Modern Buddy

So, on a whim I sold my car and I'm looking for a cheap scooter until I can find the perfect VW Cabriolet, but I don't want to spend Buddy prices. I have a neighbor that appears to have given up on fixing a TNG Venice LX and bought another scooter. The Venice LX has sat with the engine cover off for about 3 months, and all I know is that it turns over but doesn't make any attempt to start, the neighbor didn't seem mechanically inclined and I watched him try to just start it and then take the cover off after draining the battery. Two days later, I see he has a new scooter and hasn't touched the one I'm interested in since. Through the magic that is goggle search, I didn't find a ton of info on this scooter other than it was $1,695 retail, Chinese, it's a 50cc, and was made between 2003-2006.

I only need this scooter for at most a month to a month and a half until I can find my VW, and the scooter will be for my wife, so I don't want something that is dangerous, as I know some scooters from China are. It appears to be in decent shape, tires appear nice, and from glancing at it all the parts appear to be there, a good wash and cleaning up the yellowing headlight and speedo would make it look almost new. Would offering $100 be too little to offer on something like this that isn't running?

Could I cram a 50cc Buddy engine into this without modification?

THANKS!!!!!

I think $100 is a generous offer. Just saying. Once I saw the word "Chinese", I knew all I needed to know...

It was probably brought in to the US in '06, along with lots of other scoots. I'd say go for it, in a month and a half you might just have it running.

Run! As fast as you can....away from it!

''A hole in the void into which you pour money''

Meh. TNG isn't the WORST of the Chinascoots.

Offer him $100...if he doesn't take it, well no big deal.


Cause yes, you are going to have to put some money into it.

T'NGs were really 'not bad' as these things go. The company was trying to be a real national brand, unlike the dozen-no-name scoots that would pop up at your local gas station or lawn mower shop. They were cheap, sure, but not dangerous-cheap like the fly-by-nights. They experimented with being a 'Made In USA' brand by doing final assembly here in the states, which might sound cheesy, and is, but anyone who's dealt with the really bad China stuff knows how bad they can be, and T'NG's were 'not bad'.

Your research has already told you something important: there's not much info out there for you.

I think $100 is a generous offer.

If you are handy and patient and want something to play with, you could do worse. If you are looking for transportation in the short term, I wouldn't advise taking it on.

Syd wrote:It was probably brought in to the US in '06, along with lots of other scoots. I'd say go for it, in a month and a half you might just have it running.

Syd is right. It's unlikely that you will have it running in a month. For an expert mechanic, it might be an easy fix, but it might not. To get a motor to run, you need fuel, compression and spark. To get started troubleshooting, you'd have to figure out which of those you don't have. Then you'd have to figure out why. If it turns out to be an electrical problem, that means you'll have to source some generic GY6 electric spares, including possibly a stator, which requires a flywheel puller to change. The following 4 steps will quickly run you through the initial troubleshooting process

If we haven't scared you off and you are game for some basic troubleshooting, here is a quick and dirty process to quickly figure out what kind of problem the scooter has -

-1) It does have gas in it, right? You wouldn't be the first person to go crazy trying to troubleshoot a scooter with no gas in it.
0) Put a known-good battery in it or jump it off of a car that is NOT RUNNING. Repeat: NOT RUNNING. Does the scooter now start and run? Make sure you have the brake lever(s) pulled in, try them both in case one of the electrical switches (or associated wiring) is bad.
1) Does it have injector oil in it? The Venice has a two-stroke motor. Surely the owner didn't run it out of injector oil and burn up the piston and cylinder, right?
2) I'd like to know if it has spark. NO SPARK = NO DEAL, because I don't think you'd be able to get it going in a month, if ever. To verify this, pull the plug, reconnect it to the spark plug wire, ground the plug to the motor, and kick the bike over. You should be able to see a spark. Also, [2a] look at the spark plug electrode while you have it out. It should be a nice light brown color and should have a gap of 0.023 - 0.032 inches. Is it all black and oil-fouled?
3) Is the carb gummed up? If it's just a gummed up carb, and you're prepared to rebuild it, then no problem. You can find out pretty quickly by removing the air filter and spraying some Quick Start in there and try to start it.
4) If it runs then dies in (3) above, you have a fuel starvation situation, probably caused by a gummed-up carb, but maybe caused by the fuel petcock which could be as simple as a leaky/disconnected vacuum line. Or a bad fuel petcock.

That gives you some stuff to think about before you hand over any money.

Good Luck. Let us know how it goes.

mhardgrove wrote:.... and the scooter will be for my wife, so I don't want something that is dangerous

Sure not something I would do!

mhardgrove wrote:Could I cram a 50cc Buddy engine into this without modification?

Nope.

I so wouldn't buy this scoot the OP is looking at. Seems more of a headache than it's worth. The thing about Chinese scoots are you need some one who knows a lot about how to keep them running and a good source for parts...

Cool, thanks everyone. I will just get an old Honda Spree or similar that I know more about. Thanks again!!!