Buddy // Rattler comparison

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Keys
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Buddy // Rattler comparison

Post by Keys »

A Rattler/Buddy comparison...where do I start??? First off, I had test ridden a Rattler when I still had my Buddy and I loved it. I've always loved 2-strokes...ever since I began roadracing Yamaha RD's back in the 70's. I like the power-band, the sound, the smell...all of it!

The Buddy was a great, all-around scooter with good power and outstanding mileage. The power of the Rattler is about on a par to the Buddy, but with the top speed of my Bajaj...between 55 and 60 somewhere. I think it depends on how I hold my tongue. The mileage on the Rattler (compared to either the Buddy or the Bajaj) sucks. It's a gas-hog. I'm thinkin' I'm getting in the 75 mpg range. Compared to a Prius (which I call a Pious), it's amazingly economical.

I loved the handling of my first Bajaj. Was a little disappointed in the handling of the Buddy, but then I determined it didn't feel as 'planted' as the Bajaj because it weighed less. Once I figured that out and compensated for it, it handled great. My next Bajaj (the one I have now) has crappy tires, so it is pretty bad. Now the Rattler...I love the wide foot-print of the wide tires...it sticks to the road beautifully! What I DON'T like is related to the suspension. The forks are relatively 'long-travel' for bad roads. They soak up the bumps and irregularities like no other scooter I've ridden. The down-side? Too soft. Cooking into a corner with the hooliganism the scooter calls for makes it tend to 'wallow' through the corner. A little un-nerving. I've found if I sit way back and lean forward to the bars, it's a lot better, though, and the last 50 miles or so, I've been just grinning from ear to ear in the corners. The rear shock appears to be adjustable, but the owners manual doesn't say how to accomplish this, so I'm kind of at a loss. I think it too could be stiffer.

The Rattler has a big enough 'pet-carrier' under the seat to swallow my helmet (a 3/4 helicopter-style), my gloves and maybe a couple of burritos just for emergencies. Urban legend says the under-seat box will hold a 12-pack and a bag of ice. What more could you ask?

The changes I've made already; I de-badged the side panels and put my own lettering on..."TEAM 918". 918 is the radio-code we use in the jail for mentally disturbed. Appropriate, I think. I also hacked 2 1/2 inches off each end of the handle-bars. They were just too wide. Barely fit between the Firebird and my pickup in the driveway. I also think that the narrower bars contributed to the better handling I've been experiencing lately. "Why", you may ask. "That doesn't make sense!"

Think of it this way...wider bars are used on full-sized motorcycles to assist in quick handling...kind of a poor-man's power steering. With the gyroscopic effect of their tall wheels, this is a way to overcome. The small diameter wheels of a scooter are inherently quick anyway, making the wide bars almost overkill. I narrowed them, and it made the thing a bit more controllable in my opinion.

Would I take a Buddy on a long trip? Yes. I would and did. It was GREAT. Would I take a Rattler on a long trip? Yes, but then I'm a glutton for punishment. The seat is not quite as comfy and I'd be forced to stop more often to let it cool down (2-strokes tend to run hotter since they fire on each engine rotation). Other than that, I don't think there'd be a problem.

The two scooters are totally different in design and intended function and for me, I think the Rattler is more suitable. I'm a hooligan at heart. For the average Joe, commuting, going to the grocery, diddy-bopping around town, the Buddy is probably the scooter of choice. For the cat with a wee bit of a black-heart, get the Rattler...you'll love it!

Two different scooters, one end result...riders with grins on their faces.

--Keys

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beastmaster
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Post by beastmaster »

great review makes me wana get a 110 and go cracy!
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
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