BuddyRaton wrote:Just remember that the Stella is going to be a completley different scooter than a Buddy. Different handling, suspension, braking, power and with a lot less storage.
I must admit that I am still a bit conflicted about a 4T "classic" scooter being the 2T kinda guy I am! If you want one...great!...just be aware of what you are getting into!
In my opinion as a daily all around scooter the Buddy is still the best bang for the buck!
Yes to all the above. Having owned both, I can say this.
1. The buddy starts easier. On the buddy I can crank and pretty much go, and the Stella I have to spend about a minute getting it warmed, and then really ease the clutch out gently to get it rolling without stalling. Most of this is the difference between the manual and automatic chokes.
2. The buddy is more reliable. In 1100 miles on the Buddy, the only warranty work I needed was to tighten a line on the oil pump to fix a minor leak that was spotting my driveway.
In 500 miles on the Stella, I have had a front brake problem with nasty vibration when stopping, a snapped battery tiedown, and I had to cut the wires on my kill button so the scooter would start on a wet day. In addition to this, a lot of the rubber parts on the scooter are cracking and rotting within 6 months of purchase.
3. The buddy has a smoother ride. When I first picked up Stella, I was amazed at the difference in vibration and that there were some (slight) rattles.
4. The buddy has a gentler suspension and a more comfortable seat. Stella seat takes a little getting used to, and the suspension will have you feeling more of the road.
5. The buddy has a TON more storage. You really need a rack on Stella, because you have no underseat storage- that is where the gas tank is. You do have a pretty nice (and larger than it looks) glove compartment, but if it doesn't fit there, then your only choice is hanging it off the grocery hook. Further complicating things is that you cannot just store things on the floor and hold them with your legs, as you have your rear brake on the floor, and you really don't want packages getting in the way of you being able to stop.
6. The buddy is faster stock vs. stock. On 2 stroke models, the catalytic converter does a lot to strangle power on Stella, and the weight of a metal body also hurts. As somebody mentioned, top speed on a stock Stella is around 55-60mph, and this is not expected to change with the 4 stroke. I understand that 125 Buddies exceed this pretty easily. On the 2 strokes, a pipe does a LOT to change this (my Sito Stella now flirts with 70 mph!) But stock you are not getting a faster bike.
7. Handling wise, it seems to be a wash, but with both of them handling VERY different. The buddy is very, very flickable, but Stella just feels very surefooted in corners, allowing me to let it navigate them at faster speeds.
Essentially, riding a Stella vs. a modern twist and go is kind of like riding a Harley instead of a BMW Tourer. The BMW is cheaper, more reliable, more refined, etc. People buying the Harleys aren't necessarily looking for that, they are looking for aesthetics and the general feel of a Harley. I think the same (to a certain extent) is true for Stella riders. I bought mine because I wanted a shifter, I wanted a bigger bike, and I wanted a 2 stroke, and LOVING the look of a classic scooter just sealed the deal.
Valves are for wussies.
Heard a dealer recently make a remark about possible high gas prices later this year leading to more scooter sales. Maybe in 2008, but not in 2010—not like 2 years ago at least.
