Buddy Hill Climbing Capabilities

ellen · Post by **ellen** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:40 pm

Has anyone who has ridden a Buddy actually attempted any hill climbing?

Beamie · Post by **Beamie** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:11 am

Like Freddy Marsh hillclimbing?

jess · Post by **jess** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:28 am

I've climbed some hills in San Francisco. Not the really severe ones, mind you, but hills that would be considered pretty steep in any other city. It did well, even though I eventually ran out of throttle.

paige · Post by **paige** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:08 pm

I took Buddy out in the Oakland Hills today. We did about ten miles over range of hills. Some long and sloping, other steep and straight up. Buddy did fine on all of them. I weigh @150, so YMMV. Felt safe and capable on every approach, I didn't look up at a hill and wonder, will I make it? Funny, it is a throatier engine rumble than my other scooters, so I felt kinda like a sportbike roaring through the turns.

jess · Post by **jess** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:09 pm

I did some more hill riding last night on the Buddy, up one of my favorite twisty curvy roads. It's reasonably steep (although I can't give you an exact grade) and I was able to hit an indicated 42 going up the hill. For reference, I weigh in at around 220. I probably could have gone faster if I had kept my momentum up, but I stopped in one part near the beginning of the hill (before I checked my speed) and it felt like the remainder of the hill was slower. Could have been steeper, too, I don't know.

It was very nimble and "flickable" through the curves, enough that I had to adapt my riding style just a bit to un-compensate for the quick steering. Downhill was fine as well, no particular issues with steering stability, but I really felt the lack of a solid rear brake.

On the way home, there's a long straight semi-downhill segment, and I pushed the scooter up to an indicated 55 before backing off (the speed limit is considerably less than that). I really want to get it up to the real top end on a flat road, but haven't had the chance to yet.

chuck0325 · Post by **chuck0325** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:04 pm

Wow, Freddie Marsh, you don't hear that name too often anymore. I live about 1/2 mile from the dealer that he opened. He was still riding mopeds until his death at ,I believe, 104.

Beamie · Post by **Beamie** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:29 pm

chuck0325 wrote:Wow, Freddie Marsh, you don't hear that name too often anymore. I live about 1/2 mile from the dealer that he opened. He was still riding mopeds until his death at ,I believe, 104.

I am glad someone got it.

When you mention hillclimbing, he was one of the 2 local Greats that I have met. As I recall, I think he did that into his 70s or 80s.

http://www.wgby.org/localprograms/india ... marsh.html
http://www.mgnoc.com/_overlay/Archives/fred_marsh.htm

Yes I also saw him on the moped; the only Guzzi moped I ever saw.

I saw him at their Spring open house just before he passed.

I remember going in his shop when I was in high school almost 40 years ago! That's a life of a real biker.

ellen · Post by **ellen** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:48 pm

Beamie wrote:
Yes I also saw him on the moped; the only Guzzi moped I ever saw.

Beamie, 2 weeks ago Scooter Centrale had a Moto Guzzi moped. Some guy who had since the 70's used it as a trade in.
I was very tempted to jump on it. But I'm really running out of room in the garage!

Beamie · Post by **Beamie** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:30 pm

ellen wrote: Beamie, 2 weeks ago Scooter Centrale had a Moto Guzzi moped. Some guy who had since the 70's used it as a trade in.
I was very tempted to jump on it. But I'm really running out of room in the garage!

Actually I was there when the former owner of the moped was picking up his new ride. There was some mention of the Guzzi but I didn't see it.