Modern Buddy

We are sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to hear from the first owners. Be sure to post lots of photos!

Thanks!

Anyone get one yet? There's one at my local scooter shop that's looking reeeeeal good. But then so are some other scrambler style motorcycles for 1/2 the price on CL that have been used for a year or 2 :/

The Genuine dealer in Prescott, AZ, a town of about 40,000 souls, is better than the one dealer in Phoenix metro. The Prescott dealer, Powersports Outlet, has a G400C in stock. I sat on it and was surprised that I (all 6'3" of me) could ride it.



I won't, but I could.


They also have an SYM Wolf 300 in stock.

I sure see a lot of Bonnevilles running around but no G400's.

It's a tough market for the G400 when a used Bonneville is cheaper and will hold it's value.

I picked up one of these a few days ago. I have been riding a Buddy 150 for around 6 years now (commuting). Love that little guy, never had a single issue, just routine maintenance etc. However, I moved to a location that pretty much keeps me from riding to work (all routes eventually hit 60-70mph), thus I decided to go ahead and try this machine out. I will say, although I love genuine, I was looking for a similar sized bike by other companies (especially since this is not a common bike/manufacturer) but I live in a dead zone for anything that is not a Harley. I found a genuine dealer an hour away and gave it a go.

So far I thoroughly enjoy it. I am not keen on a massive bike so I like the size. For what it is it really has a pep to it and did not have any issues going at the higher speeds I mentioned previously. So far nothing but enjoyment. I do realize I have no other motorcycle experience to truly gauge this machine. In that sense I am probably exactly the person Genuine was trying to hit with the G400C. The seat is a little hard (maybe just needs to get worn in). I have read some concern about the brakes, but the brakes do not seem bad at all. No ABS just means more practice slamming the brakes but its no different in the braking scheme of the scooters and thus is familiar to me.

So far no complaints. Will update when I have some.

Thanks for your report. Looking forward to an update and some pictures after you have owned it for a while. I did a sit test on one at my dealer. At 5'9" I seemed to fit it well. I was impressed by the fit and finish.

Its retro cool but performance is lacking. Really underpowered vs. a KTM 390 or Svartpilen 401. Unless you have to have that vintage Honda vibe.

I've ridden (and loved) both scooters and motorcycles  (More-so motorcycles lately.) I regularly ride a Kawasaki KLR 650 in the rural rough country of The West, but moving to town, I wanted something smaller, (and more civilized).
I'm 6'3" and lanky, and went to the scooter dealership to try a Genuine Hooligan 170i. The test ride was great, but found that I was just a bit tall for it, and I wanted more juice and get-up-and-go. And also, what the hell is that bike parked in front of a place called Scooter World? I had to give it a try.
At first look, it met a lot of my criteria: small, retro, and modern.
The test ride was immediately satisfying. A lot of reviewers have said how the G400C feels 'familiar" and of course, they're right. It reminded me of the first motorcycle I bought when I was 16, which was a 1981 Suzuki GS450L. Being so familiar to the bike I learned to ride, OF COURSE I liked it.
At this point, the only miles I have on it are from my few miles test ride, and the dozen miles home.
But in that time, I can say that it kept with city traffic really well. I like the weight of it, the shape of it, the style, the basic utilitarian feel of it. Straight up bike. There should be one in every household.
Extras right off the bat include the headlight cowling, luggage rack, and scrambler grips.

In the photo: The Hooligan and The G.
Sounds like a band name. Dibs!

Here's a pic after riding my new G home from the dealership just now.
Initial upgrades noted on my immediate previous post.
Next up, that decal has GOT to go. I'll be looking for some replacement side cover badge for that spot.

singletracker wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:34 pm Its retro cool but performance is lacking. Really underpowered vs. a KTM 390 or Svartpilen 401. Unless you have to have that vintage Honda vibe.

Looks and rides like a vintage Honda would really not be a bad recommendation.

With the popularity of this engine, I'm sure there will be some after market bolt-on power packages available soon to help it breathe better.