Modern Buddy

Hello everyone! I've been thinking about two wheels for a while now. I used to have some motorcycles and a Vespa GTS250 in college. Nowadays - I'm about to finish my PhD and I've really had a hankering for two wheels again. Today I went to a Genuine dealer and looked at a new Buddy 50cc. I liked it. The fit and finish felt nice, it looked good, and I've heard good things about reliability.

I'm here today because I'd like you to sell me on it (or not). I'm thinking about pulling the trigger tomorrow.

My questions:

1. How many miles are on your genuine 50cc motor?

2. How fast can you expect to go?

3. Did you regret getting a 50?

As a bit of postscript - Yes I have a motorcycle endorsement - but 50's are cheap and easy as all get-out to work on. They just seem really easy to own.


Thank you and hello for the first time Buddy community!

The Buddy 50 is a great little bike and if you have realistic expectations about what you want from it, you will be very happy with it. It tops out at about 40 MPG once you get it derestricted. They are easy to work on mechanically. If you are stuck on a 50cc scooter, I would also recommend you try the Roughhouse 50 or Roughhouse Sport 50. The ergonomics on the Roughhouse is really good and it does everything the Buddy does but more comfortably. It also has a bit more of an aggressive look (good or bad depending on your preference).

Having said all that, I would suggest that you look at the Buddy 125 (that is until Genuine ever decides to bring out a Roughhouse 125). Most of the folks on this forum, myself included, swear by them that they are the best bang for your buck in small scooters. Excellent reliability, good ergos, easy to work on when required, low cost investment for the return, high SPG (smiles per gallon), and better power than many other 125 scooters. The 125 will top out in the high 50's low 60's MPH range. This makes commuting with it much safer when traveling along major roads with lots of cars around. Also, used Buddy 125's with very low miles (< 3,000 miles) can often be found on Craigslist for $1,200-$1,500 dollars. Of note, with used Buddy's of all engine sizes, very little has changed in the design since 2007 so don't be afraid of one that is a few years older and feel like your missing something.

50s are for undergrads. A PhD should have a Buddy 125 IMHO.

A *LOT* depends on your projected usage, what the laws are in your state, and how you feel ethically about de-restricting top speed.

I've had 50cc scoots, and I think they're great... until they're not. I'll probably never own one again.

What are the speed limits of the roads you propose to travel? Do you feel badly about holding up traffic on roads with speed limits of 40-45mph? These are decisions you have to make.

I've never seen a 50cc bike registered as a moped get pulled over for exceeding the speed restrictions the state puts on "mopeds". 50cc bikes require no insurance and a one-time license plate in Nevada, whereas anything that exceeds the "moped" restrictions requires insurance and annual plate renewal. In my particular case, that adds $100 to the annual costs. Worth it? Absolutely for me, but you're not me.

I'm not sure I understand what you said about 50cc bikes being "easy to work on". A 125cc (at least in terms of a Buddy) is insignificantly different from a 50cc, in terms of ease of maintenance and repair.

I just looked up the pricing. A Buddy 125 is $700 more. That's not an insignificant chunk of change. But honestly, for the price of a new Buddy 50, you could get the finest used Buddy 125/150 on the planet.

So to answer your Question #3... unless you don't ever anticipate riding on any 40-45mph roads ever, yes, I think you will regret getting a 50.

2. How fast can you expect to go?

Not fast enough to feel safe or have fun

wheelbender6 wrote:50s are for undergrads. A PhD should have a Buddy 125 IMHO.

Yeah, that's true.


You didn't say where you are, but there's limited reasons to own a 50c scooter, and they depend on location.
- Doesn't require a plate
- Doesn't require a DL (aka DUI ready)
- Can park in bike racks
- City streets are narrow, congested and slow
- Small scooters are cool



Around here, only folks without DL's have 50cc, and most of the folks 150cc as well.
(I am NOT in the category )

As some sage once said - "nobody ever criticized a scooter because it wasn't slow enough".

Riding a 50cc scooter can be lots of fun in the right situation. The old adage applies that riding a slow scooter fast is better than riding a fast scooter slow (normally it is said about motorcycles, but this is a scooter forum ). I have a 50cc Genuine Black Cat scooter (precursor to the Roughhouse) and it is fun to ride around town because you always have to be aware of traffic around you and managing your speed/inertia. I've seen a few folks post about doing extended 50cc scooter rides, particularly forum member Roaring Todd, if I recall correctly, but it has to be under the right circumstances. And at some point in time you are going to want just a little bit more speed out of your 50 and come back on this forum asking how to use tuning to coax just a little more out of your bike. And you'll get the answer everyone gets, "there is no replacement for displacement". As such, I fully believe the 125cc Buddy is going to be a better option for most days in my opinion whether you are running errands or commuting or doing something else.

i agree with these guys...i previously owned motorcycles...i was thinking of getting a 50cc but i was easily talked out of it after some questions and research here and elsewhere...i was mainly thinking of cost savings with insurance and not having to get an inspection sticker each year...but insurance isn't that much and 1 trip to get inspected each year isn't really a big deal...anyway i find anything that can't keep up with traffic is a road hazard and i find it safer to ride with traffic than to constantly be passed by traffic

Looks like the OP didn't like the answers he got.

Point37 wrote:anyway i find anything that can't keep up with traffic is a road hazard and i find it safer to ride with traffic than to constantly be passed by traffic

Exactly! My wife and I are new to scooters and had to make the same decision a year ago. We originally bought ours to bring when we go RVing in lieu of towing a car. We felt that riding with traffic would be way safer than being passed by it.