Modern Buddy

So I was looking at the Buddy, thinking what can I do for fun to change it up a bit. These are some qiuick, unprofessional Photoshop sketches of what I was thinking...opinions?



(The racing stripe is not photoshopped)

nice wheels !!!

Thanks. I want to try to match the cream on the rim part and black on the spoke part.

Here's another...chopped down racer style (no mirrors, no grab bar, chopped seat...would have to get a locking gas cap, no center stand)...

pinion=do it

I like the black on the side strips. I'd go for that. Not sure about the seat mod.

When the weather goes back to nice again I will be doing some painting as well. The paint is purchased and waiting.

Looks great to me. Very much like the cream and black and the wheels set it off very nicely. Right now I prefer the original seat to the chopped look, but that could change.

I didn't do the best photochop on the seat, just the idea.

x-mojito50mod wrote:I didn't do the best photochop on the seat, just the idea.

To me it's not so much the seat chop, it's the rear bodywork. If you kept the full seat but covered the rear with a cream cowling that might look pretty cool. Or, if you want a seat that stands out, do something like the separate pillion that Vespa is putting on the GT-60. I'm not saying to copy that seat because that would look wrong to me, just something like it.

The fact that all your treatments actually look pretty good (and the first picture you posted looks great, IMO) says something about the Buddy's styling. It has a definite retro look but the curve of the lower edge of the bodywork along with the kicked up tail really say "sport". Kinda cool, actually.

I always saw it as retro up front, sport bike in the back. I would love to fasion some kind of Mojito-type rear end on it, but the frame up behind the gas tank is just too high to make it work. So I'll stay with the split personality...

Nice! I like the chopped seat... That'd be something really different and it looks pretty sweet to boot. You'd have to fill the holes left by the removal of the buddy bar/rear rack but if you so far as to chop it, I'm sure you could handle that.

Some rear cowling would be cool, but yeah, the Bud's just not shaped right for that kind of mod.

I hope you go through with at least some of these so I can check it out on a future ride.

the wheels and forks are first. hopefully I'll have some time soon to do it.

I like the plain black or plain creme, myself. About the only changes I might consider on a (hopefully) forthcoming black one would be to switch seat and grips with an orange Buddy, so the black one spoofs a Vespa black with brown seat style... Too many color changes or too much bling on a small frame scoot, IMO, only confuses the eye! (Have you seen the new Argos?? Ugh!) -To me much of the Buddy's appeal lies in it's smooth simplicity!

Now a ruby red one tho, that would be nice too...

Namaste,
drummer

Opinions?? The corned beef and hash is DEFINITELY better than the grits.

--Keys

Keys, I would have to agree.

gt1000 wrote:Or, if you want a seat that stands out, do something like the separate pillion that Vespa is putting on the GT-60. I'm not saying to copy that seat because that would look wrong to me, just something like it.

Or would you say put a buddy seat on a Buddy?

Not a big fan of the saddle seat (or buddy seat or pillion or what ever you feel like calling it). I like to be able to slide my ass when I ride.

I am a big fan of painted rims. I powder coat mine. Makes it stand out as well as easier to clean, easier to change a tire, etc...

The GT60° is a nice scooter except for the wheels. I just can not go for chrome wheels on a scoot.




Dave

I think whitewall tires conflict with the creme but the racing stripe and the black panels are nice on the photoshop joint. Dont forget to tell us what you decide to do either way.

ScooterDave said: The GT60° is a nice scooter except for the wheels. I just can not go for chrome wheels on a scoot.

Hey, it's nice to find some common ground with you. I love the GT60 and almost talked myself into "needing" one. Went to the dealership and ogled the 3 on the floor but couldn't come to grips with the chrome wheels. I'm okay with chrome in the right applications but a scooter seems wrong. Certainly not a deal killer for this pretty bike, just a little mistake.

lojical1 wrote:I think whitewall tires conflict with the creme but the racing stripe and the black panels are nice on the photoshop joint. Dont forget to tell us what you decide to do either way.

In the photoshop, the wheels are painted two-tone (cream on the "rim" & black on the "spokes")...no whitewalls.

how come you get chrome trim on your fenders?!

My guess is the silver trim is the door trim you can buy at any auto parts store. Or it is the silver trim that goes around a wind screen, they sell it at Cycle Gear in different colors.

Susan

It's chrome door edging from pep boys. It's an easy and cheap mod.

Yup, from pep-boys. I did it to mine, it's a cheap & surprisingly good looking mod.