Buddy 50 up grades

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:17 am

Hi iam looking at the prima pipe and the 70 cc update is any of these going to help me.
I was getting 30 mph up hills and now its at 20 mph and hesitating a little can any one help me on this problem or take it back to the dealer,got it about a month ago.
Thank You

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:25 am

DodgeBoy wrote:Hi iam looking at the prima pipe and the 70 cc update is any of these going to help me.
I was getting 30 mph up hills and now its at 20 mph and hesitating a little can any one help me on this problem or take it back to the dealer,got it about a month ago.
Thank You

Yes, they help go faster. But it sounds like you may have some issues. It is not a good idea to slap performance parts on a bike that's not running well as it is. Take it back to the dealer.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:56 am

The price of installing and purchasing these parts end up cost just as much as 125 or more. I think in the long run, these parts will not last. There are members who's silencers on the pipes crack, then they lose power because of a broken exhaust pipe. There have also been members with 70cc kits where the kit dies and they need to go back to stock.

They probably wont break, but performance parts are worked harder, so they wear faster.

ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Fri May 30, 2008 2:24 am

DodgeBoy wrote:Hi iam looking at the prima pipe and the 70 cc update is any of these going to help me.
I was getting 30 mph up hills and now its at 20 mph and hesitating a little can any one help me on this problem or take it back to the dealer,got it about a month ago.
Thank You

My Rattler 50 (same engine?) has the prima pipe, rollers, and stage 1 jet kit, it is faster than stock - I have had it to a (gps confirmed) 45mph - I bet it will do 50 but I am trying to take it easy during break in.
I dont have the 70cc upgrade & am not looking for any more power than I have now.
I can do better than 30mph up hill & that is important to me as my town is very hilly.
It does sound like something is not running right... I would get it back to the dealer for a check up before doing anything & while it's there, ask him about upgrades for a little more power.

As JFrost pointed out... you can spend more on upgrades than the difference for a larger scooter.... but you already own this one so if you need more power, there are options to consider.... other than trading it in on 125 & taking the hit on the used scooter trade in price.

HokieScoot · Post by **HokieScoot** » Fri May 30, 2008 6:32 pm

I just did the Malosi 70cc cylinder kit along with the Malosi variator kit. This make a significant difference and reliability should be solid. I get up to 50 MPH on the speedometer pretty easily (need to GPS confirm).

In Colorado there is an advantage to kitting a 50cc vs. buying a 125cc because you don't need to register a 50cc and get plates, don't need a motorcycle license for a 50cc, and can still legally park on the sidewalk.

The local dealer here recommends the cylinder and variator kit before swapping the pipe in terms of bang for the buck.

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:48 am

HokieScoot wrote:I just did the Malosi 70cc cylinder kit along with the Malosi variator kit. This make a significant difference and reliability should be solid. I get up to 50 MPH on the speedometer pretty easily (need to GPS confirm).

In Colorado there is an advantage to kitting a 50cc vs. buying a 125cc because you don't need to register a 50cc and get plates, don't need a motorcycle license for a 50cc, and can still legally park on the sidewalk.

The local dealer here recommends the cylinder and variator kit before swapping the pipe in terms of bang for the buck.

Thanks for the info can you give me some part numbers ?
My scooter is in the shop hope to get it back soon.
TTYL

iloveducks11 · Post by **iloveducks11** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:38 pm

I recently bought a Pink Buddy 50 for my wife. The idea was that we could go scootin' together. I ride a Stella 150cc so she needed a little more power to keep up. The day I bought the scoot I had them "de-restrict" it. They opened up the CVT and removed a shim that prevents it from going over a certain speed. They also removed the exhaust pipe and pulled out a plug type thingy that slows these scoots down by limiting how much air can flow through the pipe. After these free modifications we are able to cruise at 45mph. As of today the scooter is in a shop getting a Prima pipe, clutch spring, re-jet, etc. Next week when I get it back I post again and let everyone know the results.

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ScootLemont · Post by **ScootLemont** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:09 am

iloveducks11 wrote: The day I bought the scoot I had them "de-restrict" it. They opened up the CVT and removed a shim that prevents it from going over a certain speed. They also removed the exhaust pipe and pulled out a plug type thingy that slows these scoots down by limiting how much air can flow through the pipe. After these free modifications we are able to cruise at 45mph.

So... do you know how fast it was before the mods?
I would love to see a post from someone who has a GPS top speed before and after derestriction...
My rattler 50 came from the dealer modified so I never rode it stock.

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:40 am

iloveducks11 wrote:I recently bought a Pink Buddy 50 for my wife. The idea was that we could go scootin' together. I ride a Stella 150cc so she needed a little more power to keep up. The day I bought the scoot I had them "de-restrict" it. They opened up the CVT and removed a shim that prevents it from going over a certain speed. They also removed the exhaust pipe and pulled out a plug type thingy that slows these scoots down by limiting how much air can flow through the pipe. After these free modifications we are able to cruise at 45mph. As of today the scooter is in a shop getting a Prima pipe, clutch spring, re-jet, etc. Next week when I get it back I post again and let everyone know the results.
I will ask my dealer what they do to de-restrict it and the cvt shim.
Let me know how the pipe works out, does that void the warranty?
I am thinking about a pipe let me know how it sounds to?

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Scootbeast · Post by **Scootbeast** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:47 am

Hi iam looking at the prima pipe and the 70 cc update is any of these going to help me.

If you are planning on doing modifications to your 50 there are things to consider. Make sure you get quality parts. I currently have the Malossi 70cc kit installed which includes a variator and cylinder by Malossi.

The Prima pipe will work great with malossi parts. The scoot will be able to "breathe" better and you will love the sound. I have no complaints about the pipe on my scoot.

One other suggestion I will make is the Malossi 19mm carburetor. This combined with the above mentioned parts will turn your scoot into a hotrod! I do not have the carb installed because of the price of the install and because with a larger carb it defeats the purpose of a gas sipping scooter. I heard estimates that a 19mm carb installed gets about 60 miles per gallon.

Just ask your local scooter tech about the parts and they will know what you are talking about. However, be aware that the price of install and parts will be expensive. If you want a hotrod of a scoot, they sure are fun!

scoot50 · Post by **scoot50** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:37 am

One modification you can make to the stock pipe is to close off the air injector port. The Denver dealer does this as part of the derestriction procedure.

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:03 am

scoot50 wrote:One modification you can make to the stock pipe is to close off the air injector port. The Denver dealer does this as part of the derestriction procedure.

I've never found this to change performance.

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:30 am

And just FYI regarding what that thing is. It's a secondary air injection unit that helps complete combustion of the exhaust. It doesn't impede flow out, it just helps raise the temps inside the exhaust (not the engine) at low RPMs to assist in complete burn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_injection_reactor

The kind in most 2T scooters is the second implementation listed.

scoot50 · Post by **scoot50** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:54 pm

On a 2T the air injector reduces the scavenging power of the expansion chamber. After I made the modification it added about 2-3 MPH to the top end.
I believe that the air injector is required in California to meet emission standards.

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:09 pm

scoot50 wrote:On a 2T the air injector reduces the scavenging power of the expansion chamber. After I made the modification it added about 2-3 MPH to the top end.
I believe that the air injector is required in California to meet emission standards.

I'll have to test that out. On a half dozen piaggio motors with a similar system, I haven't noticed a bit of difference. I could see how it would counteract the effect of a true expansion chamber. But the stock exhaust is just a muffler. One could just plug the plastic tube that runs off of it to test that theory. They wouldn't have to cut and weld shut the metal to stop any reduction of the negative pressure pulse.

scoot50 · Post by **scoot50** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:32 pm

The scooter is at 7,000 ft which might have influenced the performance gain. The scooter was purchased with only the variator and exhaust restriction removed. But the Genuine rep suggested the air injector mod. First I plugged the hose like you recommended and I believe that it made a difference. But closing the pipe off helped more. I since have installed a 70cc kit and new variator with lighter weights. This made a big difference. Here is a link to an article that talks about their scooter having an added pipe on the exhaust to restrict performance. Not the same as an air injector but similar with the added piping. Click on Tuning and Modifications, then on De-Restriction.
http://scootnfast.com/

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:57 pm

The little pipe on the exhaust shown in the derestriction page is the same as the small extension for the air injector system. The exhausts are just manufactured so they are capable of having the air injection system so they have that pipe coming off of it. If the system is needed on that given model for the given market, the end is just trimmed off and the tube is added. It's nothing special inside the tube that restricts performance.

scoot50 · Post by **scoot50** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:19 pm

Thanks for the info. If the stock pipe on the Buddy is just a muffler, not an expansion chamber, then I don’t see how closing off the injector pipe could make any difference either.

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:47 pm

scoot50 wrote:The scooter is at 7,000 ft which might have influenced the performance gain. The scooter was purchased with only the variator and exhaust restriction removed. But the Genuine rep suggested the air injector mod. First I plugged the hose like you recommended and I believe that it made a difference. But closing the pipe off helped more. I since have installed a 70cc kit and new variator with lighter weights. This made a big difference. Here is a link to an article that talks about their scooter having an added pipe on the exhaust to restrict performance. Not the same as an air injector but similar with the added piping. Click on Tuning and Modifications, then on De-Restriction.
http://scootnfast.com/

So my buddy 50 has this pipe and air tube?Does any one know.

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:05 pm

DodgeBoy wrote: So my buddy 50 has this pipe and air tube?Does any one know.

Yes it does. But it's not holding your scooter back much if anything. It may make a bigger difference at altitude and may be different on other models. My experience with them is all on Piaggio engines. It sounds like your problems may be due to something else. And if you change out your exhaust you won't have to worry about it. Take it back to the dealer and have them sort it under warranty and then decide about upgrades after you can experience how it's supposed to run.

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:00 am

BGK wrote:
DodgeBoy wrote: So my buddy 50 has this pipe and air tube?Does any one know.
Yes it does. But it's not holding your scooter back much if anything. It may make a bigger difference at altitude and may be different on other models. My experience with them is all on Piaggio engines. It sounds like your problems may be due to something else. And if you change out your exhaust you won't have to worry about it. Take it back to the dealer and have them sort it under warranty and then decide about upgrades after you can experience how it's supposed to run.

So if i put a pipe on it (prima or ? )that part is taken off ?
What i am looking for is more power and speed up hills any sugg.
Do i have to get a variator to or will it work with out it ?
Thanks JP

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:04 am

You already have a variator, what we mean is sliding roller weights (dr. pulley brand) The lighter you go, usually there is more noticable bottom/top end. A pipe will help on the low end, and a de-restriction will let you get to 45mph. I'd say with all these mods, you can do 50+ easily.

But the money to mod it still cost more than a 125.

DodgeBoy · Post by **DodgeBoy** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:12 am

jfrost2 wrote:You already have a variator, what we mean is sliding roller weights (dr. pulley brand) The lighter you go, usually there is more noticable bottom/top end. A pipe will help on the low end, and a de-restriction will let you get to 45mph. I'd say with all these mods, you can do 50+ easily.

But the money to mod it still cost more than a 125.

My dealer says about 1000 dollars to go to a 125.
I can get a pipe for 189.00 how much are the slides?

BGK · Post by **BGK** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:52 am

You don't necessarily need special roller weights. There are aftermarket variators (or just one or two for the buddy). They have a different shape of the ramp that the rollers slide on. An expansion chamber will surely not help in the lower RPM range. But they will help with overall power. The number one thing you should do is get it derestricted and make sure it's in perfect running order. After that, ride it a week or two then think about upgrades.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:54 am

Most pay around 2300-2500 for a buddy 50 out the door because of tax, title, and prep fee. Most pay 2800-3000 for a buddy 125 out the door with tax, title, and prep. These are all final cost estimates, might be higher or lower by a few dollars.

scoot50 · Post by **scoot50** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:28 am

Make sure that the Buddy 50 is in good working order first. Then make sure that it is derestricted. If you are getting around 40 mph then it has been derestricted. If you do the work yourself the 70cc kit is $200. To help with hills a new variator with lighter weights is also around $200. If you can’t do the work yourself and don’t need or receive any advantages from a 50cc scooter (in Colorado - no license, no MC endorsement, no insurance required, ability to park on sidewalks) then just get a 125 or 150. It will be less expensive.

iloveducks11 · Post by **iloveducks11** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:23 pm

I just rode my lady's 50 home from the shop. We had the Prima exhaust pipe, UNI airfliter, clutch spring, weights, and carb re-jet done. This scooter is bad to the bone. It was cruising at 43 mph, uphill, against the wind, with all 220 lbs of me on it. The Prima pipe is a little louder than I expected, but it's cool.

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SCOOT3R · Post by **SCOOT3R** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:55 am

If I were you, I would get 70cc kits and some parts for 50cc scooter..

mojobuddy70cc · Post by **mojobuddy70cc** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:07 am

, the great 50 kit debate continues,,and i was lucky enuff to have bought m 50 from a dealer that does custom bikes ( harleys, aprillia,stella) and my bike came w/ the prima pipe,roller weights, clutch spring upgrade,,,soo
i went on the to 70cc kit, the uni air flow and reject carb. it will hit 60 mph out flat,, but i never hold it there., the jump off the line is killer, i ride in the city all the time, and even have a few other 50cc scoots make the mistake of wanting to jump on my buddy.,, esp, those pesky vino`s,lol!! needless to say they always ask what kinda scooter is that "lil beast", i just smile and say it`s my buddy., since my scoot came wif alot of the upgrades i did pay a lil more, but when i got the 70cc kit done my total $ spent was several 100
less than a 125. it does pay to shop. I`m a personal chef and i love the fact that i can park anywhere,ease thru traffic jams etc, my buddy is my "work truck" a top case,i haul my "chef`s box" ( a rubber made action packer w/lock holes), hold knives, towels, small cuisinart,etc.( home depot) for the rubbermade, it`s rubber so it`s waterproof and won`t crack if it hits the payment.
,,as far as gas mileage goes it`s about 65 mpg city, oil is about 1 qt/ every 7-800 miles ( yup i keep tabs on that too) no change since the kit.
my insurance is about $275 a year ( if ya spend that kinda $ on a scooter might as well get a new one if it gets ripped off),, that is a major concern in some parts of town in this economy too.,, so get insurance.
but post are true, no tag here in NC (yet), so that saves about $150 off the floor. i have a business plate and use my scoot for my work so it`s a tax write off, as are uniforms, knives, books,an on. now i have a friend that wants to get a 50 to start a courier biz, since it is sooo much faster to get thru town. ( it only takes a few $30 parking tickets to ruin your monthly
mad money.)
, so after this rambling, the beauty of a kit is more power and contrary to other post, if you use a lil sense and stay off the WOT which you will
after you try to break quickly and figure out the dynamics involved wif more power,lol,, the lil engine does`nt work as hard to stay @ 40-45
so the wear on the power plant is less than a 50cc WOT, and the gas milage is not too bad. i love the fact that my 70cc has the power in traffic to keep the horns at bay when i need it. i can kick it up when i`m runing late, and the sound of the prima pipes lets the cagers on cells and ipods know i`m there, ( i wish it would rattle their teeth @ times!!)
,,SO FEEL THE LOVE!!,,ride safe brothers and sisters

Modern Buddy

Buddy 50 up grades

Buddy 50 up grades

Re: Buddy 50 up grades

Re: Buddy 50 up grades

I got my wife's 50 back today

puttin the mojo on your 50 buddy