hi, new owner of a stripped down Buddy 125 (updated pics)

[lefthandedrighty]

hello everyone

new member here, new to this board, but i frequent other boards regularly, and have already been lurking and searching

quite a lot of info on here, having a blast already looking around

32 year old dude from the chicago area, pretty handy, own a bobber that i basically did myself, so im no stranger to getting the hands dirty

its a 1980 XS1100, here it is:



so, onto the scooter im picking up tomorrow

i believe its a 2009 buddy 125

im getting it from my girlfriends co-worker, it was stolen, stripped, and found

it runs, and drives fine, but is missing A LOT of parts

luckily, ive 'got a guy' at a genuine dealership so that should help a bit

i got a good deal on it and dont want to see it get junked or wasted

im sure it has low miles, and id like to bring it back from the dead so to speak

it needs a ton of work, and seems like a daunting task, but im gonna go for it

here she is, ive only seen pics, im gonna ride it and see it tomorrow

[jonlink]

Seems like a fun project! Be careful though, that front tire seems a little too shiny.

[lefthandedrighty]

that would be alarming for sure

but when the current owner, soon to be previous owner, sent me that pic, it had been rained on

which im not really happy about because i think they have a garage

[pdxrita]

I'd say that's stripped, indeed. Missing every last bit of plastic. I don't know if I'm imagining it, but it looks like the frame is bent to me. Then again, I can't say I've ever had a really good look at a completely naked Buddy like that before. So I guess I don't know exactly what it's supposed to look like.

[lefthandedrighty]

the frame being bent would really stink

ill be looking at it closely for any signs of that tomorrow, wrinkling paint, chips, scrapes, etc....

the owner said it runs and rides perfectly fine

the cops actually pulled and arrested the guy over who was busted riding it

i dont think it was dropped or crashed or anything

but ill look for the signs of a crash or drop when im in person with it

the grips seem like they are ok, not chewed up or anything

also, the exhaust and heat shield look alright too, so i dont think it went down on the right side

heres a couple more pics

[michelle_7728]

Poor baby! It needs TLC in the worst way!

Well, it sounds like you are the right person to do it. It is going to a good home.

Keep us up to date with your progress, complete with pictures!

[BuddyRaton]

If it was the right price I would have snagged it!

Welcome to MB!

It's hard to tell from the photo if there is a frame problem. Also I'm used to seeing it with the panels on. If it's bent it should be pretty obvious.

The panels are actually pretty cheap. I think a full set new is under $400. You can look for someone parting out a wrecked one in the MB classifieds and grab available panels. If they don't match...paint!

It LOOKS like a ton of work but I don't think it is going to be too bad. If you built a Bobber (sweet bike by the way) you can handle this. For me the worst part would be figuring out the headset electrics.

The service manual is available in the tech section.

Keep us updated!

[agrogod]

I believe pdxrita is referring to this general area. Its probably just the camera angle and lack of panels that give the impression of a bent frame.

[jonlink]

that would be alarming for sure

but when the current owner, soon to be previous owner, sent me that pic, it had been rained on

which im not really happy about because i think they have a garage

That's a relief. When I saw that tire I instantly remembered someone on this board talking about eating it with their new scoot after not noticing the previous owner had used Armor All on the tires

You could just get the plastic body parts, but you could also try doing something more interesting. You've got a (nearly) blank canvas here. What were you thinking of doing with it?

[still shifting]

This is a project I will follw with great interest! Good Luck and please keep us posted. R

[pdxrita]

I believe pdxrita is referring to this general area. Its probably just the camera angle and lack of panels that give the impression of a bent frame.

Yup, that's what I was looking at. It looks better in the subsequent photo. It's probably not bent, but that's definitely something to look as closely.

[PeteH]

Stolen and stripped is one thing - this looks like someone tried to Ruckus-ize it and gave up. Even the battery & box are gone.

[skully93]

that was my thought! "where's the battery?!"

I guess you don't have to have one if the kickstart works. hopefully your friend can help you out with that, doesn't seem like the wiring is that hard.

once it's rebuilt you could call it the 'unknown Buddy'!

Enjoy the forum.

[lefthandedrighty]

Thanks for all the advice and kind words everyone

I am looking forward to getting started, looking more forward to being finished

One of the things I'm most nervous about is the fact that I have none of the fasteners or screws

Not sure if one can buy a complete screw kit, but I'm gonna look into that.

Things I notice gone right away in the pictures is the left hand controls and switches, just about all the electronics and horn up front, obviously the battery and all the lights.

I'll probably be making a new thread with my progress or maybe I'll just update the name in this one, if I can

For a name for her, 'Skelly' came to mind, short for skeleton

My plan was to bring it back to as close to stock looking as possible

I was gonna see if 'psycho' plastics were available, but it seems those are a bit rare

Thanks again everybody!

[RoaringTodd]

Anyone notice that there are two bolt holes up front? Could we use those bolt holes for a makeshift foot pegs or highway pegs? I'm thinking of a length of pipe, powercoated and with some plastic covers with two holes drilled to line up with those bolt holes...

RT

[agrogod]

Oh heck just go old school and do a custom wood panel.

[jonlink]

Things I notice gone right away in the pictures is the left hand controls and switches, just about all the electronics and horn up front, obviously the battery and all the lights.

Oh yeah, turn signal/headlight switches are definitely missing.

You're also missing the tailight, headlight, turn signals (front and back), and deadlights. Not to mention the speedo & etc.

I can't believe someone was riding that around thinking they wouldn't get caught

Still, if you get it for a good price it will be a fun project!

[PeteH]

I can't quite tell - is the back brake still connected? I think the cable is there, but the lever's off. And what's with the grocery-bag looking wrap around the ignition wiring?

[lefthandedrighty]

Ok, picked it up today, I'll post some more pics when I get home tomorrow from work

There actually is a battery, it's under the seat, and the little storage area under the seat is cracked, add that to the list

The rear brake and cable are there, but the lever is cracked off

The left side control is also completely missing

The handlebars have been swapped out for some unknown reason

That might be why the frame looks bent, because I checked the frame and all the welds up front and everything seems to be in good shape

I'm really hoping that changing the bars back to factory will make it look and ride a little more normal

The ignition is gone, but the PO showed me how to Hotwire it, so I did get to drive it around the block (I had to at least do that), the engine starts right up, pulls strong and sounds good

He said he thought he had around 2900 miles on it, and it is a 2009, not bad

From what I can tell, all the harnesses are intact, put it the thief wrapped the wire in like packing tape for some reason, I'll dive into the wiring tomorrow

[lefthandedrighty]

here are some more pics:

looks like the part we might have thought was bent is alright, welds look good



so it turns out, there IS a battery in it after all, but i dont think it belongs here



it seems to be sitting too upright, or do the sidestands on these scoots just not really work right?




this is straight on from the front, with the wheel straight, it looks like these front tabs are bent big time



is this harness for the tail light and turn signals or for the fuel gauge? should there be more back here?



cracked storage area, and the other bent 'tab' i found



and these are not the correct bars are they?

[/img]

[TVB]

so it turns out, there IS a battery in it after all, but i dont think it belongs here

It's normally mounted to the underside of the floor that doesn't exist on your scoot.

it seems to be sitting too upright, or do the sidestands on these scoots just not really work right?

The sidestands are not very stable. My biggest "wreck" came when I parked it on the sidestand, and it tipped over.

I've never seen my handlebars naked, so I can't be sure, but those could be original stock. The parts diagrams should help you figure what's what and what's ... not.

[mhardgrove]

Could be wrong, but it looks like you're missing part of the wire harness up front for lights/signals unless it's bundled in that craptastic tape wrap along the side.

[lefthandedrighty]

Went through that craptastic wiring a bit today

Took off all the tape and removed the battery from the storage and also removed the broken under seat storage

Gonna need one of those too now

There were a couple harnesses under the tape, but also some random cut wires, so I'm sure a couple harnesses are missing

these pictures wont show much, but i just want you to all be a part of my headache and aggravation





i found a wiring diagram on here, and im gonna start filtering through wires i have, and electrical components im missing and need

Wiring is my least favorite part so I'm hoping to get this done quickly, which is not likely

[agrogod]

Seeing that you live in Chicago this could turn out to be a nice winter project.

[lefthandedrighty]

yea, i was hoping to be riding by the fall, which is possible

but worst case i could take my time and rebuild through the winter

im gonna see how it goes, luckily, i have a working bike to fill my need for 2 wheels

[Tocsik]

Seeing that you live in Chicago this could turn out to be a nice winter project.

Plus, Scooterworks is in Chi-town so you won't have to wait long for parts.

But, Jeez! That wiring! I enjoy tinkering with my scooter but that looks like the rainbow spaghetti factory blew up!

[lefthandedrighty]

ha ha ha!

yea, it looks terrible

i took those pics after i was pulling things apart a bit to see exactly what went where, and what wires were cut to hot wire it

honestly, it seems like the thief just cut random wires trying to make it run

some things that seem to have nothing to do with the actual running of the scooter were messed with

i think ill be able to clean it all up, just gotta go one harness at a time

and yes, it is convenient that scooterworks is in my city, that will help!

[michelle_7728]

I wonder how much a new wiring harness would cost? Maybe it's worth it to start with new stuff, as so much old stuff has been vandalized....?

Kudos for you in taking this on...and thanks for sharing the pictures and process--it's very interesting.

[lefthandedrighty]

hmmmm, good point

i actually havent thought of that yet

let me check and see if thats something that can even be purchased

thanks for the idea!

[Howardr]

My thought is: Why bother making it look like a Buddy again? You've got the beginning of a great "rat" bike there. Kind of Buddy meets Ruckus. A Buckus, if you will.

Go see what some of your local Ruckus guys have done with their bikes. You could have a great opportunity here.

My $.02

Howard

[lefthandedrighty]

im not against that idea, but i just wouldnt even know where to start

like hiding all the electronics up front and what not, but still have a working headlight and signals and what not

i already have a rat bike, id like this one to be more functional and have options, like turn signals

plus, i think that the buddy looks nice with all the plastics and stuff on it

im gonna try and bring it back stock, but if that becomes a pain, ill 'ruck' it up

but, i did find a wiring harness, looks like its about 60 bucks

might just buy that and go from there

[michelle_7728]

Bummer it keeps nickeling and diming you, but my guess is that starting with a new wiring harness will be a lot less time consuming than trying to figure out what's missing, what has been vandalized, and what might be fried or rusted.

[Tocsik]

Hey, here's some parts for sale, including the speedo:

topic22854.html

"150 cc exhaust pipe assy. Like new
Speedometer
Other steering head misc. pieces
Some body panels for St. Tropez. "

[agrogod]

As a side thought. The battery under the seat is kind of a neat idea, have you considered moving it their as the project progresses? The recent threads of battery thefts got me thinking along this line. The customization possibility's are many at this stage of the game.

[mhardgrove]

I bet if you call your local dealer and see if they have a crashed buddy you can snag a wire harness off one. Much easier having a complete harness than one that you have no clue about.

[avonpirate]

I'm liking this thread and am impressed with the zest, and appreciate the images. Of course you know lots of parts on Ebay.

[phatch]

My thought is: Why bother making it look like a Buddy again? You've got the beginning of a great "rat" bike there. Kind of Buddy meets Ruckus. A Buckus, if you will.

Go see what some of your local Ruckus guys have done with their bikes. You could have a great opportunity here.

My $.02

Howard

YES. I envision a streetfighter buddy... a bobber buddy...

What a great thread. Keep up the pics and updates.

[VinylDoctor]

dont put the body back on.
tell people it's your little naked buddy.

[Wheelz]

dont put the body back on.
tell people it's your little naked buddy.

That might get him locked up
I too am enjoying this thread.
Lefthandrighty what part of the Chi are you in?
I'm moving back to the city in two weeks.
When you get it back together we'll ride...

[lefthandedrighty]

im just west of the city, in the beautiful village of River Grove

home of Gene and Judes, the best hot dogs on earth in my opinion

so, im making a list of things i need, and the list just seems to keep growing

which i expected, but for the plastics, do they have to be bought individually?

has anyone bought like a 'plastics set' so i can just have it be one quick order?

probably not, but i figured id ask

the first thing im ordering and taking care of is a new harness, and all the little bits of electronics im missing up front

it seems like i have a couple, but need a resistor, flasher relay, and a horn

i have the CDI and the voltage regulator, finally, a part i actually have

also gonna get new bars, an ignition switch, and the left hand controls so i can at least get it running with a key and both brakes

[jonlink]

Good luck! I think that a new wiring harness is the way to go, too. Electrical problems are the most annoying to deal with (in my opinion), so using a new harness means you can probably safely skirt that issue.

I was recently looking at a ruckus. It looks nice. You should do whatever you want, but it might also be a way to save some cash. Not sure about the work involved, but it seems like it wouldn't be terribly hard to change your mind and put the plastic on after trying it out.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to updates

[lefthandedrighty]

i actually was just looking in that thread, and thought how sweet those rucks looked

i suppose i could start with the front 'windshield' so i could hide all the main stuff in there, still have a speedo and signals, but maybe do without the side panels

also, could mount and hide the battery under the seat

ive got some serious thinking to do on this thing

step one, get it running with a good set of clean wires

[michelle_7728]

Found it! I was just thinking that if you put the battery under the seat, you have the option of doing something cool with the battery compartment. You could either leave it empty, plug all holes in it and store tools in there, or even create something like the picture below but in a smaller scale and turned sideways.

Nice to have options!

[VinylDoctor]

Found it! I was just thinking that if you put the battery under the seat, you have the option of doing something cool with the battery compartment. You could either leave it empty, plug all holes in it and store tools in there, or even create something like the picture below but in a smaller scale and turned sideways.

Nice to have options!

yeah but your scooter is all ready really rucked up now.

[illnoise]

Scooterworks is in Chi-town so you won't have to wait long for parts.

If only that was true. Scooterworks CHICAGO is our dealer, but Scooterworks USA, the mail-order warehouse, where all the parts are, is across town and isn't open to the public, so we have to mail-order stuff like everyone else, or order it from Scooterworks Chicago and go pick it up there a day or two later.

I guess technically we get it faster just because we're closer and it takes less time for UPS to deliver it, but the wonderful old days of instant gratification are gone. I work a few blocks from the warehouse and I shake my fist at it every day as I pass. : )

B.

[illnoise]

LHR, I live in Galewood, just north of Oak Park, not far at all from Gene and Judes and Hala Kahiki.

I don't suppose you'll have that thing running in two weeks, but you might want to check out the Slaughterhouse Rally, it's our 18th year!

slaughterhousechicago.com

We have an unofficial wrap-up at Hala Kahiki every year on Sunday evening, ha.

Bryan

[Wheelz]

Damn I'll be on my way back to Chicago for this years rally Illnoise, but next year look out!

[lefthandedrighty]

nice bump guy

hard to believe its been about 3 years

but the scooter is 'done'

have all parts, its completely operational, and everything works like a charm

it was a lot of work

had to replace all plastics, new harness, all signals and lights

not to mention all the things i did that im totally forgetting now

scoured the web and all my available resources to get parts, which is why the plastics are mis-matched

eventually, ill be painting it, but i dont care enough right now

added Dr Pulley Sliders and an NCY pipe and thats it for the performance mods

now, just riding and enjoying it

the pic ive attached is old, ill attach another witht he scoot and my bobber in it too

[Syd]

Nice job, left handed, it looks good. All it needs now is a custom paint job!

[MYSCTR]

I can almost hear Johnny Cash - One Piece At A Time