Modern Buddy

Today I was going for a ride and I open the gate got my Buddy 170I out and put the kick stand down and went to close the door. This big gust of wind hits and down goes the bike. Now the left lever, the one you pull in to start it, has completely broken off. I managed to get it started just to check if there was any electrical problems and everything seems to work as far as the light and turn signals. Does anybody know how to fix this or should I just wait till next week since I'm gonna take it down to NoHo scooters for the first service? Are the levers universal or do they vary by scoot? And finally how much would this cost to fix? Thanks guys...

so you can pull either brake to start it but yeah, you need to get that fixed. I'm not sure about universal and this is a lesson learned the hard way: center stand always and only.

There are probably some other levers that will fit but they're not universal. NoHo probably has left levers in stock; they're one of the most commonly broken parts.

You can get by with just the front brake but it's obviously not optimal. You'll need more stopping room and should you need to make a hard stop you could be in trouble.

As for price, levers are cheap. Most of the parts for these scooters are inexpensive: one of the many perks over other bikes.

thanks guys. I don't fix anything for fear of making the problem worse, so I called everywhere I could find to see if I could get this fix today but no shop works on Buddies in my area. I don't even think they even heard of them. I think I'm just gonna have to wait till next Tuesday when I have them do my first servicing. Note to self ALWAYS USE THE MIDDLE KICK STAND! sucks cos I REALLY wanted to ride.

When I broke my right lever NoHo had one in stock and fixed me up while I waited. Very nice. If you are going to NoHo anyways you should just give Mike a call and tell him you'll need one. That way he can either hang on to one for you, or order one if needed. My guess, though, is that he'll have one in stock.

If you want a cheap(er) and possibly quicker fix, try B&B Cycles and Cucamonga Yamaha. The rear lever for the Zuma (and possibly their other scooters) fits the RH and Buddy 50/125/150, and unless you have rear discs it'll fit the 170i.

It's only $5 and you can install it in about 10 minutes with a screwdriver.

I had the same thing happen to me a couple years ago when I was scooting aruond Lake Michigan: I used the kickstand on uneven pavement, brushed up against the scooter, and it tipped over. I had to ride 40 hilly miles with one brake to the nearest Genuine dealer, who went above and beyond to get my ride back up to spec.