New to the scooter world and advice!

[Sira9]

Hi All!

I want to buy a scooter in the very near future and would absolutely love some advice from you. I looked at the Genuine Buddy (the 50) and really liked it. Wanted to know your thoughts if it would be a good fit for me, or if I should look into another type/brand of scooter. My frame is small (I'm only 5'2, 105 lbs) and the Buddy felt nice. I really liked the look of the Stellas, but I know that would be too much for me to handle (I could hardly reach the ground). Any advice would be great!

Sarah

[MrChet]

Where and what kind of riding will you be doing? City streets, college, runs to the market, daily commuting, etc?

50c is a great place to start and the Buddy fits smaller riders well but if you are going to be riding it daily on larger surface roads you may find 50cc too small.

[gar1013]

If the 125 fits you, you may appreciate the extra power -- I think they're the same frame. Buddy scooters seem to have hit an excellent price point given their features and reliability.

Other than that, I'm guessing you're new to two wheels, so here's some additional thoughts.

- Take a motorcycle safety class. This can really save your bacon. What you're riding is essentially a low powered motorcycle that you don't have to shift gears on, but with less stability at speed.

- Invest in a good helmet. I'm a huge proponent of full face helmets, or flip up (modular) helmets that use metal on the latching mechanism. They provide the best protection possible in that your entire head is protected. In addition, your eyes are protected and you reduce fatigue from wind noise. You don't need to spend a ton of money here -- more money tends to equal lighter helmets that are more aerodynamic, but for general around town riding, the cost vs benefit analysis doesn't stack up so well.

- Closed toe shoes. You'd think you don't need to say this, but it always bear repeating. Imagine the worst stubbed toe of your life, now multiply it by eleventy billion. Sturdy boots are better still. If you want absolutely the best protection, then get something that has dedicated ankle armor (proper motorcycle boots). This area is a bit problematic, because the best boots for riding also SUCK for walking. The compromise I've arrived at are a pair of the made in England Doc Marten 1460s -- nice stiff leather, great traction, and they fit my orthotics and are good walking around shoes once broken in.

- Jacket. Leather, abrasion resitant textile, or some standard textile with kevlar sewn in. Integrated body armor and back protector. The torso is a big area, and the right jacket can make a material difference in what happens after you've crashed.

- Pants. Basically, jeans are going to get shredded if you're going fast enough and have a dismount. Legs do seem to be the area that people are willing to "sacrifice" because cycle specific pants aren't really great for wearing off a bike, and overpants can be hot and a bother to store. So yeah, you'll probably take a bit of a risk here, but here's one risk NOT to take: do not wear polyester pants...or shirt...or really anything that could come into contact with the ground. The reason being is that polyester will melt due to the friction. Road rash is bad, but road rash with melted synthetic fabric is worse.

- Gloves: leather, or some sort of textile with abrasion resistance. To quote a former neighbor of mine after a low speed crash on gravel, "You know, you were right about how much your hands can bleed". Also, you could end up smacking a really large bug or have a rock thrown up. Your hands are your primary interface to the bike. Treat them as such!



Beyond all of that, just assume that everyone wants to kill you, and stay alert. Being paranoid is a wonderful way to keep safe.

Finally, remember that in EVERYTHING in life, including riding, where the head goes, the body will follow. Don't look at the obstacles, but rather the space between them. Orient your vision to where you want to go, and you'll find that things will align to get you to where you want to be.

Have fun and stay safe!

[TVB]

The Buddy is generally pretty good for people with shorter legs, but the best way to determine physical fit for you is by sitting on (and if possible riding) one. If you're looking at 50cc scoots, the Honda Metropolitan is worth a look, as it's a fairly small and lightweight bike.

The other question of "fit" is whether it'll do what you want it to do. In its standard configuration the Buddy 50 will do a peppy 30mph; with the restrictions taken off it can hit 40mph. You can do a lot with it (mine takes me almost everywhere I've wanted to go), but you do need to realistic about whether a 50cc is enough or if you need to be able to hit 45-55mph.

[Rusty Shackleford]

The Buddy 50, 125, and 170i are all the same physical size. There's a low profile seat available if you can't get your heels down on the ground but would like to be able to. At 5'2", you're in that window of where you may or may not want it. Anyway, the different Buddies work well for different environments.

50cc: Generally doesn't require a Class M license or insurance. Low top speed ideal for mostly urban riding. Least expensive of the 3.

125cc: Requires a Class M and insurance. Higher top speed ideal for urban, suburban, and country roads. Mid price-point.

170cc: Requires a Class M and insurance. Same top speed as the 125, but does it with a little less fuss and is fuel injected. It's also the most expensive of the 3.

[skully93]

At your petite size, a 50 will probably do a lot of what you need, and a 125 will be amazing.

My wife is 5'7" and @ 125. She gets @ 100mpg with the 125 stock . I'm the same height @ 60lbs heavier, and my 150 average 80. I also ride more aggressively. YMMV

Hope that helps! No matter what you go with, this is a hip community.

[Sira9]

Wow, thanks all for the great response!

MrChet, I'll mostly be riding on city streets (Chicago), to and from work and also just jetting around on the weekends. My commute is short (about a mile each way). And really, anything in the city where I live is just a hop and a skip away.

Gar1013, thanks for that advice! I will surely take a class and remember all of the things you wrote. It also gives me a reason to go out and buy fun new riding clothes/accessories!

TVB, Rusty and Skully93, I am planning on taking the 50 for a test ride, and maybe I'll look into the Honda, too - the buddy felt like a nice size when I sat on it at Scooterworks and the woman helping me was very helpful. I tried sitting on the Stella and that was just way too much scooter for me! I don't think I will need anything that goes over 30-40, especially with all of the city traffic, it will be a lot of stop and go.

Really, you all have been super helpful, this is great. I can't wait to be part of this community!

Thanks!

Sarah

[ktgscooter]

My wife is 5' 2" 110 lbs (and over 50 yrs). we both have the 170i. bought last summer - have over 1500 miles - she loves it and has no problem handling the scooter. additionally we are scheduling a trip from San Fran to LA in August. I think all the buddies share the same body size. I would recommend that you at least try the higher cc models because they may aford you a lot more scootering opps

[Sira9]

Thanks ktgscooter! I will try out a few before I buy.

[scullyfu]

hi sara. as an add on to gar1013's helmet advice, i'd assume gar1013 would agree that you need to not only get a 'good' helmet, you need to get a 'good-fitting' helmet. the goal is to get a helmet that is going to fit your head shape (yes, different manufacturers helmets are configured differently). i'm sure the folks at scooterworks can get you a proper fitting helmet.

if you can find a used one in good shape in the chicago area. if so, you'll save all the dealer prep costs. ask for service records. check the vin number on the title, does it match the vin plate on the scoot? and the cardinal rule: NO TITLE, NO CASH. PERIOD!

also, i'm 5'2" and ride a buddy125. i can't flat foot it, but feel plenty comfortable with the balls of my feet on the ground.

if money is not an issue, i'd go for the 125cc. never know when you'll need that extra ooomph.

good luck in your search!

[gar1013]

hi sara. as an add on to gar1013's helmet advice, i'd assume gar1013 would agree that you need to not only get a 'good' helmet, you need to get a 'good-fitting' helmet. the goal is to get a helmet that is going to fit your head shape (yes, different manufacturers helmets are configured differently). i'm sure the folks at scooterworks can get you a proper fitting helmet.

ABSOLUTELY.

Also, a properly fitting helmet may feel a bit on the snug side to begin with, but there will be a certain degree of compression of the material as you begin to wear it.

If you can put the helmet on and move it about your head, it's certainly too big.

Although they're probably going to be more pricey than you want/need, both Shoei and Arai make very good helmets and seem like there's not much overlap beteween the head types that they fit well. Shoeis fit me great, but Arais do not.... but if you walk into a place and tell them you have a Shoei shaped head, they may be able to point you to helmets that fit like them.

You may find a $100 helmet that fits you. You may find you need a $600 helmet that fits you. It's going to be what it's going to be, so whatever the pain to the wallet is, suck it up and consider that as the price of admission.

One last thought: you'll definitely want to get a DOT certified helmet, but you'll see that some helmets are Snell rated. Snell is a higher standard in many regards, but it may not be the right specification for you. The reason being is that the Snell specification involved multiple strikes to the noggin, while the DOT spec doesn't.

What this means is that in an accident where there are multiple impact events, the Snell should be "better", but in the event where there is a single impact, the Snell won't necessarily be "better" and could possibly be worse. To be clear, neither is "bad", just that the different standards lead to helmet design that can be more optimal for certain situations.

Of course, the difference between the two is moot if it doesn't fit well.

One added plug for a full face/modular is that they are more likely to stay in place. When I used to use snowblades (think tiny skis that are perfect for doing stunts), I had a specatular crash when I botched a landing. Thankfully I was wearing a helmet, but as I slide down the landing ramp head first, I certainly noticed more slippage than I wanted -- the helmet was a half helmet that fit well, but I did end up with some abraisions right above my eye. The helmet did do its job, thankfully, in that all I ended up with was a horrendous headache, as opposed to a cracked skull. Had I been going significantly faster, there could've been more displacement of the helmet.

[amyrob56]

I am 5ft nothing! (but I do have rather long legs for a short person) The low profile seat allows me to flat foot Lottie in my boots (1" heel). Being able to flat foot is a real confidence booster. My dealer swapped the seat out for me at no additional charge. .... although it does say "psycho" on it but I am kinda liking that! I did have a Honda Met 50 but outgrew that in 6 weeks... hence the motorcycle...then I missed the scooter...hence the 170i. Life is good!

[Dooglas]

I did have a Honda Met 50 but outgrew that in 6 weeks...

A good observation. There is a tendency for new riders to think that the smallest scooter available will be fine and they will never want or need to go faster than 30 mph.....after a few weeks of riding, their opinion often changes.
(nobody ever wished for a slower scooter )

[DHegg33]

Hello Sarah, IMO the Buddy 50 sounds like a perfect fit for a new rider of your size. I just got a Buddy 125 and I do enjoy pushing it a little on 55mph roads, but the Buddy in general with it's smaller tires is a bit more comfortable riding in the 30-40 mph range espeacially if you are a new rider. And if your commute is only a mile or so in the city streets of Chicago than you probably won't be reaching the upper speed limit of a 50 very often anyhow. My commute is about 10 miles and I am sure that a Buddy 50 would be quite capable of getting me back and forth and anywhere else I really needed to go around town no problem. That being said though I really do enjoy being able to zip onto the highway occasionally with my 125 and test the limits of it's suprisingly powerful little engine. I do get quite a few long looks from Bikers on their giant motorcycles as they seem to be wondering what it is I think I am doing going that fast on a cute little scooter! But if that is not that important to you than I believe you will be well served with a 50. It should be a great city commuter.

[Wolfhound]

All of what Gar1013 said!!!! Dress appropriately, live long and prosper.

[agrogod]

Wow, thanks all for the great response!

MrChet, I'll mostly be riding on city streets (Chicago), to and from work and also just jetting around on the weekends......

If you want it to fly refer to this post viewtopic.php?t=24681&highlight=warp

[apvkt]

Hi guys,
I want to buy a new scooter within two months.. But I am not aware of the two wheeler..Can anyone suggest me which one would be the best??

[TVB]

Hi guys,
I want to buy a new scooter within two months.. But I am not aware of the two wheeler..Can anyone suggest me which one would be the best??

Can you tell us more what you want to do with it?

[LunaP]

Sira,

I don't know how Chicago does things, but here we JUST recently passed a regulation that requires all 50's to be registered... this is to help track stolen bikes and hopefully reduce the number of bike thefts. If Illinois doesn't do 50cc/'moped' registrations, you may want to consider getting a bigger bike just for that. Also, I don't know what kind of financial situation you are in, but just because you aren't required to insure a 50 doesn't mean that you CAN'T. Check with your insurance agent... please trust me, it is better to have some coverage if something happens to you.

Wear gear all the time. I can't stress it enough. If you are working on a limited budget (like pretty much all of us), there are tons of places you can find good quality gear at closeout prices online, especially since you are slight of frame.

Take the MSF course. Even if you are only driving a 50cc. I just took it today and it was easy for me because I have a couple years under my belt... but I still benefited from it, and I completely understand now why everybody I know, on and offline, recommends it to everybody, regardless of experience or bike. It is worth the money (pro tip, though... if it is expensive in your area, look just outside the city... we had a guy drive an hour south to my city because it was 100 bucks cheaper here).

Also... I am about an inch taller than you, and fit comfortably on the very front of my Buddy's seat. I can't wear heels anymore because of my leg, but I found that wearing a boot with a modest inch on it made me much more comfortable... but if you are the only one riding, there is also a Low Pro seat you can put on that is about an inch lower, I believe (somebody correct me if that is wrong), to help with reaching the ground.

[Dooglas]

........just because you aren't required to insure a 50 doesn't mean that you CAN'T. Check with your insurance agent... please trust me, it is better to have some coverage if something happens to you.

Excellent observation!