winter maintenance pays off

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:08 pm

Kept the battery charged all winter, had added stabilizer to gas and filled the tank & emptied the carb. and today, after hooking up the battery it started right up and ran super. I don't remember the Buddy running so well. Even I felt more confident. (Am pretty new scooter owner).

Two questions. #1 What size fuse does the Buddy 125 use, by the battery? I want to carry an extra.
#2 what tools is it realistic to carry for the Buddy 125? I've had one flat, which I fixed at home, but now carry:
A tire plug kit ratchet to remove carrier bolts
Spark plug socket tire valve stem tightener
screwdriver with two heads small bike pump
tire gauge
electrical tape
I don't take long trips, but still have no way of getting the scooter home.
Should I carry an extra throttle cable and grease?

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:23 am

I carry the tool kit that comes with the Buddy, a multi-tool or two, a tire plug kit, a bike pump, a tire pressure gauge, some spare change($), a map, cell phone, sometimes I carry the socket to remove the seat, and a fuel bottle with 1/10 of a gallon of gas in it. I have done quite a few 100+ mile days .

I wouldn't bother carrying an extra throttle cable around.

bigmike7801 · Post by **bigmike7801** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:33 am

What kind of bike pump do you guys carry?

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:43 am

A bicycle mini-pump with a hose is good to carry in the scoot

Like so: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Bike-Bicycl ... 19fc515034

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:35 pm

Way to go!. I am always thrilled when I remember to do it right. Sometimes I still miss one ( I have a few rides) and feel dumb in the spring.
I carry a small CO2 cartridge air pump I got through a motorcycle shop. The thing works great and there is room in the pouch for about 6 cartridges.

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:23 pm

bigmike7801 wrote:What kind of bike pump do you guys carry?

I carry a bike foot pump like the one below strapped to my rear rack.

Snap · Post by **Snap** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:15 pm

Do you carry a pump in your car? Motorcycle?
If you are not prepared to repair or replace a tire, what good is the effort of carrying a pump?
It's no small undertaking to fix a tire and it's more likely you'd need a transport to a garage, shop or home.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 1:30 pm

Yes. I carry a tubeless plug kit and a Topeak Pocket Rocket pump in my tool bag. And because I do so, I've never needed it.

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 3:55 pm

Some leaks are slow and a pump may help you get home. My back tire had a very small shard of metal in it that was causing a slow leak. I went ahead and put in one the plugs and it has worked well. I dreaded making a hole in my tire to insert the plug, but it has worked.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:29 pm

scootERIK wrote:
bigmike7801 wrote:What kind of bike pump do you guys carry?
I carry a bike foot pump like the one below strapped to my rear rack.

I have used that (type) pump for years, and recently discovered that the gauge was wildly off. 35psi on the gauge was about 10+ psi more in real life!

So if you use one of these, carry a reliable gauge too.

sunshinen · Post by **sunshinen** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:22 pm

Bike pump was my first thought. That and a set of pliers for tightening the mirrors when they bump loose.

Snap wrote:Do you carry a pump in your car? Motorcycle?
If you are not prepared to repair or replace a tire, what good is the effort of carrying a pump?
It's no small undertaking to fix a tire and it's more likely you'd need a transport to a garage, shop or home.

I've had my tire go flat on the Buddy a few times (in winter) due to roller coaster air temps. There were no (major?) holes that needed patching, just a pump back up was all it needed. There's some tipping point, where just sitting there it looks fine, maybe slightly low, but as soon as you start riding it deflates to utterly FLAT. This has always been leaving somewhere at the end of the day, so not at home where I'd have stuff to deal with it. I may have had a very slow leak... but still, having the pump on board has gotten me home w/o a huge hassle on a number of occasions.

I have a spare tire in my car... but I have carried fix-a-flat and a pump in a car before as well. I carry extra tubes and air for my bicycles too.