Zheng Chinese scooters

Mikestib1 · Post by **Mikestib1** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:43 pm

i can't come up with $2400 for a Buddy 50 and even though there is a local dealer, I can't seem to find a used one locally after searching for a couple of months. There is another dealer who sells Wolf, formerly Gorilla Motors, scooters and Redstreak both biult by Znen. They are about half the price.
Anyone have experience with their 49cc models? Don't want to throw money away.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:59 pm

I never want to just outright bash Chinese products. They're clearly capable of producing decent stuff, given that 1/3 of the world population lives there.

However, I will say this:

Every Chinascoot I have come across is a waste. They break, and unless you can fabricate or source parts, sometimes you're on your own.

Our local shops refuse to do anything but change oil/brakes on them, and even then, you have to sign a waiver.

Not knowing your situation, and having been really dirt poor at times, I don't want to sound judgmental at you. I've had friends in the same boat, and they insisted on buying a cheap scoot for transport.

My best advise is wait until you can do it right. Buy the right gear, buy the right bike, and you'll be able to cope with repairs, add ons, and overall have fun with the bike. If you spend money on something that won't meet your needs, you'll likely end up throwing good money after bad.

Often in the Winter your can find used Buddys and other brand-name scoots used for 1200-1500, which is a fantastic deal.

Good luck!

HowHH · Post by **HowHH** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:23 pm

Znen is a little iffy. As noted in a previous post, China is capable of making very high quality products when this is what is being spec'd. Apple manufactures their iPhones there as one example. China is also capable of making very high quality MC components and even whole vehicles, and California Scooter Company is now importing the RX3, a new 250cc ADV bike from Zongshen that is getting very positive reviews both from owners and the MC press.

In my limited experience with Znen, they seem to be manufactured to meet the goal of a low price point, and therefore quality taking a back seat.

It looks like there may be a Kymco dealer in your area, and they are worth checking out.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:20 pm

If you don't want to throw your money away, then you don't want a "znen" scooter. I'd say you need to continue to save, or you need to broaden your search for a used scooter. Surely you could borrow or rent a trailer or other vehicle, to pick up a purchase further from home.

[Did you see this one in Greensboro - http://greensboro.craigslist.org/mcy/5089037596.html]

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 3:39 pm

Asking for opinions about other brands will usually be met with lots of skepticism on a site that is largely focused on fans of a single brand. This is in no way meant to be detracting or demeaning to the great folks here on MB, it is exactly the same situation (actually it's usually a lot worse) on scooter forums for Yamaha, Honda and Kymco that I visit.

On forums with no brand identity, Znen is generally considered to be among the best of the mainland Chinese brands. While the build quality of the Buddy scooters (and most scooters produced mainly in Taiwan) is generally of higher quality overall, the differences are not so vast that you should not consider anything but a Buddy. In some ways (electrical system comes to mind) the quality of the Znen scoots is probably better than the Buddy.

Both engines are based on the same design and in fact share many (though not all) internal components. Both can be reliable if properly maintained, but won't fare well if neglected or only ridden on occasion. Small engines (2 strokes in particular) need regular maintenance to start and run dependably. This is mostly due to a combination of the tiny jets in the carburetors and the often dubious quality of today's fuels. If my wife let her Buddy 50 sit for more than a few weeks without riding it, I was sure to be pulling the carb apart and cleaning it out (yes, I stabilize all my fuel with Seafoam and only use high quality oil in 2 strokes)

Part of the value of buying a Genuine product is their excellent 2 year unlimited mileage warranty. While this is unquestionably a great bonus, it is also based on the fact that most scooters will not need major work in the first 2 years unless there is a defective part. Things like worn out brake shoes, tires, bulbs and tuneups are not covered under this type of warranty, so most people will not receive any actual benefit aside from confidence from the warranty unless there is a major problem.

I would suggest looking around for information about the scooters you are interested on non-denominational forums like scootdawg. Since people typically go onto forums when they have a problem with their scooter that they need help with, it shouldn't take too long to get a feel for which brands are pretty good, and which ones you might want to stay away from.

If you don't mind spending a few bucks on a set of tools and getting your hands dirty once in a while, many people find that they can get pretty good reliability out of just about any of the readily available scooters these days (even the Chinese ones

). I personally would buy and ride a Znen with no more concern about quality than I would feel when purchasing or riding a used Buddy 50 with an unknown maintenance history.

Invisibleanomaly · Post by **Invisibleanomaly** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 5:05 pm

I was in the same boat that you are, and found that there were so many affordable Chinese scooter out there, and they were cheaper brand new than many others were used. Then I talked to a friend who had one and backed up to think it over. He had a Znen scooter that got him around, but was out of commission half of the time. The shops won't work on it, but there is a mechanic in our area who specializes in Chinese scooters, so there is some help to be had. He assured me that he didn't regret his purchase and that he keeps a toolbox on the back because sometimes if he hits a speed bump too hard a part will come loose here or there, and it's only a minor inconvenience to repair on the go. For him it was a good in between, for me it was too much of a safety and reliability hazard and I changed my search to a used scooter, and found what I needed on craigslist.

After talking to a lot of people and doing a lot of homework, I did find that Yamaha (Vino) Honda (Metropolitan) and Kymko (People or Like) are also reliable scooters outside of the Buddy and Vespa brand.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 5:20 pm

Kymco is a great brand, though the Like has not been well received. They're a model made in China under Kymco supervision, and they're a bit iffy. Sad, as I think they're good looking retro-ish looking scoots.

Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 7:51 pm

Check craigslist. You've got buddy's, kymco,honda,Yamaha...
Lots of good,used, reasonably priced, quality scooters for sale in your area. Don't be afraid of a used Taiwanese or Japanese built scooter.

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:08 pm

Here is a 2012 Zuma fairly close to you. These are water cooled, 3 valve and fuel injected They get over 110 mph. With slight mods they will do 45mph. They are a 4 stroke and will last 40,000 miles with routine maintenance. This can be yours for $1200. Don't let the miles scare you. This scooter with 20,000 miles on it will outlast just about any Chinese 50cc out there by a margin of two to one.
http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/mcy/5081312483.html

Don't know how many miles this has, but this is a great scooter also. Cheap

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/mcy/5084643776.html

Great deal on a Buddy 125 from right here on MB:

topic29000.html

170Irene · Post by **170Irene** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:16 pm

I think you have received some great information regarding purchasing a Chinese scooter. Perhaps you might consider a scooter made by Honda or Yamaha - both make quality scooters and both are selling more scooters than any other manufacture. The purchase of a scooter is a personal choice. It is really your decision - even if it a Chinese scooter

laurfunkle · Post by **laurfunkle** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:47 pm

DeeDee wrote:Here is a 2012 Zuma fairly close to you. These are water cooled, 3 valve and fuel injected They get over 110 mph. With slight mods they will do 45mph. They are a 4 stroke and will last 40,000 miles with routine maintenance. This can be yours for $1200. Don't let the miles scare you. This scooter with 20,000 miles on it will outlast just about any Chinese 50cc out there by a margin of two to one.
http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/mcy/5081312483.html

Don't know how many miles this has, but this is a great scooter also. Cheap

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/mcy/5084643776.html

Great deal on a Buddy 125 from right here on MB:

topic29000.html

DeeDee you're awesome. I'm calling you next time I'm on the market for anything! lol. Although I do think you meant 110 mpG, not mph. Although that would be a hella fast Zuma, sign me up!

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:53 pm

If you do end up with the zuma, PM me. I can help you tune it for more top speed, better acceleration and higher mpg.

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 10:42 pm

Sounds like a road trip may be in order like Stitch said - you are surrrounded with great Buddy options yet one of the closest may be this one at 130 miles:

Genuine Buddy 50 scooter▪1538 mi.▪Excl. cond.▪MADE IN TAIWAN - $1200 (Asheboro)

If you make a weekend out of it and hit Richmond or Charlotte - you got a ton of great options to look at.

Greyscoot · Post by **Greyscoot** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 10:44 pm

I wonder how many of these posters have actually owned a Chinese scooter. My first scooter was a GMW (Wolf Brand) M-1 50cc. Here in Florida, there are dealers who sell and support them. Their headquarters is in Clearwater (think Tampa) and dealers have said they stock plenty of parts.

I bought it because I wasn't sure if I would like scooting and didn't want to invest a lot of money. I didn't have any real issues with it. I took it in to the dealer at the intervals I was told for service. The only issue I had was that it was hard to start if it sat for two or three weeks (until I figured out a little trick which resolved the issue).

I only sold it because I decided I wanted a bigger, faster scoot. I replaced it with a Hooligan. The Genuine dealer went out of business three months after I bought the Hooligan, the GMW (Wolf Brand) dealers are still around.

If you have a dealer that sells Wolf Brand and supports them, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. I would stick with an M-1 or R-1 though. They are bigger scoots and you will fit a lot more comfortably than on the little one. Plus you get 12" wheels instead of 10". You also get a front disk brake instead of a drum.

It is your money and your call. I thought you might like to hear from someone that owned one.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:14 pm

I've only had one China made scooter (I don't even remember the brand), and it was not a good experience. Sure, it got me around and it was cheap to buy, but I spent almost as much time working on it to keep it running vs actually riding it. The brakes were horrible and on cold days, it was a chore to keep it running. It gave me many pucker moments. Parts of it looked like it was made in someone's garage with a hammer and chisel. Things started rusting within a couple of months. But, this was 4 years ago though, so maybe things have gotten better. Anyway, I always go by the rule of "you get what you pay for".

Several people have suggested some very good options and I'd seriously consider those.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:28 pm

I wonder when a chinese brand will be seen as acceptable? R

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:28 pm

Trust me, I've seen them all. If you only have the money for a Chinese scooter, spend part of it on a good bus pass and a bicycle and burn the rest in a trash can fire.

It genuinely makes me sad to see the people who didn't know any better and only could afford a Chinese scooter which lasted 1200mi. They drag them into the shop and I have to shake my head and send them away.

If you're an experienced mechanic, sure. Parts are cheap and plentiful. But one hefty repair in the shop will cost the same as a new one.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:51 pm

What ever happened to the Scoot Dawg forum? It was made up mostly of owners of ChinaScoots. If you want to know about a scoot from the mainland from people who ride them, check them out.

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:20 am

The Scootdawg forums can now be found at http://itistheride.boards.net/

I have put in countless miles on all sorts of Chinese scooters and have not found them to be any more problematic than my wife's Buddy 50 ever was. Most of the GY6 based scooters are simple to work on and parts are inexpensive and readily available. The OEM carb for the Buddy 50 is $185.00 at Scooterworks. By comparison, last year I purchased a nearly identical 16mm carb for my friend Lauren's no-name 50cc Metropolitan clone for $27.00 and it was of totally comparable quality.

Since I have already done all the "good return on investment" mods to my Yamaha Zuma 125 (155cc BBK, cam, bigger injector, variator, sliders etc), I decided to grab an Icebear Maddog 150 a few weeks ago. I didn't really need another scooter, but I thought it could be fun to have something to play around with and modify until I run out of inspiration (idle hands do the Devil's work right).

The Maddog ran really well out of the crate and did 52MPH (GPS) before I started ripping it apart and making it mine. With a bit of CVT tuning, a better air filter and some carb rejetting, I should be able to squeeze a real world 60MPH out of it with very little time and money expended.

I figured since my wife always tells people how cute her 170i Italia is, I should probably have a stretched out, low slung, evil looking rig to help balance things out.

Hers:

His:

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:47 am

I've been around scooters off and on for the last 30 years. I've seen so many people think they are getting a deal by spending $800 on a scooter that looks "just like a Honda Metro" only to cry the blues 6 months later when it won't start and they can't find anyone to work on it. They maybe fine if you have the patience and experience to replace the fuel and vacuum lines and constantly tinker with it. The alloys and casting quality don't come close to what you will find in a Buddy or Honda. The saying goes a cheap scooter is only cheap one time, when you buy it. I myself would take a used Honda, Yamaha, Kymco or Buddy over a new Chinese scooter. I've never had a nipple pierced, but I can tell you it's not for me. Maybe a Chinese scooter works for some, but I don't need to own one to know it's not for me.

Greyscoot · Post by **Greyscoot** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:32 am

Please bear in mind that Wolf Brand (GMW) only sells through dealers and expect their dealers to provide support. To me that is a marked difference to buying one off the internet.

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:40 am

Greyscoot wrote:Please bear in mind that Wolf Brand (GMW) only sells through dealers and expect their dealers to provide support. To me that is a marked difference to buying one off the internet.

There is a 2014 Wolf that comes through my shop and it is a large steaming pile of turd that the owner hates himself for buying. It's the same on the inside and outside as all the other China girls.

miked3240 · Post by **miked3240** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 3:21 am

i bought a used 50 cc china scoot.got wit 400 miles drove it 2 years paid like 600 dollors.put 5000 miles on it sold it for 400 never any problems at all just change the oil like every 500 miles and drive it a lot don't let it sitnow got 2009 rattler 110 it got 4750 miles on it no problems at all juat chage gear oil like evey 1000 miles use good 2 strke oil I oil use belray si7 rattler all stock.

Mikestib1 · Post by **Mikestib1** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:56 am

Found one on the site with low miles. As I have a motorcycle endorsement it will be a 125. Thanks everybody for your input!

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:00 pm

NICE!! I was going to recommend skipping over the 50cc and going for the 125cc, but a lot of people don't want to deal with the motorcycle endorsement for some reason. Good luck with your new ride!

george54 · Post by **george54** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 3:38 pm

Yes, absolutely good choice! Good luck, enjoy it, and ride safe!

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 3:49 pm

Mikestib1 wrote:Found one on the site with low miles. As I have a motorcycle endorsement it will be a 125. Thanks everybody for your input!

A Buddy 125? We have certainly had good luck with ours. We have had it for 8 years now. It has never needed anything but routine maintenance and new tires when they wear down. (has anyone ever owned and continually ridden any chinascoot for 8 years?)

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:12 pm

Chinascoots are gateway drugs.

I bought a 150cc Chinascoot in September of 2011. I bought a NOS 250cc Vespa six months later.

I gave the Chinascoot to my sister. We found her a NOS 250cc Kymco a year and a half later

(We're giving the Chinascoot to my sister's bff sometime this year. Yes, it still runs. It needs some love sometimes, but for $700 i knew what i was getting)

There IS a place in this world for Chinascoots. IF you know what you're buying and why, i'll have your back.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 8:41 pm

Theres a chinascoot dealer here that sell some really nice looking scoots (from the Craigslist pictures, anyway) for around $1500 and I'm thinking about getting one just to muck with it. If it turns out good, then great, if not, well, I'm not out a ton of money. He's been around awhile so I figure his scoots can't be too horrible or else he would have folded long ago.

Here's the one I was looking at, a TaoTao BWS 150. They only offer a 6 month warranty on the engine and transmission. As anticipated, internet reviews are a mixed bag from best thing since sliced bread to only good as kindling. That front brake looks a bit suspect though. Looks very much like the worthless junk that was on my previous Chinascoot. I figure I'm a pretty good mechanic so can take care of anything that might go wrong. Anyone here have experience with one of these?

thumper650 · Post by **thumper650** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:34 am

If you need some cheap reliable transport I'd recommend the Kymco Agility 50. Beware of the Jonway Agility that is like 700 bucks new. Not the same bike!

I have a 2007 Kymco that I ride year round in New England. It's got 10,000 miles on it now and runs great. I keep it well maintained and starts easily to 25 degrees, gets a little harder to start after that.

It's made in China, but has not needed anything outside of routine maintenance.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:56 am

thumper650 wrote:If you need some cheap reliable transport I'd recommend the Kymco Agility 50. Beware of the Jonway Agility that is like 700 bucks new. Not the same bike!

I have a 2007 Kymco that I ride year round in New England. It's got 10,000 miles on it now and runs great. I keep it well maintained and starts easily to 25 degrees, gets a little harder to start after that.

It's made in China, but has not needed anything outside of routine maintenance.

Kymco is the biggest Taiwanese scooter company that also OEMs for Honda and BMW, so I know they make a good product at a very reasonable price. While they farm out production of some of their products to China, it's done so at their quality standards. Kymco and Sym were the dominant scooter brands on the streets of Taiwan when I was living there. But, for around these parts, a 50cc scooter just won't cut it. Way too many steep hills to contend with. Even my stock Blur 150 had trouble dealing with some of the hills. Anyway, I was looking at a 150cc Chinascoot not only for it's price, but because hop-up parts are plentiful and cheap...and I like to tinker.

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:52 pm

babblefish wrote:Theres a chinascoot dealer here that sell some really nice looking scoots (from the Craigslist pictures, anyway) for around $1500 and I'm thinking about getting one just to muck with it. If it turns out good, then great, if not, well, I'm not out a ton of money. He's been around awhile so I figure his scoots can't be too horrible or else he would have folded long ago.

Here's the one I was looking at, a TaoTao BWS 150. They only offer a 6 month warranty on the engine and transmission. As anticipated, internet reviews are a mixed bag from best thing since sliced bread to only good as kindling. That front brake looks a bit suspect though. Looks very much like the worthless junk that was on my previous Chinascoot. I figure I'm a pretty good mechanic so can take care of anything that might go wrong. Anyone here have experience with one of these?

Talk about ripping off the YW50 "bugeye" Zuma! They were replaced with a new style in 2012, but the thing that really gives 'em moxie is calling that thing a BWS; that's what the rest of the world calls a Zuma!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:41 pm

az_slynch wrote:
babblefish wrote:Theres a chinascoot dealer here that sell some really nice looking scoots (from the Craigslist pictures, anyway) for around $1500 and I'm thinking about getting one just to muck with it. If it turns out good, then great, if not, well, I'm not out a ton of money. He's been around awhile so I figure his scoots can't be too horrible or else he would have folded long ago.

Here's the one I was looking at, a TaoTao BWS 150. They only offer a 6 month warranty on the engine and transmission. As anticipated, internet reviews are a mixed bag from best thing since sliced bread to only good as kindling. That front brake looks a bit suspect though. Looks very much like the worthless junk that was on my previous Chinascoot. I figure I'm a pretty good mechanic so can take care of anything that might go wrong. Anyone here have experience with one of these?
Talk about ripping off the YW50 "bugeye" Zuma! They were replaced with a new style in 2012, but the thing that really gives 'em moxie is calling that thing a BWS; that's what the rest of the world calls a Zuma!

To my eyes, it looks more like a Zuma 125 knockoff, but thats neither here nor there. I like the looks of the Zuma, but not the price, even used. Around these parts, Zuma 125's cost the same new or used, regardless of year. So, for about half the price of a used Zuma, I can get half the scoot to muck around with, lol

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:47 pm

thumper650 wrote:If you need some cheap reliable transport I'd recommend the Kymco Agility 50. Beware of the Jonway Agility that is like 700 bucks new. Not the same bike!

I have a 2007 Kymco that I ride year round in New England. It's got 10,000 miles on it now and runs great. I keep it well maintained and starts easily to 25 degrees, gets a little harder to start after that.

It's made in China, but has not needed anything outside of routine maintenance.

Forgot to mention that I considered a used Kymco Super8 150 because they're inexpensive, but like PGO, their engines are kind of unique which makes a lot of generic GY6 parts unusable. I really like their styling though.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 1:24 am

I had a poor experience with a Super 8 back to the dealer4 times in 637 miles they didnt seem to believe it was a running concern. It roar hard too a very poor seat. R

Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:09 am

Ya the seat on the super 8 sucks. So does the electrical system. It does, however, handle great and accelerate well.

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:51 pm

A little late, but SYM is definitely a brand to look into for a cheaper alternative. They produce a high quality product in Taiwan and have produced many things for Honda in the past. 2yr warranty.

Love my Fiddle II 125 and the fact I can fit my helmet and riding jacket under the seat or 2 full bags from the grocery store on the ride home. Long seat is especially nice for passengers who fear falling off the back.

https://youtu.be/h7aqaUXWvaA

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 8:13 pm

I did own a Chinese scooter for 2 years. It was a perfect scooter for my wife to learn on. My general observations: While doing the first oil change, I found chucks of gaskets in the oil pan. One of the welds on the frame broke loose. The top case welds all failed. All of the bulbs failed within a year but were easily replaceable.

Now my wife has a Buddy 125 and she is happy... or was. She wants a Buddy 170i.

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 6:34 am

My wife has a 2014 170i with about 850 miles on it. Overall it seems like a great scoot, but it is really slow for a 170cc. I have never managed more than 61MPH (GPS) out of it on a long, dead-flat road.

I would be willing to bet that a Buddy 125 with a $450.00 Stage 2 kit http://www.scooterworks.com/performance ... cGsNfNVhBc and a bit of CVT tuning would beat the stock 170i off the line and at top speed.

It's really too bad that Genuine doesn't seem to embrace any performance mods for their scooters. There are countless possibilities for Honda, Yamaha and any of the GY6 scoots available, but Genuine has never offered parts or information on squeezing a little more juice out of their line of scooters.

TCaruso · Post by **TCaruso** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:44 pm

I owned a Lance Vintage 150cc for 3 years. It was my first scoot and I picked it up off the internet for less than $1400 delivered to my door. Aside from the front brake line rubbing against the front wheel, I was one of the lucky ones because I know other people who bought on line and weren't so lucky. Mine got flooded by a NorEaster. I pulled the spark plug and jumped on the kick starter a few times to pump the water out. I then cleaned the carb, replaced the fluids, battery, fuel filter, spark plug and fixed a few wires and she fired up. I'd ride about 50 miles and change the oil to keep getting any water out.

The wiring is the biggest issue I've noticed in the latest crop of Chinese scoots. Cheap, thin gauge wires, bad connections, loose crimps, etc...

Then again, a friend of mine bought a Chinese Hooligan knockoff and he loves it. It appears to be very well built and Zuma aftermarket parts seem to fit perfectly. He added a drop kit, afterburner tail light/ turn signal kit, and highway pegs. There are a ton of aftermarket and performance parts for his bike. It's a real nice bike. And for just a grand he decided it was worth a chance.

http://www.powerrideoutlet.com/scooters ... ckage.html

Now I've never ridden a Hooligan but compared to my Blackjack, this Hooligan knockoff feels real heavy and sluggish.

Not long after my neighbor bought a bike from the same site. After about 125 miles, it's sitting in his driveway and won't start.

http://www.powerrideoutlet.com/scooters ... trunk.html

This thing had the battery cables re routed so the battery now sits in the storage area under the seat and can't fit a novelty helmet. It lost a plug that caused fuel to leak. The brakes were awful and needed adjusting. The battery was shipped inside the truck and leaked. The rear luggage rack and front turn signal brackets are bent. And worst of all it's already showing signs of rust.

I guess what I'm trying to say is getting a Chinese scoot can be a roll of the dice.

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 1:20 pm

pcbikedude wrote:Now my wife has a Buddy 125 and she is happy... or was. She wants a Buddy 170i.

I put 5,000 miles on a Buddy 125 and moved on to a 170i. The 170i cost me 25% more than the 125. With the 170i, i gained a few mph on the top end, and a little better acceleration. What I realize now, I gave up a kick starter and fairly simple diagnosis on the 125. If I had to do it again, I would have kept the 125. I have a friend who has a Kymco 300 gti that has been at the dealer since April with a fuel injection issue. It is under warranty, but that has not helped him get his scooter back any sooner. I hope the fi on the 170i is as reliable as my Buddy 125 was.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 2:07 pm

DeeDee wrote:
pcbikedude wrote:Now my wife has a Buddy 125 and she is happy... or was. She wants a Buddy 170i.
I put 5,000 miles on a Buddy 125 and moved on to a 170i. The 170i cost me 25% more than the 125. With the 170i, i gained a few mph on the top end, and a little better acceleration. What I realize now, I gave up a kick starter and fairly simple diagnosis on the 125. If I had to do it again, I would have kept the 125. I have a friend who has a Kymco 300 gti that has been at the dealer since April with a fuel injection issue. It is under warranty, but that has not helped him get his scooter back any sooner. I hope the fi on the 170i is as reliable as my Buddy 125 was.

I can vouch for the 170I. They are great little bikes. It was the first one I bought in 2011 and I haven't had any trouble at all with it. You want trouble get a Stella. Some things always going wrong with mine usually minor but annoying. like the turn signals or a snapped cable or the headlight but the engine seem to be ok....

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 4:46 pm

thatvwbusguy wrote:My wife has a 2014 170i with about 850 miles on it. Overall it seems like a great scoot, but it is really slow for a 170cc. I have never managed more than 61MPH (GPS) out of it on a long, dead-flat road.

850 is not a lot of miles. My 125 continued to show performance improvements until 3,000 miles. Granted, you might have a slow one. Luck of the draw. But I'd suspect you get a couple more mph at the top end when she's fully broken in.

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Thu Aug 06, 2015 8:49 am

I definitely agree that it is likely for the 170i to gain another MPH or two as it breaks in completely. In reality, it's fairly unlikely that my wife will ever hit top speed, so I am not going to obsess too much about it. I just think that it is a shame that Genuine didn't really do anything to take advantage of the additional 35% of engine displacement that the 170i offers.

As a comparison, my totally stock Zuma 125 had better acceleration and the same top speed as the Buddy 170i, even though it is heavier and larger overall.

Leaving the stock gearing and 10" wheels on the 170i seems to be a limiting factor to unlocking any real world benefits out of the extra 45cc that the Buddy 170i could offer over the Buddy 125 for the additional $600.00.

Simply bolting in a larger, fuel injected engine and leaving everything else nearly identical to the 125 was a simple, but seemingly (at least to me) uninspired method of offering a new model to their lineup.

Modern Buddy

Zheng Chinese scooters

Zheng Chinese scooters

well some are pretty good

Think I can buy a used Buddy

Re: Think I can buy a used Buddy