Modern Buddy

It's time for me to dive into the scooter world. I have two options. The one I'm in love with (Genuine Stella, black, auto or manual), and the one that's sensible (Kymco Agility 125). Obviously this being a Genuine forum replies will be biased but I'm hoping someone can help me decide between the two.

Here's my situation: I don't have a lot of money but I've been approved for a car loan of $5,000 from my bank. I can afford the monthly payments for a brand new Stella but at around $4,000 it makes me nervous considering I paid $1450 for the car I currently drive. There is a 2009 Kymco Agility 125 for sale on craigslist in my city for $700 with around 3800 miles. I'm going to check it out this weekend.

What I need a scooter for: While in town, my drive to work, the grocery store, or anywhere else really is never more than a 3 or 4 mile round trip. I am also starting a small scale farm about 11 miles from my apartment that I travel to daily. In order to get to the farm I have to hop onto the highway (speed limit 55 mph) for about a mile, and then take a county road (I generally drive 45-50 mph on it) which has one fairly steep hill to climb. It's not a San Francisco type hill but my car will hit 50-60 mph while coasting down it.

So what I NEED is a scooter that gets the best possible gas mileage while being able to travel at speeds of at least 55 mph and can handle going up a hill at a decent clip. What I WANT is to get as close to 100 mpg as possible, a damn good lookin' scooter (black stella,) and would love a ton of storage options (I know Kymco has some great trunks that can be attached, not sure what the options for the stella are).

I don't know how much it matters but I'm a small guy, 5'7" and 130 lbs. so I might be able to get a little better top speed/mpg than the average joe.

My thought is this: The 2014 Stella (black, gotta be black) automatic is expensive (relatively) but comes with a 2 year warranty and roadside assistance, from what I've read offers great gas mileage, can handle the speeds I'm looking for, and just plain old looks awesome. I'm not opposed to the manual, it's slightly less expensive and I can drive a manual car, but I'd rather have the automatic. I don't get excited about shifting and I'm not all that suave at it anyway so any fuel efficiency gained from a manual would probably be lost on me. On the plus side it sounds like Stella's hold their value really well so if I come across hard times in the near future it shouldn't be too hard to sell it and recoup a good chunk of my money, which eases my insecurity about the price somewhat. On the other hand, The kymco for sale on craigslist is $700 and I could probably talk him down. That's a tiny fraction of the price for a Stella and it reportedly gets up to 60-65 mph and 80 mpg. I don't necessarily care for the look of it but from a utility standpoint it seems like a great deal. My concern is the longevity. While a Stella is much more expensive up front, I'm backed for two years. The kymco is much cheaper initially but for all I know it could die on me a week in and cost a ton of money to fix.

Sorry for the long post, I just feel really inadequately informed when it comes to this decision. Any insight, advice, pros/cons, or general information regarding either scooter is greatly appreciated! For example can any of you verify a Stella's top speed and mpg? In the catalog I have it says 140 mpg but I find that hard to believe.

Thank you very much in advance,

Casey

The Stella is going to max out at about 55mph., has way more storage options but are sold separately. Don't worry about shifting if you go manual cos it's easy. My advice: Get what you want the first time...

Do you like being awesome? Yes? Then get the Stella. Manual, too, all the cool kids ride manuals.

First time scoot? Riding motorized wheels? Get the Kymco. Learning curve is easier on a lighter plastic scoot. Plus $700 is a hell of a deal for the Agility 125. We never see those deals out East.

You mentioned in your post about driving on a highway. Depending on what you call a highway, but in my state motor driven vehicles under 150cc's are not allowed on interstate highways. As far as which scooter, I'm biased, Stella 4T manual is the only way to go. I'm 5' 11" tall and weigh 180 lbs. and my last fill up I got 108 MPG.

First time on a scooter. But I pick up on things really quickly and would spend as much time as needed getting familiar with whatever I get so I'm not too concerned about the learning curve phase.

Here is a link that shows my route: https://goo.gl/maps/t3xQE

It's about 1/2 mile at 30 mph, about 2 1/2 miles at 40 mph, about 1 1/2 miles on a state highway at 55 mph, and about 5 miles on a county road at whatever speed I feel like going but at least 40-45 mph would be a good idea to keep from getting rear ended (though there is little traffic and a wide enough shoulder for cars to pass). The big hill I mentioned is in the last quarter mile.

After doing some more research I think my main concern is how hard is that kind of commute going to be on a stella engine? If I pay that much I want to keep it tip top and make it last and I feel like near open throttle riding everyday will take it's toll and I'd be better off buying the cheap kymco to beat up and just wait and get a stella another time to just cruise around town on. But, I don't know engines from bubble gum so maybe a stella would be fine.

I will get a Stella at some point in time. I have to. But I'm starting to think it would probably be a good idea to just buy the cheap kymco to do my dirty work on for a while and save the stella for a time when I can savor our time together rather than have to rely on it as a work horse.

If buying new you don't want to wot the whole way on any scoot. I think for what you want it for any 150cc or higher scoot would work....

BSB-
I just hit 2 years on my '12 Stella 4T. In that time we have traveled 11k miles. My commute is 12 miles round trip and for a 2 mile stretch of that commute I traverse a 55mph highway. Most of the vehicle on that road travel anywhere from 50-65 miles. My Stella's odometer will get to an indicated 67 miles max with the right conditions. This means probably 61 mph max and on a typical run probably 55-57 mph. I am 5ft7in and weigh in about 180. My mpg averages between 90-100. The Stella is a solid daily rider, so much fun and turns heads. After breaking her in I run her all over the rev range in each gear and have found myself cruising on desolate roads at WOT for miles upon miles. She'll take it and ask for more.

I have ridden w/many different folks on many scoots and have heard nothing but good reports on the Kymco branded scoots. At that price it is hard to turn away. But.......

What you should consider is the ease at which you will be able to access your 2 year warranty on a new Stella. I used my road side assistance 3 times in that 2 year window, each time b/c of clutch cable failure. I have also taken her myself to my Genuine dealer for warranty work along the way for wiring shorts, switches and exhaust issues. My home shop/local dealer is about 8 miles from my home and super convenient to get to for any/all warranty work and non-warranty work too.

The warranty is great but depending on the proximity of your local Genuine dealer could be harder to utilize than you think. If you can not conveniently hop over there for a quick fix up, or if it falls outside of the allotted 50mile trip of your road side assistance distance than you may not enjoy the 2 year warranty in all its splendor.

I could not imagine the last 2 years of my life without Stella. If the stars(hehehehehe) line up than go for it.

That highway commute at 55+ raises questions for either of your choices (and for most 125/150 scooters). For that purpose the minimum I would recommend is a Sym HD200 or a used Vespa GT200.

Dooglas wrote:That highway commute at 55+ raises questions for either of your choices (and for most 125/150 scooters). For that purpose the minimum I would recommend is a Sym HD200 or a used Vespa GT200.

For reliability you can't beat the Sym HD200. One of the members of a club I belong to rides one and she flies along at highway speeds all day long. I believe she has over 40,000 miles on the bike.

BootScootinBoogey wrote:
It's about 1/2 mile at 30 mph, about 2 1/2 miles at 40 mph, about 1 1/2 miles on a state highway at 55 mph, and about 5 miles on a county road at whatever speed I feel like going but at least 40-45 mph would be a good idea to keep from getting rear ended (though there is little traffic and a wide enough shoulder for cars to pass). The big hill I mentioned is in the last quarter mile.

This commute is easily done on a stella,the only niggly little issues you may experience (broken clutch cables,indicator problems) are very easily fixed by even the most novice mechanic.

Get the scooter serviced regularly,maintain it well,keep it stock and don't mess with it and it will be pretty much bullet proof.

The dilemma of keeping it stock. I have been considering upgrades, exhaust, jetting, filters, not quite to the point of Kit and piston but... I keep returning to the thought that I have banged out 11k miles with no significant issues and she runs like a top. Do I really need to go futzing with her to get up to 50 miles faster than I currently do. Or to gain 4-7 miles on the top end. I mean who really wants to be going 70mph on 10inch wheels.

Your simple statement

keep it stock and don't mess with it and it will be pretty much bullet proof.

carried much more weight with someone who was not the original poster. Onwards for another 11k

DAMN I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!

I would go with the Kymco if it runs good. Buy it and run it around for a year.

SockyTX wrote:. I mean who really wants to be going 70mph on 10inch wheels.!

Well....I do...but I am far from stock and far from MSRP...and that's just for the motor.

BuddyRaton wrote:

SockyTX wrote:. I mean who really wants to be going 70mph on 10inch wheels.!

Well....I do...

I was going to say the same thing.

I too am a new scooter rider and have a Black Stella Automatic. I have similar commuting distances. I would caution patience. Breaking in a new scooter requires lots of low speed trips around the neighborhood. Your other option is already broken in and for the price, it seems to make good sense. Ah, but the
Black. With all love objects, patience is key.

Honda PCX

Howard

The sensible thing to do is buy a good used scooter. Depreciation is severe for new scoots around here. Case in point: there is a nice blue 2012 b125 on Craigslist of $1300 and it's been there for weeks. That's a severe depreciation hit. I generally won't pay over $1k for a used scooter. I' wait and shop when it's snowing.

I would steer clear of a Stella for your first purchase. I love mine when it works, but I have put 1,500 miles on mine. Have had to use the tow service 6 times, currently waiting for another tow since they have a 7 day time limit. First issue was kick stand cracked, second issue wiring in emergency shut off was constanly turning my scooter off. Third issue, needle pin was installed wrong, fourth issue clutch cable snapped (not covered by warranty), fifith issue intake manifold cracked allowed water and dust in, which has led to my sixth and seventh issue carburretor is all messed up and spark plug is constantly covered in thick oil. However, I still love my Stella and I think the worst is behind me now. Could just be a lemon, but I know some people have had some serious issues even worse with the autos.

srbbnd wrote:I would steer clear of a Stella for your first purchase. I love mine when it works, but I have put 1,500 miles on mine. Have had to use the tow service 6 times, currently waiting for another tow since they have a 7 day time limit. First issue was kick stand cracked, second issue wiring in emergency shut off was constanly turning my scooter off. Third issue, needle pin was installed wrong, fourth issue clutch cable snapped (not covered by warranty), fifith issue intake manifold cracked allowed water and dust in, which has led to my sixth and seventh issue carburretor is all messed up and spark plug is constantly covered in thick oil. However, I still love my Stella and I think the worst is behind me now. Could just be a lemon, but I know some people have had some serious issues even worse with the autos.

1100 miles on mine, no tow yet but had the pinch bolt on the shifter cable come loose in traffic and had to walk it home and I fixed it myself...And before getting a 2T gas cap i've had several vapor locks because of the emissions controls.

But I have 7 years of cruiser riding experience before getting a scooter (that is way more fun IMHO...)

EvilNerdLord wrote: 1100 miles on mine, no tow yet but had the pinch bolt on the shifter cable come loose in traffic and had to walk it home and I fixed it myself...And before getting a 2T gas cap i've had several vapor locks because of the emissions controls.

But I have 7 years of cruiser riding experience before getting a scooter (that is way more fun IMHO...)

I would be quite satisfied if theses were my only problems. However, on the bright side I am becoming quite educated on the workings of my scooter.

Why not a Buddy? Reliable, easy to ride, will outperform the Stella and the Agility.

I know the Agilities have some fans, but I'm not confident in them. Admittedly don't own one and haven't spent a lot of time researching them. But I've heard from some dealers and mechanics that the quality and reliability aren't on a par with Kymco's Taiwanese built scoots.

The Stella Auto is probably a better bet than the manuals for your needs, but after the recall, I'd wait a while. Fortunately, no complaints from those who have had the parts replaced. It rides great and the European models haven't had the same issues as the batch produced for the US so, fingers crossed.

EvilNerdLord wrote:

srbbnd wrote:I would steer clear of a Stella for your first purchase. I love mine when it works, but I have put 1,500 miles on mine. Have had to use the tow service 6 times, currently waiting for another tow since they have a 7 day time limit. First issue was kick stand cracked, second issue wiring in emergency shut off was constanly turning my scooter off. Third issue, needle pin was installed wrong, fourth issue clutch cable snapped (not covered by warranty), fifith issue intake manifold cracked allowed water and dust in, which has led to my sixth and seventh issue carburretor is all messed up and spark plug is constantly covered in thick oil. However, I still love my Stella and I think the worst is behind me now. Could just be a lemon, but I know some people have had some serious issues even worse with the autos.

1100 miles on mine, no tow yet but had the pinch bolt on the shifter cable come loose in traffic and had to walk it home and I fixed it myself...And before getting a 2T gas cap i've had several vapor locks because of the emissions controls.

But I have 7 years of cruiser riding experience before getting a scooter (that is way more fun IMHO...)

I mean in comparison, the scooter is way more fun...