Modern Buddy

Hi Everyone,

I don't own a scooter yet, but the wife finally gave me the go ahead. I am currently doing some research to narrow down my pick for a scooter. A Google search of scooters brought up Genuine scooters company as one of the results. Went to their website and liked what I saw. But pictures don't tell the real story, buyers do. I am interested in the Buddy 170i. Can I trouble you folks to give me the pros and cons of this model and your general impression of Genuine scooters, especially fit, finish, and reliability?

Thank you.

I recently was in the same decision making process you are now in. Mine resulted in a neck-and-neck race between the SYM HD200 and the Buddy 170i.

I had maxi-scooters before (400cc) and wanted something smaller, more agile and fun, this time around.

• Honda was too expensive but I'm sure the quality is there.
  Aprilia is pretty was hard to find service for, plus my previous bad experience with a 50cc Aprilia scooter re: parts availability made that decision pretty clear.
  Vespas were more premium priced than I wanted.
  Stayed away from the generic variety of cheap Chinese scooters.

Kymco was a contender until my research generally found that the Genuine scooters had a better reputation re: quality.

Though I liked the bigger tires of the SYM HD200, I ultimately steered away from it due to issues (perceived or actual, time will tell) on availability of service and the dealer network/reputation.

Many more local places would service Genuine scooters. Plus lots more after-market accessories available, which pleases me greatly.

So far (2 weeks in) I love my 170i. It's just large enough for what I need, but not too big to make me deal with things I don't.

The smaller tires keep me off the freeways, I don't feel there's stability on small tires at highway speeds and at 168cc it has no power headroom for emergency maneuvers on the freeway. Buying this means back roads only (for me, at least).

The under seat storage is not big enough for a full face helmet, so plan on a 3/4 helmet if you want it stored under seat. That's why I had to put on a topcase, my XL full face helmet is too big to fit under seat.

This scooter's fit/finish is as good as any other I've seen, no concerns there.

I'd also like to note that the fact the Buddy is fuel injected played into my decision as in theory it makes wintering the scooter less problematic, from what I was told. For lack of regular winter use, carbs apparently get gunked up and FI deals with infrequent usage more gracefully.

I, too, was recently going through the decision-making process for my first scooter, and the 170i was one of 3 I was trying to choose between (the other 2 being the people 150 and like 200i). After test-riding the people 150 & buddy 170i (the like 200i was perpetually out of stock), I ultimately chose the buddy. It's a much more fun ride, has GREAT acceleration, and I could be wrong, but it felt like it had better suspension too. Also, it's fuel-injected, which was an added bonus.

A little under a month post-purchase and I couldn't be happier. The 170i is very fast for its size. So far hills have not proven to pose any issue for it, and I'm able to keep up with traffic even at speeds into the 50s and 60s (though since I'm still breaking it in, I've only done this once thus far). I also get a lot of head-turns from others, and I can't say I blame them. It's an awful nice-looking little scoot.

I would also say that I think a full-face helmet could fit in the underseat storage, if it's a smaller size. I have a 3/4 size small and it fits fine, and I think a full-face in the same size would as well.

Have had my Buddy 150 for a few years now. Great experience with my scooter and with Genuine too. Don't think you can beat the Buddy for that price range. Nimble, fun, reliable scooter. Hopefully you've got a dealer pretty close to you for those oil changes, etc.

As far as helmets and underseat storage, I have a full face helmet which does not fit, but there are "hooks" underneath that I can hang my helmet on, then close the seat over the strap. This has worked just fine. I'd personally recommend full face. Prefer not to get skin grafts on my chin.

TroutBum wrote:Hi Everyone,

I don't own a scooter yet, but the wife finally gave me the go ahead. I am currently doing some research to narrow down my pick for a scooter. A Google search of scooters brought up Genuine scooters company as one of the results. Went to their website and liked what I saw. But pictures don't tell the real story, buyers do. I am interested in the Buddy 170i. Can I trouble you folks to give me the pros and cons of this model and your general impression of Genuine scooters, especially fit, finish, and reliability?

Thank you.

I have a soft spot for the HD200 myself, but I have a question for you; what have you looked at in person? web sites are nice, but your butt will tell the real story. the Buddy was on my short list too, but there was one particular fitment (big feet-ment, might be a better description) issue that I couldn't get past when I was looking.

And don't forget, in many cases you aren't just buying a scoot, you're buying a dealer too. Nothing beats a good dealer.

For me it was between the Yamaha Star 250 and the Buddy 170i. I chose the buddy for many reasons:

Customer service for either of them was going to be good, but two years of roadside assistance is and edge.

I already knew how to ride the Buddy, as I have been riding Tomos bikes for years and twist and go was my thing.

The storage on a Buddy is sweet, even without expansion and saddlebags.

72-88 mpg beats the hell out of 60.

70 mph top speed (for real) is nice on long stretches of flat road, easy to maintain 60 on some highways and still have a little left (I make the choice to brave the freeways, it is a personal choice.)

Two year warranty with reputation is confidence not reassurance (as in the past warranties remained longer because of known defects and poor history) Almost every other small motorbike I have bought only covered for 6 months!

Since I have gotten the 170i I have been very happy, I have 1900 miles on it in two months and love every minute of it...

So unless you needs bigger bike, this is the best small big bike out there!

TroutBum wrote:don't own a scooter yet

Do you have a California M1 motorcycle license?

Have you informed others of your organ donor preferences?

Have you ACTUALLY made an effort to review the numerous 170i related forum postings to determine if this model is suitable for your performance expectations . . or do you feel that previous forum contributions are not relevant because YOU just recently became interested?

Before you make any kind of purchase, I'm curious to know what the other contending scooters are. Many people here on the forums have experience with multiple scooters, not just the scooters from Genuine.

Oh, and welcome to the forums and congrats on the chance to buy a scooter!

For the most part, you can't go wrong with Genuine (except for the Rattler...). My old Stella (and LML Make) took a beating and never stopped. The Buddy scoots have an amazing rep with bullet proof engineering behind it.

BUT, the biggest test beyond "will they last" (which is a resounding yes with the Buddy), is the fit. You need to actually *sit* on the scooter and see where all the bits lie and where the controls live. It's the only factor that keeps me off of a Buddy. It's not that it's a bad fit, but it is a tad smaller than some other scooters. Most riders don't notice at all and fit perfectly within the bike, and that just shows how well they are made. Sadly, my long-ass arms keep me out of that group

But, the 170i is a rocket and I would strongly consider it once you see it's a good physical fit. Best bang for the buck right now

I have test drove Vespa LX 150, (both carb and FI), Honda PCX150, and Honda Metro (dealer wanted me to compare againts the PCX for power). The BMW dealership in my city has a nice selection of scooters. They have Vespa, Piaggio, Genuine, and Aprilia scooters.

The Genuine brand has piqued my interest. It certainly more in line to what I like to spend on my first scooter. From some of the responses the 170i seems to have many satisfied.

TroutBum wrote:Can I trouble you folks to give me the pros and cons of this model and your general impression of Genuine scooters, especially fit, finish, and reliability?

I have had a Buddy 50 (probably about 80% the same bike as the 170), for more than three years and 15,000 miles, and in my experience the reliability is excellent. The only mechanical work I've had to have done has been to replace parts that are supposed to wear out: e.g. brake pads, tires, spark plug, filters. And some that should have worn out by now (clutch and battery)... haven't. There's a reason they give a two-year warranty on these: it doesn't cost them much.

The fit and finish are very good; the only exception I would make is that the mirrors have a tendency to get wobbly and need tightening (a common complaint), and one of mine developed some rust on the stem. I ended up replacing the mirrors with a different kind (for a Yamaha C3) when the scoot tipped over and broke one of them.

The only general "con" I can think of about the Buddy (for some people) is that the small wheels don't give as smooth and stable a ride as larger wheels would. But you get better maneuverability with them, so it's a subjective thing.

My 150cc is coming up on 25,000 miles and is going stronger than ever. It's been my only vehicle for nearly 4 years now, taken me from LA all the way up to your neighborhood, down to San Diego, over mountains, through valleys, you name it. I needed a good, dependable ride and boy did I find one.

My Buddy 125cc became my everyday commuter and I love seeing other's on the road as well. Solid handling and fueling is easy (About once every three weeks). I load groceries in the basket in the back and 2-up (ride with the lady often). About to hit my 1k mark. And will roll this bad boy until snow falls.

Do it you won't be sorry.

I have full-face Arai helmet that does fit under the seat. It is a small (I like a tight fit), but I bet a medium would fit, too, maybe even a large?

Either way, larger helmets fit in my 29L top-case.

I love the removable shad/givi top cases. Need to run a quick errand? no case. Longer trip? case...

My 150cc has also treated me very well. I agree that for top speed the light weight and small wheels feel very strange and not 'solid', but 0-50 is delightful, and short bursts to 65 are a blast.

We're very fortunate to have a dealer who's employees/owners are also members of the community, so the Buddy was an easy sell for me.

Hello, I just bought a Buddy 125. I have no experience on motor bikes and am taking the safety class next week. I am 55 years old so I don't have the "nothing can hurt me" attidude of youth. How long does it take to get used to riding? I would like to use my new Buddy to commute.

Welcome to the forum. Like you I am in my 50s. Having ridin motorcles on and off since he late 70s I found riding a scooter to not be all that much different. However, having not riden much the last 10 years I started off slow while I built my confidence up. For me there were two areas I had to focus on, braking and leaning. It took me around 150 miles before i could just go about the business of riding without overly thinking about braking and leaning. I now have nearly 300 miles on my scooter and riding is much more automatic for me now.

The MSF course is a great way to learn. In the end it's an individual thing and you will get used to riding when you get used to riding. Take your time and have fun.

Little Red wrote:Hello, I just bought a Buddy 125. I have no experience on motor bikes and am taking the safety class next week. I am 55 years old so I don't have the "nothing can hurt me" attidude of youth. How long does it take to get used to riding? I would like to use my new Buddy to commute.

Welcome! I'm a newcomer to riding later in life as well. Take it slow, and don't do anything until you are comfortable with it.

Take the MSF course, and a really good additional resource is a book called "Proficient Motorcycling"...you will see many threads where people recommend it.

As a new rider, I found it helpful to wake up early on the weekends and do my practice riding then, as you have the roads more to yourself...weekend mornings are especially good for doing trial runs to destinations (ie work) to see what they'd be like riding a scooter vs being in a car.

Always be looking at the tires of cars as you ride, be they in the next lane, parked on the street, or waiting in an intersection or driveway. It is a lot easier to see if a car is moving by looking at a wheel/tire than the entire car. Always assume that no one can see you (even if they appear to be looking right at you) and stack the odds in your favor by wearing a high viz yellow jacket and high viz full faced or modular helmet. That has been an invaluable aid to me.

...and have fun!

Hi Little Red,

Welcome to the forum. Like yourself I am also in my 50's. I rode motorcycles earlier in my life but purchased a 150cc Buddy in March. I really enjoy riding it and have had a lot of fun.

I took it to a vacant parking lot and practiced figure 8's turning, stopping, and acquainted myself with all the controls.

I took the MSF course when I was younger and riding motorcycles. It is well worth it.

Take you time and enjoy yourself.

I just bought the motorcycle course on GROUPON. $150 off .... made it very appealing, and I can only get smarter!!!

Hi there, I'm in my early 50s, have been riding my Buddy 125 for 4 years now, with zero riding experience prior to that. All of the pointers on here are good. Here are my "words of (ahem) wisdom" - some of these have already been mentioned, but bear repeating. As always, your experience/preferences may vary.

- discover low-traffic roads/routes
- assume all other drivers, bikers, pedestrians, squirrels, etc. are not paying attention
- watch road conditions closely
- hi-viz wear is a must (you will immediately see drivers that are beginning to pull out in front of you will "stop short" upon seeing the day-glo)
- use GPS to determine your spedometer/odometer variance
- night riding is far less enjoyable than daytime riding
- be ready for lots of impromptu parking lot discussions from curious folks
- one maintenance-type tip - consider ethanol-free gas (save the grain-based liquids for yourself)
- enjoy every ride!

The first thing to consider is what do you want to use the scooter for? Around town....day trips, touring etc.

I would say that the fit and finish are good...could be better but not really not bad at all for the price point. The 125 and 150 motors have been proven to be solid. The 170 hasn't been out for very long but I would expect the same reliability.

In my opinion the best bang for the buck is still a Buddy 125!