Hello Everyone I have a Question

[spacecitygroover]

I just signed up, and was thinking about purchasing a buddy.
well im actually torn between these two scoots.
Kymco people 150cc
Buddy125cc.
any advice or info would be appreciated.

Also how often do you get pulled over while riding your scooter, and for what reasons?

[shark]

I just signed up, and was thinking about purchasing a buddy.
well im actually torn between these two scoots.
Kymco people 150cc
Buddy125cc.
any advice or info would be appreciated.

Also how often do you get pulled over while riding your scooter, and for what reasons?

Of course I'm gonna tell you the Buddy is better!! The People 150 is a different style bike than the Buddy. You would have to try both. Bang for the buck Buddy wins in my opinion. I looked at Kymco People 150 the other day and it just did not exite me. Seat material was a turn off ect...ect for the money.

Oh, I never do anything to get pulled over. I dohave to keep an eye on my speedo when riding the Buddy.

[spacecitygroover]

I just signed up, and was thinking about purchasing a buddy.
well im actually torn between these two scoots.
Kymco people 150cc
Buddy125cc.
any advice or info would be appreciated.

Also how often do you get pulled over while riding your scooter, and for what reasons?

Of course I'm gonna tell you the Buddy is better!! The People 150 is a different style bike than the Buddy. You would have to try both. Bang for the buck Buddy wins in my opinion. I looked at Kymco People 150 the other day and it just did not exite me. Seat material was a turn off ect...ect for the money.

Oh, I never do anything to get pulled over. I dohave to keep an eye on my speedo when riding the Buddy.

which one is faster?? ive never ridden a kymco, but the buddy is pretty quick i must admit.
another thing is i havent seen a buddy with extremely high mileage,
but ive seen many kymco people 150's with 20,30, and even 50k miles!!
i want a bike that will last through the years. i intend on driving ALOT

[Keys]

I have 15,000 on my '06 Buddy. I think Bonegirl should have close to 20K by now...

--Keys

[Corsair]

Both are scooters from great companies, have 2 year warranties, and about the same quality build and customer support. Although I much prefer the Buddy, you should try taking both for a test ride or at least sit on them and see which feels better. The Kymco seems more geared toward giving you a comfortable ride while the Buddy is sportier, more stylish, and seemingly a bit more agile. The Buddy has better pick up and I think it is faster. From what I remember I think the People was heavier than the Buddy.

Judge for yourself though, test riding scooters is FUN

[rajron]

My wife rides a People 150, and I have a Buddy 125. She has about 11K trouble free miles; I have about 7K miles and only minor issues.
I have better top speed on flats and down hill, she out accelerates me and has better mid-range power. Both bikes still have good tires and both bikes have had light bulb replacements because of failures. We would never take the Buddy for 2 up ridding because it’s so small but with the People its OK but we really don’t do that because we both have our own scooters.
When we ride together on our separate scooters we are often asked about our scooters but when riding individually we have much less inquires.
My wife likes her scooter better than the Buddy but would have gotten a Buddy if they were available (Buddies were not available for sale when she purchased her scoot) because of how much easier it is to ride than the People, lighter weight, nimbleness etc.. I’m not in favor of the Peoples’ style so I’m glad I got the Buddy. I do like the larger capacity fuel tank of the People which allows greater distance between fill ups.
When the two scoots are side by side the People is more substantial than the Buddy and the People does cost more, but in my eyes the Buddy a better buy even though it is smaller.

[BoneGirl]

I have 15,000 on my '06 Buddy. I think Bonegirl should have close to 20K by now...

--Keys

Hi, Keys! 16,280 miles as of Saturday. Had 2 months off last fall when I dropped a trailer ramp on my foot and broke the heck out of it. Now this snow and ice is killing me because I only get to ride once in awhile when it dries! But still pretty good miles in 16 and 1/2 months.

I can't compare the Buddy to the Kymco because the only scoot I ever owned was the Buddy. I haven't had any trouble with the Buddy at all. I ride the heck out of it and I'm on my 3rd set of tires and 3rd set of rollers but that is routine maintenance stuff. Had a problem with the clutch but it was something we discovered by accident because of an oversight in the Owner's Manual. It is a heck of a machine and I have recommended it to so many people. They sell a lot of them in Cincinnati and I haven't heard any bad words about any of them yet.

[spacecitygroover]

Both are scooters from great companies, have 2 year warranties, and about the same quality build and customer support. Although I much prefer the Buddy, you should try taking both for a test ride or at least sit on them and see which feels better. The Kymco seems more geared toward giving you a comfortable ride while the Buddy is sportier, more stylish, and seemingly a bit more agile. The Buddy has better pick up and I think it is faster. From what I remember I think the People was heavier than the Buddy.

Judge for yourself though, test riding scooters is FUN

thanks for the advice.
I think i just might go with the buddy.
Theres a guy in my neighborhood selling a used buddy 125 with 1000k miles
for $2000 Do you think this is a good deal?
i would be saving a thousand dollars.

So for the record, Who has the most miles on their buddy 125 here on this forum??

[spacecitygroover]

My wife rides a People 150, and I have a Buddy 125. She has about 11K trouble free miles; I have about 7K miles and only minor issues.
I have better top speed on flats and down hill, she out accelerates me and has better mid-range power. Both bikes still have good tires and both bikes have had light bulb replacements because of failures. We would never take the Buddy for 2 up ridding because it’s so small but with the People its OK but we really don’t do that because we both have our own scooters.
When we ride together on our separate scooters we are often asked about our scooters but when riding individually we have much less inquires.
My wife likes her scooter better than the Buddy but would have gotten a Buddy if they were available (Buddies were not available for sale when she purchased her scoot) because of how much easier it is to ride than the People, lighter weight, nimbleness etc.. I’m not in favor of the Peoples’ style so I’m glad I got the Buddy. I do like the larger capacity fuel tank of the People which allows greater distance between fill ups.
When the two scoots are side by side the People is more substantial than the Buddy and the People does cost more, but in my eyes the Buddy a better buy even though it is smaller.

Wow.
So your saying that the buddy isnt good for a 2 person ride??
Thats a HUGE FACTOR that i forgot to mention. The scooter is for me and my wife. We will be traveling TOGETHER on it DAILY.
Is this not the best scooter for this kind of task?

[rajron]

This is just my opinion – others think otherwise
But please note we are not large people and we love each other but we also think we are cramped on the Buddy, oh heck, we don’t just think it we plain know it is tight.

[BuddyRaton]

I think 2 up riding is going to be very tight on anything under 250cc.

[spacecitygroover]

I think 2 up riding is going to be very tight on anything under 250cc.

hmm.. maybe i should do more research...

[scoot50]

Two on a Buddy is not something that I would want to do everyday. Maybe once a month in an emergency.

[nissanman]

I've got a Rattler 110 so I can't say what's better a People 150 or Buddy 125. (don't forget about the new Buddy 150s coming out) Remember that Genuine's warranty is non-transferrable, the 2yr is good to the first owner only. If you're thinking two-up riding is what you want I have to agree with two smaller scoots (125-150) or one larger (250+) is a better way to go. Unless you and your spouse weigh 100lbs each... that's a different story. Either way, you won't regret a scooter or the people you'll meet because of the scooter.

[SERIES ITALIA RIDER]

i agree, 2up riding on a really regular basis is tough on anything under a 250cc, both size of the seat and power are the issue... for occasional 2up riding the buddy is ok as is the people, definately not long distances nor every day though....

[ebcspace]

Wow.
So your saying that the buddy isnt good for a 2 person ride??
Thats a HUGE FACTOR that i forgot to mention. The scooter is for me and my wife. We will be traveling TOGETHER on it DAILY.
Is this not the best scooter for this kind of task?

I'd have to agree that the Buddy is not well suited for 2-up riding.

Good for the occasional 2nd rider, but I'd say that if you are planning to be riding with a passenger, or as a passenger regularly, you may want to both get on and see what you've got, otherwise I could see some resentment to come down the road from whoever is riding on the back.

Sure, you could move forward more to allow for more room, then snap a picture and see how silly you look both piled on the Buddy together. Don't get me wrong... I'm all for a fun ride on the scooter together. Just have to swing my knee out to the side to give room for the handlebar to turn in order to adapt.

We own a Buddy 125 and a Vespa ET-4(150). Another difference besides seating accommodation in the way of size, is the suspension. Being able to ride on both, my wife does not really appreciate taking the ride on the back of the Buddy as much anymore.

I don't mean to sound pessimistic here... the Buddy is awesome, and many a day I take it instead of the Vespa on my own. Just thought it would be best to tell it to you straight so you've got more information to make a informed decision.

[jrsjr]

So your saying that the buddy isnt good for a 2 person ride??
Thats a HUGE FACTOR that i forgot to mention. The scooter is for me and my wife. We will be traveling TOGETHER on it DAILY.
Is this not the best scooter for this kind of task?

Dude, we're really sorry to disappoint you, but the Buddy is not the right tool for that job. Before I make a suggestion, I need to know whether you are planning on riding on the Interstate or the Expressway two-up. If you are not, a 250 would be okay. For two-up on the expressway, I recomend a 400.

[ericalm]

So your saying that the buddy isnt good for a 2 person ride??
Thats a HUGE FACTOR that i forgot to mention. The scooter is for me and my wife. We will be traveling TOGETHER on it DAILY.
Is this not the best scooter for this kind of task?

Dude, we're really sorry to disappoint you, but the Buddy is not the right tool for that job. Before I make a suggestion, I need to know whether you are planning on riding on the Interstate or the Expressway two-up. If you are not, a 250 would be okay. For two-up on the expressway, I recomend a 400.

For most street riding 2-up a good 150cc may do just fine. My wife and I rode 2-up all the time on my Vespa 150 before we got the Buddy and still do occasionally. No problem keeping up with traffic, could cruise at 60mph, but a little pokey uphill. Comfortable enough to ride all day.

But the two of us just won't comfortably fit 2-up on a Buddy. I'm 5' 11"; she's about 5' 9". Just not going to happen.

The Kymco may be a better for for this. Depending on budget, you may also want to consider the Kymco People S200 or 250. If there's a dealer near you, you may also want to check out the SYM HD200. I don't know much about it, and it's a much bigger scoot than a People 150 or Buddy, but I've heard positive things from my dealer.

If you're willing to buy a used scoot, you may want to check out a used Vespa ET4 or GT200. In fact, the GT200 has been discontinued and there may be some deals on new ones out there.

For freeway riding 2-up, though, I have to agree that anything under 250cc would just be dangerous.

Also consider this: Buying one scooter for 2 people usually means you'll want another one within a year. It just works out that way. They multiply.

[Dibber]

There's a web site that has a road test on the SYM200. It also has others and is good to read. www.justgottascoot.com. Give it a try. I also agree, you should both sit on the scooters you are looking at to see how well you both feel and fit. Heck, ask the guy with the Buddy 125 for sale, if you could test drive it solo and with your wife on. That should give you the answer you need. But as mentioned before these do multiply. We couldn't even get out of Scooterville without buying two at one time. My wife loves hers and thats that. Good luck shopping.

[spacecitygroover]

So your saying that the buddy isnt good for a 2 person ride??
Thats a HUGE FACTOR that i forgot to mention. The scooter is for me and my wife. We will be traveling TOGETHER on it DAILY.
Is this not the best scooter for this kind of task?

Dude, we're really sorry to disappoint you, but the Buddy is not the right tool for that job. Before I make a suggestion, I need to know whether you are planning on riding on the Interstate or the Expressway two-up. If you are not, a 250 would be okay. For two-up on the expressway, I recomend a 400.

For most street riding 2-up a good 150cc may do just fine. My wife and I rode 2-up all the time on my Vespa 150 before we got the Buddy and still do occasionally. No problem keeping up with traffic, could cruise at 60mph, but a little pokey uphill. Comfortable enough to ride all day.

But the two of us just won't comfortably fit 2-up on a Buddy. I'm 5' 11"; she's about 5' 9". Just not going to happen.

The Kymco may be a better for for this. Depending on budget, you may also want to consider the Kymco People S200 or 250. If there's a dealer near you, you may also want to check out the SYM HD200. I don't know much about it, and it's a much bigger scoot than a People 150 or Buddy, but I've heard positive things from my dealer.

If you're willing to buy a used scoot, you may want to check out a used Vespa ET4 or GT200. In fact, the GT200 has been discontinued and there may be some deals on new ones out there.

For freeway riding 2-up, though, I have to agree that anything under 250cc would just be dangerous.

Also consider this: Buying one scooter for 2 people usually means you'll want another one within a year. It just works out that way. They multiply.

wow this really is a great site. so much helpful info from all of you guys. Thanks!
Well heres more info.. Im a skinny little guy, about 5'8 125lbs.
and my wife is 5' and she weighs about 125 also.
we would never be doing any kind of freeway riding. It would be stricly the streets. Both busy and small.
Here in houston, we really dont need to use the freeway. Theres alternate routes to go just about everywhere. The longest commute would probably be about 10 to 20 miles, and thats just riding back and forth.
I thought the buddy could handle the job, but now i just dont know if a scooter is for me.

[gt1000]

The longest commute would probably be about 10 to 20 miles, and thats just riding back and forth.
I thought the buddy could handle the job, but now i just dont know if a scooter is for me. Confused

Someone mentioned choosing the right tool for the job and that's your point of departure. The Buddy may or may not be the right tool for your job but I'd recommend giving it a try. You and your wife should spend a day or two test riding scooters two up. Depending on the roads and distances you ride, the Buddy may be a good compromise. Hell, if you live in an urban setting and you only use the scooter getting around the downtown area (25mph limits), a 50 would do the trick, even two up. If I were you I'd ride the Buddy, the Kymco, an LX-150 and then perhaps a few 250s. I'm guessing you'd fall hard for a GTS and it would be great for your needs, but it's pretty pricey.

Coupla questions...you never really mentioned what kind of riding experience you have. Riding 2 up is a different dynamic than riding solo. If you have experience riding a moto 2 up then, by all means, go for it and test ride the scoots. If you have no experience riding a moto 2 up, I would strongly recommend that you NOT test ride any scoots 2 up. Nothing ruins the scooter buying experience more quickly than having one or both shoppers maimed for life.

Also, you talked about keeping the scoot for a long time and you were interested in how many miles people have on their odos. You need to understand that the moto and scooter world don't necessarily work this way. Typically, one buys a scooter or bike and gets bitten by the bug hard or decides "this ain't for me". If it's the latter, the bike sits alone forever with 19 miles on the odo. If the bug bites hard, your car sits alone and you ride ALL THE TIME. When you're not riding, you're planning your next bike purchase (usually bigger or faster) or scheming to buy farkles for your current ride.

This is fact.

[poop colored buddy]

me and my wife fit 2 up no problemon the buddy. I'm not huge, 6' 155lbs and she's little 5'3" 105. I understand this is not the avg 2 riders, but there is instances where it works fine, although rare. Also having the trunk put on the back seems to buy you a few extra inches to fit more comfortably. I'm wondering if anyone with the trunk still thinks its too small? The only complaint the wife ever has about it is that the buddies foot rests are all slanted and suck, but the complaints are pretty mild about 2-up on the buddy from my end.

P.s. I think many people underestimate the speed of the buddy 50. Riding 2-up on a buddy 50 is no problem in traffic at 45mph speeds. Seriously people. We hit speedo indicated speeds of 50 (so 45 mph in real life) as fast as any car. All the roads here in phoenix are posted at 45 and we travel all over on the 50. We sometimes get passed by speeders but no more then you would if you were on a crotch rocket abiding by the speed limits. I would say the acceleration is about like a geo metro ( slower than some but by no means in the way).
my friend has an ET4, and if we are riding normal, there is no difference between his scooter and a buddy 50. So much so that he is dumbfounded by the buddy's speed ( up to 45 mph)


as far as mileage, so far I have 1,700 miles In about 6 months.

[spacecitygroover]

The longest commute would probably be about 10 to 20 miles, and thats just riding back and forth.
I thought the buddy could handle the job, but now i just dont know if a scooter is for me. Confused

Someone mentioned choosing the right tool for the job and that's your point of departure. The Buddy may or may not be the right tool for your job but I'd recommend giving it a try. You and your wife should spend a day or two test riding scooters two up. Depending on the roads and distances you ride, the Buddy may be a good compromise. Hell, if you live in an urban setting and you only use the scooter getting around the downtown area (25mph limits), a 50 would do the trick, even two up. If I were you I'd ride the Buddy, the Kymco, an LX-150 and then perhaps a few 250s. I'm guessing you'd fall hard for a GTS and it would be great for your needs, but it's pretty pricey.

Coupla questions...you never really mentioned what kind of riding experience you have. Riding 2 up is a different dynamic than riding solo. If you have experience riding a moto 2 up then, by all means, go for it and test ride the scoots. If you have no experience riding a moto 2 up, I would strongly recommend that you NOT test ride any scoots 2 up. Nothing ruins the scooter buying experience more quickly than having one or both shoppers maimed for life.

Also, you talked about keeping the scoot for a long time and you were interested in how many miles people have on their odos. You need to understand that the moto and scooter world don't necessarily work this way. Typically, one buys a scooter or bike and gets bitten by the bug hard or decides "this ain't for me". If it's the latter, the bike sits alone forever with 19 miles on the odo. If the bug bites hard, your car sits alone and you ride ALL THE TIME. When you're not riding, you're planning your next bike purchase (usually bigger or faster) or scheming to buy farkles for your current ride.

This is fact.

I honestly dont have any experience at all with 2 up riding. ive only tested solo. so its a problem testing the scooter 2 up.
A problem with getting a 250cc scooter is that the bike overall is Heavy!
and im a scrawny guy, so it scares me a bit.
i was looking into the honda helix 250cc and the weight of the bike is around 350lbs!
Another factor is my budget.
I'm looking to spend around 2500.
Any suggestions?

[jrsjr]

Well heres more info.. Im a skinny little guy, about 5'8 125lbs.
and my wife is 5' and she weighs about 125 also.
we would never be doing any kind of freeway riding. It would be stricly the streets. Both busy and small.

A problem with getting a 250cc scooter is that the bike overall is Heavy!
and im a scrawny guy, so it scares me a bit.
i was looking into the honda helix 250cc and the weight of the bike is around 350lbs!
Another factor is my budget.
I'm looking to spend around 2500.
Any suggestions?

Man, you totally read my mind. I was going to suggest a Honda Helix. It may weigh 350 lbs, but you don't notice it and the low seat height(s) of the Helix is made for folks with short inseams. Plus, once you two get used to riding around, you'll want to take longer trips and the Helix will be able to take you there, no problem. I bet you could find one used close to your price range.

P.S. The Helix has a huge trunk for groceries and stuff.

[ericalm]

Well heres more info.. Im a skinny little guy, about 5'8 125lbs.
and my wife is 5' and she weighs about 125 also.

Your wife may actually have trouble touching the ground while sitting on the Buddy if she's planning on riding solo. If she's not planning on riding solo, she'll probably want to before long anyway (as happened with my wife!). So she should definitely try it out and see how she fits.

With your budget, be sure to factor in the cost of 2 good helmets, jackets, gloves and other gear. I didn't consider this when I first bought my scoot—it adds up quickly.

[gt1000]

I honestly dont have any experience at all with 2 up riding. ive only tested solo. so its a problem testing the scooter 2 up.
A problem with getting a 250cc scooter is that the bike overall is Heavy!
and im a scrawny guy, so it scares me a bit.
i was looking into the honda helix 250cc and the weight of the bike is around 350lbs!

This is just my opinion, but if I were you I'd try all the bikes on for size two up but test ride solo. If you have no experience riding 2 up your wife has even less. If she gets a little spooked riding and tries instinctively to counter your lean in a turn you could have a moment.

350 lbs isn't much for a 250 but, to me, it's probably not the best choice for a first scooter. You're learning, your wife is learning, in my mind, it's best to learn on something that's extra easy to handle. I'd try to find a 125-150 that fit and start there. Once you both know you love scooting and get some experience under your belt, you can think about bigger scooters if you need them.

That's just me though.

[Corsair]

Although I personally know quite a few couples that ride two up on the Buddy I really don't like the Buddy for going 2 up. Best thing to do is sit on the scooters together and see what fits you best. 250s are great for riding 2 up but I don't recommend them for starting off. Taking the MSF course is a great and safe way to get some riding experience

[spacecitygroover]

I honestly dont have any experience at all with 2 up riding. ive only tested solo. so its a problem testing the scooter 2 up.
A problem with getting a 250cc scooter is that the bike overall is Heavy!
and im a scrawny guy, so it scares me a bit.
i was looking into the honda helix 250cc and the weight of the bike is around 350lbs!

This is just my opinion, but if I were you I'd try all the bikes on for size two up but test ride solo. If you have no experience riding 2 up your wife has even less. If she gets a little spooked riding and tries instinctively to counter your lean in a turn you could have a moment.

350 lbs isn't much for a 250 but, to me, it's probably not the best choice for a first scooter. You're learning, your wife is learning, in my mind, it's best to learn on something that's extra easy to handle. I'd try to find a 125-150 that fit and start there. Once you both know you love scooting and get some experience under your belt, you can think about bigger scooters if you need them.

That's just me though.

sounds very reasonable to me!

[spacecitygroover]

Well heres more info.. Im a skinny little guy, about 5'8 125lbs.
and my wife is 5' and she weighs about 125 also.

Your wife may actually have trouble touching the ground while sitting on the Buddy if she's planning on riding solo. If she's not planning on riding solo, she'll probably want to before long anyway (as happened with my wife!). So she should definitely try it out and see how she fits.

With your budget, be sure to factor in the cost of 2 good helmets, jackets, gloves and other gear. I didn't consider this when I first bought my scoot—it adds up quickly.

Quick question, i was wondering if theres a significant difference in power between 125cc's and 150cc's?? riding 2 up, i was wondering if i should go that extra inch and push for something thats 150cc or just stick with the buddy 125??
Also, since i only weigh 125lbs, and my wife weighs about the same as me,
would there be a problem getting up a large hill on the buddy 125?
Do you guys think the buddy has the power to cruise at high speeds with 2 people onboard?
We are both small people.

[ericalm]

Well heres more info.. Im a skinny little guy, about 5'8 125lbs.
and my wife is 5' and she weighs about 125 also.

Your wife may actually have trouble touching the ground while sitting on the Buddy if she's planning on riding solo. If she's not planning on riding solo, she'll probably want to before long anyway (as happened with my wife!). So she should definitely try it out and see how she fits.

With your budget, be sure to factor in the cost of 2 good helmets, jackets, gloves and other gear. I didn't consider this when I first bought my scoot—it adds up quickly.

Quick question, i was wondering if theres a significant difference in power between 125cc's and 150cc's?? riding 2 up, i was wondering if i should go that extra inch and push for something thats 150cc or just stick with the buddy 125??
Also, since i only weigh 125lbs, and my wife weighs about the same as me,
would there be a problem getting up a large hill on the buddy 125?
Do you guys think the buddy has the power to cruise at high speeds with 2 people onboard?
We are both small people.

In my experience with a Vespa 150 and the Buddy 125, that little bit of extra power is precisely where the 150 excels: when riding 2-up, uphill, with a heavier load. That said, with 250lbs. passenger weight, the Buddy should do fine for most of the kind of riding you're talking about. Both the 125 and 150 will slow a bit on large hills; the difference between the two for me is about 3-6mph on the hill I used to go up when commuting to work. Adding a mid-sized windshield to the Buddy may cut that difference in half.

As far as the 150cc 2008 Buddys vs, the 125s, well... We don't really know. I hear the 150s are smokin', etc. but that's all rumor until we get to test ride some of them.