A Praise of Modern Buddy from a Motorcyclist

[Rusty Shackleford]

As a gear head, I had a tough time getting started here, actually. The scooter community's focus isn't nearly as performance heavy as motorcycle, racing, or off-road forums. I've come to see this as a good thing over time, though. Once the honeymoon phase with your new bike has passed, it becomes a causal part of you. Motorbike "married life" sets in. You know what you need to know, the research has been exausted, and you just wanna "go ride bikes". This is where Modern Buddy, as a community, really shines.

Scooters are different animals than high powered motorcycles. Salesmen at dealerships that sell both will try to deter people away from scooters by making them sound like lesser bikes (equally as much for commission as ego, I'm sure), but I think they Genuinely miss the point (pun intended). Scooterists realize there's more to life than horsepower. Compared to motorcycles; scooters have better storage, unbelievable fuel economy, cheap insurance, lower cost, more comfort, and have a lower learning curve. Outgrowing that Buddy 50? There's a 125/170 that'll do all but interstates. Outgrowing 60mph and soft suspension? There's a Blur 220i! There's a scooter for everyone, even touring models that'll flirt with 100mph.

Another great thing about Modern Buddy is that it reflects the attitude of the scooter world in general. It's not just about step-through with CVT transmissions, scooterists include small-displacement motorcyclists like myself as part of their world... even more so than (my) fellow sport bike riders. The vibe I get from the sport community is usually "A 250cc? Why didn't you get the 180hp ZX-14?" which always prompts an internal face-palm in my head. I live in the city and commute on my bike. A light weight, fuel efficient, cheap to own/operate, comfortable bike is way more important than having the all-too-expensive "fastest production drag bike on the planet". For this, I applaud the discussions/acceptance/interest in small-mid size motorcycles on this forum.

The local scooter scene here in Richmond, VA is solid. Whenever there's events or rides, a few dozen on scooters and small-displacement motorcycles show up, talk about the latest industry news, and ride in formation together. There's no judgement based on what you ride. There's folks who have seats with duct tape on them, bikes that have a hard time starting, male riders, female riders, old riders, young riders, people who work at bike shops, they're all there. It's a pretty cool world to be aware of. It's not a competition, it's just about being together, the community... the adult equivalent of "hey, wanna ride bikes?"

[Syd]

You're right, Rusty. Modern Buddy benefits from a great collection of members, who keep the conversations mostly civil. These members are backed up by the best group of Mods on the InterTubes. (I'm sure that they work tirelessly in the background to keep MB the site that it is!)

[Drum Pro]

I Agree with every point there Rusty. For most, it's about riding and very little about the "cool factor" or "hell on wheels" bit. Unfortunately some will never get it...

[TomCat]

Very well stated Rusty!
My RH was purchased as a spur-of-the-moment decision. Saw it, wanted it, bought it. My first motorized 2 wheel vehicle.
Then there was the learning curve, including several "what have I got myself into" moments.
Joined a local Scooter Club and it all came together. Great folks, fun rides, no pretensions. Can't wait for my first full season of riding this year.
Do I get the urge to move up a bit once in awhile? Yup (there is a screaming deal on a Honda Rebel available locally). But then I kick back with a glass of wine & think of all the benefits my scoot offers, and the "cc envy" goes away.
My goal for this year is to reach an honest 50mph with a few tweaks (she does 50bmph now). That extra 5mph will make a huge difference on the roads I travel & make the RH perfect for my needs.

[Skootz Kabootz]

Nicely said Rusty!

My scooting life began with lurking here on Modern Buddy doing research on what scooter to buy, and has grown from there.

When I got my first scooter (my Buddy 150 — perhaps one of the best purchase choices I've ever made) I thought all I was getting was a simple inexpensive means of transportation plus fulfilling the wish I'd always had to own a scooter/motorcycle. Little did I know I was also getting an entirely new social life and becoming part of a massive community of really fine fine people (yes scooterists, I'm looking at you!). I had no idea. But what a gift it has been.

I have learned so much, enjoyed so many rides, and shared so many laughs with so many new friends. And it all got started thanks to the friendly and generous community here at MB — members who'd been scooting years longer and who knew so much more than me, but were still willing to help a new guy learn. I really am so grateful for all of you. I only hope I too can pay it forward.

[easy]

Glad you stuck around

[Rusty Shackleford]

"Lack of pretension" is a great way to describe the scooter community, yeah. With scooters, the closest thing you get to snobbery I've noticed is when someone rolls up on the group on a vintage Vespa... and even then, they don't actually act snobby about it, it's more of just an air of "scoot-cred", ha.

I also enjoy that "moving up" in CC's often still yields only what's needed to get the job done. The jump from a 50cc to a 125cc is a jump from 40mph to 60mph. I applied this philosophy to my motorcycle purchasing. My 1st one was 3x the displacement of what I have now, and I have the opportunity to ride ones with even bigger engines occasionally. Sitting comfortable on my bike, relatively upright for sportbike standards, I can do 80mph without much fuss. That's all the headroom I'd need for the interstate and I actually re-geared my bike so that peak power hit at 75mph. I've ridden bikes that'll do 180mph as opposed to 80mph and it just feels excessive. The gas mileage is horrible and I only got to use a fraction of the power. Cool bikes, very aggressive, but not good choices for commuting around. Once you get over the "CC" envy like you guys were talking about, scooters start looking like a viable option no matter what type of riding.

The way this all started for me was I was window shopping motorcycles for a friend when research lead me to the CBR250R, which I fell in love with in the Honda show room. I had been without a motorcycle for a couple of years, but I couldn't leave without that little thing. The fuel economy claims and price were too good to be true. I bought it, loved it, and my GF started riding pillion (what you guys call "cupcake" with scooters, I believe) more and more all the time. We made a fancy handle-belt so she could sit up straighter and relieve the soreness in her back from extended riding, but a sportbike, even a street-ergo one, is really a 1 person vehicle.

Ever since my GF saw the movie Empire Records as a child, she wanted a classic style scooter. After dealing with our 2-up riding situation, I started seriously considering just getting her a bike. She's short, and can't flat foot any motorcycles besides cruisers (which she didn't want), and was actually scared of riding on 2 wheels in general. I knew she liked scooters so I started watching videos about them on YouTube to see what they were capable of. I was used to 80% interstate riding, so I never had seriously entertained the notion before. What sold me was when I found out the 125cc class was relatively inexpensive across most brands and could pull about 60mph. I rationalized it to myself that we'd have fun taking "the back roads" (in my mind, all "non-interstate" roads fell into this category)... like "local touring" almost.

"Having fun on the back roads" ended up being an understatement. Now, the interstate feels boring. It's faster, sure, but on a bike you can really start to feel how utilitarian the interstate really is. It's the same thing, over and over, exit after exit, until you reach your destination. Interstates were literally built to be fast, distraction-free roads 100% dedicated to efficient travel. This, in my opinion after riding with a scooterist, is the complete opposite of what motorbike riding is all about. Safety is a must, sure, but riding through towns on your way to where you're going, hitting up some winding country roads, playfully gunning it at stop lights together when you're first in line (which you can do with a small displacement bike and not get yourself a ticket, let alone killed) is now my preferred way to travel. The interstate now just feels like I'm "moving the bike from one location to another". I've enjoyed all my new riding style, and I applaud the scooter community for realizing there's more to riding than horsepower.

[skully93]

great thread, Rusty!

Not sure WHY I decided that I must have a scooter, but I got one. Then another, etc. you know the bug.

I've met a vast and varied group of people in my first year of scooting. Constantly amazed at how many different facets there are, but they all fit together.

The main thing it seems people who get into it learn a lot more about themselves. I sure have! Learned a lot about my caring side, and plenty of spots where there are 'bumps' that need to be smoothed out.

[TVB]

"Having fun on the back roads" ended up being an understatement. Now, the interstate feels boring. It's faster, sure, but on a bike you can really start to feel how utilitarian the interstate really is. It's the same thing, over and over, exit after exit, until you reach your destination. Interstates were literally built to be fast, distraction-free roads 100% dedicated to efficient travel. This, in my opinion after riding with a scooterist, is the complete opposite of what motorbike riding is all about. Safety is a must, sure, but riding through towns on your way to where you're going, hitting up some winding country roads, playfully gunning it at stop lights together when you're first in line (which you can do with a small displacement bike and not get yourself a ticket, let alone killed) is now my preferred way to travel. The interstate now just feels like I'm "moving the bike from one location to another". I've enjoyed all my new riding style, and I applaud the scooter community for realizing there's more to riding than horsepower.

[Milt]

"This, in my opinion after riding with a scooterist, is the complete opposite of what motorbike riding is all about."

Precisely - even though my primary MC is large displacement (88 inch/1450cc), I detest riding on the interstates. My favorite riding is on mountain and foothills back roads. The interstates aren't even necessarily faster; last year I ran into a lot of road work (taking the interstates because they were supposed to be faster) on my way to the Phoenix area from Fort Collins and rode back in about the same amount of time through the mountain roads. Guess which leg of the trip was more enjoyable?

After 'lurking' for info at Modern Buddy and other sites, we got a scooter for my girlfriend to ride when she was intimidated on a standard MC by a poor instructor at the MSF beginner class. She was first in class when she switched to the scooter and it really built her confidence.

While riding her new scooter to properly break it in, I realized that the silly contraptions are a lot of fun and picked up one for myself. Now I find myself enjoying the scooter almost as much as the Hog; my girlfriend has finally learned a standard MC (I coached her on a Suzuki 650 single) and we are prepping a 1200 Sportster for her. We will probably take a few scooter tours as well as longer distance MC tours.

Modern Buddy is still a good source of info and (usually) informed opinion for both of us.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Here's the CBR and the Buddy watching the sunset together after carrying us out riding all day. 55mph on a country highway is 55mph on a country highway no matter what you do it on. If any of you haven't tried taking your scooter where only motorcycles dare to tread, you may want to try it. On a "lazy Sunday" 125 scooters and 250 MC's go together like peas and carrots.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

Rusty, great write up. I really enjoyed reading it, and you nailed it right on the head. It's about the fun and sometimes challenge of getting from A to B. It's about the community and the comraderie without the egos.

My Buddy has taken me almost 28,000 miles and it's been a blast since the first. I've seen so many places that I'd have just breezed past on the interstate, I've proven so many people wrong when they talk me down and say that's not possible. I've met so many amazing people, not just because they ride, but because of their true selves and good nature. They're not trying to be someone they're not. I've met several members from MB, both here on the East Coast, California, and some points between on the Cannonball run.

And you're absolutely right, Richmond is an amazing group of scooter enthusiasts. I always look forward to their rallies, Chelsea and the awesome hub she established, and how RVA has become a scooter mecca on the East Coast. DC doesn't even compare in the community that has come together around that. I don't think I've met you before in person, but I still take major services on the Buddy (which have been few) down to Scoot RVA, and try to make all the rallies. I'm sure we'll cross paths soon brother!

Keep the wheels turning and the rubber down!

[Rusty Shackleford]

@BootScootin'FireFighter: I just noticed you're in DC. I was just up there a few days ago for the International Motorcycle Show. I had 2 guys from Zero Motorcycles (for those of you who don't know, they make really awesome 100% motorcycles that are getting better every year) approach me and said they knew me from somewhere. After asking if I worked at a bunch of different dealerships, one guy said "wait, I've met you at Scoot Richmond before!" (I don't work there, btw; they were having an event). That was a cool moment. Chelsea is like the unofficial "queen of the scene" here by owning the Genuine/Vespa dealer in town. Anyhow, the Zero rep said they're in the works of trying to sell their electric motorcycles through her shop. If they managed that, my lady and I would probably both deal with Scoot Richmond exclusively. If I actually got a Zero bike, I'd probably have to wait until I stopped s****ing my pants before I could ride it. My CBR250R's 70mpg doesn't hold a candle to the cost-equivalent 500mpg of a Zero! The catch: the Zero bikes that have same performance and range of the gas bikes are a whopping $17,000 right now because of the battery cost. Maybe in a few years.

[ericalm]

I am in constant awe of the ModernBuddy membership.

The scooter riding community at large these days is much different than it was just a few years ago. It's rare for such a diverse group of individuals to be able to come together and form a community that's as positive, helpful, fun and well-behaved as this one. The single thing that I'm most proud of with MB is that we've embraced that diversity and created the most inclusive and friendly community as I've seen anywhere online. That spirit is really infectious. I get warm fuzzies.

As different as we all are, there is something unique about Genuine/Buddy owners. We're special. In the good way.

[Rusty Shackleford]

@ericalm: I think a chunk of the reason for that is exemplified in the statement "there's more to life than horsepower". The scooter community and small displacement motorcycle community both are more about the non ego related parts of riding, at least in my experience. People often buy small-engine bikes not only because they enjoy the novelty of being on 2 wheels, but also find them to be a sensible way to get around. The large engine motorcycle crowd has its share of wanna-be outlaws and squids that can be tedious to weed out, where as there's no solid ground for that ideology when everyone's bike makes less than 30hp. Things like cargo space, fuel economy, a forgiving ride quality, and low cost of ownership create a different sense of worth to this crowd than simply being able to say "Duuuuude, I totally got my 'busa up to 186mph! How fast have you gone, sissy?"

[thatvwbusguy]

MB really tends to serve as more of a social forum for scooterists than any other vehicle forum I have ever visited.

This type of decency is not necessarily the norm for all scooter forums however. Take a spin by Modern Ruckus or ZumaForums and you will see that there is often little similarity to the consistently cordial behavior we enjoy here.

Scooters such as the Ruckus and the Zuma offer a wide availability of aftermarket performance parts, which tends to attract a different breed of scooterist than the average Buddy rider. I don't know anyone with a totally stock Ruckus, but I would be willing to bet that a majority of Buddy's don't get modified past the simple bolt on accessories such as the racks and windshields that Genuine offers.

I tend to be more of a technical forum guy, since I like to do all of my own work and can't resist the urge to constantly modify my vehicles. I still like to check in here in a regular basis though, since MB members seem to be a legitimately nice bunch of people.

[TVB]

It's the name.

I'm only half-kidding.

[Lokky]

This type of decency is not necessarily the norm for all scooter forums however. Take a spin by Modern Ruckus or ZumaForums and you will see that there is often little similarity to the consistently cordial behavior we enjoy here.

And for that let me throw out a shout-out for the awesome job our dear Ericalm does for us.