Modern Buddy

It was terrifying! I had no idea it might be like that. I took it on the 280 travelling south toward Daly City. Hitting 60 feels like you're doing 90, but cars are still whizzing by you like they're travelling 150.

I also felt like, at any moment, I could hit some pothole that snuck up on me, and I'd be toast. There really wasn't a moment of confidence to be had. It's odd because on a bicycle I can whiz down a mountain at 50 mph, no problem. But on a Buddy on the freeway, I was mostly focusing on not clinching my jaw.

On the way home, I took side streets. Will something like a Vespa GTV inspire much more confidence and feel more substantial? I love my Buddy for the City, but now I understand why I don't see many of these on the highway.

Well, if you hit 60 on your speedometer, you were probably going anywhere from 53 to 57 actual MPH which is why the cars were still blasting by you.

Basically, our 10-inch wheels are not safe for extended highway travel. Many of the potholes around here are about that size! I've certainly maintained 60-65 indicated for several minutes on some roads and even taken the Buddy on the highway from one ramp to the next. But I would never consider using the Buddy (or any scooter with 10" wheels) for consistent high-speed travel.

You need the right tool for the job.

Tocsik wrote:Well, if you hit 60 on your speedometer, you were probably going anywhere from 53 to 57 actual MPH which is why the cars were still blasting by you.

Basically, our 10-inch wheels are not safe for extended highway travel. Many of the potholes around here are about that size! I've certainly maintained 60-65 indicated for several minutes on some roads and even taken the Buddy on the highway from one ramp to the next. But I would never consider using the Buddy (or any scooter with 10" wheels) for consistent high-speed travel.

You need the right tool for the job.

Actually, I was accounting for the speedometer always registering too fast. I had her pegged. I'd feel safer on my bicycle doing 60 though than a scooter with those size wheels.

If I ever decided to become a regular highway commuter, I'll likely just go the motorcycle route I think. Luckily, the Buddy serves my purposes 99% of the time.

Certainly no secret that the Buddy is not really suitable for freeway riding. Is a Vespa GTS better at this task? certainly. It easily does 70 to 75 miles per hour and is much more stable at speed. A scooter such as the BV 350 or Yamaha Majesty 400 with larger wheels and a longer wheelbase is even more stable in freeway situations.

Since I got a 125cc this Summer, I've taken it out on a nearby somewhat-limited-access divided highway a few times, mostly to see what it's like going WOT on the scoot, and once because it was the only way to get somewhere on time. It was OK – there are traffic lights every couple miles, so cars rarely get much above 60-65mph – but it isn't something I plan to make a habit of.

In Michigan a 125cc is (just barely) expressway-legal, so one of these days I'm going to pick a time/day with light traffic on one of the Interstates going thru town, and ride from one exit to the next, just for the sake of being able to answer: yes, I've done it... legally.* But it's been about four months and I still haven't gotten around to it. It might have to wait until Spring.

*I (illegally) took my 50cc on an Interstate a couple times, but those were short rides under special circumstances.

I would never go on an actual 65 or 70mph freeway, but i have gone on 50mph highway. With a windscreen is way pleasanter than without. It's fine for 5mi or so.

Scooters are for scooting. For tooling around, but not for going flat out for an extended distance. That's just not fun. Scooters are for fun.

I sold my Aprilia Scarabeo 200 to fund our Buddy 150. With its larger wheels it was definitely more motorcycle-like. There's nothing wrong with feeling vulnerable on the freeway on a bike. It helps keep you safe.

TVB wrote:Since I got a 125cc this Summer, I've taken it out on a nearby somewhat-limited-access divided highway a few times, mostly to see what it's like going WOT on the scoot, and once because it was the only way to get somewhere on time. It was OK – there are traffic lights every couple miles, so cars rarely get much above 60-65mph – but it isn't something I plan to make a habit of.

In Michigan a 125cc is (just barely) expressway-legal, so one of these days I'm going to pick a time/day with light traffic on one of the Interstates going thru town, and ride from one exit to the next, just for the sake of being able to answer: yes, I've done it... legally.* But it's been about four months and I still haven't gotten around to it. It might have to wait until Spring.

*I (illegally) took my 50cc on an Interstate a couple times, but those were short rides under special circumstances.

geez, you would be Sooooo illegal taking a 125 on the interstate here, as a "motor-driven cycle" (DMV definition) they put big white and black letter signs saying NO! not beyond this point.

If you have to do some freeway riding on a small scoot, some advice:
Get better tires. This made a huge difference on my Vespa, which now handles well at high speeds. I have the Heidenau K61s.
Keep those tires properly inflated.
Get a medium windshield.
Stick to the left side of the right lane.
Don't stiffen up and white knuckle it. Stay loose and flexible!

ericalm wrote:If you have to do some freeway riding on a small scoot, some advice:
Get better tires. This made a huge difference on my Vespa, which now handles well at high speeds. I have the Heidenau K61s.
Keep those tires properly inflated.
Get a medium windshield.
Stick to the left side of the right lane.
Don't stiffen up and white knuckle it. Stay loose and flexible!

That's all good advice. As a cyclist, tires and tire pressures are dear to my heart. On this particular stretch, however, I had to stay in the middle lane to switch freeways from HWY 1 to 280. I certainly wasn't just going to glance at my mirror for a lane change because one car had already passed me at what could have easily been 95+.

However, glancing back over my shoulder was unnerving because then I have no eye on approaching potholes, and there seemed to be plenty of them on this stretch.

So, no white-knuckling? Believe me... I was chanting it to myself like a mantra. My biggest fear by far was simply hitting a pothole that would jar me so hard that my hands would fly off the front of the bars. This happened to me once on a road bike, and there are no drops on a scooter. On a road bike, that meant lots of road rash and tegaderm. On a scooter it means broken bones and an extended stay in the hospital, and that's the best possible outcome.

I've ridden my 125 Buddy over long distances numerous times; I find it fun and exhilarating. I've been from Tulsa to New Orleans, San Antonio, Wisconsin and twice to Indiana and Illinois. I plan to ride to Indianapolis next year for Amerivespa.

Key is to be comfortable while you ride. I don't take a lot of breaks but I don't try to break the speed limit either. My first few trips were done WOT but I've learned to take it a little slower as I did more.

Potholes are not really an issue; usually you're going fast enough that you shoot right over them if they are not too large. Bumps can be more of a problem as hitting them at speed will cause a major jolt and you could lose control if you are not careful.

Overall, take good roads and enjoy the ride! As Eric mentioned, stay in the right lane so cars and trucks can pass (be courteous) and be attentive. If it's not fun for you, don't do it.

to the OP...it'll take repeated trips over time to 'desensitize' yourself to the bad feelings without losing your situational awareness; I have been riding a bit over 3 years & took me nearly 2 1/2 years to buffer myself enough to ride shorter distances (up to 10 miles) on local highways enough to keep myself calm...nothing fully relaxes me enough when a larger vehicle buzzes by and creates alot of wind buffeting; most of that riding has been on midsize cruiser motorcycles with intermittent trips on one of the several scoots I previously owned...

my major malfunction happens when I cruising along on a nice country road and a punkass on a crotch rocket rips by me without warning (hard to hear them approaching with a helmet & wind noise)

I've actually done that exact same ride on my Buddy 125 and it scared the he** out of me. I did it again on my Vespa LX and it STILL scared the he** out of me! If you really want to get on the freeway on a small frame, crossing the Golden Gate bridge on a calm morning for a short jaunt into Sausalito is the way to go, IMHO. For a ride to Daly City, I recommend a bigger scooter

My first highway experience was in 2009 on my Kymco Super 8 150. I was attending AMERIVESPA 2009 in Los Gatos, CA, and the ride was to Alice's Restaurant (where you can get anything you want). Did not know at the time that we were heading south on Highway 17 to Bear Creek road, and I white knuckled it until we hit Bear Creek. And that was on 14 inch rubber. When I moved on to the Buddy 125, I restricted myself to short jaunts on local expressways in Silicon Valley, and mainly took city roads. Guess with old age comes wisdom ( or is that fear) and I want to enjoy time on the scooter, not compete with 4500 pounds of cagers passing me right and left.

Dooglas wrote:Certainly no secret that the Buddy is not really suitable for freeway riding. Is a Vespa GTS better at this task? certainly. It easily does 70 to 75 miles per hour and is much more stable at speed. A scooter such as the BV 350 or Yamaha Majesty 400 with larger wheels and a longer wheelbase is even more stable in freeway situations.

Dooglas - from my experience your BV350 and other larger wheeled scooters are much happier on the freeway than even the 12" wheeled Vespa GTS. The extra wheelbase, wheel size and bike weight all contribute to greater stability. It's all relative however. Neither my Burgman 650 or my BMW C600 felt as stable as or could handle a large pothole as any of my Harleys. While the Vespa can easily handle the speed IMHO if you want to cruise the freeways get a BV350 or one of the many maxi-scooters made for the task.

I've managed to wring an honest 77mph out of my 175cc Yager and I've done hundred-mile jaunts on I-10 while keeping up with highway traffic. Admittedly, there's little left on tap with a 75mph speed limit, but at least I know I could *almost* get busted for speeding there...

I agree that high speeds on 10" tires can be a bit hairy. I've made 20-30 mile highway runs on my P200E and wrung her out to about 70mph on smooth road. At that speed, I'm overriding my tires (J-rated is recommended up to 62mph) and the old suspension isn't quite up to the task. Maybe some faster-rated rubber and a set of Bitubo shocks would help, but the bike still has the aerodynamics of a small sleigh and is going to get light and squirrley up front. I suspect that the Buddy would behave in a similar manner.

EvilNerdLord wrote:

TVB wrote:Since I got a 125cc this Summer, I've taken it out on a nearby somewhat-limited-access divided highway a few times, mostly to see what it's like going WOT on the scoot, and once because it was the only way to get somewhere on time. It was OK – there are traffic lights every couple miles, so cars rarely get much above 60-65mph – but it isn't something I plan to make a habit of.

In Michigan a 125cc is (just barely) expressway-legal, so one of these days I'm going to pick a time/day with light traffic on one of the Interstates going thru town, and ride from one exit to the next, just for the sake of being able to answer: yes, I've done it... legally.* But it's been about four months and I still haven't gotten around to it. It might have to wait until Spring.

*I (illegally) took my 50cc on an Interstate a couple times, but those were short rides under special circumstances.

geez, you would be Sooooo illegal taking a 125 on the interstate here, as a "motor-driven cycle" (DMV definition) they put big white and black letter signs saying NO! not beyond this point.

If recollection serves me, the minimum engine displacement on The Interstate Highway system (labeled with an I, as in I280) is 250cc. I had a Vespa 300 GTS that I rode on the interstate. It did okay other than wind blast and monkey butt. Now I have a touring class motorcycle for distance and speed, and a 170i for around town.

ModernMike wrote:If recollection serves me, the minimum engine displacement on The Interstate Highway system (labeled with an I, as in I 280) is 250cc.

There is no uniform restriction for minimum engine displacement on the Interstate Highway system. Each state sets it's own highway limitations. So, like so much else in the U.S. - they are inconsistent.

ModernMike wrote:If recollection serves me, the minimum engine displacement on The Interstate Highway system (labeled with an I, as in I280) is 250cc.

The Interstates are paid for with federal money, but traffic regulations are all done at the state level. For example, Michigan's on-ramp signs all say "125cc or greater", so it's legal – but usually foolish – for me to ride on any I or US highways. I tried once to compile a list of what the minimums were for riding motorbikes on limited-access highways in the various states, but the info for most was too difficult to find.

TVB wrote:

ModernMike wrote:If recollection serves me, the minimum engine displacement on The Interstate Highway system (labeled with an I, as in I280) is 250cc.

The Interstates are paid for with federal money, but traffic regulations are all done at the state level. For example, Michigan's on-ramp signs all say "125cc or greater", so it's legal – but usually foolish – for me to ride on any I or US highways. I tried once to compile a list of what the minimums were for riding motorbikes on limited-access highways in the various states, but the info for most was too difficult to find.

california onramps to freeways say 'no motor-driven cycles' and according to DVM regs that's 150cc...and ofcourse stella is just under that...but I tried anyway once out away from everything...it was weird, felt soooooo tiny.