Modern Buddy

Hi there,
I was looking up how to changed the variator and weights on my scooter. I would like to go just a notch faster while not spending too much. It looks fairly easy to do and does not require a lot of mechanical skills. I am trying to find some instructions that fits more the Buddy 50. I was thinking putting this : https://www.scootertuning.ca/en/variato ... tivar.html
Note that my engine is stock and still a real 50cc.

Also is it possible to do this upgrade without the special tools.

Watch backwards hat guy do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLhD3VkH9bo Same set up as a RH.

I've never had a issue using an impact gun on a Buddy 50. I just thought it was weird that there wasn't a way to lock the variator. But that video Dee Dee linked is a spot on How To.

DeeDee wrote: ↑Sun May 16, 2021 9:17 pm Watch backwards hat guy do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLhD3VkH9bo Same set up as a RH.

The guy in that video is an absolute wackadoodle. He says the job can't be done without a pneumatic impact gun (which implies the ownership of an air compressor to drive it). That's nuts. The torque on the nut is barely 40 ft/lbs!

The job can be done with an adjustable pin wrench ($14 on Amazon) and a metric 3/8" drive socket set. Under $40 worth of tools.

They make battery powered impact wrenches now. No need for air, portable and just as powerful. You say that you can do it without an impact gun, wait till that variator fixed face comes loose on its own. Use an impact gun, either air or battery powered.

The 125 and above has detents in the fixed plate for a variator holder. The 50 does not. I have a $25.00 harbor freight 12 volt 3/8" inch impact wrench that clips on to the battery for just such things. I draw a sharpie mark through the crankshaft and nut to register it's location for when I put it back on. I would much rather use a mechanical holder and torque wrench, but sometimes you can't.

BennyBen wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 2:42 pm Also is it possible to do this upgrade without the special tools.

Un impact fera laffaire.
Je commencerais avec le multivar,une pipe silent pro,et pas plus bas que 8 grammes dans ton vario.juste la pipe va le reveiller solide! Les pipe pgo sont de pietre qualité

NCY Transmission Kit is the best bang/buck with matched clutch parts and a good contra spring. Get yourself a variator / clutch holding tool, some permatex blue and a torque wrench. Watch YouTube and you can't go wrong.

buddy burger wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 2:03 pm

BennyBen wrote: ↑Fri May 14, 2021 2:42 pm Also is it possible to do this upgrade without the special tools.

Un impact fera laffaire.
Je commencerais avec le multivar,une pipe silent pro,et pas plus bas que 8 grammes dans ton vario.juste la pipe va le reveiller solide! Les pipe pgo sont de pietre qualité

La shop où j'ai acheté le scooter avait déjà installé une Tecnigas Silent Pro Exhaust. Et aussi bypassé le recyclage des gas. Ça lui a déjà donné un peut de pep.

Merci

Our 125's torque is only about 40 ft lbs. for the clutch and variator.
My Burgman 400, about 60-70. For which I made a holder.
My HF plug in impact gun makes life easy, for sure. For Removing the nuts only. Do not use impact to tighten them.
Note. When re-installing those 2 nuts, DO NOT allow the crankshaft to turn backward. Hence, the need for some kind of Holder tool. (I have a home made Pin wrench for Buddy. A home made one from scrap plywood for Burgie.)
I've heard of big strap wrenches that might work for your 50.

I'm only aware of using an impact gun on a Buddy 50 variator. I tried a strap wrench. Me personally, I don't own a Buddy 50 but get stuck servicing one. Here's why I hate impact guns on variators. A friend had a nice Derbi Perdator. He split the cases, put in a full stuffed crank and a bunch of other go fast mods. He's putting it back together and proceeds to put the variator on and grabs a impact gun. I'm like "We have a torque wrench and holder." and he says "I use this all the time." and proceeds to tighten the nut down. Then 'SNAP', off comes the end of the crank! In his defense I think the crank was either poor quality or a bootleg brand being passed off as the real deal. Either way I only use an impact to remove the nut now. On the Buddy 50 I get stuck servicing I really don't care.

Worst scooter variator is a Hyosung 50cc 2-stroke. You can use a strap wrench but the variator nut is REVERSE thread. I broke my favorite strap wrench when I first worked on one because I wasn't aware it was a reverse thread. Great scooter but a pain to service.

Regarding the above post, OMG.
Bought a 2007 Sportster June 2020.
Sept 2020, decided I didn't like the clutch feel.
Grabbed my HF impact, hit the clutch nut, SNAP! It has left hand threads....
Three months later I had learned how to R&R the engine & trans to replace mainshaft. After about $800 for parts + a 12 ton press + a couple big sockets later, it runs again
I did the work myself. Guess I was lucky!
Moral of story: become familiar with FSM.

The Derbi Predator drama was actually pretty funny. He pulled the motor apart AGAIN and put the old crank back in and ended up selling it. I was shocked that the factory crank still was in spec for round out tolerance on the shaft ends.

The first thing I purchase is a service manual. I hate when someone ask me to work on a scooter and doesn't have a manual. We end up finding a "free" manual on a site with ads popping up and stare at a tiny screen. I rarely work on engines now but might pick up a vintage pedal start moped to resharpen my skills.

That Harley story was terrible as well. I still run into a random reverse thread at work. Kicks m butt till I download the service manual from the company data base.

If you're putting the same variator back on, draw a line through the variator nut and the end of the crank. When you put it back on with the impact gun, don't go past the line. I prefer a mechanical holder and a torque wrench, but this is not always possible.