I've been reading the forum every day trying to catch up on a lot of information I was lacking about scooters. My wife just purchased a Buddy50 and we have both had much fun riding it around the neighborhood to break it in and get acquainted. We will both be taking the MSF course this fall when the weather cools down. We are taking the course to get a solid foundation of fundamentals and also to be ready in case we decide to upgrade to a more powerful scooter in the next year or two.
I was considering purchasing another 50cc Buddy at the end of August to take advantage of the extended warranty. However, the Stella is also calling my name. I like the idea of a manual shift scooter, and I don't mind the idea of learning to wrench my own scooters, but there are a couple of things about the Stella that concern me. I was hoping to get a definitive idea of what I should purchase come Sept. 1st by asking you all a few questions.
There seems to be a lot of negativity towards the 4 stroke scooter engines, with some calling them slow off the line, sluggish, etc. Am I really going to have an issue with drivers getting frustrated at my inability to get off the line fast enough to avoid road rage from said cagers?
Should I wait until next Spring to buy a Stella? The rumored auto Stella is intriguing, but not enough to make me wait unless there are some other differences I don't know about besides the auto shifting capability. Though it might be nice to try and get a deal on a closeout shifty when the time comes.
And finally, if I decide to make the leap, how can I pick a color? I can't decide between slate blue, avocado green or black. Red, white and the two tone models don't appeal to me. Yellow is still an option but is fourth on my list. Should I just pick a color out of a hat and be done with it?
Maybe I should just get another Buddy50 and wait until winter of 2014 to buy a Stella, once the new models may have come out and any bugs get worked out. I don't know. I am so back and forth at this point it's pathetic. Some strong opinions from some of you will probably help me lock down a choice.
Just another newbie Stella thread.
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Scooter49
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Robbie
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Fair enouph series of questions.....
The four stroke Stella and the two stroke versions, comparing stock to stock, feel about the same (to me) from an acceleration standpoint.
Because of the design of the gearbox in conjunction with the long shift cables required, acceleration is slower compared to a twist and go of similar weight and displacement.....you just really can't make fast shifts.
That being said, the acceleration is on par with surrounding traffic...maybe a bit quicker.
So, IMO, unless you are sharing the road with nothing but street racers you likely will find the acceleration acceptable to more than acceptable.
I am rather fond of the shifty.....it rewards good shift timing and speed matching with a rather decent quality shift and I enjoy being a part of the operating experience.....a twist and go cannot give you that.
As far as wrenching.....so far the four stroke is looking like a rather sturdy design.....there have a few ancillary failures such as fuel system venting and fuel supply problems.
There are electrical gremlins that pop up....for those of us alive when Eisenhower (SP) was President, those problems are part of the motorcycling/scootering experience.....not to be looked at kindly, just to get resolved and keep riding.
My Stella (stock), now approaching 7k miles has experienced a failed main fuse at about 1k miles for no apparent reason, and the wiring connections at the dimmer/horn switch coming apart last week.
That is a failure due to design...the switch obviously moves with each upshift/downshift and the wiring follows the switch.....wires work harden and begin to snap.
As I write this I have a new switch/harness alongside of me.....this will be a 'I'll do it sometime this weekend' part exchange and maybe I can come up with a less brutal way to run the harness.
Pricing.....if price is the primary criteria you will have limited success wheeling and dealing during the riding season.....but, have faith....most dealers consider the riding season is essentially ending after Labor Day....that's just the way its always been in the bike/boat biz.
So, you may start seeing some deep discounting over the next 6 to 8 weeks from this date.
Color.....uh...thats your baby my friend.....you've already cut some colors out of the running.....those last four will require soul searching......what do you want to see when you raise the garage door?
As a teen, I wanted a Vespa....or Lambretta, or Allstate......all shifty scooters.
Life got in the way...marrage, kids, houses, jobs, yada yada.
The Stella allowed me to purchass a bit of my youth back....and even though I have 5 motorcycles and two other scooters, this blooming, pain in ass throwback sheet metal scoot has provided me more entertainment than my current fleet and the bikes that preceeded it.
So naturally, I recommend the shifty Stella......color of your choice.....you'll forget what you paid in the first ten miles.
Good luck!
Rob
The four stroke Stella and the two stroke versions, comparing stock to stock, feel about the same (to me) from an acceleration standpoint.
Because of the design of the gearbox in conjunction with the long shift cables required, acceleration is slower compared to a twist and go of similar weight and displacement.....you just really can't make fast shifts.
That being said, the acceleration is on par with surrounding traffic...maybe a bit quicker.
So, IMO, unless you are sharing the road with nothing but street racers you likely will find the acceleration acceptable to more than acceptable.
I am rather fond of the shifty.....it rewards good shift timing and speed matching with a rather decent quality shift and I enjoy being a part of the operating experience.....a twist and go cannot give you that.
As far as wrenching.....so far the four stroke is looking like a rather sturdy design.....there have a few ancillary failures such as fuel system venting and fuel supply problems.
There are electrical gremlins that pop up....for those of us alive when Eisenhower (SP) was President, those problems are part of the motorcycling/scootering experience.....not to be looked at kindly, just to get resolved and keep riding.
My Stella (stock), now approaching 7k miles has experienced a failed main fuse at about 1k miles for no apparent reason, and the wiring connections at the dimmer/horn switch coming apart last week.
That is a failure due to design...the switch obviously moves with each upshift/downshift and the wiring follows the switch.....wires work harden and begin to snap.
As I write this I have a new switch/harness alongside of me.....this will be a 'I'll do it sometime this weekend' part exchange and maybe I can come up with a less brutal way to run the harness.
Pricing.....if price is the primary criteria you will have limited success wheeling and dealing during the riding season.....but, have faith....most dealers consider the riding season is essentially ending after Labor Day....that's just the way its always been in the bike/boat biz.
So, you may start seeing some deep discounting over the next 6 to 8 weeks from this date.
Color.....uh...thats your baby my friend.....you've already cut some colors out of the running.....those last four will require soul searching......what do you want to see when you raise the garage door?
As a teen, I wanted a Vespa....or Lambretta, or Allstate......all shifty scooters.
Life got in the way...marrage, kids, houses, jobs, yada yada.
The Stella allowed me to purchass a bit of my youth back....and even though I have 5 motorcycles and two other scooters, this blooming, pain in ass throwback sheet metal scoot has provided me more entertainment than my current fleet and the bikes that preceeded it.
So naturally, I recommend the shifty Stella......color of your choice.....you'll forget what you paid in the first ten miles.
Good luck!
Rob
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Drum Pro
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- Location: Victorville, Ca.
I'm sure you'll love a Stella as I love mine. I wouldn't hold your breath for them to work out the kinks. It's just the nature of the beast. Plus if your serious about learning to do your own wrenching, the Stella is a good choice. Although mine hasn't given me much trouble besides the exposed rubber bits. If I've learned anything, a vintage scoot would be worse in the upkeep department...
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quen047
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- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:07 am
- Location: San Francisco
My experience through 8 months and 2600 miles of 4t Stella has been:
1. I get more attention on this bike than I have gotten from anything I have owned, ever. People love the color, whitewalls (I know the Savas are crap. I love the look though), and the metal body. As a single guy this has been a great female (and nostalgic middle age dude) magnet.
2. Once you get the hang of shifting, it is stupidly fun to ride- especially downshifting to pass. So satisfying. I couldn't imagine riding an automatic.
3. As stated already, almost any modern 150 automatic will beat a Stella off the line. A Buddy 125 will too. Still, Stella has been quick enough to beat traffic in SF, lane split at low speeds and has the torque to go up any hill in 2nd gear. For those who know SF, my daily commute takes me over a particularly steep hill between the Castro and Noe Valley. No problem. Also, I once went stoplight to stoplight with one of the 2005 Vespa PX150 2-strokes that were brought into the country over about a 1/4 mile. Stella was a shade quicker off the line and the Vespa could not catch me. For urban transport, it's plenty quick IMO. I get about 90 mpg on average
4. As I expected, my bike had a lot of problems in the first 7-800 miles or so. Some minor stuff, like the turn signal going out, grips melting, rubber boots for the stand cracking and falling off plus some more major stuff- an improperly lubricated clutch cable snapping at 800 miles (once the new one was on the clutch became instantly more progressive) and a starter plate having to be replaced. Since then it has been great. The key is having a good dealer- SFSC has been terrific in that regard. They also made sure I knew that I wasn't buying a modern scoot when they sold it to me. Remember that you have a 2 year warranty. You will likely use it.
1. I get more attention on this bike than I have gotten from anything I have owned, ever. People love the color, whitewalls (I know the Savas are crap. I love the look though), and the metal body. As a single guy this has been a great female (and nostalgic middle age dude) magnet.
2. Once you get the hang of shifting, it is stupidly fun to ride- especially downshifting to pass. So satisfying. I couldn't imagine riding an automatic.
3. As stated already, almost any modern 150 automatic will beat a Stella off the line. A Buddy 125 will too. Still, Stella has been quick enough to beat traffic in SF, lane split at low speeds and has the torque to go up any hill in 2nd gear. For those who know SF, my daily commute takes me over a particularly steep hill between the Castro and Noe Valley. No problem. Also, I once went stoplight to stoplight with one of the 2005 Vespa PX150 2-strokes that were brought into the country over about a 1/4 mile. Stella was a shade quicker off the line and the Vespa could not catch me. For urban transport, it's plenty quick IMO. I get about 90 mpg on average
4. As I expected, my bike had a lot of problems in the first 7-800 miles or so. Some minor stuff, like the turn signal going out, grips melting, rubber boots for the stand cracking and falling off plus some more major stuff- an improperly lubricated clutch cable snapping at 800 miles (once the new one was on the clutch became instantly more progressive) and a starter plate having to be replaced. Since then it has been great. The key is having a good dealer- SFSC has been terrific in that regard. They also made sure I knew that I wasn't buying a modern scoot when they sold it to me. Remember that you have a 2 year warranty. You will likely use it.