Upgraded suspension on Buddy 50

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:50 pm

Hey everyone. New here. Just got a buddy 50 and have been riding it around Boston. The potholes are killing me. Constantly bottoming the front forks. I was wondering if anyone upgraded the suspsension using the Psycho or Blackjack suspension or any of the upgrade that Scooter Works offers and what ideas do you have about its effect on the ride?

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:42 am

I don't know anything about upgrading it, but I can tell you hitting one is bad on a 150 also. My tactic is to do my best to avoid hitting potholes. As long as you keep enough distance between yourself and the cars in front of you, you should have plenty of time to swerve around them.

kungfooren · Post by **kungfooren** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:09 am

wwlane wrote:Hey everyone. New here. Just got a buddy 50 and have been riding it around Boston. The potholes are killing me. Constantly bottoming the front forks. I was wondering if anyone upgraded the suspsension using the Psycho or Blackjack suspension or any of the upgrade that Scooter Works offers and what ideas do you have about its effect on the ride?

I hear ya! I ride around Boston, too... mostly Cambridge. The 10" wheels don't help either. I don't know if there are solutions to the front forks but the rear shock/spring would be easy to replace. I swapped out the rear spring on my Kymco Agility and it made the ride more comfortable without sacrificing handling.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:13 am

Eat a lot of pizza and drink beer. That'll add cushioning to your bum.

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:14 pm

k1dude wrote:Eat a lot of pizza and drink beer. That'll add cushioning to your bum.

I've got plenty of cushioning in that department, which probably is part of the problem, I use up have the travel of the suspension just sitting on the bike. It's a little more then I want to spend to upgrade the forks, but I might have to stick a new rear shock.

I try to follow at a good distance behind cars, and I'm getting better and better at a) knowing where the potholes are, and b) getting that hip swing around them. However, I'm still struggling with the whole "you'll go where you're looking" phenomenon that two-wheeled motorists constantly deal with.

CAPE COD PSYCHO · Post by **CAPE COD PSYCHO** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:34 pm

go to scooterworks and look at their ncy front forks and rear shocks

http://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Perform ... 3C556.aspx

http://www.scooterworks.com/NCY-Adjusta ... 8C502.aspx

I have a buddy psycho with this suspension plus a sport brake and it is excellent. For you to buy the same equipment and pay the dealer to install it would be nuts. Like $600-700. I would much rather just upgrade to a better scoot! I did, I sold the Buddy 50 and picked up a Psycho. I love it to pieces.

teckhardt · Post by **teckhardt** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:51 pm

The front forks on the 50 are unique to the 50. The 125/150 parts will not swap over. To upgrade the front you are looking at changing the front end over to the 125/150 version (forks, wheel etc) or the Scooterworks parts listed above. They are spendy but they are the only option that I have seen.

The rear shock can be upgraded easily. Its a simple bolt on. I went with the inexpensive YSS option and it made a big difference.

http://www.scooterworks.com/YSS-Adjusta ... 0C556.aspx

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:18 pm

teckhardt wrote:The front forks on the 50 are unique to the 50. The 125/150 parts will not swap over. To upgrade the front you are looking at changing the front end over to the 125/150 version (forks, wheel etc) or the Scooterworks parts listed above. They are spendy but they are the only option that I have seen.

The rear shock can be upgraded easily. Its a simple bolt on. I went with the inexpensive YSS option and it made a big difference.

http://www.scooterworks.com/YSS-Adjusta ... 0C556.aspx

So this shock is stiffer than the stock?

teckhardt · Post by **teckhardt** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:22 pm

wwlane wrote:So this shock is stiffer than the stock?

Stiffer and adjustable.

Raiderfn311 · Post by **Raiderfn311** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:43 am

wwlane wrote:Hey everyone. New here. Just got a buddy 50 and have been riding it around Boston. The potholes are killing me. Constantly bottoming the front forks. I was wondering if anyone upgraded the suspsension using the Psycho or Blackjack suspension or any of the upgrade that Scooter Works offers and what ideas do you have about its effect on the ride?

Seriously, and don't take this wrong. Become a better rider. Those upgrades are pricey as F. Act like it's a slalom course.

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:23 pm

Raiderfn311 wrote:
wwlane wrote:Hey everyone. New here. Just got a buddy 50 and have been riding it around Boston. The potholes are killing me. Constantly bottoming the front forks. I was wondering if anyone upgraded the suspsension using the Psycho or Blackjack suspension or any of the upgrade that Scooter Works offers and what ideas do you have about its effect on the ride?
Seriously, and don't take this wrong. Become a better rider. Those upgrades are pricey as F. Act like it's a slalom course.

I do. I don't know how the roads are in NC, but in Boston it's not a slalom course, it's basically off-roading. Also I don't know what's "better" about weaving around the lanes, especially with the famous Boston drivers. I want to upgrade the suspension so I don't have to weave around and be able to stop and maintain control when the hockey mom in the Land Rover decides to change lanes w/o signaling. It's the "good rider" in me that would rather drive straight than give up traction wiggling around a pot hole. That's worth some money to me.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:50 pm

Maybe something like the Sachs Madass 50 would be better for you:

It has larger 16" wheels which would help smooth out your roads a bit more than the Buddy's 10" wheels.

gitsum79 · Post by **gitsum79** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:23 pm

10" wheels and big potholes do not mix very well. Trying thicker fork oil can help smooth things out if you are completely compressing the front suspension.

kooky scientist · Post by **kooky scientist** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:33 pm

I thought people were buying the Roughhouse model in Boston because of potholes. However, I have no problem driving in Boston when I come down with my Buddy from Salem.

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 9:18 pm

I would've taken a madass if I could've found one. Fortunately I'm busy enough that I just basically ride to work and after doing it for 2 weeks I know where all the potholes are and can avoid them. Also I've realized both my tires has a slow leak and I lose about 5 PSI over the course of a week, and soft tires don't make the bumps feel any better.

wwlane · Post by **wwlane** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 9:20 pm

kooky scientist wrote:I thought people were buying the Roughhouse model in Boston because of potholes. However, I have no problem driving in Boston when I come down with my Buddy from Salem.

The guy I bought the Buddy from was switching to the Roughhouse. I really didn't know why, but I guess I do now . . .

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Upgraded suspension on Buddy 50

Upgraded suspension on Buddy 50

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