Going from a Buddy to a 4t Stella

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Francois Donadet
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Going from a Buddy to a 4t Stella

Post by Francois Donadet »

It may not have happened yet but when someone trades in their Buddy on the new Stella I would love to here their impressions on the differences/similaities.

On a side note can anyone tell me why t apparently stands for stroke or cycle ie. 4t or 2t?
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Post by irishtim »

Francois Donadet wrote:On a side note can anyone tell me why t apparently stands for stroke or cycle ie. 4t or 2t?

tempo/tiempo perhaps
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solarpos
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Post by solarpos »

English=Stroke
French=Temp
Spanish=Tiempo
German=Takt

And from elsewhere:
"In physics, T is the symbol used for period, which is the duration of one cycle of an object (measured in seconds), whether it's an engine, pendulum, sine wave, AC electricity or anything else."
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Lostmycage
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Post by Lostmycage »

solarpos wrote:English=Stroke
French=Temp
Spanish=Tiempo
German=Takt

And from elsewhere:
"In physics, T is the symbol used for period, which is the duration of one cycle of an object (measured in seconds), whether it's an engine, pendulum, sine wave, AC electricity or anything else."
That makes complete sense to me. Thanks!
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Kaos
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Post by Kaos »

Lostmycage wrote:
solarpos wrote:English=Stroke
French=Temp
Spanish=Tiempo
German=Takt

And from elsewhere:
"In physics, T is the symbol used for period, which is the duration of one cycle of an object (measured in seconds), whether it's an engine, pendulum, sine wave, AC electricity or anything else."
That makes complete sense to me. Thanks!
While all are true, its the German taktzeit(clock cycle) that 2T/4T takes its name from. Checkout http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takt_time
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Re: Going from a Buddy to a 4t Stella

Post by Anachronism »

Francois Donadet wrote:It may not have happened yet but when someone trades in their Buddy on the new Stella I would love to here their impressions on the differences/similaities.

On a side note can anyone tell me why t apparently stands for stroke or cycle ie. 4t or 2t?
Differences- pretty much everything

Similarities- two wheels.

My experience is going from a buddy to a 2t, but it should be pretty comparable.

Stella is worlds less refined. The best metaphor: Imagine buying and driving a brand new 1977 "Bandit" Trans Am today, and comparing it to 2010 cars. It is new, fresh, and undeniably cool, but quality is just not up to modern levels, and it will require more maintenance and adjustment than a modern car.

The build quality on Stella is not as good, and you can expect gaps where the cowls meet the frame in spots, screws and bolts that rust quickly, rubber that ages VERY quickly, and other quirks.

The 2t Stellas are notorious for the gas gauge going out (mine has in 6 months of ownership) and the kill switch shorting and making the bike refuse to start (again, happened to me). I also had the battery strap break.

In day to day riding, there is nothing that makes me fear for getting the bike home, and the drivetrain seems solid enough. But, the fit and finish is much closer to a classic Vespa than a modern twist and go.

Viscerally, its a different bike. It has a rougher edge- you feel more vibration, the RPMS actually change while riding, you clunk in and out of gear, all in all its a very different experience.

The buddy is definitely more flickable, and most would think it handles better. That said, while the Stella doesn't feel as responsive, it does feel more surefooted and consistent, probably due to the additional weight. Stella is still a lot of fun to turn on the mountain roads. Suspension on the Stella is pretty good- a little rougher than Buddy, but not terribly so, and it absorbs large hits VERY well, maybe even better than Buddy does.

The buddy has a better brake feel, but the Stellas brakes are decent enough, especially compared to non-disc classics. I like the rear brake on the floor a lot.

You give up a lot of storage space on the Stella, with no underseat storage. Still, the glovebox holds a lot, holds a lot out of the weather (to a certain extent- the door is not waterproof) and holds it in places you can access while on the bike. That's a big plus.

Stella is a LOT bigger in terms of width, and is much better equipped to riding 2 up than a Buddy.


Basically, in just about every category, the Buddy is superior. The only clear advantage Stella has is milage and size/seating area.

People aren't interested in buying a Stella because it is a better bike than the Buddy, they are buying it because it is like nothing else, just like the guy down the street that may still have a 1977 Bandit tucked away in his garage. :)
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Post by ericalm »

The two scooters are pretty much day and night in terms of riding experience. The 4T engine is actually quite quiet and smooth—maybe even a little more so than the Buddy.

Time will tell how the Stella 4T holds up in terms of reliability. Much of it is the same as the 2T but a lot of it isn't. There are some differences in the body and frame, but the electrical and transmission and just about everything except the engine are pretty much the same. The transmission is largely the same as the 2T (and Vespa P-series).

Some people have said that the fit & finish is better on the 4T. I agree with that as far as the Stellas I've seen, but I haven't seen any of the Stellas from the past 2 years.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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Post by maribell »

You have one on order?! Can't wait to get a first impression. Since I am still caught in the middle of a disparaging situation with my Vespa, I am thinking about trading in to go back to Genuine's awesome warranty.
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Francois Donadet
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Post by Francois Donadet »

I knew I would get good feedback here. I love my Buddy and use it for daily transport. Put about 8,000 on it in a year with no problems. I like the Stella for the classic look, metal body, and that 140mpg. My concerns would be reliability, shifting, and storage. I'm not going to make any decisions until this rumored 270 cruiser comes out I think it'll be more what I'm looking and if not it'll take me at least that long to squirrel away the cash.
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Post by jasondavis48108 »

Francois Donadet wrote:I knew I would get good feedback here. I love my Buddy and use it for daily transport. Put about 8,000 on it in a year with no problems. I like the Stella for the classic look, metal body, and that 140mpg. My concerns would be reliability, shifting, and storage. I'm not going to make any decisions until this rumored 270 cruiser comes out I think it'll be more what I'm looking and if not it'll take me at least that long to squirrel away the cash.
I hear you on the 270! Have you considered the new Blur220? I'm really thinking about going with the blur 220 if the 270 doesn't come out soon.
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Post by Syd »

Francois Donadet wrote:...and that 140mpg...
140mpg if you only ride on dead straight, dead flat roads at 25mph with a 25mph tailwind, canceling out the effect of your speed, in 4th gear.

(For example, my HD200 is rated at 90+mpg. The only time I've seen above 70 is when I didn't fill it completely!)
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Francois Donadet
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Post by Francois Donadet »

The new Blur does look awesome. I would just prefer something with more vintage styling with out the price tag of a Vespa GTS.

I think the milage estimate on the new Stella is more accurate than claims on twist and go scoots. When you see an estimate on a scoot with a cvt it is what you would get if you don't go over 30 because of the way the transmission works. I think because the Stella has four actual gears this number is more accurate. I know how I ride and I wouldn't expect the 140 but I think I would still be in the triple digits.
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Post by ericalm »

Francois Donadet wrote:The new Blur does look awesome. I would just prefer something with more vintage styling with out the price tag of a Vespa GTS.

I think the milage estimate on the new Stella is more accurate than claims on twist and go scoots. When you see an estimate on a scoot with a cvt it is what you would get if you don't go over 30 because of the way the transmission works. I think because the Stella has four actual gears this number is more accurate. I know how I ride and I wouldn't expect the 140 but I think I would still be in the triple digits.
It's not uncommon at all for Buddy riders to average in the high 80s-high 90s for their MPGs. Based solely on that, I'd think 100MPG for the Stella 4T shouldn't be unreasonable.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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Post by beeporama »

Francois Donadet wrote:The new Blur does look awesome. I would just prefer something with more vintage styling with out the price tag of a Vespa GTS.
I'm with you there. The specs on the new Blur are perfect for my desired usage; mostly stop-and-go commuting, but I'd like to do short stretches of high-traffic 65mph highway I don't feel comfortable tackling on a 150cc. I showed it to my wife though and she was like UUUUGLY.

Which doesn't stop me from getting one anyway, I guess... obviously I'm willing to go with a sportier look than her since I found Honda's sh150i and DN-01 tolerable-looking. Still, I look at something like the Stella and my heart melts!
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Post by bluezurich »

Furthermore, all reports from folks whom have had real time, not just a quickie with the new Stella find the fit and finish remarkably nicer than it's 2T version. Plus doing wheelies and hitting 60 prior to run in? Amazing. All that and Earth friendly. Well except for the hydrocarbons belched from the container ship which transports them from Mumbai India.
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Post by KCScooterDude »

beeporama wrote:
Francois Donadet wrote:The new Blur does look awesome. I would just prefer something with more vintage styling with out the price tag of a Vespa GTS.
I'm with you there. The specs on the new Blur are perfect for my desired usage; mostly stop-and-go commuting, but I'd like to do short stretches of high-traffic 65mph highway I don't feel comfortable tackling on a 150cc. I showed it to my wife though and she was like UUUUGLY.

Which doesn't stop me from getting one anyway, I guess... obviously I'm willing to go with a sportier look than her since I found Honda's sh150i and DN-01 tolerable-looking. Still, I look at something like the Stella and my heart melts!
I have a Blur 150 and it is one heck of a bike. I can only imagine that the 220, fuel injected, would be fantastic. I have had my 150 up to 65 on the gps. As for looks, it grows on you. Mine is very close to the gunmetal version of the 220. Corners like nothing else, too. I say go for it. You will want a windscreen, though. I keep my windscreen at the lowest position and it improves mileage and stability at highway speeds.
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