Buddy 125 exhaust question

Roadbum · Post by **Roadbum** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:10 am

I've been reading here a while, but never thought to ask this question here. Don't ask why, I guess I'm just not that bright. Anyway...

My dad picked up a Buddy 125. Great bike. He lets me take it for a little spin now and then. But the STOCK exhaust is too loud. He comments it could be "better" but he's being polite I think. To me it doesn't sound good, it sounds like an electric can opener trying too hard and failing. Over a PA system.

Is there anything MUCH quieter out there which will work with the same psi backpressure? Heck, even a little more backpressure isn't really going to hurt the thing.

Thanks in advance.

And this coming from a long time HD owner..

Roadbum

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:11 am

Um, no. There is only one available aftermarket pipe out there and it is louder than the stock one. A lot of what he hears when he accelerates is the "honk" from the air intake.

--Keys

brat · Post by **brat** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:21 pm

remind your dad that "loud pipe save lives." You don't want the buddy to be any more quiet, not one will really notice you around them. People hardly see us as it is. I did enjoy how QUIET the stock pipe was, but went for the Prima pipe because I wanted people to start to see me. The more you ride the more you will fine that people don't see you and if they don't hear you they will not even look for you. I don't like bikes that set off car alarms or make your windows rattle, but you need some kind of noise to alert people.

Just my 2 cents.

Roadbum · Post by **Roadbum** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:11 pm

Keys wrote:Um, no. There is only one available aftermarket pipe out there and it is louder than the stock one. A lot of what he hears when he accelerates is the "honk" from the air intake.

--Keys

That's just a Honk from the air intake??? Never put the two together. Thanks Keys!

Roadbum

Roadbum · Post by **Roadbum** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:19 pm

brat wrote:remind your dad that "loud pipe save lives." You don't want the buddy to be any more quiet, not one will really notice you around them. People hardly see us as it is. I did enjoy how QUIET the stock pipe was, but went for the Prima pipe because I wanted people to start to see me. The more you ride the more you will fine that people don't see you and if they don't hear you they will not even look for you. I don't like bikes that set off car alarms or make your windows rattle, but you need some kind of noise to alert people.

Just my 2 cents.

I don't subscribe to that one, sorry. I've owned a Harley since '93 and many of my friends own them too. The ones with the loud pipes only annoy people. The fact is when you're shielded by the interior of a car and you hear that racket you really don't have a clear idea where it might be coming from. Yeah, you sort of do but not entirely. My own experience tells me it freaks the soccer moms out more than it tells them where the loud noise is coming from. And nowadays with so many implanted cell phone recipients I think it actually does more to confuse them because they're trying to talk, hear a very loud noise and still try to hear the person on the other end of the implanted conversation device. I think it does more to confuse driving multitaskers than it does to warn anyone of a motorcycle's presence. When they react to the sound of a loud bike they do eratic things because their attention isn't focussed on driving the damn car/minivan/suv in the first place.

But that's just my experience and opinion.

Roadbum

x-mojito50mod · Post by **x-mojito50mod** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:04 pm

There are aftermarket ones out there, the problem is finding one that matches the engine/intake. I know I've seen some clamp on/slip on mufflers (just cut the pipe and attach) for dirt bikes that are "forest friendly" with spark arrestors, as well as more baffleing to meet national park noise standards. Whether they're any quieter than stock...who knows, until someone starts experimenting.

paige · Post by **paige** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:21 pm

I don't find the Buddy exhaust to be that loud. it is louder than my Vespa LX150, but not as loud as the MP3. I recently replaced the stock pipe with the Prima pipe, and it isn't much louder, just a deeper rumbly sound. Rented a Harley Sportster and absolutely could not ride the thing without earplugs. Embarrassing really. I think what Brat is saying is that the relative noise of these smaller scooters is such that a slightly louder pipe may make someone more noticeable. Nobody wants screaming pipes and bad reputations.

Roadbum · Post by **Roadbum** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:31 pm

Dear old dad's got a very square/large windscreen and I wonder if that thing does't reflect some of the sound back to the cockpit. But then the pipe faces rearward. Maybe the wind last night had an effect?

Who knows... its his bike anyway

Thanks and thanks to ALL for the replies

Roadbum

Dan Buddy · Post by **Dan Buddy** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:57 pm

Well if the noise is from the Honk of the air coming into the motor does someone make a inlet muffler like some shop air compressors has? Would that make things quieter?

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:03 pm

Um. A shop rag?

--Keys

davel · Post by **davel** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:58 pm

The exhaust on the buddy is as quiet as any other four-stroke scooter I've ridden, so long as you don't gun it — it is a bit loud under heavy acceleration.
So maybe the answer is to just ease up on the throttle.

[Edited for spelling]

Roadbum · Post by **Roadbum** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:41 pm

davel wrote:The exhaust on the buddy is as quiet as any other four-stroke scooter I've ridden, so long as you don't gun it — it is a bit loud under heavy acceleration.
So maybe the answer is to just ease up on the throttle.

[Edited for spelling]

I'll bet you're right. No, I'm sure you are because I wanted to see what his Buddy could do on the country roads just out of my neighborhood. Wound her up and got past 65mph before she started slowing to a top end of just about seventy on level roads. With a ginormous windshield.

That thing is one cool little scooter. You guys are incredibly helpful and I appreciate it.

Roadbum of Sartell MN