Stella Auto First Ride(s) + Hooligan

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:00 pm

Put about 20 miles on Stella Auto so far today but wil be doing much more tonight and tomorrow. Honestly, I'm very surprised by it. Sweet acceleration and pickup. Faster than a 4T. I don't think people will notice it's not a 150 when riding. Top speed, don't know yet.

CVT is nice and smooth. And the scoot is much more than just a Stella with a CVT crammed in. There are many improvements you can feel. I'll go into more detail later. The metal flake paint is beautiful! Pics to come!

Best of all, it still had the spirited feel of riding a P-shaped, metal-bodied scoot.

And I rode the Hooligan. I didn't get a lot of time with it but wow. If I was in the market for something in this size range, this would be it. I think a lot of people are going to love it.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:33 pm

Looking forward to more info and pics!!

Baudler · Post by **Baudler** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:48 pm

Tease.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:22 am

More hooligan please. R

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:24 am

We want them both!

Wheee!

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:13 pm

Pics here: http://is.gd/Dcbplo

I'll post some to the thread when back at my laptop with WiFi.

theemptythrone · Post by **theemptythrone** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 6:55 pm

I am so extremely bummed that we don't have a dealer anymore.
forget the cruiser, the hooligan is my rainbow unicorn

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:41 pm

theemptythrone wrote:I am so extremely bummed that we don't have a dealer anymore.
forget the cruiser, the hooligan is my rainbow unicorn

What's cool is that it's real and coming soon. I originally thought, "Okay, 170i in a different body style. No big." Over time it got more and more interesting. It's DIFFERENT. The engine is familiar but everything else is new for a Genuine. They took everything they liked about two PGOs then made it better. The dual disc brakes are awesome. It feels much different than a Buddy, but doesn't have the over engineered, so stable it's boring feel of a lot of larger, injected machines.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 9:04 pm

ericalm wrote:
theemptythrone wrote:I am so extremely bummed that we don't have a dealer anymore.
forget the cruiser, the hooligan is my rainbow unicorn
What's cool is that it's real and coming soon. I originally thought, "Okay, 170i in a different body style. No big." Over time it got more and more interesting. It's DIFFERENT. The engine is familiar but everything else is new for a Genuine. They took everything they liked about two PGOs then made it better. The dual disc brakes are awesome. It feels much different than a Buddy, but doesn't have the over engineered, so stable it's boring feel of a lot of larger, injected machines.

Can't wait to hear the 411 wrt performance.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:27 pm

The Stella's a 150? I really like the look of a Stella but I'm not going to shift for anything. This is really an option, if it turns out awesome (as I expect)!

EDIT: Never mind, just reread your post. "Not" a 150. Need to know that top speed, Eric! I got traveling to do!

So, are you now planning on riding the Stella from Alaska to New Orleans?

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:28 am

No, still riding the Helix. I'd consider the Hooligan if I had one, though!

The newbie test! I kind of want to draw a big "A" next to the dot.

The metal flake is hard to capture on iPhone, but it's really nice.

This makes much more sense than it may appear from the photo.

Same here.

It's RIGHT THERE. The 4T one is behind the spare and hard to access.

I love the blue, red and black. The ivory is nice, but not metallic. A little different than the creme Stella 4T.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 5:06 am

Nathaniel's "first ride" report on ScooterFile: http://www.scooterfile.com/scooter-revi ... -125-auto/

More to come!

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:26 pm

Awesome! I'm having a hard time not wanting to buy this. When will it be available nation-wide? Any idea?

toot · Post by **toot** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:10 pm

You have all the fun Eric

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:47 pm

pugbuddy wrote:Awesome! I'm having a hard time not wanting to buy this. When will it be available nation-wide? Any idea?

Already shipping and some delivered to new owners!

So it's available depending on when your dealer ordered, how many, etc.

toot wrote:You have all the fun Eric

It's ALL fun! But I do appreciate when I get to do something like this.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:11 am

Genuine site updated with Stellauto:

http://www.genuinescooters.com/stellaauto.html

hewl35 · Post by **hewl35** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:47 am

ericalm wrote:Genuine site updated with Stellauto:

http://www.genuinescooters.com/stellaauto.html

I noticed that according to the specs that the speed is restricted. How do you get around that?

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:54 am

hewl35 wrote:
ericalm wrote:Genuine site updated with Stellauto:

http://www.genuinescooters.com/stellaauto.html
I noticed that according to the specs that the speed is restricted. How do you get around that?

They say that for all scooters on the site. They're not "restricted" in the sense that a 50cc might be mechanically restricted. I think this means that like MPGs, it's based on lab conditions or with the scooter tuned for testing.

I don't really know the top speed but I was doing 55mph indicated on one with very low miles. I didn't want to hold it WOT for too long because it was still being broken in.

Rusty J · Post by **Rusty J** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:18 am

Between the photos, your (Eric's) reports and Nathaniel's writeup, it looks like LML/Genuine did what they needed to do here, and should have a commercial success on their hands. I'm impressed.

Definitely need to head up to Marina del Rey when they get them in...

bgwss · Post by **bgwss** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:29 pm

Hooligan pics?

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:51 pm

bgwss wrote:Hooligan pics?

There are a couple accidental pics on Genuine's Facebook page

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:06 pm

I wonder if the StellaSpeed folks will embrace the Stellauto?

Tazio · Post by **Tazio** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:59 pm

Who has them in the LA area now that there is no NoHo? When I asked about the Stellauto in Thousand Oaks they didn't have any idea of what I was talking about.

toot · Post by **toot** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:03 pm

U talked to the wrong person. I was told they are going to get them. That is the place I go to get repairs and bought from them. Try again or you have Epic motorsports in Goleta they will deliver nice guys too or Route 66 MDR. Haven't bought from them but I know they will have them. Where do u live in woodland hills. My husband went to Taft

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:14 am

I called the local dealer and he said they expect to have the Stellauto in either late this week or early next. I am taking my Buddy in for an oil change Saturday afternoon. If the Stellauto is in, I get a test ride!

Tazio · Post by **Tazio** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:48 pm

OK, Toot, I'll try there again. I live in Walnut Acres, 3 blocks from Old Calabasas and less than a mile from Taft and El Camino. Lived here almost 30 years now. As they say, "There's no life east of Topanga."

toot · Post by **toot** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:00 pm

Called Rex at TO Powersport. Said they don't have yet but if call him and put deposit u can get one fast. Good luck and let me know I really want to see it too. Toot

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 5:26 pm

The new Hooligan looks real nice. I like the 12" tires but after my initial experience with the Buddy 170cc engine (overheating at high speeds--keep in mind I had one of the first ones made so there may have been changes to address this), I'm a bit cautious.

What has Genuine done to keep the 170 cool during long rides? Anyone know?

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:10 pm

In case anyone is curious (and isn't on either Twitter or FB) Hooligan is now live: http://genuinescooters.com/hooligan.html

agrogod · Post by **agrogod** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 12:40 am

ravenlore wrote:In case anyone is curious (and isn't on either Twitter or FB) Hooligan is now live: http://genuinescooters.com/hooligan.html

Nice find ravenlore. I like the look just have some sticker shock with the price.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 4:21 am

agrogod wrote: I like the look just have some sticker shock with the price.

The Buddy 170i is priced at $3299 MSRP. The Hooligan is priced at $3399 MSRP. You find that price shocking? Compared to what? (I find the price of a BMW C650 GT or a Vespa 946 shocking personally)

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 6:14 am

Hmm, like the flat floor, like the black. Not so sure about the particle beam port below the headlight. I'll have to have a look in person.

theemptythrone · Post by **theemptythrone** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 7:32 am

gooodddd i want that hooligan so bad.....

Rippinyarn · Post by **Rippinyarn** » Fri Apr 11, 2014 7:24 pm

The best thing about the Hooligan is something that you can't tell from the pictures... it sounds absolutely wonderful. The sound is everything that the Blur isn't, deep and powerful sounding. The Hooligan is a fantastic scoot and hits the sweet spot of something just a bit larger than the Buddy, while still being small enough to have some fun with.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 12:49 am

Sorry to repost but I think it got lost in the "Hooligan is here"! fun.

What has Genuine done to keep the 170 cool during long rides? Anyone know?

SYMbionic Duo · Post by **SYMbionic Duo** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:15 pm

No Idea, But it all depends on why your 170i was overheating.

Things that could contribute to overheating.

high air temp with high humidity will impact an air cooled bikes ability to cool itself.

a lower temp oil like 5w30 isn't suited for high heat, hotter climates are recomended to run 10w40 or 5w50.

running lean, if you had a leaking intake gasket, you would draw more air into the cylinder and would lean the charge thus making it burn hotter.

It's also possible that if your exhaust was too restrictive, the hot gasses wouldn't be able to exit fast enough and would keep the bike running hotter that it should.

Also found this:

Modern fuel-injected scooters are often build with heat-sensitive fail-safe circuits intended to protect the engine in cases of extreme heat. Models like the Genuine Buddy 170i will automatically retard spark, causing the scooter to cough and sputter and to produce very little horsepower. Riders often confuse this condition for a failure. In fact, the system is working perfectly. When the fail-safe system kicks in it is time to allow your scooter to cool down. Once the core temp of the engine falls a few degrees, the computer will reset and your scooter will run normally once again.

According to that it's not a defect it's a feature!

-duo

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 2:12 am

Hands on review of the new Hooligan on scooterfile today.
VERY impressive ... this should be an absolute winner.

http://www.scooterfile.com/scooter-revi ... igan-170i/

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:08 pm

I'll be anxious to see what final performance specs are, but I bet this is a winner!

At this size/price point, this and the Honda PCX150 are ridiculously utilitarian.

RoaringTodd · Post by **RoaringTodd** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:55 pm

skully93 wrote:I'll be anxious to see what final performance specs are, but I bet this is a winner!

At this size/price point, this and the Honda PCX150 are ridiculously utilitarian.

Don't forget the new SYMHD200. I'm looking to replace my Honda Elite CH150, and it's tough coming to a decision between those fine scoots. I guess my "fit and bum" test will be the deciding factor.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:15 pm

RoaringTodd wrote:
skully93 wrote:I'll be anxious to see what final performance specs are, but I bet this is a winner!

At this size/price point, this and the Honda PCX150 are ridiculously utilitarian.
Don't forget the new SYMHD200. I'm looking to replace my Honda Elite CH150, and it's tough coming to a decision between those fine scoots. I guess my "fit and bum" test will be the deciding factor.

This is what it's come down to as my sister and I try to figure out a ride for my b-i-l. Hooligan and HD200 are very close in price and displacement, but the $4000 question is: are they close in HP/actual real-life performance?

And equally as important, ergonomics-will either be a fit for the tall and lanky b-i-l?

I'm looking forward to Part 2 of scooterfile's review: the actual ride.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:31 pm

ravenlore wrote: I'm looking forward to Part 2 of scooterfile's review: the actual ride.

Agreed. I really like the Hooligan although I prefer something a little more "classic", the look isn't Sci-Fi enough to turn me off.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:36 pm

pugbuddy wrote:
ravenlore wrote: I'm looking forward to Part 2 of scooterfile's review: the actual ride.
Agreed. I really like the Hooligan although I prefer something a little more "classic", the look isn't Sci-Fi enough to turn me off.

I like the rugged lil badass look.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:31 pm

RoaringTodd wrote:
skully93 wrote:I'll be anxious to see what final performance specs are, but I bet this is a winner!

At this size/price point, this and the Honda PCX150 are ridiculously utilitarian.
Don't forget the new SYMHD200. I'm looking to replace my Honda Elite CH150, and it's tough coming to a decision between those fine scoots. I guess my "fit and bum" test will be the deciding factor.

Sym has to prove to me that parts are readily available. If I can't get something within 10 days to get back on the road, I can't give them a positive recommendation.

However that isn't to say that Sym isn't recovering. Just several folks here have syms, and even minor repairs have turned into very lengthy procedures. Hopefully that will change over time, as they seem to be a very solid product.

::returns to regularly scheduled program::

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:11 pm

Maybe I just had the best dealer in the US, but even in the worst of times, after the Carter Bros fire and before Alliance took over, my dealer could get me parts in less than a week.

Sportique isn't an SYM dealer anymore? Colin was the one that convinced me to get the HD200 back in the infamous BBS.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:36 pm

Syd wrote:Maybe I just had the best dealer in the US, but even in the worst of times, after the Carter Bros fire and before Alliance took over, my dealer could get me parts in less than a week.

Sportique isn't an SYM dealer anymore? Colin was the one that convinced me to get the HD200 back in the infamous BBS.

Things may have changed, but the last few times people were looking to trade in, he had to say "I can't reliably do anything with them, so I don't want to take them as trades."

However climates change fast! Maybe the parts will flow once again.

At any rate, I want to see the ride report of the Hooligan!

soakland · Post by **soakland** » Thu May 01, 2014 12:59 am

When I traded my SYM fiddles last fall my dealer actually gave me above KBB with absolutely no hesitations.
http://justgottascoot.com/sym.htm#Caution

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Thu May 01, 2014 2:27 am

skully93 wrote:
At any rate, I want to see the ride report of the Hooligan!

Very interested in the Hooligan. The only thing about the looks is the headlights. I can't get past that. The rear disk should be incorporated into the Buddy FFS. That's a big upgrade in my book.

Modern Buddy

Stella Auto First Ride(s) + Hooligan

Stella Auto First Ride(s) + Hooligan

New Hooligan