Modern Buddy

Posted: **Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:44 pm**

I know that SCOMO has the Buddy in stock on the East Coast, and I know that Sportique Scooters in Colorado is selling the Buddy as well. Who else? Any sightings on the West Coast?

Posted: **Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:46 pm**

Add Scooterville in Minnesota to that list.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:11 am**

I saw several yesterday [8 June 06] at the mechanics' shop at Vespa Portland, here in Portland, Oregon-- a row of several new Buddy 125's, mostly the orange model. They're not listed on the VespaPDX website, and I don't know yet if they're at the retail show room.

One of the mechanics has a Genuine Stella as his daily driver (pink!)-- so he's maybe already biased in favor of the Buddy, but he gave it a thumbs up.

--Deborah

p.s. Jess, you kook! Did you tell Rachel you were starting another scooter forum...?

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:59 am**

Nod @ Fayette Moped here in KY is looking at picking up Genuine, but needs to clear the floor first so he has a place to put some more scooters, he has already amassed quite the collection

I was telling him today that I hoped he got some in soon so I could test one out.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:19 am**

streetlightpoet wrote:Nod @ Fayette Moped here in KY is looking at picking up Genuine, but needs to clear the floor first so he has a place to put some more scooters, he has already amassed quite the collection

I was telling him today that I hoped he got some in soon so I could test one out.

Hey Streelighpoet,

Welcome to the MB! I'm the same jrsjr as the BBS, except Jess makes me behave myself here.

I think you'll be happy with the Buddy. I know you've had your trails and tribulations with your little Kymco. I think the Buddy will suit you perfectly. I just hope they turn out to be super reliable.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:20 am**

ScooterCentrale (Vespa Hartford) in Connecticut has the Pink, Black and Orange in stock. Sat on them. But didnt get a chance to try them out yet.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:33 am**

In Chattanooga TN, Scenic City Scooters has the Buddy in stock. Well, they did a week and a half ago when I was there dropping off my Stella for service.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:42 am**

ellen wrote:ScooterCentrale (Vespa Hartford) in Connecticut has the Pink, Black and Orange in stock.

That's where I saw them also. And nope, I'm really not thrilled with the looks of the plastic, but I'm most interested in the reports I've heard & read so far about handling and speed. I try to have an open mind when it comes to a good product at a reasonable price. It sounds so far like the Buddy might fit that bill. It'll be interesting to see how it does.

~ Shellee

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:45 am**

MikeS wrote:In Chattanooga TN, Scenic City Scooters has the Buddy in stock. Well, they did a week and a half ago when I was there dropping off my Stella for service.

Hey Mike, ya think the Buddy would qualify as that new cruiser you want? Auto, 70 mph, lower seat (maybe). I would recommend the pink but I think that might offend you....

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:39 am**

I'll have to check Vespa Milwaukee. They sell Stellas, so they'll probably sell Buddys, too.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:29 pm**

Since the 125 is a 4-stroke, can I assume it'll be available in California? I may start calling local dealers to see if anyone plans on carrying them, but I don't think anyone's even selling the Stellas in this area yet.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:21 pm**

Scootersmith in Houston has the Buddy in stock. It's a great shop in the Heights and the folks in there are very knowledgeable and completely into scooters. It's a great place to visit to talk scooters and their prices are very competitive and best of all they don't add in a ton of extra charges and fees. A+ shop.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:33 pm**

Just talked to Barry at San Francisco Scooter Centre, he is getting a group on June 16. There are a couple of orange ones not spoken for.

Might need to check one out, for scooter website evaluation purposes.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:48 pm**

paige wrote:Just talked to Barry at San Francisco Scooter Centre, he is getting a group on June 16. There are a couple of orange ones not spoken for. Might need to check one out, for scooter website evaluation purposes.

Yes, but is orange the fastest color?

I know, I know, did it really need to be started over here too?

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:39 pm**

jaded wrote:Yes, but is orange the fastest color?

I know, I know, did it really need to be started over here too?

Well, since none of us actually own one yet...

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:22 pm**

jess wrote:yet...

Heh.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:30 pm**

jrsjr wrote:Heh.

We've put one on reserve through Barry at SF Scooter Centre. Orange. Heh.

Posted: **Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:33 pm**

Ducati of Seattle has them too.

Posted: **Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:13 am**

jess wrote:
jrsjr wrote:Heh.
We've put one on reserve through Barry at SF Scooter Centre. Orange.

I totally predict that you will not be disappointed. So, whose scooter is this going to be, hmmm?

Posted: **Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:21 am**

Orange is definitely the coolest, I can already tell that. I would rather be on the coolest scooter as opposed to the fastest.

Posted: **Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:45 am**

jrsjr wrote:I totally predict that you will not be disappointed. So, whose scooter is this going to be, hmmm?

It's going to be mostly my wife's, as she wants to keep a scooter at home in Oakland and a scooter in San Francisco, where her best friend lives (and scoots). Plus, she's a member of San Francisco Scooter Girls, and attends weekly meetings there. The Bay Bridge is a bit intimidating for her on the LX, so going back and forth is not an everyday kind of option.

Myself, I would like to have a scooter around that I can park on the street when I run errands and not worry so much about it getting knocked over. The price and composition of the Buddy is such that we won't feel too bad giving it a bit of abuse. Worst case scenario, I break out the Krylon.

So it'll really be both of ours, more or less. And thus, I've had to talk her out of getting a pink one.

Posted: **Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:44 am**

jess wrote:So it'll really be both of ours, more or less. And thus, I've had to talk her out of getting a pink one.

I hope the pink isn't nearly as Peopt Bismol ugly as it looks on the Genuine site. The photos there look as if they were all the same colored scoot, recolored in Photoshop.
I say "I hope" not for myself, but because availability in a nice shade of pink always helps sways my wife towards a purchase.

Posted: **Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:42 pm**

ericalm wrote:I hope the pink isn't nearly as Peopt Bismol ugly as it looks on the Genuine site

Well, here's a picture of the pink ones being assembled at PGO:

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 7:32 pm**

Shellee wrote:
ellen wrote:ScooterCentrale (Vespa Hartford) in Connecticut has the Pink, Black and Orange in stock.

That's where I saw them also. And nope, I'm really not thrilled with the looks of the plastic, but I'm most interested in the reports I've heard & read so far about handling and speed. I try to have an open mind when it comes to a good product at a reasonable price. It sounds so far like the Buddy might fit that bill. It'll be interesting to see how it does.

~ Shellee

Anyone interested in going to Vespa of Hartford in Plainville, CT can get $100 off (any scooter they carry) if I send you a referral card. Just get me a message and I'd be happy to oblige.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:12 pm**

Beamie wrote:Anyone interested in going to Vespa of Hartford in Plainville, CT can get $100 off (any scooter they carry) if I send you a referral card. Just get me a message and I'd be happy to oblige.

Me too!!!

Seriously though.. Scooter Centrale/Vespa Hartford seems to be selling a lot of Buddy's.
I wonder if other dealers are seeing this.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:27 pm**

ericalm wrote: I hope the pink isn't nearly as Peopt Bismol ugly as it looks on the Genuine site. The photos there look as if they were all the same colored scoot, recolored in Photoshop.
I say "I hope" not for myself, but because availability in a nice shade of pink always helps sways my wife towards a purchase.

It is more like Barbie pink. It looks better in person than on the Genuine site, if you like pink.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:48 pm**

ellen wrote: Seriously though.. Scooter Centrale/Vespa Hartford seems to be selling a lot of Buddy's.
I wonder if other dealers are seeing this.

I contacted other NE dealers,; I was refferred back to Hartford.
Apparently other dealers in the area have not jumped on the bandwagon.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:31 pm**

I'm soo excited!! This is my first scooter and it's a PINK BUDDY 125.

I haven't ridden it yet, waiting for my better half to take me to an open parking lot so I can try it out. Planning on taking a class next month.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:42 pm**

I went by Scootersmith again and had a really nice visit with them. What a great shop. They are the nicest people you could ask for. They are selling Buddys about as fast as they can get allotment and selling them at a fair price without a bunch of bogus fees and charges.

Posted: **Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:51 pm**

dahuffy wrote:I'm soo excited!! This is my first scooter and it's a PINK BUDDY 125.

I haven't ridden it yet, waiting for my better half to take me to an open parking lot so I can try it out. Planning on taking a class next month.

My wife drove for the first time this morning.....big parking lot.....I heard a "YIPPIE".

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 12:03 am**

I have emailed Genuine and asked about L.A./So Cal dealerships. No reply yet, but eagerly waiting...

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:44 am**

dahuffy wrote:I'm soo excited!! This is my first scooter and it's a PINK BUDDY 125.

I haven't ridden it yet, waiting for my better half to take me to an open parking lot so I can try it out. Planning on taking a class next month.

Congratulations, dahuffy!

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:53 am**

I saw my fisrt Buddy 125 today. It was the pink one that Phil Waters from POC had ridden around Lake Erie last week in the Lake Erie Loop (as linked somewhere else on here.) Michelle from the POC shop was riding it for the MSF Experienced Rider Course.

I certainly was pink! I think someone got it right when they said Barbie Pink. Looks like a lot of the toys around the house here at home.

Anyway, the Buddy seemed to move right along, and was very maneuverable through the course. It seems like a nice scooter, although I think I'd get black.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:12 am**

Beamie wrote:I contacted other NE dealers,; I was refferred back to Hartford. Apparently other dealers in the area have not jumped on the bandwagon.

Well, you made a great choice in dealers. Doug, Julie, Sue, Jamie, Dave and the gang in Hartford are great.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:27 am**

I forgot to mention where I got mine at:
Atomic Brown Scooters in Oklahoma City. Wonderful people to deal with. Very helpful and they know their scoots!

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:43 am**

Just a quick question for any one who knows more than I (which isn't that tough),...

According to the owners manual, the front turn signals are the lights in the lower fairing(?), if this is the case, how come they don't work? The signals that came on our scooter (and the ones that actually work) are just under the hand grips on both sides of the handle bars.

ALSO, what good is the headlight on/off switch (right side controls) if the headlight is on all the time anyway? I have yet to figure out how to shut it off without turning the engine off.

I'm not sure if these are rhetorical questions or not, but I figured "what the heck, some one else may know these answers"?!

Kevin - Dahuffy's other half.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:56 am**

dahuffy wrote:Just a quick question for any one who knows more than I (which isn't that tough),...

As you can tell by the Engrish in the manual, it was written in Taiwan by PGO. So it hasn't been edited for the US market.

According to the owners manual, the front turn signals are the lights in the lower fairing(?), if this is the case, how come they don't work? The signals that came on our scooter (and the ones that actually work) are just under the hand grips on both sides of the handle bars.

DOT requires the signals to be a certain distance apart. (Think its 16" or so). That's why most scooters in the US (Even Vespa, Honda and Yamaha) have those funky dongle signals added on.

ALSO, what good is the headlight on/off switch (right side controls) if the headlight is on all the time anyway? I have yet to figure out how to shut it off without turning the engine off.

DOT also requires that all motorcycles and scooters have their headlights on constantly. Ala day time running lights. This is a good thing... So PGO rigged them so they can't be turned off.
I flipped that headlight switch a few times. It does absolutely nothing. Guess it was just easier leaving the switch there.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:09 am**

I bought my Black Buddy 125 at Garners Classic Scooters in Cleburne, TX. Tell Randolph I sent you - he's one of the best.

Mike

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:48 pm**

Thank you Ellen.

Posted: **Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:04 am**

ericalm wrote:I have emailed Genuine and asked about L.A./So Cal dealerships. No reply yet, but eagerly waiting...

I got a reply from the gentleman at Genuine responsible for "Dealer Development," Brett Ratner. Maybe this moonlighting explains why X-Men: The Last Stand was such a piece of junk. More likely, someone else with the same name.

ANYWAY, no dealers lined up in SoCal/LA area yet. He actually asked for some suggestions for possible locations. I emphasized that demand for Buddies could be huge given the few options available in what's probably the most scooter-friendly major metropolitan area in the country.

Posted: **Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:57 pm**

Scooter World Kansas City has them here in the heartland. They had a decent sized order (maybe 7 or

and they are down to 3. They weren't in stock very long.

Posted: **Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:52 am**

ericalm wrote:
ericalm wrote:I have emailed Genuine and asked about L.A./So Cal dealerships. No reply yet, but eagerly waiting...
I got a reply from the gentleman at Genuine responsible for "Dealer Development," Brett Ratner. Maybe this moonlighting explains why X-Men: The Last Stand was such a piece of junk. More likely, someone else with the same name.

ANYWAY, no dealers lined up in SoCal/LA area yet. He actually asked for some suggestions for possible locations. I emphasized that demand for Buddies could be huge given the few options available in what's probably the most scooter-friendly major metropolitan area in the country.

Thanks for inquiring. I was going to do the same. Did you mention NoHo scooters in North Hollywood? Their rep seems solid.

I agree that these could be very popular in SoCal. Set up shop near any of the MANY college campuses in the SoCal area and you could see some serious business, IMHO, especially when you consider our gasoline prices are typically higher here in CA than most of the other states.

I disagree about X3 being junk. It was "acceptable" at best, and mildly "stinky" at worst. But I digress and the naming coincidence and your reference is no less entertaining.

Posted: **Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:59 am**

robotribe wrote: Thanks for inquiring. I was going to do the same. Did you mention NoHo scooters in North Hollywood? Their rep seems solid.

I agree that these could be very popular in SoCal. Set up shop near any of the MANY college campuses in the SoCal area and you could see some serious business, IMHO, especially when you consider our gasoline prices are typically higher here in CA than most of the other states.

I disagree about X3 being junk. It was "acceptable" at best, and mildly "stinky" at worst. But I digress and the naming coincidence and your reference is no less entertaining.

I did mention NoHo, mentioned they carried Kymco and TNGs, and mentioned their proximity to Vespa Sherman Oaks. Honestly, I keep waiting for someone with deep pockets to get wise and open a scooter superstore in a great location (Melrose, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, WeHo, Burbank).

And... well there are a wide range of opinions on X3, from "horrible" to "acceptable." Okay, not such a wide range, really.

Posted: **Fri Jun 23, 2006 9:24 pm**

There's at least one Genuine Scooters Buddy 125cc dealer in NJ:

www.haddonfieldscooters.com
Haddonfield Scooters
134 N. Haddon Ave
Haddonfield, NJ 08033

Posted: **Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:41 pm**

We just picked my wife up a pretty pink buddy today I just put 50 miles on it and it is very very nice

.We picked ours up at Extreme scooters in Bel air maryland "harford county" across from the harford mall . I cant believe how fast this little buger goes along with that it stops on a dime we are very happy !!!!!!

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:18 am**

Scoot around Town in Ypsilanti(ypsitucky) Michigan has them. They also restore classic scoots and have a fairly wide line of bikes available from Genuine, Kymco, TGB, and hop up classic cars as well. I called them about three days ago and they said yup, they got them, but that the buddy was a tiny scoot, actually not much bigger than a spree. Any comments?

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2006 5:34 am**

I haven't been on a Spree in about 20 years (or at least it seems that long) so I can't tell you, size-wize, how it compares, but I can tell you that it's bigger than a Honda Metropolitan, a bit smaller than a Vespa LX, and (I think) about the same size as a Yamaha Vino 125. It's small, but it's also light, maneuverable, and fun to ride.

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2006 7:52 am**

Bill Bradley at CVC in Stillwater Oklahoma is selling these things. I bought mine for $2600 straight up. Was it a bad deal??

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:47 pm**

Chasen wrote:Bill Bradley at CVC in Stillwater Oklahoma is selling these things. I bought mine for $2600 straight up. Was it a bad deal??

If that includes tax, title, license then you got a fantastic deal.

Posted: **Mon Jul 03, 2006 7:53 pm**

Pride of Cleveland Scooters is selling the Buddy here in Northeast Ohio. Phil there is great!

jk

Modern Buddy

Okay, so who is actually selling these, and where?

Okay, so who is actually selling these, and where?

Excellent dealer experience

Scooter for Who???

Re: Scooter for Who???

Re: Scooter for Who???

Re: Scooter for Who???

Re: Scooter for Who???

Got a Pink One For My 27th Anniversary

Re: Got a Pink One For My 27th Anniversary

Re: Got a Pink One For My 27th Anniversary

Turn signals

Re: Turn signals

In Michigan

Cimarron Valley Cycle and Small Engine Company

Re: Cimarron Valley Cycle and Small Engine Company

Cleveland, Ohio Buddies