Modern Buddy

I have had a buddy 50 for years and it’s been trouble free. I love it but want to upgrade to a 125cc or so. My local dealer told me they stopped making the stella. He said they were always riddled with issues. Cheaply made and too much work to keep them going. I love the way they look and would love a manuel. If I did get one am I asking for trouble? What gives?

Well, that is an interesting post. Your second on MB and you ask on the most popular Stella site on the web whether the Stella is junk? I won't even pretend to guess the range of answers you will get.

I will say that the Stella started out as the equivalent to a PX Vespa built by an Indian company which previous did contract work for Piaggio. In some of their more recent models they incorporated a 4t engine, and then a CVT (auto) transmission. It appears that the LML factory has now ceased production of the Stella and the equivalent Star. These were always scooters built to a price and used primarily older technology. Many liked them as the last of the old school shifties. They always required more patience and mechanical skill than most modern scooters. It always depended on what you were, or are, after.

Thanks for the reply. Perhaps I should have asked - “are Stella’s as reliable as buddy’s�? I am very much a “vintage� sort of person and had my heart set on upgrading to a stella. The local dealer was really trying hard to talk me out of pursuing it. Furthermore after looking at these posts it does seem they have some issues (shifting, carb, etc.). Are some years more prone to known issues? Should I be looking for a certain year? I do enjoy tinkering and am not afraid of reasonable maintenance but I would like a reliable scoot as well. Thanks in advance.

Jaywillforget wrote:“are Stella’s as reliable as buddy’s�?

Well, I have owned a 2T Stella and a 125 Buddy. The Buddy has been far the more reliable scooter. If those are your alternatives and reliability is your gauge - go Buddy. On the other hand, if you want a vintage shifty as a regular ride, there are very few likely choices. Basically you will need to choose between the Stella and a P/PX Vespa. So, is a shifty what you want? If it is, I suggest you read up on Stella owners experiences here, and on P/PX owners experiences on the Not-so-Modern Forum on Modern Vespa.

I mean, I've got over 17k miles on mine...

But you definitely need to know how to tinker with it.

I don’t know what it is like in others parts of the county but I am having a hard time finding one. Not one on Craigslist near me. Guess I’ll jist keep looking and hope I get lucky.

I put over 16k miles on my 4t as a daily driver (I think. The speedo cable broke at 11.5k miles and I didn't bother fixing it, which is a typical Stella issue) although there was a lot of warranty issues the first 1500 miles or so, and multiple electrical gremlins (turn signals and lights constantly crapping out, etc). I definitely would not describe the ownership experience as "trouble free." Going from a twist-and-go like a Buddy I'd say you need a passion for the metal body and shifty transmission to live with its quirks. A competent dealer and/or the desire to do work on your own is a prerequisite.

I would also be curious whether you want a 4t or a 2t. I ended up selling my 4t because it's an orphan bike (LML just went under) with an oddball engine that shares parts with nothing else. 16k miles was far more than the average 4t manages to achieve, and rebuilding or replacing the engine is in the neighborhood of $2000. A 2t on the other hand shares most of it's engine parts with the Vespa P series, so parts are way cheaper and more plentiful. A top-end rebuild is a few hundred dollars. Beware of a low-mileage 2t Stella or P-series that has been sitting around unused though, unless it was stored properly it almost certainly will need new seals, which is a $1000 job.

I ended up replacing my 4t with one of the 1500 2005 Vespa PX150's that they imported that year only to the US with a disc front brake. Well-maintained and ridden regularly with 7500 miles, so I could bring it legally into California. I loved my Stella, but I gotta admit the 2t engine with the SIP Road exhaust is addictive. The build quality and rubber pieces feel a cut-above the Stella and all the lights and turn signals work, which was never the case with my Stella. I'll probably keep this bike forever.

I know nothing of longevity but I purchased a 2012 back in 2015 and basically it sat up so I had to rebuild the carbs, give it an oil change and it's doing fine. It is a quirky ride that's for sure but I really dig it and most people always want to talk to me about the scooter.

Honey Dijon and a big-O hickey on the side from the previous owners but I still get attention on it. You might not get any attention on a Buddy though.
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I keep correcting people that think 'it's just a vespa clone'.
It's not..then I have to go into a brief history about how LML was the asia manufacturer, how they and vespa parted ways but LML kept the license to keep making the p/px, how genuine stated importing, CARB/4t versions, etc...
that essentially, it's NOT a clone but a CONTINUATION of the venerable P/PX and that's includes all the quirks/foibles and oddities that go with a 30+ year old design.

Love it or hate it...It simply is.

And I don't mind it, I now that sure on a long ride I have a chance of something happening (loose pinch-nut, broken cable, flat tire) BUT I ALSO KNOW IT'S MADE TO LET ME FIX IT WITHOUT AN ADVANCE DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING!

EvilNerdLord wrote:I keep correcting people that think 'it's just a vespa clone'.
It's not..then I have to go into a brief history about how LML was the asia manufacturer, how they and vespa parted ways but LML kept the license to keep making the p/px, how genuine stated importing, CARB/4t versions, etc...
that essentially, it's NOT a clone but a CONTINUATION of the venerable P/PX and that's includes all the quirks/foibles and oddities that go with a 30+ year old design.

Love it or hate it...It simply is.

And I don't mind it, I now that sure on a long ride I have a chance of something happening (loose pinch-nut, broken cable, flat tire) BUT I ALSO KNOW IT'S MADE TO LET ME FIX IT WITHOUT AN ADVANCE DEGREE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING!

Eh... I dunno. Stellas are pretty annoying to work on compared to modern scooters.

Can be, but it's like enjoying working on a classic car vs modern ones with ECU and diagnostic ports to quickly get error codes. Stellas are very old fashioned, but entertaining if you like that sort of thing.

It is like having a 1986 PX150.....the technology hardly changed, nor did the construction methods.
In 1986, scooters were just becoming a bit more reliable, and more so every year.
The Stella, just was the same ole same ole year after year with very limited upgrades......for example, a front disc brake in place of a drum.
Switchgear quality was debatable in 1986 and is still debatable on the last year the Stella (and its Star counterpart in Europe).
In 2010 a major redesign took place with the intro of four stroke engines.....150cc imported to the U.S. (maybe Canada as well) and a larger 200cc four stroke for the rest of the world alongside a 125 and 150 version.
There was also a 125 automatic introduced but the consensus for that one is generally 'stay away'......lots of issues.

To enjoy them, requires you to be somewhat mechanical and sensitive to mechanical things.......this means if you pick up on a developing problem you look into it immediately and not 'When you get time'.
For example, a clutch lever that seems to have developed a lot of free play overnite generally means the cable is about to fail......so you address it.
This means you will have on hand spare parts that are termed 'consumable'.

I have a 09 2t......16000 miles.......it has served me well but I am a mechanic and have resolved issues before they actually failed (clutch cable example).

As said earlier, not unlike having a vintage car or motorcycle......your awareness of the machine makes a successful ownership experience.

If you think it will have the reliability of the Buddy, or any other Major scooter manufacturer, forget about it.....it really is a 1986 machine regardless of what year it went into service.

If you love machines and the occasional 'down and dirty involvement' the Stella is a bucketload of fun......with the added fun of everyone you meet wants to ask questions about it.

Good luck!
Rob

if by “junk� you mean “awesome� or “fun�, then yes.