Modern Buddy

OK, I'm changing jobs again soon, and am looking for a scooter to do the 40 mile commute, I did it occasionally on the Buddy, and the roads were not busy enough to be to much of an issue, my question is would you/should you use a Stella for an 80 mile round trip every day?

I'm guessing the tank is big enough to do at least one whole ride, without re-filling, I can get a nice motorbike, but the miles would make it valueless in 2 years, at least with a Stella, I could essentially through one away every 2 years.....

superseagulls wrote:OK, I'm changing jobs again soon, and am looking for a scooter to do the 40 mile commute, I did it occasionally on the Buddy, and the roads were not busy enough to be to much of an issue, my question is would you/should you use a Stella for an 80 mile round trip every day?

I'm guessing the tank is big enough to do at least one whole ride, without re-filling, I can get a nice motorbike, but the miles would make it valueless in 2 years, at least with a Stella, I could essentially through one away every 2 years.....

When I buy a motorbike, resale value goes out the window. Everyone will always try to claim your machine is worthless and then try to sell it for more than MSRP if they can get away with it. So, first off: Buy what you love, and run it into the ground. Then either rebuild it and start again or buy a new shiny and keep the Stella as a project. Either way you'll enjoy it more without the worry.

But, never think of a steel frame scooter as a "throw away"! These are getting harder to get and I'm not sure how long the 4T will be around. These bikes are easy to rebuild and cheap to run. And, if you're thinking about value (which for a rider I don't get but if you dig it, cool) small bikes will be a great comodity when gas goes up in price and people want fun transportation instead of a soul-less electric car or a twist-n-go (not that twisties are bad...I love my CVT scooter riders!)

Second: I ride 60 miles a day on my P200 from school and back. And, it seems to love it! Of course, the expressway is far more preferred than the constant clutching of downtown traffic, but it does just fine. Just keep up on the matainance (Change gearbox oil regularly, use a good synthetic 2 stroke oil, fresh plugs and keep up on those cables and tires) and you won't see a problem

Yes, if you enjoy the scoot and don't mind taking an extra 10 minutes each day. DO IT! I find it can be worth it for the sanity ...

The Stella can get the job done but maybe it's time to add to the collection. Have you thought about looking at a larger scooter to compliment your Stella? Something 250cc or larger?

What Neotrotsky said.

Howard

neotrotsky wrote:

superseagulls wrote:OK, I'm changing jobs again soon, and am looking for a scooter to do the 40 mile commute, I did it occasionally on the Buddy, and the roads were not busy enough to be to much of an issue, my question is would you/should you use a Stella for an 80 mile round trip every day?

I'm guessing the tank is big enough to do at least one whole ride, without re-filling, I can get a nice motorbike, but the miles would make it valueless in 2 years, at least with a Stella, I could essentially through one away every 2 years.....

When I buy a motorbike, resale value goes out the window. Everyone will always try to claim your machine is worthless and then try to sell it for more than MSRP if they can get away with it. So, first off: Buy what you love, and run it into the ground. Then either rebuild it and start again or buy a new shiny and keep the Stella as a project. Either way you'll enjoy it more without the worry.

But, never think of a steel frame scooter as a "throw away"! These are getting harder to get and I'm not sure how long the 4T will be around. These bikes are easy to rebuild and cheap to run. And, if you're thinking about value (which for a rider I don't get but if you dig it, cool) small bikes will be a great comodity when gas goes up in price and people want fun transportation instead of a soul-less electric car or a twist-n-go (not that twisties are bad...I love my CVT scooter riders!)

Second: I ride 60 miles a day on my P200 from school and back. And, it seems to love it! Of course, the expressway is far more preferred than the constant clutching of downtown traffic, but it does just fine. Just keep up on the matainance (Change gearbox oil regularly, use a good synthetic 2 stroke oil, fresh plugs and keep up on those cables and tires) and you won't see a problem

I commute about 26 miles each way, and MzStella loves it. I truly believe if you run the bike everyday it is better for them. I might suggest to stop for a few mins once during a long commute if you are going WOT for a full 40 miles, and I know from my bike that i can get 2 full trips on one tank of gas which would put it somewhere around 100 miles. Since June 9, 2011 I have put about 4k on her and she is running better all the time. one thing, is to disconnect the kill switch if you plan on any rain riding, it will leave you stranded if you do not. I wish they would make them a waterproof switch.

What kind of ride is it in terms of traffic, speeds, etc.?

ericalm wrote:What kind of ride is it in terms of traffic, speeds, etc.?

Half of it is I suppose determined as a SR (520) FL.

It isn't a major artery, and certainly won't be at 06:30 & 3:30, but the speed limit is 65 (obviously cars are doing 75ish).
I used to ride that part WOT on the buddy at 55-60 and felt somewhat safe, the road turns into more city type driving as you approach Orlando.

Long lesson learnt, why move from sunny FL to rainy OR? The scenery's nice in FL, and I can earn a bit more money, so a second country wide crossing coming up soon!

superseagulls wrote:

ericalm wrote:What kind of ride is it in terms of traffic, speeds, etc.?

Half of it is I suppose determined as a SR (520) FL.

It isn't a major artery, and certainly won't be at 06:30 & 3:30, but the speed limit is 65 (obviously cars are doing 75ish).
I used to ride that part WOT on the buddy at 55-60 and felt somewhat safe, the road turns into more city type driving as you approach Orlando.

Long lesson learnt, why move from sunny FL to rainy OR? The scenery's nice in FL, and I can earn a bit more money, so a second country wide crossing coming up soon!

You're not going to get the same kind of speeds WOT with the Stella 4T as a Buddy 150 and it'll actually be a bit more sluggish on hills and inclines. On flats, I can do max. 60mph on the Stella and that's with nothing else to give! Downhill, 65.

I've got 1,700 miles on my 4T and I'm starting to think it may not be a daily commuter like my Buddy 125 was. My commute is just over 40 miles round trip with most of it in the 50-55 mph range. Your commuter has to be solidly reliable. I completely trusted my Buddy. I'm a little gun-shy about my Stella as a full-time commuter right now. On weekend or pleasure trips, you can fix it on the side of the road or wait for roadside assistance. You don't have that luxury of time on a morning commute.

The 4Ts are so new we don't have any first-hand stories of riders racking up tens of thousands of miles - yet. I'll have a better idea after a few thousand more miles.

I'm at 5K on them with no "by the side of the road" issues. Just a blown fuse.

I was commuting on it daily, but it's still awaiting paint & body after the parking lot incident.

Truth be told, though, my commute's only 12 miles each way. Getting stranded wouldn't be as bad for me as some.

I've got 1,700 miles on my 4T and I'm starting to think it may not be a daily commuter like my Buddy 125 was. My commute is just over 40 miles round trip with most of it in the 50-55 mph range. Your commuter has to be solidly reliable. I completely trusted my Buddy. I'm a little gun-shy about my Stella as a full-time commuter right now. On weekend or pleasure trips, you can fix it on the side of the road or wait for roadside assistance. You don't have that luxury of time on a morning commute.

Interesting. I feel the same way, yet, the Stella is far more fun to drive.

rondothemidget wrote:I've got 1,700 miles on my 4T and I'm starting to think it may not be a daily commuter like my Buddy 125 was. My commute is just over 40 miles round trip with most of it in the 50-55 mph range. Your commuter has to be solidly reliable. I completely trusted my Buddy. I'm a little gun-shy about my Stella as a full-time commuter right now. On weekend or pleasure trips, you can fix it on the side of the road or wait for roadside assistance. You don't have that luxury of time on a morning commute.

The 4Ts are so new we don't have any first-hand stories of riders racking up tens of thousands of miles - yet. I'll have a better idea after a few thousand more miles.

I racked up 15,000 miles on my '05 Stella and the only two problems were snapped clutch cables in it's entire life. They can be VERY reliable if you just keep up on maintenance. Yes, that means actually doing some preventative work on a scooter... with TOOLS!

I can be done easy, and fun as well!

I have to get a few things dialed in. One is the clutch, and learning how to adjust it myself. Another is the tires, which I think I just resolved with a pair of Heidenau K61s. I fully expect to put 15,000 miles or more on it.

rondothemidget wrote:I have to get a few things dialed in. One is the clutch, and learning how to adjust it myself. Another is the tires, which I think I just resolved with a pair of Heidenau K61s. I fully expect to put 15,000 miles or more on it.

The stock tires on a Stella are utter crap in my opinion. There are some great options out there for every riding style that are light years in improvement. Easiest and cheapest upgrade to totally change the riding characteristic of your bike.

neotrotsky wrote:

rondothemidget wrote:I have to get a few things dialed in. One is the clutch, and learning how to adjust it myself. Another is the tires, which I think I just resolved with a pair of Heidenau K61s. I fully expect to put 15,000 miles or more on it.

The stock tires on a Stella are utter crap in my opinion. There are some great options out there for every riding style that are light years in improvement. Easiest and cheapest upgrade to totally change the riding characteristic of your bike.

What are the stock tires on a stella? I am looking to get new ones for mine because the previous owner didnt keep the back tire inflated so now it has a flat spot in the biddle of the tire and it makes it a little unstable when making turns. thanks in advance!

The Tires are Maxxis M6029's.

MAXXIS MALAGUTI

With its exceptional design, the M6029 offers everything you need in a high performance scooter tire. Providing outstanding grip, handling and stability, this tire is also built to last with a high-quality rubber compound.


Copied from the description on Maxxis site.

superseagulls wrote:OK, I'm changing jobs again soon, and am looking for a scooter to do the 40 mile commute...

At first I though you meant a 40 mile commute near Beaverton. I was about to tell you that rain gear would be your major concern . Now that I realize you are talking Orlando, the issue is simply a choice of the right scooter. And my answer is no - if you are seeking a scooter appropriate for an 80 mile daily commute, the Stella is not it. For an assignment like this you need to think somewhat bigger. Anything from a true scooter like a Vespa 250/300 to one of the maxi-scoots - a Beverly, a Majesty, an MP3, whatever.

superseagulls wrote:OK, I'm changing jobs again soon, and am looking for a scooter to do the 40 mile commute, I did it occasionally on the Buddy, and the roads were not busy enough to be to much of an issue, my question is would you/should you use a Stella for an 80 mile round trip every day?

I'm guessing the tank is big enough to do at least one whole ride, without re-filling, I can get a nice motorbike, but the miles would make it valueless in 2 years, at least with a Stella, I could essentially through one away every 2 years.....

My dad had to drive my scooter today and did 38 miles one way today. But the tank is ALMOST a gallon what sucks. But it looks like it's that size because of the airbox so you maybe have to. If you like look into the buddy. My buddy 125 got 85city and 110highway(somewhat). Me if I needed a driver I would pick the buddy. But if I whated something nice and fun I would pick the stella.