Modern Buddy

There's an almost new buddy 50cc for sale in my area and I'm pretty tempted. My personal excuse to myself is that it'd be for my husband to ride (who has never expressed an interest) w/o taking the time for msf and so he can park with the bicycles in front of his building. But honestly it's just so I can buy another scooter that's smaller and cuter than my sportcity. I don't want to sell the sportcity, and I can't mentally justify owning both a 250 and a 150. A 250 and a 50cc, I can happily justify to myself!

However the whole reason I didn't look at a 50 in the first place is that I was told by the vespa and yamaha people that they'd only go maybe 10mph up our hill. That's just fast enough to make you a moving speed bump to the car coming up the hill. But I've seen 50's at the top so they have to be getting up here somehow! It's not a very long hill but it is quite steep. Like 18% - 20% grade steep in some spots. The scooter would only have to go 20mph up it.

So what do you guys say? Can the Buddy 50 do it? Should I finally give in to to temptation?

Riding a scooter in the public roads without any training or practice is very dangerous, even if just 50cc. It's still a "motorcycle" and isnt as easy as riding a bike. Even though it has a weaker engine, the same skills are needed to survive on the open roads.

jfrost2 wrote:Riding a scooter in the public roads without any training or practice is very dangerous, even if just 50cc. It's still a "motorcycle" and isnt as easy as riding a bike. Even though it has a weaker engine, the same skills are needed to survive on the open roads.

Amen. No, a 50 won't perform very well on hills. More important, friends don't advise friends to ride scoots with no safety or skills training.

I test drove both the 50 and the 125 (this was before the 150s came out) on some steep Seattle hills, and I would not have considered the 50 for this very reason...it just feels sluggish going up hills. Keep in mind that once you have the 50 you don't want to limit yourself to just going up the one hill you know...and you don't want to be vulnerable on those other hills.

50s are for flat cities:-).

i don't recommend a 50cc for hills

I initially purchased a 50cc, had it derestricted. The idea was that with a little more speed ability, I'd do a bit better on the hills and even on the road I HAVE to take to leave the small community I live in. I was told that the derestricted 50cc would be able to do 50mph WOT. As it turned out, on a flat road, I was able to get 42mph..according to the machine. Which means in real life i was doing about 38mph. As soon as a hill would come, even a soft hill, it'd slow down to about 30mph@buddy. And a decent hill I was only able to go about 13mph WOT.

I learned that there was no way that I would be safe on the 50cc.
So I upgraded to a 125cc.
Now I feel comfortable that as soon as I personally am ready for the faster speed, that it'll be able to do 45-50 actual mph on that one road, and about 37-43 actual mph on the hills on that one road. Which keeps me at a much safer speed regarding traffic on that road.
Unfortunately, it also means that richard can't test ride to see if it'd be something he'd like for himself.

If you've got hills that you have to take, I don't recommend a 50cc.
If you've got traffic to keep up with for even just a few miles, I don't recommend a 50cc.
But if you're already living in a town/city that is relatively flat, then a 50cc would be a great little machine, imo.

The town near me has a few really steep hills. But there always alternative routes one can take that are much longer, but less steep. The 50cc might still be slow on them, but if I'd lived in the town, then I'd have kept the 50cc and dealt with those streets on a as needed basis...and then upgraded to a 125cc a year or two later.


edited to add:
actually, if I lived in the town, I'd have gotten an electric scooter or electric bike instead of anything gas powered.

Dooglas wrote:

jfrost2 wrote:Riding a scooter in the public roads without any training or practice is very dangerous, even if just 50cc. It's still a "motorcycle" and isnt as easy as riding a bike. Even though it has a weaker engine, the same skills are needed to survive on the open roads.

Amen. No, a 50 won't perform very well on hills. More important, friends don't advise friends to ride scoots with no safety or skills training.

Ah, I should have been clearer that the 'it is for my husband' statement was accompanied by *wink wink*. I just need some sort of mental justification to myself for getting a second scooter, even when explaining to others. I'd like him to see the light and ride a scooter (and a 50cc would solve his parking issues), as it'd make having one car easier, but it's kinda doubtful he will ever want to. The Buddy 50 would really be my little commuter for the days when I'm just going to campus and back. It's 2 miles of 25 mph residential streets with more bicycles than cars. So why don't we just ignore the whole untrained rider thing and say that I'm the one who'd ride it and I have a license, a msf class certificate, and all the gear.

So the consensus is that the 50cc will not do 20mph up a steep hill that's under a 1/3 of a mile long?

If that is all you will be using the bike for, it should be ok. Seeing now what type of area you are located in, it doesnt seem like cars would ride up your rear too much.

IndieJones
no, it won't

but if you want something smaller, an electric bike would give you the spacing of a bicycle allowing you to go up that hill (with little to no pedaling) while using a bicycle lane or (depending on the type of bike you get) even the sidewalk...keeping you out of traffic's harm for that particular hill.

There are even some that have the scooter look to them.

but if you're looking only at gas powered and/or Buddy, then no, that hill would be a prime risk factor. As such, only YOU can decide whether or not it's something you're willing to risk. (oh, and of course the holding up traffic legality issues)

I don't fully agree that a 50cc Buddy would not work for you. The only time you would use it is for short commutes on 25mph streets? The yes, most likely it will work for you.

I don't know exactly how steep the hill is, but I would say if you can - try going up it before you buy it.

If you are familiar with St. Paul - the hill that the capital sits on is quite steep - not sure of the grade and it is at least 1/3 of a mile long. I go up it everyday on a 50cc Bud, and it does just fine holding 30mph and have never been a burden in traffic. Usually there are cars that struggle more than my Buddy. You said the speed limit is 25 anyways - so if you can hold close to that speed - I would say its a non-issue.

You already have a bigger scooter - and if you are looking for a campus commuter that can be parked at Bike racks, I wouldn't rule it out so quickly, just because of a hill. There are a lot of other factors that could limit speed as well.

If the hill is the only thing holding you back - I would say just drive the scooter you already have - but thats just me.

I drove a 50cc for 3 years in a city with a posted 25mph in all parts and had no issues (and people do drive 30-35 if they can). There is one killah hill on my commute to campus and I had no issues. If I had someone on my butt, I would just get over as close I could to the curb and let 'em pass. Usually they didn't because they were in something that hadn't been maintained and could barely make the hill, too.

Everyone goes off on the 50ccs, but they're great little scoots especially if you don't weigh a lot. They're great for in-town and I even drove between towns with no problems (this is New England after all, so you don't even notice when you've crossed a town line). If you're 220lbs and 6'2", then I would not recommend, but if you're smaller, then go for it.

Between us my b/f and I have 4 scoots and we're looking for our 5th so what's wrong with having a stable?

There's maybe one significant hill I have to climb on my 50 heading to work every day, and I usually get 20mph or so going up.

I always pull over to let any traffic pass before I go up, and if there were more than that one hill on my commute, I'd seriously consider getting something more powerful.

I have a buddy 50 and its great for getting around my town.. Most of the roads are 30-35, and downtown is 25... And I can pretty much park anywhere.. so its a great thing to have I have no problem going 35 (actual) up some pretty decent hills. But I'm only 5'7 and 120 pounds. I love my buddy

I could totally justify owning a 150 and a 250.

I don't think I could be happy with a 50cc...I like to go along at a nice clip if I feel like it and 125cc is plenty enough for me. For now.

To me, I see alot of 50cc owners who start feeling slow on their bikes, so they start adding variators, sliders, pipes, performance air filters, no rev limitators, and all those expensive parts. But they still cant beat a 125 stock in middle and top end. Adding all those parts end up costing much much more than a 125 itself out the door.

Theres nothing wrong with owning a 50cc bike, but some of the reasons why people buy them is dangerous and risky. Certain towns are perfect for 50cc bikes stock, but certain towns arent. I'm seeing alot of people think getting a MC license is such a hassle, that they want a low powered bike that requires just a drivers license. Without any experience or anything, they go out and ride.

My 50 goes 18mph (buddy speed) up a VERY steep (serious runners looking for punishment like this hill) .5mi hill. Thats with a block of full throttle to build up some speed. Im 175lbs with gear.

derestricted my little buddy could hold about 45mph (50 indicated) on flat surfaces. Sure some hills were a pain, especially the large steep ones. But for what you are describing that hill probably wouldn't be a problem. I never felt like I was a burden to traffic. Heck I would pass cars sometimes on my little 50.

Slow as hell!
And IMO it's as bulky as a scooter, but rides not much better than a moped!
(Sorry, all you 50 riders... )

I saw someone go by at about 35 MPH on a neat litttle Tomas moped the other day. De-restrict that, and you could have a fun little ride for less bucks, and get the benefit of being able to ride and park it like a bicycle too!