Should I have a high-mileage Buddy looked at before buying?

MohnJadden · Post by **MohnJadden** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 7:47 pm

I came across a Buddy 125 locally that I'm thinking of making an offer on. The one issue is that it's got 13,500 miles on the odometer. It was used as a commuter into NYC for a few years.

Should I have a motorcycle mechanic give it a once-over before buying it? Or are there any particular things I should look into or ask about before making the purchase?

GoSlash27 · Post by **GoSlash27** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 11:32 pm

Would it cost you more to have it looked at than it would cost to buy a lower mileage example?
If it was me, I'd check it myself... but I do all my own work. *shrug*

I'd say do a walk- around inspection (tires, electrical, leaks) then take it for a test drive. If it presents no issues, it's probably fine.

Best,
-Slashy

Christophers · Post by **Christophers** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 2:38 am

I agree with Sashy.

13,500 miles is not a lot of miles. If it was properly maintained that scooter has a lot left to give! A lower milage scoot is no more or less likely to have major mechanical issues.

What you're looking for is if the bike runs well and if the owner has a good record of service for the scooter.

That said - at about 13,000 miles - you might need to have the rear wheel bearing replaced. That's about how long they tend to last on a well used scooter. You can tell if this is an issue by rotating the rear wheel when the scooter is up on the centerstand. It will make a mild "grinding" noise if it needs to be replaced.

For other things to look at, take a peak at some of the other threads/topics currently being discussed. These include: "engine oil/filter, gear oil, and checking the belt", "rollers" possibly brake fluid and brakes

These are things that should be checked out on any used scooter, and they are easy enough to do yourself - a lot of it you can even do on a quick spot check.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 4:40 pm

Christophers wrote:13,500 miles is not a lot of miles. If it was properly maintained that scooter has a lot left to give! A lower milage scoot is no more or less likely to have major mechanical issues.
What you're looking for is if the bike runs well and if the owner has a good record of service for the scooter.

I agree, but would emphasize the service records. At 13,500 miles there are quite a few important service items that should have been performed at various times in the past. If they were - great. If not - it would give me pause about the scooter.

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:55 pm

Christophers wrote:That said - at about 13,000 miles - you might need to have the rear wheel bearing replaced. That's about how long they tend to last on a well used scooter. You can tell if this is an issue by rotating the rear wheel when the scooter is up on the centerstand. It will make a mild "grinding" noise if it needs to be replaced.

The only bearings I have had go bad are the clutch bearings, which make a grinding or whirring noise when you spin the rear tire on the centerstand. I have one Buddy with over 44k and another Buddy with 17k. I have had the clutch bearings start to go bad with as little as 5k, one set has lasted ~30k. You can check the clutch bearings by taking the clutch bell and belt off, then you spin the clutch with the rear wheel held in place.