New Buddy Owner

[DudeDog]

Last year my SYM MIO was stolen.

So I wanted to try something new and settled on a Buddy 50. So far it rocks even though it's still restricted. Now it's time to accessorize.

Two questions...

1) I'm looking at the Prima large roll bag. I'm sure it will hold all my stuff, but the small one looks too small. Is this bag gonna be too big or be too dorky to fit on a rear rack? Or should I go with a topcase?

2) My dealer quoted me $200 for my first oil change after the break in period and to get it derestricted. I thought that was a bit much for those two things. Comments?

[az_slynch]

I had the 600 mile first service on my new scoot done at it was over $80 before I used my 15% coupon. The cost most likely depends on your shop's labor rate is. It is a bit weird in that the Buddy 50 only has oil in the final drive; the crankshaft is lubricated by the 2T oil that you put in the autolube tank.

There are resources out there on how to de-restrict these machines. Here's on on this forum:

viewtopic.php?t=3566

If you are semi-handy with tools, it's not too big of a job.

[skully93]

Not to rag on Prima, as they make decent stuff, but hte rollbags I have seen fade fast. That being said, they are built well. The small sits better on the rack, but that isn't anything a bungee cord won't fix.

I am partial to a topcase, as they are easy to remove, more weather resistant, and rigid.

$200 isn't the best price, but far from the worst. A typical tune up I have seen is 100-150, so add in de-restriction, you're not doing bad. The first is very important. If you can't do these things yourself, mechanics gotta eat too.

[Robbie]

Yep.....X2 on the Prima bags fading fast.....my black one was turning purple in less than one season and my machine is only outside if being ridden.
Otherwise, it lives in a garage....even at work.

I ended up replacing it this fall with a Saddleman leather pack....the Prima was just gettin too ugly.

Rob

[skully93]

Also, I forgot to say...

WELCOME!

[TomCat]

2) My dealer quoted me $200 for my first oil change after the break in period and to get it derestricted. I thought that was a bit much for those two things. Comments?

Looks like that's a fair price based on what I paid.
I had the dealer derestrict the RH when I bought it, $150.
I had the dealer throw in the 200 mile inspection to close the sale.
The 200 mile inspection would have cost $85.

Note that the 200 mile inspection is way more than just changing the gear oil if it's done correctly. There is literally a list of 25 things my dealer checked during the inspection---- testing the charging system, adjusting the carb, inspecting the plug & inspecting the fork tube seals to name a few.

The $150 to derestrict is probably on the high side but at the time I knew nothing about scooters & didn't want to fark something up trying to do it myself. From here on out I'll be doing my own maintenance.

BTW, welcome! You will enjoy the snot out of that little 2-stroke once derestricted. I can regularly bury the 50mph speedo, which means 45 actual mph. With 400 miles on it the engine hasn't even loosened up yet.

[Wolfhound]

Being retired ---and cheap--I measured the large Prima, went to Wally World's camping section and bought a fabric covered hard side(sides fold up and down) cooler and a small version of the same, put the large one
on the Stellas back rack and the small one on the front rack. Large one
was basically the same size as the Prima. Both of mine are water proof, held down by color matched bungies.Total cost:$28.00

[TVB]

The $150 to derestrict is probably on the high side but at the time I knew nothing about scooters & didn't want to fark something up trying to do it myself.

Paying the dealer to do it certainly makes sense if you're not an experienced wrencher; you don't want to damage a new scoot figuring it out yourself. But $150 for derestriction is definitely a... high-profit procedure. I got my dealer to do it free as part of the purchase, which he was willing to do because it's 100% labor (no parts needed, just tools).

[theflash784]

Welcome- I have a large Prima roll bag- tan. It is about 4 years old and pretty faded. I use a bungee cord along with the bag's straps to hold it securely onto the rack. After hooking up the straps, it seemed loose but with a bungee cord added, it was a solid hold.

[neotrotsky]

Dealership "certified serving" fees that only include an oil change and a few bolts being tightened are one of the biggest rip-offs with dealerships. I know they got to make money to keep the lights on, but there is no reason to pay 200 bucks for an oil change and once over unless it's the very first one to satisfy warranty requirements. Aside from the initial service call (which was free from the dealer when I bought my Kymco... cool on them!) I've done all my own service work. It's dead simple on a Buddy or Kymco alike and every rider should do it. It doesn't take much and it's easy to learn and do. It may be intimidating for those who aren't used to getting their hands dirty, but once you do it you will find out it's pretty easy and clean and actually FUN!

As for the Prima bags, I've found a great solution on canvas material that sees a lot of outdoor use: 3M ScotchGuard 303 HD. Waterproofing spray that cuts down on UV damage. Works wonders on my riding jacket.

[michelle_7728]

Welcome to the forum!

I bought a large Prima roll bag when I purchased my first Buddy and found (very quickly) that it sags--big time--on either side of the rack.

Finally I built a platform and it sat completely on there (not shown in the pictures). I later moved on to using saddlebags and sometimes a topcase....or sometimes just bungied stuff to the platform. In short, the aftermarket rack is way too tiny for my uses, but I've found many ways around it.