So why a Buddy?

gar1013 · Post by **gar1013** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:11 pm

Ok, so I get the reasons why one would buy a Stella (as I have done), as well as the reasons someone wouldn't/shouldn't buy one. It's a fairly unique type of bike these days for better or worse.

Now, the Buddies seem like a decent scooter from what I've observed, but I guess my question is this: what attracted you to getting a Buddy out of the relatively crowded marketplace of twist and go scooters?

Was it the styling? Performance? Price? Value for price? Did experiences with a Stella end up influencing your decision (even though the only commonality is the importer)? Is there something else to be considered?

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:39 pm

The Buddy has a 12V phone-charging socket.

OK, that wasn't the only reason, and not even the main one. But it was a factor. I did a fair amount of comparison shopping, at various times considering assorted no-name chinascoots, Honda Metro, Yamaha C3, assorted Kymcos and Syms. But at one point I read that the Buddy had a 12V socket, which sounded really useful, and from that point on I looked for that feature on other scooters, and it was a mark against each one that didn't have it.

Other factors that attracted me were the 2-year warranty and roadside assistance (I was already thinking about road-tripping), the consistently good reviews I was finding online, the existence of Modern Buddy, and the fact that the company HQ is in America (and even here in the Midwest).

SonnyD · Post by **SonnyD** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:41 pm

I bought a Buddy, cause all I heard was positive things about them. I actually visited here first and lurked before buying one. I knew i wasn't going to buy one of the "chinese" scooters because every where I turned there were new ones that were already broken, some with less then 50 miles on them. I checked my local Craigslist, and there were a ton of Chinese scooters on there for sale, but very few of what would call "good" scooters, like Vespa, Yamaha Vino, Honda, Genuine, Kymco, Sym, etc. There were new ones of course by dealers, but very few used ones. If I did find a used one for sale at a reasonable price, it was usually pretty trashed...Lots of road rash, bald tires, missing body parts and unknown service and maintenance. I Jumped on the ad for the one i bought. It wasn't on CR for more then 30 minutes before I contacted the owner and made arrangements to see it. As much as his phone rang while I was looking at it, I was lucky to have been first.
I made the perfect decision for ME....others may not feel the same. But I love mine. Just put new Tires on it, just cause the originals were getting old, and a new Prima pipe. The original owner who was also an adult had just had a service done on it, and a new Battery... I just ride the heck out of it..... No doubt though, I will someday own a Stella, preferably a 2T...

scullyfu · Post by **scullyfu** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 6:38 pm

being on the shorter end of the height chart (5'2"), it was important for me to have the ability to touch the ground with my feet (or a portion of them anyway). the need to feel somewhat secure in that way was important as i was a first time scooterist.

cost was a factor, to be sure. i was impressed with the 2 year warranty and roadside assistance that was included.

i shopped around: vespa (too costly), kymco (didn't like the seat height and esthetics), schwinn (seemed like it was skimpy on the size and power), yamaha (didn't like the gas tank positioning). and i definitely knew i didn't want a scooter that i'd have to put together, no matter the price.

finally, i wanted a local dealer that i could go to, if need be. almost forgot, the storage on the buddy was so much more than other scoots, too. i don't have to tell you how much you can lug on just the hooks alone.

as it happens, i just bought another scooter. i sold my italia when i left seattle; it had 10k on it and was good for about that much more, i would think.

buffalo is full of cheapo chinese knock-offs, but buddies are very scarce. i saw lots of 'good' scooters, but i was hooked on my buddy and if i could get another one, i knew i wouldn't be sorry. found my scooter on monday, so of course we've had rain every day since. LOL

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:16 pm

TVB wrote:The Buddy has a 12V phone-charging socket.

I really don't get why more bikes don't do this. A 12V socket can be put together easily with 10$ in parts as a consumer, it'd cost them so little to add it and it's such a useful thing to have nowadays.

gar1013 · Post by **gar1013** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:52 pm

Lokky wrote:
TVB wrote:The Buddy has a 12V phone-charging socket.
I really don't get why more bikes don't do this. A 12V socket can be put together easily with 10$ in parts as a consumer, it'd cost them so little to add it and it's such a useful thing to have nowadays.

I could see a situation in which $10 (or even $11) could cause a company to be short sighted: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pinto ... ank_defect

guzziknight · Post by **guzziknight** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:05 pm

We bought ours mostly because of timing. We were at the dealership, they had just gotten an 09 Blackjack in, the price was right, and my wife liked the styling. So, we bought it. Really wanted a Vespa, but couldn't find much at that price that was in good condition.

Tazio · Post by **Tazio** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:46 pm

I bought mine because a friend of mine had one, he let me ride it and I liked it. When I saw the Series Italia there was no contest, I loved it and got it. I always wanted a Vespa, so the following year I got the 250GTS.

I really like the Stella but the clutch is just very hard on my Carpel Tunnel problem. I don't have that difficulty with the Ural.

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:52 pm

When I started looking, I was first attracted to these sharp-looking scooters I was seeing on the road. I started looking online and was glad to see these amazing low prices advertised; delivered right to your door! You can guess what types of bikes I was finding.
My first real attempt at shopping was to Sportique Scooters in Denver. The sales person (Val; since moved to Texas) gave me a bit of an education on the Chinese crap that was out there when I expressed my surprise at the cost of the scooters on the lot at Sportique.

I told her what I was looking for and what my commute was going to be so she had some recommendations. Her top choice for me was a Buddy 125 or 150. At the time (Summer of '08 ), Sportique carried Vespa, Genuine, Kymco, Sym, Aprilia, Malaguti and some others.
She had me ride several that day (after learning I was a former MC rider) starting with the Buddy 50, then the 125, and then the 150. I also rode a Mojito because I liked the look with the laid back bars (and I like Mojitos

). It ended up feeling like I was riding a recliner, though. I rode 1 or 2 other scooters that same day but I don't remember what they were.

She also let me ride her personal scoot; it was either a Sym or Kymco 200 or 250. She wanted me to feel the difference of a bigger scooter and larger wheels but she really liked the Buddy and it was her top recommendation for me.

If I had more knowledge at the time, I would have probably done some other comparisons to the Zuma and the Vino (their names are just a little cooler than "Buddy"

) and they seem to be good scooters.
I ended up buying the Pamplona for the extra 50cc's, oil cooler and the 2-tone color scheme. The 150 Internationals had just come out.

So, in the end, my choice for the Buddy came from test riding a bunch of scooters in a short period of time. Comparatively, the Buddy just has a lot more torque/pep/power/oomph or whatever than the other scooters I rode.

I have no regrets in not checking out the Zuma and Vino because I have put nearly 35K miles on my Buddy and, while the Zuma forum seems to have a lot of great information, there's just no forum as good as MB.

gar1013 · Post by **gar1013** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:59 pm

Tazio wrote: I really like the Stella but the clutch is just very hard on my Carpel Tunnel problem. I don't have that difficulty with the Ural.

That's what the Symba was invented for!

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:25 pm

Heh. My wife finally broke down and 'allowed' me to get a scooter a few Christmases ago. Prior to that, I started digging / researching on scoots during the gas crunch of '08. Then later, in addition to MB, I found POCPhil's epic rant and diagram on why NOT to buy a PRCScoot. Scared me but good. Anyway, after Christmas, we stopped in at the local Genuine dealer, knowing that the local Vespa dealer was out of our league. We had every intention of picking out a Stella, as she was intrigued by the retro styling. The only two Stellas uncrated and ready were a bright red, which she didn't care for, and an olive-green already tricked out with lotsa chrome and a pre-installed aftermarket exhaust, might have even been a Hot Wing, which jacked up the price. And then we saw the Internationals. The Pamplona didn't do much for her, the St. Tropez REALLY didn't do much for her, but she liked the Italia. A lot. Best of all, Genuine was running the Dressed For The Holidays promotion, which added free front/rear racks, cowl bars, passenger pegs, Cuppini windshield, and a big Prima cable lock. Dealer charged an extra hour of prep to mount up all that stuff, but we still made out great.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:53 pm

gar1013 wrote:...what attracted you to getting a Buddy out of the relatively crowded marketplace of twist and go scooters?

Was it the styling? Performance? Price? Value for price? Did experiences with a Stella end up influencing your decision (even though the only commonality is the importer)? Is there something else to be considered?

I don't own a Buddy, but it was one of the two in the finals before I bought something completely different.

But I still have an opinion.

Many people don't know that the "crowd of twisties" you mention didn't exist when the Buddy was introduced in '06. Sure there was Yamaha and Honda. And Kymco and very few others. China hadn't started flooding the US with $700 throw aways yet.

Few of the models out there had easily located places for owner information. There were some Yahoo groups, but the Yahoo group format just doesn't compare to the standard internet forum. And then there was Modern Vespa, and a crowd of scooter knowledgeable people talking and asking about the Buddy. So many, in fact that Modern Buddy was spun off. And that is my opinion of why the Buddy became popular.

Modern Buddy and Modern Vespa

wschmechel · Post by **wschmechel** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:54 pm

For me it was about price, value, and local support. I was looking for a used scooter (looking to spend under $2k), and was good and scared straight off of the "too good to be true" Chinese scooters on the market. On my list was a Zuma 125, Honda Elite 110, and the Buddy. I didn't like the "Buddy" scooter name, so that was #3 on my list initially.

A friend of mine has the Zuma and stated that he didn't get much storage under the seat, so I weeded that one out. The Elite 110 had lots of storage, but was $600 more than I wanted to pay, and the local scooter shop couldn't work on the engine because of Honda's computer chip. So I was steered to the Buddy. I went to my local dealership and got into the look & feel of the machine. I had found one (and ONLY one) on Craigslist, and got it for $300 under my budget. I am VERY happy it worked out for me! I can't imagine liking another scooter any more than this one. The fit and finish of the machine is second to none!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 10:36 pm

TVB wrote:The Buddy has a 12V phone-charging socket.

Still haven't found that thing!

Way back in 06 there weren't as many options as there is today. I still think a Buddy 125 is the best bang for the buck you can get in a small displacement scooter.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:41 am

The list of 125/150 scooters at around the $3k price point isn't really all that long. Add the requirement of a good local dealer network and you are only talking about a hand full of bikes. Then add in the need for bikes that treat short riders well and are backed up by some good reviews. Now the list gets really short. My partner went out and test rode the 3 bikes that made the finals list. The Buddy was the one she liked. Seriously, the Buddy is a very comfortable choice for the shorter rider. Plus, 6 years later it still runs like a champ and has never needed anything but regular servicing. What else could you ask for in a scooter

.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:13 am

1. I like Tiawanese products. 2. Started with a Stella, which I still miss,
but my arthritic wrist did not do well shifting. 3. I traded it in at my dealership, Vespa Marietta, after I checked out the
Buddy 170i. Best deal I have ever made. It has enough power for my riding needs, is well balanced, and comfortable even tho I am 6'1" tall.
Nuff said!!!!

Ninjasurfergirl · Post by **Ninjasurfergirl** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:39 am

Honestly? It was the prettiest one I could afford

I love vespas, but it was so out of my price range and the buddy is cute, stylish, and affordable.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:05 am

For me there were several factors. 1) Cost. Vespa was just to much OTD. Whoever said that cost means nothing, doesn't believe that totally. 2) I liked the 2 year warranty and road side assistance. 3) The looks. 4) The reputation of the company of not selling a crap scoot. 5) The performance when I rode it....

SteMer · Post by **SteMer** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:32 am

Why I bought a Buddy ('06):

1) it's what the scooter shop employee was riding (that was enough of a selling point for me)
2) value for the cost
3) styling
4) company reputation
5) storage options (open front glove box was very attractive in addition to large underseat storage)
6) freedom to move around into different riding positions while riding

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:52 am

SteMer wrote:Why I bought a Buddy ('06):

I completely agree.

My reasons:
1) performance
2) value for the cost
3) styling
4) company reputation
5) storage options (glove box, helmet hooks, floorboards, large underseat storage)
6) freedom to move around into different riding positions while riding

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:49 am

The last 3 comments sum it up completely, I think.

hal888 · Post by **hal888** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:50 am

The dealership was the key for me. I didn't feel comfortable in some of the very small shops that were selling all sorts of different motor vehicles, and Honda and the other Japanese dealerships were more expensive. I found East Side Scooters, and they seemed to be reasonable and know what they were doing. Little did I know they would soon go out of business ......but luckily I'm still content with the Buddy.

DariaSen · Post by **DariaSen** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:19 pm

Last year I decided it was time to get a scooter after wanting one since I was 8 years old. Vespas were too expensive and I could only find 50cc scoots around me so I was just going to go with a cheap Chinese one online. It was already August and by the time I would get it, get a license and be able to ride it would be too late in the year in New England so it wasn't worth it.

This year I came into a little bit of extra money and started to look immediately and get something with more quality and at least 150CCs for the roads I'd be traveling. I was going to get a Vespa but after doing some research I discovered the Buddy. I decided on a 170i (I lust that Mocha color) but the dealer had a 150 St. Tropaz brand new for $1000 less and I couldn't pass it up.

I couldn't find anything negative about a Buddy when doing research. For the price difference and quality I couldn't see spending the extra money for just the Vespa badge. So far I couldn't be happier.

troutster52 · Post by **troutster52** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:02 pm

I lucked out by happening onto the Buddy. I was in the market for a fixer project moped, actually, like a Honda Express, Puch Maxi, etc and found a 2012 Genuine Scooter Buddy on craigslist. It was priced better than what I expected my bottom line to be because it wasn't starting. I went to see it. He had left it outside all winter and it wouldn't start. The body is perfect though and everything was there. I paid him what he was asking, plus 10 bucks to help me load it in the truck. I had to siphon out the old gas, and add new gas (which I treated with seafoam and Stabil to be safe) to get it to start with the kick starter. The battery was toast so I replaced it and now its good to go in all respects and my wife (surprisingly, because she has always been leary of two-wheeled transportation) loves it. I learned all the positive things about the Buddy after I bought it, which turned out well for me.

rentonhighlander · Post by **rentonhighlander** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 5:09 pm

peppy 2T engine

CapnK · Post by **CapnK** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 10:24 pm

I was actually looking for an older, smaller motorcycle (think Honda CB125) to pick up with the idea of some gas saving but mostly to do road trips light n cheaply. At the time, I didn't really know that all scooters were not the "DUI cycles" that you mostly see in this area. Not many rednecks, given the choice, would willingly trade their ginormous 4x4 for a 2 wheeled scooter.

In fact, if you removed all of the "DUI cycles", I'll bet you'd be hard-pressed to find a scooter in the area.

So after having a hard time finding a motorcycle like I wanted, and having meanwhile learned that not all scooters are created equal, I started to check them out, and was amazed to see i could get a new one with decent styling delivered right to me for well under what I would have thought they cost...

Yep, just like many of the people here, I almost got snared in by chineescootah.

But reading around online to learn more, I did, and found out that cheap-to-your-door-scooters, like many things, were maybe not all they appeared. TANSTAAFL.

Enlightened, I was back on the hunt, and through Craigslist I found a Buddy locally. Liking how it looked, I read through TONS of online info which convinced me that they are a great scooter. So I contacted the seller and made arrangements. I lucked out and it was a great deal on a great scooter.

Which, it turns out, I am going to be able to pass onto someone else, because that Buddy led me to here and thus to the SYM Wolf Classic 150 that I am getting. Funny how life works sometimes.

Why was I looking for that style of bike in the first place: Big wheels.

I live in a very rural area of the South, this town is only a few miles across at its widest, it is nothing like the urban areas around bigger cities where there are miles and miles of city-speed traffic and back routes. Local roads outside of town are not the best either, so I'll need the bump-soaking-up that larger diameter wheels and tires provide. Not to mention that if I am forced to leave the road here to avoid accidents/animals/persons, the verge is likely to be bumpy and/or soft dirt that I am not sure a 12" wheel would like to roll over at 40+mph. So the larger wheels fit in better.

If I could, I would keep both, I think, because I like the Buddy so much. But that is not an option, as I live on a boat, and have no good place to store an 'extra' cycle/scooter.

That said: post-Buddy, I do plan on sticking around MB. This is a great community/resource, with lots of good folks!

Disney · Post by **Disney** » Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:49 pm

The real question is... WHY NOT?!

The buddy was my first scooter ever. It was an Italia 125. I'm now on my 3rd scoot which is a Vespa GTS250. I loved the Buddy so much that I gave my buddy (no pun intended) 30% of a used Buddy so I can ride it around when he's not using it... That's how much I loved the Buddy. It's just a great fun ride.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 4:00 am

I bought my first Buddy at 48 years old, because my uncle who I think was probably 63ish at the time was raving about how fun they were when he came to visit. Well, that's not the only reason, but he's the reason I started even considering a scooter. All my life I had been "anti-motorcycle" ("death machines" I called them), but then suddenly my uncle, and a chance meeting with a co-worker who was the president of the local Vespa club, opened my eyes to these cute little things called scooters.

After researching them to death, I bought one and had them deliver it to my door a few days later. The MSF class, my motorcycle endorsement, and 4 years later I have even had several different maxi scooters (looking for that freeway capable scooter that I can handle, and really like), but I have always held on to my Buddys, and in fact twice have had two Buddys at the same time (won't go in to the boring details).

I later looked, but not very seriously, at other scooters (including the Vespa), but I have to say that I like the looks of the Buddy more than any other scooter (larger or smaller) than I have ever seen. Also the reliability, handling, suspension, and laundry list of standard and optional accessories seems beyond compare....and even I can customize the Buddy beyond the norm (heated grips, alarm system, the "platform" I have made for carrying much more on the rear rack). I've never gone in for modding the engine, but that can be done too. ...and the Buddy is one scooter I would have no qualms about buying used and it still being in awesome shape as they are so darned reliable.

...oh, and of course the awesome community here on Modern Buddy!

easy · Post by **easy** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 9:10 am

This website. I got the wife's buddy used (cracked plastic) $700 maybe 300 hundred miles on it along with my Bajaj chetak. Then they made the Black Jack and I had to have one. In the last week I've started to think that a Fiat Abarth would look parked beside it . I got 15 months to go on wife's civic and will see. The Buddy is so easy to jump on and go. The kymco GTI 300 is a great ride but is a handful pushing around and locking up in my building . I never realized how small my Black Jack was until I rode my Kymco home. Buddy=motor and wheels with no extra crap

olhogrider · Post by **olhogrider** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 5:07 pm

Quality. Mine was as reliable as a hammer. 150 is the minimum size for CA freeways and all the bridges in the SF Bay are freeways. The two tone looks were a bonus! I got it for my daughter but she let me ride it. 8000+ miles and then it was stolen. I was in the market for another when I found the Stella.

The Vespa spent $$ and 6 months in the shop and never did run right after that.

wrightwinger · Post by **wrightwinger** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:21 am

The buddy is amazing value for how well built it is, how well it handles, parts available, and how pretty it is.

the vespa is a better bike, but not as good of a value.

I could write a book on why I bought my buddy,,,,, but it was my first bike..

in retrospec I would of bought something a tad bigger/heavier.

cdwise · Post by **cdwise** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:07 pm

I like vintage/retro/traditional or whatever you want to call it which left the Zuma out. Vino was a possibility but when I researched I found head to head comparisons with the Buddy. Did some more research and found there was a Genuine dealership not too far away. At the time I didn't have the budget for a Vespa which was my first choice but I've been very pleased with the Buddy 125cc '06 (no power point that year). Since then I've added a Vespa GTS and other scoots but the Buddy has stayed around. My oldest son started riding it to high school with a restricted m/c license at 15 and starting this fall my youngest will be doing the same.
So for me it was a combination of how it looked, reliability and performance. The 2 year warranty was the final seal on the deal. It has been outstandingly reliable over the years.

WileE · Post by **WileE** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:39 pm

I originally bought a TN'G Milano. I had all kinds of problems with it. The year after I bought it the Buddy came out and it was the kind of scooter I really wanted (small, fast, great gas mileage).

I got all the problems sorted out on the Milano (has over 10k miles on it now), but still pined for a Buddy. I was finally able to get one (Pamplano) and love it.

It's faster, quieter, smoother, more reliable, and gets better mileage than the Milano.

You may pay more, but you get what you pay for.

KeLynn · Post by **KeLynn** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 12:20 am

I was actually looking at another scooter, a Honda. But the dealer a) wouldn't let me test drive, and b) talked to my boyfriend the whole time I was there instead of me, even when I made it very clear that the scooter was for *ME* and *I* was the one with the money. Pissed me off.

So, to craigslist! And frankly it was just a matter of what was the best deal, cost vs quality, available at the time.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 2:08 am

KeLynn, an excellent reason. DA sales people cost their business's a fortune
in a years time if not fired before.

Tenchi · Post by **Tenchi** » Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:19 pm

Found this site back in the Devonian period, but when I went to purchase my scoot the local shop (now out of business) was WAY overpriced on the green one I originally wanted, so I got a Kymco 150 instead. After it was stolen and trashed by vandals, I took the insurance settlement to SJ Vespa and got the robin's egg blue one. No regrets, better seat, better mileage, less pain in the butt suspension, and the color stands out. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

At least I got one shot at Amerivespa 2009 before my original scoot was stolen. Great memories, even met Scoot and Eric.

DHegg33 · Post by **DHegg33** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:59 pm

It seems I, unlike everyone else on here did fall into the cheap chinese scooter trap

Well it wasn't all bad I suppose, I did learn a very valuable lesson. It pays to be less impulsive and do a bit of research. Besides without suckers like myself buying and riding those piles of junk and suffering the endless breakdowns/issues that come with it who would there be to warn others of the many perils that await them if they do likewise. So anyways after suffering through about a year and a half of owning a garbage scooter I talked to a friend I run into from time to time at work who bought a 110 rattler from scooterville here in Minneapolis and he just loved it and recommended I look into what they had to offer at Scooterville. I did a bit of research online, found this site and was drawn to the Buddy. Really I just love the look and character of the Buddy, and the fact that the performance is as good as I could have ever imagined from a scooter of it's size just makes it all the better. So here I am now having bought my Buddy only about a month and a half ago and already I have more miles on it than I had with the nameless chinese junk brand that I had for nearly two years. I just could not be more pleased with it so far, in fact even if I were independently wealthy and could afford anything else, I really don't think I would get a different brand. After all when you are completely happy with a product in every way, how much better can it get than that?

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 9:17 pm

No, Dhegg, I too fell into the cheap chinesescooter trap. Had two OK sorta
Chinese scoots and then came a real cropper with my third. Traded one, a 250, for a TGB 150 Delivery, even trade. The Del has over 8000 miles on it now with only minor problems. Gave my 150 to my stepson when he moved
to TX and he still rides it now and then. As it stands now all 3 of my rides are of Taiwanese manufacture and I cant say enough good about them. My main ride is the Buddy 170i.
So don't feel bad about the trap, consider it a learning experience and ride on!

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:33 pm

olhogrider wrote:..........................The Vespa spent $$ and 6 months in the shop and never did run right after that.

The initial price of a Vespa doesn't bother me nearly as much as this. The song remains the same: can't get parts, can't get it fixed. No amount of panache can make up for it, at any price.

I don't hear this about the Buddy.

I feel they are a bit small for me, except maybe the 170, but I've sat on and seen a lot of them and I still come away impressed.

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:05 am

Southerner, I am 6'1" tall, 32" inseam. and 185 lbs, and am comfortable on my 170i. Was comfortable on my Stella also.

DHegg33 · Post by **DHegg33** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:34 am

Thanks Wolfhound, and no I do not feel bad at all about having fallen into that trap. On the contrary, it surely has led to a much greater appreciation on my part for what a quality piece of machinery my Buddy is. When I get on it all I am thinking about is how fun the ride is going to be, as opposed to the old chinese one I had where every time I got on I was thinking if I could make it from point a to b without something else breaking. And all too often the answer to that question was no. But that all seems like a distant dream now

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 1:13 am

Been there, did that. bought the T shirt and came home wiser. As did you.
From all I can read, and from my own experiences, I truly believe the
Taiwanese build the best scoots on the market overall. That is not to say that there are not other countries building good bikes but the Taiwanese seem to have a cross the board consistency in their quality that the others dont..

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:41 am

Because it is light, hardy, isn't sluggish, has a reputation of living forever and being incredibly... durable. Also, no shifting required. It also happened to be just about a damn near perfect height, come in a variety of colors... and when my car bit the dust and I was suddenly in the market, the 170i had just come out. Since I was a first-time rider, but also looking for something that would quickly and easily make my 30 mile daily commute across town (return trip home on the empty highway at night, even), while also allowing me to follow my club around and join in all their nonsense, be it in town or in the middle of the state camping.

It just kind of snowballed into the one big ball of temptation and perfect conditions. The 170 may as well have had my name on it when I walked into the shop.

I tried owning a Vespa. I tried really hard not to hate it. I know it isn't the bike's fault... it was just born that way. But I can't help what I love. I'm a Buddy girl, dammit. I really can't wait to get my 125.

JohnKiniston · Post by **JohnKiniston** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 3:47 am

LunaP wrote:
I tried owning a Vespa. I tried really hard not to hate it. I know it isn't the bike's fault... it was just born that way. But I can't help what I love. I'm a Buddy girl, dammit. I really can't wait to get my 125.

What did you hate about the Vespa?

It sounded like you went from a 170cc to a 50cc, Is it just the lack of power?

Rusty Shackleford · Post by **Rusty Shackleford** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 8:19 pm

Ninjasurfergirl wrote:Honestly? It was the prettiest one I could afford
I love vespas, but it was so out of my price range and the buddy is cute, stylish, and affordable.

^ This would by my lady's exact answer!

When we were shopping around for a bike for her, the quality-to-value search had narrowed itself down to...

Genuine Buddy 125
Kymco Like 200i
Kymco Agility 125.

The Agility was the cheapest and the Like was the largest displacement, so I wasn't expecting the Buddy to come out on top, honestly. That decision came from going to dealerships to check them out in person. Once that happened, the Buddy was the front runner by far. It was much better looking, much lower seat height for her, and just a more solid package all the way around.

We ended up with the black Buddy 125, added a low profile seat and 11g Dr. Pulley sliders, and called it done. Since then, we've been on many rides together, both around town and way out into the country. I have a CBR250R and she comfortably lead the way from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC all the way up route 1. I was very impressed with how well the Buddy has performed and agree with you folks that it's an excellent deal for the money.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:20 am

JohnKiniston wrote:
LunaP wrote:
I tried owning a Vespa. I tried really hard not to hate it. I know it isn't the bike's fault... it was just born that way. But I can't help what I love. I'm a Buddy girl, dammit. I really can't wait to get my 125.
What did you hate about the Vespa?

It sounded like you went from a 170cc to a 50cc, Is it just the lack of power?

Honestly? No, I don't think so. I mean, I prefer a 125-200 range, but the 50's speeds would have been okay with me. Here were my problems with my Vespa... and before I list them, I will tell you that my '05 LX50 sat for more time than it should have. I don't know if these issues are just inherent to an LX50 (I have been told it's all fairly normal by a few), or intrinsic to mine in particular due to its circumstances and age.

It's crazy sluggish. I know I've probably been spoiled on the Buddy, but I have ridden other 50's (specifically, a Ruckus and a Buddy 50) that had much more get up and go than my Vespa. I have been told this is normal. If the bike had any pep whatsoever, I'd like it tons more. The last time I rode it, it seemed as if the top speed was suffering somehow; from what, I don't know. But it was on the way to the shop to have a new battery installed and new tires so maybe that will help... it was only a 5mph difference in top speed, but the difference between 35 and 40 is being able to drive on most of the major roads on my end of town and not being able to. If I can't get up to speed on a 40mph road on a flat stretch, it's not something I want to ride. If I lived in the city, it'd be different... but I live in suburbia. The last major one is silly... the turn signal bothers me. A lot. It doesn't make any noise and I can't cancel it by pressing in, like the Buddy (and most modern bikes, I found out when I took the MSF course). I am sure I would get used to it... but it grates my nerves.

The rest of my need to switch bikes comes from my physical limitations... suffice it to say that my left leg is very much a bum leg, and the metal body Vespa is much too heavy for me... especially when I miss the Buddy so much anyway. I've had problems maneuvering the Vespa around my driveway, almost dropped it on myself, and putting it on the stand can be difficult as well. I just finished the MSF course today, I took it on a Buddy 150... a total dream compared to the Vespa. *sigh*

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:31 am

Rusty Shackleford wrote:.........................

When we were shopping around for a bike for her, the quality-to-value search had narrowed itself down to...
Genuine Buddy 125

Kymco Like 200i

Kymco Agility 125.
The Agility was the cheapest and the Like was the largest displacement, so I wasn't expecting the Buddy to come out on top, honestly. That decision came from going to dealerships to check them out in person. Once that happened, the Buddy was the front runner by far. It was much better looking, much lower seat height for her, and just a more solid package all the way around............

I'm not much interested in the Agility but since you mentioned the Like, which as we know, ain't really a 200, I wonder if you or anybody here knows how the Like performs vs. a Buddy 150, or even a 170.

I have looked over a Like and I think it's a pretty honest scoot. It looks like many another a plastic Vespa copy but I thought it was OK overall.

JohnKiniston · Post by **JohnKiniston** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:32 am

Hey Congrat's on the MSF!

The turn signal could probably be fixed, I know on the larger Vespa's there's a pretty easy mod you can do to install a buzzer from Radioshack.

I'm surprised about the turn signal thing, The only bikes I've had without that may have been my Stella's. I know my old Elite 80 had that and my Big Ruckus has that.

I can understand the weight being an issue with the bum leg. I've seen several locally go down in displacement because they wanted lighter bikes.

Rusty Shackleford · Post by **Rusty Shackleford** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 4:23 am

Southerner wrote:I'm not much interested in the Agility but since you mentioned the Like, which as we know, ain't really a 200, I wonder if you or anybody here knows how the Like performs vs. a Buddy 150, or even a 170.

I have looked over a Like and I think it's a pretty honest scoot. It looks like many another a plastic Vespa copy but I thought it was OK overall.

The Buddy 170i and the Like 200i supposedly have about the same top speed... at least according to the infamous JustGottaScoot reviews.

Jana · Post by **Jana** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 8:56 pm

Where's the "like" button?

Lots of reasons for me to own a Buddy.

Price, non-Chinese, dealer location, to name a few. But the most important reason for me was the seat height! Being vertically challenged limited my choices, because I want to be able to put my feet flat on the ground when I stop. I had a short motorcycle, and therefore wanted to fell comfortable with a relatively short scooter.

And I love that Tangerine color!

Think I'll go ride now!

Modern Buddy

So why a Buddy?

So why a Buddy?

Re: So why a Buddy?

Why I got a Buddy 125

Experience than research.

Not feeling bad anymore.