Buddy questions

[birdmove]

My wife is close to deciding to get herself a new Buddy. I have a couple of questions that may help us:
1.What is a reliable cruising speed an owner could exspect a Buddy to cruise at reliably?
2.Is basic maintenance easy or difficult to do? As in oil changes, spark plug changes, cleaning or replacing air cleaners etc?
3.How many are using their Buddys for taking overnight trips on backroads? I assume that in most states a Buddy might not be legal to take on freeways?
4.Does the Buddy have a reserve in the fuel tank like a motorcycle, or does it rely on a fuel gauge? How far can one go between fillups?

thanks, Jon

[brat]

I think most people have found it is pretty comfortable and many different speeds. I am not in that great of shape to cruising at 60 mph for a long time would tire my out. But I could do 40-45 mph for a long time, no worries.

Basic maintenance is quiet simple. You need to let your shop do the first tune up. After that the bike seems to be pretty simple to work on.

Lots of folks on this list have done some VERY long rides and trips on the Buddy. I am pretty sure on all the west coast states a bike needs to be 150cc or higher to get on the highways legally. So it is not legal at 125cc.

There is no reserve tank. It depends on a gauge. I can do right 100 miles or so before I need to fill up. 100MPG!!

Susan

[codemonkey]

My buddy really likes cruising at 45-50 mph

[lobsterman]

1.What is a reliable cruising speed an owner could exspect a Buddy to cruise at reliably?
2.Is basic maintenance easy or difficult to do? As in oil changes, spark plug changes, cleaning or replacing air cleaners etc?
3.How many are using their Buddys for taking overnight trips on backroads? I assume that in most states a Buddy might not be legal to take on freeways?
4.Does the Buddy have a reserve in the fuel tank like a motorcycle, or does it rely on a fuel gauge? How far can one go between fillups?

1. Cruising speed is up to you, unless what you mean is reliable max cruising speed. The Buddy 125 has proven itself capable of WOT cruising for hours... think in the 50 - 60 mph range for practical purposes. Some are more comfortable cruising at max speed than others. Max speed is somewhere in the 65 mph range with lots of contributing variables. I personally wouldn't be comfortable at that speed for hours unless I was alone on the road but I do it for 1.5 miles twice a day on a multi-lane road during rush hour.

2. I haven't needed to maintain it at all yet, but I hear it's easy to do.

3. I haven't done any over night trips, but the Buddy is legally a motorcycle everywhere so far as I am aware and so is covered by whatever the motorcycle restrictions are in your state. I have been unable to find any written restrictions for Ohio freeways based on engine size. I understand in California it would need to be 150cc or more for freeways. I wouldn't ride on the Interstates around here in Cincinnati because they are too fast and too crowded, but I think it would be legal. Smart is another matter entirely.

4. There is no reserve on the Buddy, just the one tank. I generally go about 100 miles between fill ups, but I don't run it down to nothing. As they say, Your Mileage May Vary. Depends on how big you are, how fast you ride, what kind of terrain, altitude, etc. It's not a big fuel tank, but really the Buddy is designed to be mostly an around town kind of bike rather than a long distance cruiser. We do have some around here at MB who regularly ride for hours, but I mostly use it for commuting and the odd destinationless ramble around Cincinnati. I don't ride for max fuel economy and I weigh almost 200 pounds... I usually can't recall the exact day of my last fill up since my commute is only 8 miles one way.

[KidDynomite]

I'm only concerned with your overnight travel portion.

I certainly wouldn't want my wife travelling--alone--overnight on a Buddy (or any two wheel vehicle) but you weren't asking my opinion on that.

Buddy is certainly capable of any trip @ around 55-60 mph (faster down hills and on flat ground).

Now, if you simply mean she gets off work late and her commute home will be after dark, I'd say you're fine.

[Keys]

I've done overnight camping trips on mine. It's the most fun you can have with your pants on! You take the secondary and back roads and can actually see the countryside. With the rack and a few bungee cords, you can easily do a weekender. I usually cruise between 55 and 60 unless the road warrants a slower pace.

And sorry, no reserve...just keep an eye on your guage. I can do between 90 and 100 miles without worries. I HAVE done further, but the worry outweighed the convenience.

--Keys

[bwilms]

Buddy is certainly capable of any trip @ around 55-60 mph (faster down hills and on flat ground).

There are some hills by me that I can only get Buddy Lightning up to an indicated 45 MPH. But most hills I can maintain an indicated 55-60 MPH.