Hi everyone!!!!
So this is my first post...Today I bought a gently used 2007 Buddy 50 with 1200 miles on it. Kind of a newb question but in the manual it says when you turn the key to the "off" symbol, it cuts off power. With the key out I can press on the brakes and the brake lights come on. Same with the horn. I noticed on my sisters Honda Metropolitan scooter this did not happen. Just wondering if this is normal for my new "buddy". Thank you!!!
If the key is in the off position then no, this is not normal. I'd have it checked out as this issue is probably draining your battery. Can you start the scooter with the key out? Does this happen if you place the handlebars in the locked position? how about once you've fliped the kill switch? If not I'd make sure I flipped the kill switch after turning off the scoot until you can get it looked at.
"Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all" Alastair Reid
That's not normal. At least not on the 2009 model, which I have. And it definitely doesn't sound right. Does it do the same thing if you turn the key all the way to the left (into steering lock position, you'll have turn the handlebars to the left for this) before removing it?
Hi guys!
So I tried starting it without the key. Did not work. I then put it into the lock position. That somehow fixed the issue. So no when I turn off my buddy he completely powers down. I will keep a close eye on it and I'll mention the issue when I take it into get serviced. Thank you for the help and the input! You guys are great!!! I'm already liking this forum:)
A word of advice. Always take the key out when you leave the scoot parked. I do this because I never use the kill switch. I always shut the engine by turning the key off. Why? Let me put it this way. I got a call from the guy who bought my motorcycle. He got the bike home and when he tried to start it the next morning it wouldn't run. He'd tried everything, including putting more gas in it. Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery etc. I was about to ride over to his house to help him troubleshoot when he called me back to say he had discovered the kill switch was in the off position. Silly him. Well, not so silly because the same thing has happened to me. Heck, one day I was the grocery store and was cussing out my Blur because it wouldn't start. Then I checked the kill switch. I'd accidentally hit it during my dismount. Silly me.
But if you did use the kill switch regularly, it'd be one of the first things you'd check, and you wouldn't have this problem.
Of course the advice to take the key out is good advice, but that's because leaving the key in would make the scooter so much easier to steal and to fence.
Also in case someone who is not familiar with scoots tries anything funny they will be perplexed and not able to start it. And yes, I've left my keys in the ignition all day at work a few times.
TVB wrote:But if you did use the kill switch regularly, it'd be one of the first things you'd check, and you wouldn't have this problem.
Scoot shop put it to me this way: you're on a runaway scoot and muscle memory kicks in, do you want to be reaching down and fumbling with the key, or hitting the kill switch?
Ditto, in fact I'm a little bad, in that I sometimes kill the engine when I am still coasting to a stop. But I wanted to second the idea that when you always use the kill switch, you also always remember to turn on the engine, and it may not stop someone from driving off on your scoot, but it will slow them down (just one more thing to check).
bluebuddygirl wrote:Ditto, in fact I'm a little bad, in that I sometimes kill the engine when I am still coasting to a stop.
That's part of my standard operating procedure when I get home. I keep my scooter on the porch, so I have to stop the engine and walk it up the walkway, which is too twisty a path to do safely under power. When I reach my driveway from the street I slow down to a couple mph to turn, then hit the killswitch at the same time I hit the driveway, and hop off and push it the rest of the way before it comes to a complete stop. There's no chance to reach down and turn the key during that maneuver, so the killswitch is perfect for it.
Just make sure you order another kill switch assembly now if you intend to keep your scooter for ten years. After working on old motorcycles I can tell you using the kill switch will leave you stranded at some point when it goes bad and unless you want to be down for a few months trying to find one on eBay, have one handy. I respect your opinions, but in my opinion there is no good reason to use the kill switch.
