Modern Buddy

Hello everyone, first of all i want to thank everyone for all the great information on these forums.

Im a student in Southern California and recently decided to get a scooter because my car is bankrupting me. I started looking into Vespas about two months ago and loved the GTS 300 - but i soon realized that a Vespa would be way outta my price range. I wanted to get a 200cc+ scooter to do some highway driving but i cannot find any I like besides the GTS.

I have settled on a Buddy. Ive found a route to school and i can take regular streets that would be a nice 20 minute ride.

Here's my dilemma:

I hear the Buddy 125 is actually faster than the Blackjack? I think what i read was the 125 was faster off the line than the Blackjack. Is this correct, do i really need to spend the extra cash for a Blackjack or should i just get a 125?

Thanks in Advance

Yes, thats correct. The Blackjack will get to it's top speed a hair quicker, but the 125 is a bit faster off the line due to it having a longer stroke which gives it a bit more lower end torque than the 150 powered Buddys.

Hi, Dinesh,

Not that I'm trying to talk you out of a Buddy, but just out of curiosity, what 200cc+ models did you look at?

Since you're in LA, consider heading over to NoHo Scooters. They carry Genuine, but also Kymco and SYM, which have good larger models at far less than GTS prices.

One other suggestion is to check Craigslist ads for a secondhand Vespa. I ran across a 2004 GT200 (so same frame/chassis/body as the GTS300 you mentioned) for ~ $3100 a few months ago. I was strongly debating between that GT200 and a Blackjack.

Love my Sym HD 200. Much less than the Vespas ( mine was $4300 out the door) with plenty of power. Might want to check them out. I also have a Buddy 125. Nice scoot but the Sym leaves it in the dust off the line. Will cruise all day long at 65mph with a top end about 75mph.

ericalm wrote:Hi, Dinesh,

Not that I'm trying to talk you out of a Buddy, but just out of curiosity, what 200cc+ models did you look at?

Since you're in LA, consider heading over to NoHo Scooters. They carry Genuine, but also Kymco and SYM, which have good larger models at far less than GTS prices.

I look at the Kymco and the Piaggio, but ive decided not to get a scoot to go on the freewat, because i am a new rider and i think i should stick to the surface streets as a beginner.

My question was if im looking for speed would it make sense to get the Blackjack over the 125?

DineshD wrote:My question was if im looking for speed would it make sense to get the Blackjack over the 125?

The differences are pretty small—small enough that any number of variables could result in similar speed differences. It's maybe a 5mph difference that would be lost on a steep incline or in a headwind or after gorging on pizza. If you were inclined to add some performance modifications, you could easily have a 125 as fast as a stock 150.

For off-freeway riding, you shouldn't be disappointed with either. They're built for zipping around surface streets. They'll beat most cars and similar-size scooters off the line easily and are small and nimble.

The advantages of the BlackJack are really more in styling and handling than speed.

You may be planning to use a scooter just for commuting to school now, but many of us bought one and were soon looking for any excuse to ride. Many of use still do! As you become a more experienced rider, you might appreciate the added performance benefits of the BlackJack.

I know that if I were buying a Buddy now, a BlackJack is definitely what I'd be going for!

A Blackjack or and Buddy International 150 would do you fine in LA. Definitely (IMO) get a 150 over a 125 as it enables a greater variety of possible rides to go on. The large number of long hills etc around here, plus the numerous longer distance rides you can take (like to Santa Barbara), and the speeds people tend to drive at, make those extra 25cc's worth while. Plus, if the situation ever arises where you absolutely MUST go on a freeway for a few exits, you are legal. (Anything less than a 150 is not allowed on the hwy's.)

The only difference between a 150 and a 125 is that one can legally go on the highway and the other can not. Its SOO SMALL! I have a 125 and ride AND keep up with 150s all the time.

Are the Buddy 150s technically freeway-legal? Isn't it like 149cc or something??

They are freeway legal, but still not probably a good idea to ride them on the freeway.

pyrocpu wrote:Are the Buddy 150s technically freeway-legal? Isn't it like 149cc or something??

Your bike is a Buddy 150, yes it's 149.somethingCC but its Freeway legal, the law isn't by exact CC's, its advertised CC's(at least in my state)

I'll have to check again but I believe the rule in CA is anything over 149cc.