Highway question.

beach · Post by **beach** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:16 pm

I just bought a Buddy 125 last week and I am trying to figure out what constitutes a "highway". I live in Richmond, VA so My local roads would be I95 and I64, these are interstates and I know better than to get on them. I have read on a previous post 'tho of using google maps and tell it "No Highways" which then puts you on Routes 360, 60 or 1 depending on where you want to go. Am I ok for these? I know the 2 laners are better, but sometimes these local 4 laners are what is available. Example tell Google you are going from Midlothian, VA to Eden, NC no highways and it puts you on 360.

PS. Thanks for such a great site! Love my Buddy

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:31 pm

Anything 60MPH or more. Where I live the highway is considered that, some people on this board consider the highway being country roads with 50-55mph speeds.

The buddy can really do anything, but the highway itself is still never really that safe, people going 70-80MPH when the speed limit only 60-65mph.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:34 pm

You are legal on any of them, including the interstates, but it is about what you are comfortable on. I don't do interstates, but I sometimes do 55 mph 4 laners with exit and entrance ramps (you know the kind where you can't just turn off at the next road, you've gotta go a few miles until you hit the exit). I didn't do those until after a few months of riding though.

The biggest thing is you will want to break in the scooter a little first, otherwise you won't hit top speeds anyway, and you will want that for any really fast roads. Just my two cents.

beach · Post by **beach** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:34 pm

I am not too worried about people going 70 to 80 on 360 as the police have a love for writing tickets on that road. I guess I just want to make sure I do not get ticketed for being out there on a 125.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:41 pm

You are legal on any of them, including the interstates,

I don't believe the 125 is legal on the interstates. You need at least a 150 to legally ride on them, don't you?

As for highways, I think the 125 is legal on anything but the interstate.

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:45 pm

beach wrote:I am not too worried about people going 70 to 80 on 360 as the police have a love for writing tickets on that road. I guess I just want to make sure I do not get ticketed for being out there on a 125.

I think you should be okay on anything but the Interstate. If you are new to riding, don't bite off more than you can chew. The first time you do 55 with traffic behind you can be unsettling. Do short stints, build up your confidence, then ease into longer stints. Remember, you can always pull over if you get line of traffic behind you.

Remember, if the speed limit is 55, your speedo is going to have to read 60 to 65 to actually be doing 55 (scooter speedos are typically 5 to 10 percent off - there's lots of threads about that here). At the same time, the cars behind you are going to want to be doing at least 65 in the same 55 mph zone.

One time I was in a planning and zoning committee meeting here in Kansas. People were complaining that the speed limit on a state highway near a high school had been set at 55 mph. A KDOT engineer said they did a traffic study and found that drivers along that stretch were routinely doing 70 to 75. The department's standard was to not set the speed limit more than 20 mph below what the traffic was doing or they found that accidents went way up.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:47 pm

In Va (and many other if not most states), the legal minimum displacement for highway travel is 150cc. That means I64 and I95 are off limits. I think a lot of it comes down to what you're comfortable with. Personally, I won't touch 64 (I live right around the Bryant Park Interchange, so I'm sure you're familiar with the stretch of 64 there that looks as if it's been mortared heavily from some non-existent war) and my Blur's a 150 with a few tweaks that lets it go well above the speed limit. Also keep in mind that most cars tend to do about 15 over the speed limit around here. It can be hairy!

195 might be a different story (I don't think that's an Interstate) with it's speed limit at 55 mph. Just keep in mind that it's got a few places with some steep grades to it that'll slow a Buddy down to a crawl. Also, the grooved pavement isn't a lot of fun at first.

By-ways are perfectly legal and preferable. A good rule of thumb for a 125cc is if it's a white sign, it's legal, if it's blue, it's not. But with the state of our roads around here, some (even perfectly legal) stretches are best avoided by anything with 2 wheels - hell, some I won't even touch in my truck out of consideration for my spine.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:53 pm

150cc is the minimum legal requirement for the freeway/interstate/really really fast route.

But even there are members who can keep up or survive in slow interstates. Generally though people drive 10-15mph faster than posted limits so I'd just stay off.

beach · Post by **beach** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:54 pm

Yes, some of the roads here in Richmond are "interesting" to say the least. I had a Burgman 400 as my first bike and remember the first time I came back into richmond on I64 from the easter side of town and got onto I95 North I hit one of the asphalt heaves on the left side of the ramp and it popped me 6 inches off my seat. My neck was sore for a bit from the impact. Yes, the Buddy is the smallest bike I have owned. The bike I am getting rid of is a Kawasaki Versys.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Fri May 22, 2009 2:54 pm

Oops sorry, had my info crossed about the Interstate things, but yeah anything without that blasted I in front of it is legal. Just watch out for those semi's.

Intheknow · Post by **Intheknow** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:09 pm

I do interstates on my 125 here in Chicago. The speed limit is 45 mph in the local lanes so when I'm doing an actual 55 I feel ok. I just stay in the slow lanes and cruise. When I do the BB kit and I'm actually at 161cc does that really make you legal if you get pulled over? I've been wondering about that.May need to get some Buddy 150 stickers for that scoot too.

OScoot! · Post by **OScoot!** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:23 pm

I live in Ashland and commute regularly down Route 1 all the way into downtown. I've also done quite a bit of scooting all over the west end and across the "rivah"...to the southside. I'm comfortable anywhere on Richmond's "busy" 4 or 6 lane thoroughfares. I either try to stay to the right lane....or stay with traffic. Like everyone else has said....you just have to stay within your own personal comfort level.

Edit: I actually am more concerned scooting around IN the city in areas like the Fan or Carytown, etc. Too many intersections with cars that you can't see....and too many potholed streets in horrible condition. But then, that's just me!

Post by **Lostmycage** » Fri May 22, 2009 3:29 pm

The 161 kit will make you legal, but not if you get pulled over with registration for a 125. They're not going to care about if it's kitted or not, they're going to go by what's on your registration papers. I'm not sure what the procedures are for altering a title to indicate an increase in displacement.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri May 22, 2009 4:03 pm

pugbuddy wrote:I don't believe the 125 is legal on the interstates. You need at least a 150 to legally ride on them, don't you?

The interstates are funded by the federal government and have to meet certain federal design standards, but they are owned and operated by the states, so it varies (in Michigan the minimum is 125cc).

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri May 22, 2009 4:18 pm

Lostmycage wrote:The 161 kit will make you legal, but not if you get pulled over with registration for a 125. They're not going to care about if it's kitted or not, they're going to go by what's on your registration papers. I'm not sure what the procedures are for altering a title to indicate an increase in displacement.

I think the "procedure" involved here is a court appearance after you get cited, pleading not-guilty and providing proof that your vehicle does in fact meet the requirements for use on the interstate.

Alix B · Post by **Alix B** » Fri May 22, 2009 4:23 pm

beach wrote:I just bought a Buddy 125 last week and I am trying to figure out what constitutes a "highway". I live in Richmond, VA so My local roads would be I95 and I64, these are interstates and I know better than to get on them. I have read on a previous post 'tho of using google maps and tell it "No Highways" which then puts you on Routes 360, 60 or 1 depending on where you want to go. Am I ok for these? I know the 2 laners are better, but sometimes these local 4 laners are what is available. Example tell Google you are going from Midlothian, VA to Eden, NC no highways and it puts you on 360.

PS. Thanks for such a great site! Love my Buddy

Heh. I've done that exact ride to Eden.
Maybe I'm not the best person to comment on this thread, because I've ridden very illegaly in the past.

Per highways, (and parkways) I think they are legal and my personal criteria is to see what the speed limit is. And if I have to get somewhere and there is only one way (other than Interstate), then screw it, I go that way.

Cops have given me directions via Interstate before. I've been told before that the buddy, with crash bars on, looks like a little motorcycle. If you are going WAY below speed limit, it might be obvious and you might get pulled. My favorite roads are the one that say lowest speed is 10mph below posted speed.

Now, freeways are not illegal. Except for the 150cc right? Which looks EXACTLY like the 125cc, right?

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri May 22, 2009 5:08 pm

Alix B wrote: Now, freeways are not illegal. Except for the 150cc right? Which looks EXACTLY like the 125cc, right?

As "lostmycage" pointed out, they don't look EXACTLY alike when the cop pulls up the registration information on the little screen on his dashboard. Not likely anyone would be stopped by a cop trying to tell the difference between a 125 and a 150 anyway. More likely you would get stopped for something else and he would notice the displacement violation when he looked up your license and registration information.

(For what it's worth, I believe these vehicle "size" limits vary greatly from state to state. Some states use a minimum engine displacement, some a minimum horsepower, some a minimum speed. Virtually all states that have a "moped" category including 50cc scoots, ban it from highways. Anyone who needs the legal answer, should talk with the DMV in the state(s) where they plan to ride the scoot.)

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Fri May 22, 2009 5:26 pm

For what it's worth, the police registration does not list engine size.
At least mine doesn't. The only time I've been pulled over and ticketed on my scooter, the officer had to ask me. He showed me on his PDA(It was a motorcycle cop) and it was just listed as "Genuine Buddy"

I ride the highways and interstates quite often. I would NOT recommend it for a stock bike, sure the 125 can hold 60ish, but most traffic on the interstates are going faster than that.

The 150cc rule doesn't hold true for all states. Oregon, where I live is a 150cc rule, but Washington(just 20 minutes away) says that anything that requires a motorcycle endorsement is highway legal. Check with your state.

BuddyLicious · Post by **BuddyLicious** » Fri May 22, 2009 5:33 pm

Iv'e always had trouble understanding the differences with road name lingo.
Like:

Highway
Freeway
Interstate
Bypass
Turnpike

And then there's:

Avenue
Street
Road
Lane
Boulevard
Route

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Fri May 22, 2009 5:52 pm

BuddyLicious wrote:Iv'e always had trouble understanding the differences with road name lingo.

According to my iMac's built-in dictionary:

Highway - a main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities.
Freeway - an express highway, esp. one with controlled access.
Interstate - one of a system of expressways covering the 48 contiguous states.
Expressway - a highway designed for fast traffic, with controlled entrance and exit, a dividing strip between the traffic in opposite directions, and typically two or more lanes in each direction.
Bypass - a road passing around a town or its center to provide an alternate route for through traffic.
Turnpike - an expressway, esp. one on which a toll is charged.

And then there's:

Avenue - a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides.
Street - a public road in a city or town, typically with houses and buildings on one or both sides.
Road - a wide way leading from one place to another, esp. one with a specially prepared surface that vehicles can use. The part of such a way intended for vehicles, esp. in contrast to a shoulder or sidewalk.
Lane - a narrow road, esp. in a rural area.
Boulevard - a wide street in a town or city, typically one lined with trees.
Route - a way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination; the line of a road, path, railroad, etc. (not really the DMV use, but I think it works.)

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Fri May 22, 2009 6:42 pm

Cool. All these years and I've never seen them all laid out and nicely defined like that before. Nice to know.

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Fri May 22, 2009 6:53 pm

OK, so what's the difference between an Avenue and a Boulavard? both seem like wide streets in towns lined with trees?

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:04 pm

Wheelz wrote:OK, so what's the difference between an Avenue and a Boulavard? both seem like wide streets in towns lined with trees?

Boulevards are usually divided down the middle.

Many cities use "Avenue" and "Street" to distinguish between north/south and east/west roads. For example, around here you can pretty much assume that Maple Avenue runs north/south, and Oak Street runs east/west. Pine Drive is probably diagonal or curvy.

A clarification about "freeways": they are highways that are not toll roads.

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:13 pm

Wheelz wrote:OK, so what's the difference between an Avenue and a Boulavard? both seem like wide streets in towns lined with trees?

Nah, one's a wide street and the other's a wide road.

I took that as boulevards tend to have businesses and are in "downtown". Avenues tend to be residential. At least, they probably started out that way. Most of these have started to blend into each other these days.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:39 pm

And then there's:

Avenue - a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides.
Street - a public road in a city or town, typically with houses and buildings on one or both sides.
Road - a wide way leading from one place to another, esp. one with a specially prepared surface that vehicles can use. The part of such a way intended for vehicles, esp. in contrast to a shoulder or sidewalk.
Lane - a narrow road, esp. in a rural area.
Boulevard - a wide street in a town or city, typically one lined with trees.
Route - a way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination; the line of a road, path, railroad, etc. (not really the DMV use, but I think it works.)

What about "court"?

sunshinen · Post by **sunshinen** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:46 pm

Lostmycage wrote:In Va (and many other if not most states), the legal minimum displacement for highway travel is 150cc. That means I64 and I95 are off limits.

Hmm... do you have a reference for that?

I thought the law in Virginia was that any motorcycle that can safely keep up with traffic can ride on the freeways and interstates.

It is, however, posted that mopeds and bicycles are not allowed. =)

twoscoots · Post by **twoscoots** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:54 pm

I'll do anything up to and including Powhite/195.

I stay the hell off the interstates.

sunshinen · Post by **sunshinen** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:00 pm

"Safely" is a subjective word. =)

And also largely dependent on location and time of day. I-66 at rush hour: 30mph. Mid-day: 95 mph. '-)

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:04 pm

pugbuddy wrote:What about "court"?

Usually a short cul-du-sac (i.e. dead-end), often with the same name as the street it's attached to.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:11 pm

Back to the OP, I tend to use the road's speed limit and the type of traffic most often found on that road as my determining factor of if I belong on the stretch of pavement or not.

I live just off of a state route, the speed limit is 55 and it is super convenient to use (and will be even moreso when they start working on the road construction that is planned to start in 86 days

). My Bud can easily handle the speeds necessary to deal with this road-HOWEVER, I avoid it because the next intersection down, in the most interesting direction, is among the top 5 of the deadliest intersections in the area. Traffic is commonly backed up and the emergency squad in my village is heading to that intersection quite frequently to scoop someone up and cart 'em to the hospital.
I concentrate when I have a cage around me in this area, on my scooter, I am a nervous wreck. I take detours down service roads, residential roads and even through parking lots in an effort to avoid that mess. As far as the whole state route, I do my best to find alternates. There are lots of semi-trucks and even double semis (two trailers) that travel down this route and it is heavily traveled all the time. It is not fun at all.

There are a few other roads that are, strictly speaking, interstates, but the speed limit is low, traffic is light and larger trucks tend to take other routes that are faster and easier. I see no problem taking those stretches of pavement.

Also, I consider the condition of the roadway itself-if I am going to spend more of my concentration trying to figure a line through the potholes than I am on surrounding traffic-avoid it, period.

Lastly, I consider the capability of my engine to haul my ass down the road and maintain a speed that will keep said nether region free from crazed freaks in a panic because they are not going fast enough and being behind me is adding one fifteenth of a second to their commute. I have two choices for my daily commute, one has a gradual grade and some turns that force cars to slow down to handle (meaning I can maintain my speed better than they can maintain theirs). The other choice has one dip in the road but the grade coming out of that dip is steeper, it is also a perfectly straight road. I am at a disadvantage. I take the first route and it is safer, and more fun. The second one, I have been passed going WOT while going DOWN the hill (my speedo read 78) and the cager was totally blind to what might have been coming-he managed to get over before the oncoming traffic got to us, probably would not have been able if I had not braked. Not fun.

-v

olhogrider · Post by **olhogrider** » Sat May 23, 2009 3:46 pm

But why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:01 pm

olhogrider wrote:But why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

'Cause we speak English.

-v

Kurt · Post by **Kurt** » Sat May 23, 2009 9:38 pm

Vic wrote:
olhogrider wrote:But why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
'Cause we speak English.

-v

So if a Vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a Humanitarian eat?

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Sat May 23, 2009 10:14 pm

Kurt wrote:So if a Vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a Humanitarian eat?

Soylent Green.

Jake Muller · Post by **Jake Muller** » Sun May 24, 2009 3:34 am

If an avenue is wide and has tree's on both sides what happened to my road. Mine is 10 feet wide and gravel but it is an avenue

laxer · Post by **laxer** » Sun May 24, 2009 3:37 am

Kurt wrote:
Vic wrote:
olhogrider wrote:But why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?
'Cause we speak English.

-v
So if a Vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a Humanitarian eat?

I would guess that a vegetarian would use corn oil and a humanitarian would use baby oil?

Post by **ericalm** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:45 pm

I have ridden several 55mph highways with Buddy 125s. I'm talking about 2-4 lane roads, usually off the beaten path.

There's a difference between what's legal and what's sensible. While a Buddy 150 is legal on all CA highways, freeways, interstates, etc., there's no way I'd ride one on the freeways here. It's too small and light. The tires are too small to allow safe maneuverability at over 60mph (actual). Traffic here just moves too fast.

MrNatural · Post by **MrNatural** » Sun May 24, 2009 11:06 pm

Intheknow wrote:I do interstates on my 125 here in Chicago. The speed limit is 45 mph in the local lanes so when I'm doing an actual 55 I feel ok. I just stay in the slow lanes and cruise. When I do the BB kit and I'm actually at 161cc does that really make you legal if you get pulled over? I've been wondering about that.May need to get some Buddy 150 stickers for that scoot too.

Buy my very limited experience driving in Chicago is the freeway speed there is usually about 15mph!

In MN there's no displacement requirement. Just the 45mph min speed limit on Interstates.

Modern Buddy

Highway question.

Highway question.

Re: Highway question.

Re: Highway question.