Modern Buddy

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:00 am**

I gotta find a home for the Burgman 200 first. Its past its sell by date and Suzuki is no help with the issues it has. So, Im going to down size and might pick up either a Rough House or another Buddy. My local shop only has lavender Buddy 50 but no 125's or larger. I honestly dont need anything bigger than a 50cc but a 125ish is still very tempting. Of all my choices I listed under the "Pink Buddy" thread, only a PCX could tempt me but no dealer wants to carry one. Not interested in used or anything considered vintage. Remember I have a 98 Zuma already. I just know the Rough House is a sturdy scooter with good, stock de-restricted performance. Plus the dealer gave me a very fair out the door price. They have a Adly Bullseye also, but I was not impressed with the RT50 that I donated to a thrift store. Another dealership near me had a TGB Delivery/Express 50cc but it was expen$ive and they will not bring in another one. Have no idea who purchased the one they did have.

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:05 am**

What problems have you had with the Burgman?
If we were closer together I'd offer to swap my 170i for your Burgman.

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:53 am**

Its the perfect scooter except for the quality issues. First, it eats a front variator every 10-14,000 miles. Then, eats a rear torque driver every 20-24,000 miles. I ride full time and transmission parts are very pricey. Suzuki said its a "wear item" and refuses to address it. Now, Im at 26,000 miles and Im getting a STRONG fuel smell at random. Don't even think about taking it apart and trying to fix it. Its super hard to service and the service manual is no real help. It seems the fuel vapor recovery system is malfunctioning. Again, Suzuki says wear item. So I ride less and less nowadays and can get buy with a 50cc or even a 125ish. If the Suzuki wasnt so hard to work on, and its a royal pain in the backside!, I would just try and fix the emission issue myself. I have a gently used transmission from Fleabay on standby. But Im over it. Time to move on. Whats funny is when I purchased the Burgman new, I told my wife Id be happy if it made it to 30,000, because it just feels kinda cheap. When I purchased my Buddy 125 new, I never gave it a life expectancy. 40,000 miles later and I still see it on the road!

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:29 am**

If you can wait a couple months, dealers will be flush with new inventory for the upcoming riding season. I would wait until then. You'll have much more inventory to choose from.

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:05 pm**

k1dude wrote:If you can wait a couple months, dealers will be flush with new inventory for the upcoming riding season. I would wait until then. You'll have much more inventory to choose from.

Exactly right. I noticed my dealer only had a couple of Buddy 50s on the floor when I was in the other day. When asked, he explained that he has several substantial shipments scheduled over the coming months. Spring is when dealers sell scooters after all. And the buddy 125 is still the best bargain and one of the best 125/150 scooters out there.

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:31 pm**

Dooglas wrote:
k1dude wrote:And the buddy 125 is still the best bargain and one of the best 125/150 scooters out there.
exactly why i picked one up after weighing my choices...i would still like to take a ride on a 150cc vespa just to feel the difference but i'm pretty sure i made the right choice after all my homework

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 6:25 pm**

It's interesting how the different brands will have similar displacements, but entirely different feels. I remember demoing a buddy 125 alongside a vino 125, and by comparison, the vino felt like driving a tractor. It got up to speed, but it sure felt labored and sluggish by comparison. The only one that seemed to hold its own against the buddy 125 was a much older Kymco People 150, but those are harder to find now that they're out of production.

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:36 pm**

Stanza wrote:It's interesting how the different brands will have similar displacements, but entirely different feels. I remember demoing a buddy 125 alongside a vino 125, and by comparison, the vino felt like driving a tractor. It got up to speed, but it sure felt labored and sluggish by comparison. The only one that seemed to hold its own against the buddy 125 was a much older Kymco People 150, but those are harder to find now that they're out of production.

i wonder if the sh150 is similar to the vino...honda and yamaha both make very reliable engines but they aren't much fun it seems...also honda seemed to know how to make the ugliest scooters back in the day

Posted: **Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:09 pm**

Point37 wrote:
Dooglas wrote:
k1dude wrote:And the buddy 125 is still the best bargain and one of the best 125/150 scooters out there.
exactly why i picked one up after weighing my choices...i would still like to take a ride on a 150cc vespa just to feel the difference but i'm pretty sure i made the right choice after all my homework
An ET4 is a close ride to a Buddy. To me the 150 Vespas, while a nice smooth ride, aren't as quick and nimble enough for me.

And I only have room for so many scooters.

I agree, a Buddy 125 is still about the best bang for the buck you can get in a modern scooter.

Posted: **Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:46 am**

I love my Buddy. I can't imagine ever getting rid of it. It's great for getting through traffic in the city and it's quick enough to squirt ahead of slow moving cars. That being said, I still have plans to hotrod the little guys engine though...

Posted: **Tue Jan 29, 2019 5:04 pm**

Yes, the Buddy 125 is still the best value and performing small scooter out there. It does make a Vino 125 ride like a tank. Same with a Like by Kymco. The Lance Cabo is kinda close but lacks accessories. But still, I can get by with a 50cc. I gotta find a home for the Burgman first. Need to get it inspected also. A friend is posting it on his clubs FB page. Im asking $1000 obo or trade for a quality moped.

Posted: **Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:24 am**

Point37 wrote:
Stanza wrote:It's interesting how the different brands will have similar displacements, but entirely different feels. I remember demoing a buddy 125 alongside a vino 125, and by comparison, the vino felt like driving a tractor. It got up to speed, but it sure felt labored and sluggish by comparison. The only one that seemed to hold its own against the buddy 125 was a much older Kymco People 150, but those are harder to find now that they're out of production.
i wonder if the sh150 is similar to the vino...honda and yamaha both make very reliable engines but they aren't much fun it seems...also honda seemed to know how to make the ugliest scooters back in the day

I wish Honda had brought the SH300 to the US. They were no uglier than Kymcos of the day.

Posted: **Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:07 pm**

Syd wrote:I wish Honda had brought the SH300 to the US. They were no uglier than Kymcos of the day.

not exactly my style but i'd be interested if it doesn't ride like a sewing machine...i like the agility of the buddy with the small wheels for around town...and knowing honda their engine will be smooth but i bet it lacks pickup and with larger wheels it will be more stable but less fun

Posted: **Thu Jan 31, 2019 1:12 am**

Point37 wrote:
Syd wrote:I wish Honda had brought the SH300 to the US. They were no uglier than Kymcos of the day.
not exactly my style but i'd be interested if it doesn't ride like a sewing machine...i like the agility of the buddy with the small wheels for around town...and knowing honda their engine will be smooth but i bet it lacks pickup and with larger wheels it will be more stable but less fun

Actually, the SH150 was compared, and favorably, to the SYM HD200, which ran like Kymco 250s.

Fixed misspelling

Posted: **Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:36 pm**

nice!...i would have thought they would just be smooth and boring

Posted: **Fri Feb 01, 2019 4:28 am**

Wife and I sat on the Honda PCX 150. Nice scooter. Very well put together. Comfy seating for 2. Ugly rear lights. Did we buy it? Nope. It seems to lack a soul. Its hard to describe, but it didnt excite me in any way. It was just another expensive scooter with a useless floor/foot area. Shame as I have always loved the Helix and the ugly little Elite 80. So its down to a RH50, that would do everything I need, or another Buddy 125. The new KYMCO's felt cheap, even though I owned a People 250 and the thing was a tank! Nothing else is tempting me.

Posted: **Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:47 pm**

sc00ter wrote: It seems to lack a soul. Its hard to describe, but it didnt excite me in any way.

this is exactly how i feel about honda...like riding a sewing machine...ultra reliable but boring...great for a generator, lawn mower, snow blower, boat engine, etc...but if you are after 2-wheel fun you would be better off looking elsewhere for some models...like scooters, some dual purpose bikes...i actually felt a similar way about my '10 triumph bonneville

Posted: **Sun Feb 03, 2019 11:59 pm**

Anyone remember the Kids In The Hall "F#@" skit? When that poor guy comes out of his house and the kid on the bike calls him that name, again and again. Anyways, I gotta pick a color for a Buddy 125. Dont want boring black again, wife hates white and that green looks kinda dark on my computer. I keep looking at the lavender!? I survived the pink Buddy just fine, and no one yelled anything stupid at me. I know color is a personal thing, and I've always liked the orange to. Red is kinda sporty looking to. Opinions welcome.

Posted: **Mon Feb 04, 2019 2:49 am**

sc00ter wrote:Anyone remember the Kids In The Hall "F#@" skit? When that poor guy comes out of his house and the kid on the bike calls him that name, again and again. Anyways, I gotta pick a color for a Buddy 125. Dont want boring black again, wife hates white and that green looks kinda dark on my computer. I keep looking at the lavender!? I survived the pink Buddy just fine, and no one yelled anything stupid at me. I know color is a personal thing, and I've always liked the orange to. Red is kinda sporty looking to. Opinions welcome.

Repainting the Buddy colored body panels is extremely easy with a little time and a few cans of primer and any colored spray paint. I've repainted a few of them and with a bit of time and attention they can come out very nice.

Posted: **Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:59 am**

Im talking new, current factory color. I hate painting anything! Gonna order a new Buddy 125 in the next few weeks. Still gotta find the Burgman 200 a home first. I actually think I have side panels, headlight assembly and a front panel for a Buddy hiding in the garage. I really need to do a inventory and clean it out.

Posted: **Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:29 pm**

sc00ter wrote:Anyways, I gotta pick a color for a Buddy 125. Dont want boring black again, wife hates white and that green looks kinda dark on my computer. I keep looking at the lavender!? I survived the pink Buddy just fine, and no one yelled anything stupid at me. I know color is a personal thing, and I've always liked the orange to. Red is kinda sporty looking to. Opinions welcome.

Orange is the best color. It has attitude and is the most highly visible. When you're riding a tiny little scooter, visible is good.

Posted: **Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:00 pm**

Orange is a great color. My other scooter is orange - I was initially kinda horrified by it, thought it was a big compromise on an unattractive color, but it turns out it is a cheerful and pleasant conversation starter. All kinds of people in cars want to talk about it at red lights in weather above 55 degrees!

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:06 am**

tenders wrote:Orange is a great color. My other scooter is orange - I was initially kinda horrified by it, thought it was a big compromise on an unattractive color, but it turns out it is a cheerful and pleasant conversation starter. All kinds of people in cars want to talk about it at red lights in weather above 55 degrees!

Total strangers come up to me and constantly comment that they love the color of my orange scooter.

I had a guy pull up with a brand new Shelby Mustang in the exact same color scheme and he freaked out over my scooter. It was the EXACT same orange with the EXACT same black racing stripes as my scooter.

Yes, my scooter photo is very old. It now has racing stripes.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2019 3:31 pm**

k1dude wrote:
tenders wrote:Orange is a great color. My other scooter is orange - I was initially kinda horrified by it, thought it was a big compromise on an unattractive color, but it turns out it is a cheerful and pleasant conversation starter. All kinds of people in cars want to talk about it at red lights in weather above 55 degrees!
Total strangers come up to me and constantly comment that they love the color of my orange scooter.

I had a guy pull up with a brand new Shelby Mustang in the exact same color scheme and he freaked out over my scooter. It was the EXACT same orange with the EXACT same black racing stripes as my scooter.

Yes, my scooter photo is very old. It now has racing stripes.

i like the orange ones as well...if i could have found an orange one i would have went with that over seafoam green...but seafoam has grown on me cause initially i was going to strip the paint and just run zombie plastics with no paint...figured it would be less attractive to criminals but it would also hurt resale

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:38 pm**

Have yet to get the out-the-door price on the Buddy 125 from my local dealer. I backed into a row of Chinese quad-runners and got rear rack scruffs down the side of my wife's old Subaru Baja. The owner came out and said it was no big deal and it was all good, but Im still embarrassed. My wife still rides my butt about it! That parking lot is tight as is and someone had part of it blocked unloading a TaoTao. Another reason I hate China scooters! Anyways my boss keeps saying "Buy European, get a Vespa!". Then he got excited because we get the Piaggio Liberty 150. Big wheels, decent price and I would think reliable. Reminds me of a Honda SH we no longer get. So just for the fun of it the wife and I are going to test sit one this weekend. We can even take it out for a spin if we want, as is the policy of this shop. Hey Honda, take some pointers next time you want to sell me a PCX! Now on color, I love the orange to and Im also feeling the lime green! Fun colors, something the Liberty doesn't have.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:20 pm**

The Vespas are nice (my orange one is an â€˜09 S 150), as long as you accept that youâ€™re paying 30% for the look of it. Itâ€™s a bit of an Apple product in that respect. My scoots are different models (50cc vs 150cc) but even with the smaller Buddy I have been impressed with how nicely-designed and easy to work on it is. Fluid changes, exhaust removal, rear wheel removal, ease of disassembly of the headlight cowling, all inherently easier with the Buddy by design. And, at least on my â€˜09 models, features like a loud horn, turn signal clicker, emergency flasher switch, and cupholding capability are present on the Buddy but not on the Vespa.

Iâ€™ve found parts very easy to get for both via Scooterpartsco, Scooterwest, and eBay. Not sure what MB sponsor Af1racing is doing with the Genuine line, they definitely carry many parts but their website lists them as â€œcloseoutâ€� so maybe theyâ€™re moving away from Genuine?

Posted: **Sat Feb 16, 2019 11:13 pm**

So we went and "test-fitted" the Piaggio Liberty 150 at our semi-local dealer. I went planning to not like it at all. Well, we ended up buying it. Yes, it was a bit more then the Buddy 125 but it fits 2 adults very well and we really like the ergonomics of it. I've always had a weak spot for tall/big wheels. Was fun looking and kicking tires but I hope this Liberty lives up to my expectations and last a long time with little issue.

Posted: **Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:05 am**

I bought one of the new Piaggio LT150's in 2004 when they were selling left over 2003 ones for $2100 or so.

Was a very nice big wheel small scooter. Kinda wish I had kept it.

However, my new Buddy 125 has a lot more acceleration and speed than the old LT150 did though. Very surprising. It's a gutsy lil thing.

fried okra

Modern Buddy

May be coming back to the brand.

May be coming back to the brand.