Modern Buddy

i'm psyched to get a buddy 50, but i'm a complete new jack I figured i should try a scooter to see if they are even for me. There's a place right by me in Chicago that rents scooter, so I rented one today for a couple of hours and took it for a spin. It was a Vespa LX50. It was a lot of fun. I definitely want my own scooter now more than ever. It was a comfortable ride, but I don't have anything to compare it to.

Does anyone have experience with a Buddy 50 and an LX50 and can anyone expound on differences in performance/features between the two? I know the LX is a four-stroke, but besides that i'm curious as to what I can expect from the Buddy versus what I experienced today. i could compare spec sheets, but I'd rather hear stories from the knowledgable people here.

Thanks!

well to be honest I heard the Buddy is faster!

The Buddy 50 costs alot less than a LX50. Actually the Buddy 125 costs less than a LX50. You can add a top end kit to the two stoke Buddy 50 later if you need more speed. Unfourtunately you cannot do the same on the four stroke LX50.

Vespas are way more expensive to insure due to their metal bodies which can get expensive if damaged. I have even heard of insurance companies that will not insure Vespas for comprehensive since so many have been totaled after a minor spill. The plastic panels on the Buddy are easy to replace and already come painted.

Genuine gives a two year warranty with one year roadside. Vespa has one year warranty with one year roadside.

You might also want to check out www.modernvespa.com

If you're considering getting the LX50 and can afford one, may as well spring for the Buddy 125. Quite a few people who buy 50cc scoots find themselves wishing they had more power/speed. Even if you have a laundry list of reasons why a 50cc is enough, you'll be wanting more within a few months, believe it.

i'm actually not considering an LX50. it's just what that shop had available to rent (they also had a People 50, but i figured that one would be too peppy for my first time out.) The LX is out of my price range and is way too big. that thing was a beast. i saw a buddy on the street yesterday and it looked way smaller, which is definitely a plus. i'm only trying to compare the buddy 50 to the LX50 because the LX is the only scooter I've ridden.

i guess the main difference is the speed and size, and in both areas the buddy comes out on top. I'm probably going to get a buddy, so if it's smaller and faster, i'll have even more fun on it than I did on that LX50. thanks for your comments everybody.

I got a Buddy and promply dropped it making a left turn. Had I gotten a Vespa, I would have been heartbroken. But since all I really did was scratch some easily (and cheaply) replaceable plastic, I didn't sweat it.

Well, I won't be riding a Buddy (125) until Saturday but I think the comparison with my LX150 will be pretty comparable to Buddy 50 vs LX50.

I can already guess that the main difference is just going to be "feel." As accustomed as I am to riding the heavier, steel-bodied scoot, I may find the Buddy a bit too light. But it's going to be my wife's scoot. The LX (as popular as it is with women) is too heavy for her. She sat on the Buddy and her eyes immediately lit up.

When I was scooter shopping I didn't look at anything other than a Vespa. That's what I wanted, what I got, and I've never regretted it.

ericalm wrote: The LX (as popular as it is with women) is too heavy for her. She sat on the Buddy and her eyes immediately lit up.

Actually, the LX150 and the Buddy are the same weight. But, it is distributed differently. They are both very fun to ride, solid, maneuver well. But they are pretty different animals.

jaded wrote:

ericalm wrote: The LX (as popular as it is with women) is too heavy for her. She sat on the Buddy and her eyes immediately lit up.

Actually, the LX150 and the Buddy are the same weight. But, it is distributed differently. They are both very fun to ride, solid, maneuver well. But they are pretty different animals.

Wow, I just verified the weight and you're right. They feel much different to me!

I'll post impressions of the Buddy 125 vs. LX 150 next week after I get a little time in on the Buddy.