazy mod to it. You did it for practical reasons and it suits your needs. Good luck with your racing.

[TVB]

28 mpg on the Blackjack? Something is wrong. It should be around 78 mpg.

Yeah, I get better mpg than that with my car.

[Mousenut]

28 mpg on the Blackjack? Something is wrong. It should be around 78 mpg.

Yeah, I get better mpg than that with my car.

I might get better on my lawnmower.

[AHRMA69]

I may have miscalculated.

I got 52 miles out of a tank. 52/(tank capacity) = my MPG

[phatch]

52 mpg is better than 28, but still seems low.

[AHRMA69]

so the tank holds 1 gallon?

[pdxrita]

so the tank holds 1 gallon?

The tank holds a bit over a gallon. I usually put somewhere around 1.1 in mine. With such a small tank, you really need to accurately keep track for a few fills ups and take an average to get a true reading. That being said, I'm guessing you don't really care a whole lot about that. But if you're really only getting 52MPG, something probably is wrong. You should be in the 70 - 80MPG range, even riding it fast.

[Mousenut]

With no odo, are you just guessing?

[AHRMA69]

I took the same rout on my ninja and the odometer clocked 26 miles round trip