So I know this has been covered by other folks but wanted to document my experience with the joys of 2 up. I want to focus on 3 areas. Power, handling and comfort.
1. For the city driving the buddy did fine power wise for myself 200 lbs and wife 125 lbs. We averaged around 35 to 40 mph and had plenty of power in reserve. Albeit the exhaust noise was much louder.
2. The buddy's handling changed a ton. Longer braking distances and slower acceleration. The turning radius felt wider.. The front tire bobbled a lot. Made me wonder if I had a bent rim.
3. Now the other threads that have talked about comfort it was mostly not so comfortable. I would tend to agree. As we were scooting across the city to get ice cream my butt got numb in about 15 minutes. My wife was about the same. I am 6'3 and my wife about 5'9. Needless to say I have to sit pretty far back. Long legs. This leads to my wife sitting pretty awkwardly. The passenger foot pegs help. However according to her this was the most awkward part due to straddling me and then trying to bring her feet back onto the pegs.
So in final, we did it, had fun, realized it could be done but also realized that it was not the most comfortable. The front wheel bobble was distracting. Will we do it again? Yes probably just cause scooter dates are hot.
This did make me think of the benefits of having a bigger Vespa. Kymco has ok seats, Honda never sat on one that I thought would be good 2 up, but I have to say vespa seats are pretty awesome.
2up on the Buddy
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skully93
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redhandmoto
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Re: 2up on the Buddy
Not so much. Larger Vespas have the power needed for two-up, but many, many complaints can be seen over on ModernVespa.com about the discomfort of Vespa passenger seating.rfman81 wrote: This did make me think of the benefits of having a bigger Vespa... but I have to say vespa seats are pretty awesome.
The problem is that modern Vespas are so wide in back; lots of contortion is required for a passenger to use the swing-out footpegs.
Passengers are forced to both splay out their thighs and angle their lower legs inwards just to reach the footpegs, which are too short. The opposing angles are uncomfortable to hold, no matter if the passenger is tall or short.
Owners have found a couple different means of increasing the length of the footpegs and reduce discomfort - mine was to slip short lengths of PVC pipe over the existing pegs, making it easier for my wife to reach them.
YMMV.
honi soit qui mal y pense
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pdxrita
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Sounds like you would benefit from some Buddy footpegs:
http://www.scooterwest.com/item_details ... Black/9366
These sometimes come up in the For Sale section here because most places bundle them with the crash bars and a lot of people who buy the crash bars don't want the pegs.
As for the front wheel wobble, I think that's a result of both of you sitting far back, since you're tall. Maybe not much you could do about that, since you probably can't squish yourself further forward.
http://www.scooterwest.com/item_details ... Black/9366
These sometimes come up in the For Sale section here because most places bundle them with the crash bars and a lot of people who buy the crash bars don't want the pegs.
As for the front wheel wobble, I think that's a result of both of you sitting far back, since you're tall. Maybe not much you could do about that, since you probably can't squish yourself further forward.
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Capt_Don
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We have lots of fun going two up, and yes all of your concerns are most likely true with almost anyone. When it comes to breaking, you need more time. Breaking on my Buddy 2up is more like breaking on my old 18 wheeler than in my car. Acceleration is slower, but still more nimble than I thought it would be. Turns are less odd than I thought they would be, but still different.
We took a picnic to the park the other day and the Buddy had enough for a 18" hoagie (slightly curled), two 20 oz colas, and a full sized bag of chips! Thanks to the helmet pegs we could secure both of ours and not worry to much about them getting hurt or taken.
As for comfort, a ride to the local park was very comfy, and a bit sexy, a ride to the restaurant a few more miles away was less comfy, but still sexy, yet when we went to Dunkin' Donuts that way many more miles away, the ride there was sort of comfy, kinda sexy; ride back was not so much!
In the end scooter dates are fun, as long as they are close by, or there is a significant break in the middle.
We took a picnic to the park the other day and the Buddy had enough for a 18" hoagie (slightly curled), two 20 oz colas, and a full sized bag of chips! Thanks to the helmet pegs we could secure both of ours and not worry to much about them getting hurt or taken.
As for comfort, a ride to the local park was very comfy, and a bit sexy, a ride to the restaurant a few more miles away was less comfy, but still sexy, yet when we went to Dunkin' Donuts that way many more miles away, the ride there was sort of comfy, kinda sexy; ride back was not so much!
In the end scooter dates are fun, as long as they are close by, or there is a significant break in the middle.
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jd
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One of the things I love about my Buddy is its reliability. It never breaks, at least not so far. I'm sorry to hear yours is so unreliable.Capt_Don wrote:...When it comes to breaking, you need more time. Breaking on my Buddy 2up is more like breaking on my old 18 wheeler than in my car.
Or were you talking about "braking?"
Some people are like slinkies. They're not very interesting, but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
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Capt_Don
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No, it cracks in half, but that is why my wife rides with me, she carries a tube of glue to keep her together...jd wrote:One of the things I love about my Buddy is its reliability. It never breaks, at least not so far. I'm sorry to hear yours is so unreliable.Capt_Don wrote:...When it comes to breaking, you need more time. Breaking on my Buddy 2up is more like breaking on my old 18 wheeler than in my car.
Or were you talking about "braking?"
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agrogod
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Super, Krazy or Gorilla?Capt_Don wrote:No, it cracks in half, but that is why my wife rides with me, she carries a tube of glue to keep her together...jd wrote:One of the things I love about my Buddy is its reliability. It never breaks, at least not so far. I'm sorry to hear yours is so unreliable.Capt_Don wrote:...When it comes to breaking, you need more time. Breaking on my Buddy 2up is more like breaking on my old 18 wheeler than in my car.
Or were you talking about "braking?"
"When your mouth is yapping your arms stop flapping, get to work" - a quote from my father R.I.P..
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
always start with the simple, it may end up costing you little to nothing
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Capt_Don
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Super Krazy, and when the wife is not there the Gorilla carries it!agrogod wrote:Super, Krazy or Gorilla?Capt_Don wrote:No, it cracks in half, but that is why my wife rides with me, she carries a tube of glue to keep her together...jd wrote: One of the things I love about my Buddy is its reliability. It never breaks, at least not so far. I'm sorry to hear yours is so unreliable.
Or were you talking about "braking?"