Modern Buddy

My orange 2009 Buddy 125 has just over 6,000 miles on it. Around 5,000 miles I started noticing a strange smell fairly frequently...kind or reminds me of hot brake pads. Braking seems to be fine, but I've been meaning to check anyhow...

Anyway today I noticed the same smell coming from my "new" 2009 Buddy 125 (bought it new back in February or so this year). It has around 1,800 miles on it.

Here's the scenario from just before I noticed the smell today. I was on the freeway in the slow lane. Traffic had gotten down to 25mph or so, so I hopped off the freeway, sped up on the off ramp, and DID brake hard coming up to the stop sign at the top of the exit (it's one of those exits where another road goes over the top of the freeway and you can either get back on the freeway or make a right or a left and be on a surface street). There was no emergency or car in front of me...I was just having fun.

Well, I saw traffic was moving a little faster on the freeway, so I decided to get back on the freeway. Once on, I got over to the left in the carpool lane and traffic sped up to 60 or so (70+ indicated). A block or so up, I noticed the smell. Seems weird to smell anything coming from your scooter at that speed, but the smell was so familiar (the same exact smell the other Buddy has on occassion) I figured that was it.

I don't think I'm low on any fluids...has anyone else noticed a smell like hot brake pads (best I can describe it) coming from your scooter at speed?

How long do brake pads (IF that's what I'm smelling) typically last?

I know someone will ask, so I'll just say that I had filled up that morning (about 17 miles previously), and didn't fill up any more than usual (just barely over, if not even with, the lower lip in the gas tank). I had not tipped my scooter over, or hit any pot holes, but I do have fun with the speed bumps at work (they are like 3 feet wide and about 9 inches tall)--I tend to not slow down for them. Still...work was 6 or 7 miles behind me.

I'm sorry, I have nothing constructive to say. I had to click on this thread out of sheer morbid curiosity, just because it was titled 'weird smell'. I didn't really know what I was going to find...

I have NO clue what brake pads smell like, I can only chime in and say that with my 170i, I would occasionally smell a very plastic-y smell, usually as I was getting off the bike (and usually when it had been either running long or hard). Since it ran beautifully, I simply attributed it to the fact that it was new; I have no idea if that's similar to what you are smelling:?:

I didn't have to change my brake pads until about 20,000+ miles, and I tend to brake hard, so I think you're good there.

Are you sure the smell is coming from your scooters and not from the vehicles around you?

maybe it is just the smell of awesome!

Yeah, I was hoping the weird title would attract the attention of someone who had smelled that same smell.

I guess I'm not sure that it's coming from my scooters, but it's weird that that is when I've noticed the smell.

...and no, I don't notice that smell when I'm not on/near the scooters.

I have to say that I was thinking about it tonight, and it kind of also reminds me of how it smells when my neighbor has his trash pile burning also....though when I have smelled that smell often I have been on one of my Buddys miles from home.

Weird...I hope I'm not getting schizophrenia, or something.

Actually that's nothing to joke about.

I'm glad it's probably not my brakes, since they last so long.

The mystery continues.

michelle_7728 wrote:Yeah, I was hoping the weird title would attract the attention of someone who had smelled that same smell.

I guess I'm not sure that it's coming from my scooters, but it's weird that that is when I've noticed the smell.

...and no, I don't notice that smell when I'm not on/near the scooters.

I have to say that I was thinking about it tonight, and it kind of also reminds me of how it smells when my neighbor has his trash pile burning also....though when I have smelled that smell often I have been on one of my Buddys miles from home.

Weird...I hope I'm not getting schizophrenia, or something.

Actually that's nothing to joke about.

I'm glad it's probably not my brakes, since they last so long.

The mystery continues.

I once smelled old socks whenever I would go riding my scooter, was the worse on hot days, then the smell went away. GF washed my socks.