Modern Buddy

Hello folks,

I am still in great debate as to which Buddy I am going to buy. I am split between the 125, 150 or 170i.

I love the idea of fuel injection though the loss of the ability to kick-start my scooter has me a bit put off.

I have heard that the 125 is already a very fast scooter and the performance difference between the 3 variations is negligible.

I am very excited to join the Buddy family and am looking for guidance.

Thanks

Adam

This probably won't help but ya can't go wrong with any choice. For me it was either the Stella or the 170i and in the end I chose the 170i cos of dependability and I'm not much of a mechanic. I'll be getting a Stella as well cos they're just so customizable with the bling, bling. As long as you know what kinda use you expect and if you want freeway capabilities then you'll probably want more cc's.

Agree^^^ All 3 are great choices.

I don't like the loss of the kicker, but with FI on the 170 it makes sense.

If you can afford it go with a 170, UNLESS you can find a killer deal on a leftover 150. There are some of the 2 tones out there for GREAT discounts. Either one will make a great bike.
The 125 has plenty of motor, but why not get a little more while you are buying. The 170i fuel injection issue seems to have been figured out, so it comes down to price. If you have the cash, go 170i

Aren't they running a special for $300. worth of bling with a purchase of an older model? That could take care of a back rack and top case if you want one.

Ditto about all 3 being nice bikes. Others will no doubt chime in, but I don't think there is a huge difference in performance between the 3 you mentioned.

I have the stock 125 and, after I broke it in of course, I regularly have it up to 60-63 mph (70 indicated). I'm no lightweight (probably 160), and the freeway I ride on is mainly flat, with some slight hills...on those I slow down to about 55-57 (63 indicated).

Very spunky pickup from a standstill. Get around 90 mpg with the freeway riding. I have just over 5,000 miles on it so far.

Welcome to the forum, and remember to post pix when you decide which you want, and buy one.

I love my 125 and very rarely find myself wishing for more speed/power, no hwy's but is perfect for everything else. I have a 2 mile stretch of 'highway' where I wouldn't mind +5mph but I am in no way holding back traffic or anything. I think having kickstart alone is well worth those 5mph. I also love working on my scoot and I assume it is way easier to work on than a fuel injected bike. Also I understand the 170 has had a overheating problem(that has been fixed?). The 150 is out of production. I would go for a 125 again without question, clearly biased. If I had extra loot I would buy a second buddy and it would be a Psycho0-and then I would turn my current into a 170.

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement. I think I am going to start with a standard 125 and go from there.

I really like the idea of being able to tweak a carb or play with the airbox and exhaust as well as retaining the kickstarter.

I used to own a Eton Beamer 50cc that I brought up to 70cc and did some intake, exhaust, variator work. 50 mph on that chassis was SCARY !

This time around I want to gently modify and enjoy. I will post pics as soon as I the scoot in my possession.

Thanks Again

The value "sweet spot" is clearly the 125.

If that's not enough speed for you, then you're looking at the wrong scooter, anyway. The 170 will go a bit faster, but there's a limit to how fast you would want to go on such a small scoot with its itty bitty wheels. And while FI is very nice, you have to ask yourself how valuable that feature is really going to be on a little scooter.

If you want to be able to cruise at 70 MPH for long distances, then you should get a larger bike, anyway. The larger Blur, for example, not only gives you more "umph," it gives you a safer way to use that "umph."

I still think that a Buddy 125 is the best bang for the buck!

^^^^ agreed!

I test rode the 125 and the 170i, and really felt like the performance was pretty similar.

i've heard that a modded 125 > a modded 150 . . . true?

haven't messed with a 170 but after i get my big bore kit and pipe installed i bet i could take one on!

around town a buddy 125 stock is a great scooter. Lots of power down low where its needed, I'm 260lbs . My good friend is currently running a beamer with piped jog 90cc and my 125 is stronger in every part of the range. I'd love to have a stella but I think a buddy 125 is a better commuter.

I have a 170i, and like most said, you have to determine what is worth more to you, the kick start or the fi. For me, in chilly Upstate NY, the fi was my choice. I have grown up with carbureted bikes and ATVs and having to wait 10-15 minutes for the things to warm up in temperatures around and below 40* was a pain in the rear... if it's something I'm riding to work, I want to start it up, put on my gear and go.
I am a hobbyist mechanic, I work on cars, motorcycles and my scooter in my personal time, and I have yet to run into any problems because of the fi system. It's not any harder to work on, BUT because it has a computer, it does need to be tended by a dealer every once in a while for diagnosis purposes and for the first service. Otherwise doing your own work on the FI is just as easy as the cabureted models.

Thanks AWinn! I hadn't even thought about the warm-up time with a carb model. I can definitely appreciate your point as I positively hate waiting for my DR650 to warm up on cold mornings. The whole point of me getting a scooter beyond the fun of it is to have an accessible form of two wheeled transportation that is less fussy and cumbersome than my bike. Good call !
I will keep that in mind.

If the 125 owners could chime in and let me know how warm up goes on their scoots I'd appreciate it.

TenaciousA wrote:If the 125 owners could chime in and let me know how warm up goes on their scoots I'd appreciate it.

I ride in 30 degrees somewhat regularly now and don't think I wait more than maybe 5 minutes for warm up at the most. I have a 2007 Buddy 125. I've just moved to this climate from a much warmer one and haven't had any extra trouble starting either. I just start the scooter before putting my helmet and gloves on and I don't notice the warm up time.

I agree with the "you really can't go wrong" crowd. You can dig around a lot here and find opinions going both ways regarding 125 vs 150.

I might be wrong, but I gauge that it is warmed up enough to go by when the idle kicks back down. On my 125, even in cold temperature that is maybe 2 minutes.

Regarding the 125/150 performance, I don't have personal experience regarding how the two Buddys perform head-to-head. However, my husband has a Piaggio Fly 150, and I CAN say that off the line and up to 40-45mph my stock Buddy 125 is faster. However at WOT around 55 or 60 they seem the same...meaning my 125 stays up with his 150.

He weighs around 150 and I'm probably around 160.

Scoot! Magazine did a dyno test, comparing the 125 Buddy to the 150 Buddy, and the torque/horsepower curve in mid-range (30-35 mph, if I remember correctly) was superior to the 150 scoot. If that's the speed range for most of your riding, I think the 125 (for full disclosure, I must admit that's my current ride), with a backup kick starter and simpler mechanics, will meet your needs. I previously owned a 150 Kymco Super 8, which was a bigger scoot, and after riding my Buddy for the last 7 months, I am sure in the sweet spot range of 30-40 mph, the Buddy 125 is quicker. Not top speed, perhaps, but the extra 20 mpg is a perk!