hi all!
so i was considering getting a scooter for the last few days--the idea was an impulsive one, once i started seeing the gas prices jump another 10-20 cents.
anyways, i almost bought a new scooter yesterday, but looking through craigslist last night, i found a rare posting of a 07 buddy for sale.
in short--i raced down there this morning, test rode it--rode awesome! i was sold. paid for it, and then the seller drove it back to my place--30 miles away.
problem:
so now, not thinking about it until we got to my place--and after the seller drove off....i tried to start the buddy up, and it wouldnt start?!
then i wondered if it had to do with the travel--we had to lay it down on its side in his suv.
maybe i flooded something?
the starter turns--but it wont start up. sounds more like a dry start.
i checked the fuel and its still 3/4 full. i did notice a little fuel smell after we took it out of the SUV.
any ideas? any suggestions?
i hope its not serious. i hope its a minor thing, if even that....
plus--im REALLy new to the whole scooter thing--im still not sure how to kick start it.
do i:
turn key (obviously), switch button to ON, hold break, and press yellow starter--and kick at the same time?
or do i not mess with the yellow starter at all?
i tried both methods--no success.
my theory:
i think i flooded it.
anyways, i hope to be a regular buddy member! thanks yall!
New to Forum-Just bought used 07 buddy 125-problems already
Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
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SupBuddy
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robtaylor
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you don't need to push the yellow button. best bet is to push lightly with your foot a few times until you feel more resistance then push down like you were pushing a shovel into the ground. it will take quite a few times so don't get discouraged. there is a vent on the side of the gas tank that gas has more than likely leaked out of when it was layed down. i'd give kick starting another chance, on occasion trying to kickstart i have had to try it 10 or 15 times before i actually got it to start.
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MikieTaps
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SupBuddy
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ok--im gonna go try the kick start again--this time WITHOUT the yellow button.
thanks for the response peeps!
and as for my buddy....i guess i need some reassurance i got a pretty good deal--buyers remorse feeling kicking in--its only been a few hours since i picked it up....
its the 07' 125cc
his receipt says he bought it 02/08, and it only had 718 miles on it. minus a few little marks, the condition looks great! its the black one with silver trimming.
i paid 2k.
i almost bought a brand new buddy italia OTD for almost 4k, yesterday.
though that italia.....it was a sight!
oh, and he gave me a cover, and 2 helmets. ---though i already had a motorcycle helmet...
thanks for the response peeps!
and as for my buddy....i guess i need some reassurance i got a pretty good deal--buyers remorse feeling kicking in--its only been a few hours since i picked it up....
its the 07' 125cc
his receipt says he bought it 02/08, and it only had 718 miles on it. minus a few little marks, the condition looks great! its the black one with silver trimming.
i paid 2k.
i almost bought a brand new buddy italia OTD for almost 4k, yesterday.
though that italia.....it was a sight!
oh, and he gave me a cover, and 2 helmets. ---though i already had a motorcycle helmet...
Last edited by SupBuddy on Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MikieTaps
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SupBuddy
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ok....with probably 50 tries, 2 of those probably sounded like something was on the verge of MAYBE doing something.
is this kick start action more complicated than im taking it for? am i just a numb nut? well, i think i already am a numb nut...
maybe i dont even need to grab the front break while kick starting? do i need to pull the throttle a little bit? or not at all?
and as for the kick peddle---so i put pressure on it until the tension gets tight enough to not be able to move--unless kicked--and thats when i apply the *shovel in the dirt* kick.
do i need to just kick it hard from the start position?
man, i hope im not ***king my scoot up. i need to impress the ladies with my ride! hahaha
sigh....
and here it is....hope the image shows up.
the little buddy is singing to the big guy "you got the brawn, i got the brains...comon, lets make lotsa money..."
<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c137/ ... e1-2.png"/>
is this kick start action more complicated than im taking it for? am i just a numb nut? well, i think i already am a numb nut...
maybe i dont even need to grab the front break while kick starting? do i need to pull the throttle a little bit? or not at all?
and as for the kick peddle---so i put pressure on it until the tension gets tight enough to not be able to move--unless kicked--and thats when i apply the *shovel in the dirt* kick.
do i need to just kick it hard from the start position?
man, i hope im not ***king my scoot up. i need to impress the ladies with my ride! hahaha
sigh....
and here it is....hope the image shows up.
the little buddy is singing to the big guy "you got the brawn, i got the brains...comon, lets make lotsa money..."
<img src="http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c137/ ... e1-2.png"/>
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jmazza
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I'm guessing there's just some flooding or something like you said from transporting it on its side- that's really not a great idea as you found out!
A couple things- you do not need to hold a brake lever when kickstarting. You do need to hold a brake level when using the electronic ignition.
As for the "press the lever down until you feel resistance..." thing, yes, do that and then let the lever all the way up, and THEN kick. That will get the motor in the right position but you can still take advantage of the longest kick.
Also, make sure the key is on, and make sure the kill switch is not engaged (press it up to the "run" position).
Are you sure it's got gas? The gas gauge should work when the ignition is on. You can also do a visual check (not a real big tank and you can see the gas in there if it's pretty full).
Hope it works out!
A couple things- you do not need to hold a brake lever when kickstarting. You do need to hold a brake level when using the electronic ignition.
As for the "press the lever down until you feel resistance..." thing, yes, do that and then let the lever all the way up, and THEN kick. That will get the motor in the right position but you can still take advantage of the longest kick.
Also, make sure the key is on, and make sure the kill switch is not engaged (press it up to the "run" position).
Are you sure it's got gas? The gas gauge should work when the ignition is on. You can also do a visual check (not a real big tank and you can see the gas in there if it's pretty full).
Hope it works out!
Last edited by jmazza on Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SupBuddy
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GAS:
yup, i checked the fuel gauge--looked 3/4 full. then i also got an actual visual--gas level looks a couple inches from the top.
BREAKS:
this whole time, ive actually been kicking it while pulling the breaks--but only the front one. but as for kick-starting, i dont need to hold the breaks at all?
hmmm......
i really want to rip some road up this afternoon--before the night comes.
maybe ill just have to get on the big guy and cruise for a bit as a substitute til i get this figured out.
BTW--im in the los angeles area--pasadena, in particular.
would love to meet other SoCal scootriders in the area--if anyone wants to roll!
or if anyone knows of any local ride groups or clubs--please hook me up!
and thanks again for all the suggestions and help! together we will overcome!
......wow, lotsa exclamation marks used.....
yup, i checked the fuel gauge--looked 3/4 full. then i also got an actual visual--gas level looks a couple inches from the top.
BREAKS:
this whole time, ive actually been kicking it while pulling the breaks--but only the front one. but as for kick-starting, i dont need to hold the breaks at all?
hmmm......
i really want to rip some road up this afternoon--before the night comes.
maybe ill just have to get on the big guy and cruise for a bit as a substitute til i get this figured out.
BTW--im in the los angeles area--pasadena, in particular.
would love to meet other SoCal scootriders in the area--if anyone wants to roll!
or if anyone knows of any local ride groups or clubs--please hook me up!
and thanks again for all the suggestions and help! together we will overcome!
......wow, lotsa exclamation marks used.....
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ericalm
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Heya. Welcome to the forum!
It's generally a bad idea to transport a scooter on its side. There's a good chance that you flooded the air filter when laying it on its side. Regardless of technique used, it probably won't start with the filter flooded.
Leave it upright overnight. If you can locate the filter, open the case and check it, make sure it's dry and clean. The filter is located in a black plastic housing over the transmission—kind of above the kick starter. If it's wet, squeeze it out and clean it up with some compressed air or leave it out overnight. (You can even wash it with some water and a little dish soap, but it should be dry when you replace it.)
If it's not that, I still say leave it overnight to allow things to settle.
At 700+ miles, do you know what kind of maintenance had been done? First oil change/warranty maintenance, etc.? You may want to call NoHo Scooters and see if they can give it the once over. They can probably do it in a couple hours if you schedule ahead of time.
There will soon be the summer rides to Cinespia—outdiir movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery—which leave from NoHo Scooters. We'll have info for this in our Rides, Rallies & Meetups section.
It's generally a bad idea to transport a scooter on its side. There's a good chance that you flooded the air filter when laying it on its side. Regardless of technique used, it probably won't start with the filter flooded.
Leave it upright overnight. If you can locate the filter, open the case and check it, make sure it's dry and clean. The filter is located in a black plastic housing over the transmission—kind of above the kick starter. If it's wet, squeeze it out and clean it up with some compressed air or leave it out overnight. (You can even wash it with some water and a little dish soap, but it should be dry when you replace it.)
If it's not that, I still say leave it overnight to allow things to settle.
At 700+ miles, do you know what kind of maintenance had been done? First oil change/warranty maintenance, etc.? You may want to call NoHo Scooters and see if they can give it the once over. They can probably do it in a couple hours if you schedule ahead of time.
We have a lot of members in the Pasadena area. I ride up there occasionally. Right now, there are few organized rides, but there are some rallies, etc. coming up later in the summer. I'd like to get some more rides planned, even informal ones, for later in the summer.SupBuddy wrote:BTW--im in the los angeles area--pasadena, in particular.
would love to meet other SoCal scootriders in the area--if anyone wants to roll!
or if anyone knows of any local ride groups or clubs--please hook me up!
There will soon be the summer rides to Cinespia—outdiir movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery—which leave from NoHo Scooters. We'll have info for this in our Rides, Rallies & Meetups section.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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SupBuddy
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thanks for the welcome eric!
ok--so my latest update--from 2 minutes ago...
went outside again to do the whole kick start action. it just didnt make sense to me.
considering it was a new piece of equipment, i wanted to be really patient and try all the standard things, like kick start, let it rest, etc--before i let my mind kick into its Macguyverish curiosity mode.
well, it overtook me--i had to open the sucker up.
so i started to look around, feel around, and then i started to assess where and what i could unscrew to get a better look.
after i opened the battery panel, then the main plastic panel, and then the panel inside the storage--i just started to touch this, squeeze that, and for some reason--not even knowing what hose it was--im assuming some fuel line--it seemed just a tad loose--so i scooted it backin a few milimeters to where it felt a little more where it should be--tried again, but only the standard electric start.
BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!
ITS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
as soon as i send this im off to the rose bowl to go get more accustomed to my new baby. it definitely is not like the liter bike, i tell you that. i feel like im gonna have to get accustomed to a whole new type of 2 wheeler.
and im also concerned--i hope i dont get tooo used to pulling on the buddy's throttle and then start doing that on the liter bike--ill be pulling wheelies all day!
anyways, if anyone ride at the rose bowl today and you see some dork riding around teh oparking lot on a black buddy---that could be.....me..
and eric--keep me posted for sure about any local gatherings! would love to meet more people of the scooter world!
im OFF VAROOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!
ok--so my latest update--from 2 minutes ago...
went outside again to do the whole kick start action. it just didnt make sense to me.
considering it was a new piece of equipment, i wanted to be really patient and try all the standard things, like kick start, let it rest, etc--before i let my mind kick into its Macguyverish curiosity mode.
well, it overtook me--i had to open the sucker up.
so i started to look around, feel around, and then i started to assess where and what i could unscrew to get a better look.
after i opened the battery panel, then the main plastic panel, and then the panel inside the storage--i just started to touch this, squeeze that, and for some reason--not even knowing what hose it was--im assuming some fuel line--it seemed just a tad loose--so i scooted it backin a few milimeters to where it felt a little more where it should be--tried again, but only the standard electric start.
BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!
ITS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
as soon as i send this im off to the rose bowl to go get more accustomed to my new baby. it definitely is not like the liter bike, i tell you that. i feel like im gonna have to get accustomed to a whole new type of 2 wheeler.
and im also concerned--i hope i dont get tooo used to pulling on the buddy's throttle and then start doing that on the liter bike--ill be pulling wheelies all day!
anyways, if anyone ride at the rose bowl today and you see some dork riding around teh oparking lot on a black buddy---that could be.....me..
and eric--keep me posted for sure about any local gatherings! would love to meet more people of the scooter world!
im OFF VAROOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!
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jim_0068
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- Location: Chicago
Most likely that was a vacuum line, the little 4 strokes are very sensitive to vacuum leaks.
HOWEVER
Even on my cheapy chinese scoot with vaccum issues i was still able to start it most times. Couple things you should look in to:
1) Have someone check the valves, anyone who knows how to set valves in a car can do it on a scoot. It is possible that one of the valves is too tight and isn't closing tightly.
2) Make sure the idle is high enough when cold for it to catch.
---------
usually with these scoots, the only thing that goes wrong with them are:
1) Not enough fuel
2) Not enough vacuum
3) Valves incorrectly adjusted
It is "usually" not more complicated than that.
HOWEVER
Even on my cheapy chinese scoot with vaccum issues i was still able to start it most times. Couple things you should look in to:
1) Have someone check the valves, anyone who knows how to set valves in a car can do it on a scoot. It is possible that one of the valves is too tight and isn't closing tightly.
2) Make sure the idle is high enough when cold for it to catch.
---------
usually with these scoots, the only thing that goes wrong with them are:
1) Not enough fuel
2) Not enough vacuum
3) Valves incorrectly adjusted
It is "usually" not more complicated than that.
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SupBuddy
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- Location: Los Angeles
Doooglas--you from Ptown?!
GO BLAZERS!!!!!!
i grew up on both sides of THE river.
so as for my first official ride on the sucker.....
took it to the open parking lot at the rose bowl--practiced all the maneuvering things i would normally be doing--very nimble. whippy. lite!
im doing tite donuts with ease on this thing!
its definitely a different feel from a 400+lb bike to a 200lb bike. wow...it felt like a bicycle. --i meant that in a good way.
got a feel for my breaks--very impressive! i couldnt skid tho.....
i wonder if i can get this thing to powerslide....
checked how fast i can hit 50 mph--if i open it heavy, im picking up speed just as fast or faster than the average cars out there!
then off i went to hit some close-by roads to give me some whips n turns. oh man--this thing hit turns with ease! one slight gesture to hit a turn and this thing is already leaning in for you.
the throttle response is definitely not like a motorcycle, but it gives me enough umph to hold the speed and gain pretty smoothly while pulling out of the turns and hitting hills. ooo, hills! for a 125, this thing gots some juice within its speed capabilities! of course, ive never felt what a 125 of any bike, feels like...
people dont like it, and its quite often dangerous....but i started to split-lane on this sucker too. man...this thing is fun.
one bad thing i picked up on it though--is it is too quiet. im not a big fan of loud pipes on cars or motorcycles, but in a way i think a loud pipe is a necessity for motorcycles because it is one of the earlier signs to let others know a motorcycle is around.
another thing--because it is so quiet, i feel the black paint job only hinders my presence to other vehiclles, even further--not only am i quiet, but im also stealth. already had a BMW almost clip me in oldtown. zipped by him and gave him the universal hello sign of the bird and rode off. wow, the horn is beautiful. i wish that thing was my alarm clock..
now if my paint job was probably a more noticable color, then i wouldnt be so bothered by the quietness--or the other way around.
nonetheless, these dont outway the fun, gas affordability, and the eco-friendliness this thing offers.
so for my first official ride as a buddy owner.....
im sold. again.
anyone know if they sell louder pipes for these things?
GO BLAZERS!!!!!!
i grew up on both sides of THE river.
so as for my first official ride on the sucker.....
took it to the open parking lot at the rose bowl--practiced all the maneuvering things i would normally be doing--very nimble. whippy. lite!
im doing tite donuts with ease on this thing!
its definitely a different feel from a 400+lb bike to a 200lb bike. wow...it felt like a bicycle. --i meant that in a good way.
got a feel for my breaks--very impressive! i couldnt skid tho.....
i wonder if i can get this thing to powerslide....
checked how fast i can hit 50 mph--if i open it heavy, im picking up speed just as fast or faster than the average cars out there!
then off i went to hit some close-by roads to give me some whips n turns. oh man--this thing hit turns with ease! one slight gesture to hit a turn and this thing is already leaning in for you.
the throttle response is definitely not like a motorcycle, but it gives me enough umph to hold the speed and gain pretty smoothly while pulling out of the turns and hitting hills. ooo, hills! for a 125, this thing gots some juice within its speed capabilities! of course, ive never felt what a 125 of any bike, feels like...
people dont like it, and its quite often dangerous....but i started to split-lane on this sucker too. man...this thing is fun.
one bad thing i picked up on it though--is it is too quiet. im not a big fan of loud pipes on cars or motorcycles, but in a way i think a loud pipe is a necessity for motorcycles because it is one of the earlier signs to let others know a motorcycle is around.
another thing--because it is so quiet, i feel the black paint job only hinders my presence to other vehiclles, even further--not only am i quiet, but im also stealth. already had a BMW almost clip me in oldtown. zipped by him and gave him the universal hello sign of the bird and rode off. wow, the horn is beautiful. i wish that thing was my alarm clock..
now if my paint job was probably a more noticable color, then i wouldnt be so bothered by the quietness--or the other way around.
nonetheless, these dont outway the fun, gas affordability, and the eco-friendliness this thing offers.
so for my first official ride as a buddy owner.....
im sold. again.
anyone know if they sell louder pipes for these things?
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SupBuddy
- Member
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- Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:59 pm
- Location: Los Angeles
hey jim, thanks for your input!jim_0068 wrote:Most likely that was a vacuum line, the little 4 strokes are very sensitive to vacuum leaks.
HOWEVER
Even on my cheapy chinese scoot with vaccum issues i was still able to start it most times. Couple things you should look in to:
1) Have someone check the valves, anyone who knows how to set valves in a car can do it on a scoot. It is possible that one of the valves is too tight and isn't closing tightly.
2) Make sure the idle is high enough when cold for it to catch.
---------
usually with these scoots, the only thing that goes wrong with them are:
1) Not enough fuel
2) Not enough vacuum
3) Valves incorrectly adjusted
It is "usually" not more complicated than that.
actually, even though i remedied the situation for the time being, i do plan on taking it over, possibly to noho scooters and have them take a gander.
plus, i dont think the original owner has even done its first oil change so i was planning to do that as well.
and then when all is checked and tended to, the techs can give me a rundown of what real condition my scoot is in, and hopefully they can give me some tips to keep the baby healthy!
hopefully i can scoot down there manana....
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ericalm
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- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:01 am
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Yeah, I don't know how much it helps performance, but I rode with someone who had a Prima for the first time recently, and I loved the sound of that thing. Less brrrraaapppy than the stock Buddy sound.paige wrote:The Prima pipe has a nice throaty growl.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
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Artisan
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- Location: Phoenix,AZ
Woo Hoo! I'm glad that you are enjoying your new ride! But please do us a favor and keep that finger tucked in. A lot of cagers are already seeing red and are getting nasty toward us around here. Fanning the flames dos'nt help. As for the bigger pipes unfortunately a battle royale has been brewing in the towns around here. Noise ordinances are being passed and the bikers are fighting back in the middle of the night by riding past in packs and reving their engines. Anything on two wheels, including scooters, are being targeted by angry cagers. Mostly by being forced off the road.