Buddy 170i vs. Stella 4T

[uklemond]

Hi there.

I've read this thread. Been researching my head off. Really appreciate this forum!

I'm about to buy my first scooter. Mental process going like this: Loved Vespa but didn't want to spend that much $ on a new scooter. Found a rebuilt vintage Vespa but feared reliability and maintenance (I'm the least handy person you'll ever find). Discovered Genuine and was smitten the Stella 4T. Wanted something very safe and reliable. Starting to think about the Buddy 170.

Living in a city and being new to scootering, the manual shifting is intimidating to me. Funny as I drive a manual VW 2010 GTI. I'm fine with driving a "performance" manual car in the city and have driven manual cars since I got my license. I've seen video of shifting Stella's and as I've read also. Seems a little jerky to me. I've also read shifting can be distracting for new riders. I've also read about warm up time, adjustments, etc. on the Stella's and as this new scooter will be for commuting half the week, I want something easy to just get on and go with.

I'm 6'0", 180lbs. The size and weight of the Stella felt good to me. The Buddy 170 a little lighter but ok. I have not test driven either. My commute is 5 miles each way with about 10 traffic lights and 5 stop signs along the route. On occasion I'd like to take my daughter with me to school (longer ride) so need the bike to be big enough and safe enough for that as well.

All that being said, and after all I've read, I'm still wondering if I go the route of the 170, will I become bored driving it and lust after the Stella in short order or will I just enjoy the experience of the ride and focus less on the bike, especially if it's reliable and safe and I never have to worry about it.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I am also 6ft and slightly over your weight and I love my 170i. My commute is 70 miles a day and have hit 3k in a few months of purchase. If you are on a small 5 mile trek you will not be on it long enough to get bored

I never have the time to take my buddy out for leisure jaunts, just commute, but everyday it is a joy to ride. It handles well, and whilst i may be able to touch the floor easily with my feet, i do not consider it too short for me. Im comfortable, and thats all that counts.

[skully93]

Holy old thread Batman!

The people that love their Stellas really enjoy them. I think they look great, and the shifting can get you great MPG while being really fun.

The 170i also gets ridiculous gas mileage, has a little more power, and with the fuel injection it's super reliable.

Many have commented on little things with the Stella, like clutch cables, speedo cables, etc, going out more often than other modern bikes. That being said no one has given up on them or sold it out of of frustration that I know of.

I own a buddy 150 and it's great for all of my around town needs. I have taken it significant distances, and although it's not really comfortable for 200 miles, it's never complained up mountains or anything. My normal, 4 day a week commute is pretty similar to yours.

[ericalm]

No matter which scooter you buy, chances are you'll be lusting after others once you've been bitten by the bug. Almost everyone here dreams of other scooters but aren't bored by whatever they have.

The 170 is the more practical choice and is still going to be a ton of fun to ride. Most people fall for the Stella because of its style, but the Buddy is more reliable, easier to learn to ride and outperforms the Stella. If you need something that hauls ass off the line and can cruise at 55 without blinking, the 170 is the way to go.

That said, the Stella is… a Stella—a 1970's body style with a new, clean engine and a manual transmission. Shifting is fun but it's just one part of the riding experience.

Not sure how old your daughter is, but might want to make sure you both can sit comfortably on the 170. The longer, flat seat on the Stella may actually work better. On the other hand, my wife hates riding as a passenger on the Stella. She finds it too jerky. Her words were: "I can see how that's fun… for you."

Buuuut… don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to talk you out of a Stella. I'm a fan. Your commute would easily be handled by either scooter. Riders tend to adapt to what they own and ride.

[JohnKiniston]

You could always get two bikes

If you drive a performance car with a manual transmission you should already be familiar with rev matching and once you learn the power curve of your Stella you'd be fine I think.

Will your dealer let you take both bikes on a test ride?

I love my 4T Stella, But I also love my Twist-n-Go, They are different bikes for different needs or moods I guess.

[Tapesonic]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Really appreciate it.

The thought that is sticking in my head most is that initially the manual may be a bit of a distraction and I feel as if I should get to know scootering a little better, specifically on my busy streets first. Initially I should learn what to expect from my streets, other driver, etc. to be as safe as possible. As some of you have said, I may move to a manual at some point, but I think not initially.

Going to dig into the 170i a little deeper. Dan at Philadelphia Scooters has been really great in letting me think this through and I am going to inspect the 170i more in person tomorrow. I'm leaning towards the silver with black stripes.

You may think this silly, but being a visual designer, some tiny things about the design of the 170i bug me. Namely the "Buddy 170i" logos on the bike. I think they're pretty ugly. Think those are easily removed? And believe me, I know I'm a novice and getting a new exhaust is probably not necessary for me, but the exhaust from the Blackjack looks much cooler than the stock one on the 170i.

Again, thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to the ride!

[JohnKiniston]

I believe the Blackjack has a Prima pipe on it, It's a common upgrade on the Buddy's to add one so I don't think there would be any problem with it on the 170. They are louder and add a bit of Growl (And the occasional backfire) to the bike.

If the Buddy emblems are like the Stella ones they should be easy to come off. Might even do so on on their own

[ericalm]

The thought that is sticking in my head most is that initially the manual may be a bit of a distraction and I feel as if I should get to know scootering a little better, specifically on my busy streets first. Initially I should learn what to expect from my streets, other driver, etc. to be as safe as possible. As some of you have said, I may move to a manual at some point, but I think not initially.

There's some truth to this. Shifting and riding the Stella requires more focus than a Buddy or other auto scooter. It's not necessarily harder, just more demanding of your attention. At the same time, I picked up a lot of bad habits riding my autos, which are more forgiving of me getting distracted or reaching for something or whatever.

As for the badges, they come of rather easily. Design your own!

[lactoferment]

I haven't ridden a Stella, so I can't really compare them...

I'm 5'10" 175, size 13 shoes. My biggest fit issue with the 170i was that my feet were too big for it! Honestly, could not put my feet down flat on the floorboard. Other than that, fine.

Did some riding with two people. The other person was 5'4", ~135. We did some highways etc., some trips on the order of half an hour. That's probably the limit of what's feasible (or pleasant). I actually enjoyed it greatly, and she wasn't miserable, but I'm not that she always enjoyed it (especially in the cold, with rain and wind). The suspension was a bit overtaxed by our combined 325+ (including gear, groceries, whatever).

I'd go 170i over Stella. Faster, less trouble, handles great, no muss, no fuss.

[k1dude]

Tapesonic, get the 170i. Shifting a Stella is a clunky affair, and it might freak you out. Especially in traffic as a newbie. You also have a floor brake which might add to the confusion. If you had previous experience with scooters and/or motorcycles before and were handy with tools, I'd tell you to go with the Stella (which you seem to like more).

[mgermano]

I was in a similar situation as you are currently (although I'm in the better side of the state... )

My dealership allowed me to test drive both and I ended up with the Stella (if it wasn't obvious already from my avatar).

I live in the city, and I use the Stella to commute about 5 miles each way (to/from downtown). I probably have a few more traffic lights than you, but I leave early enough in the morning that there is hardly any traffic, and sometimes the lights are still blinking yellow. In the afternoon, I am leaving with rush-hour, so it's slow, with lots of shifting, and sometimes bumper to bumper.

Also, this is my first two wheeled vehicle, and although I have driven a manual car, I've never owned one.

I have about 350 miles on Stella, and although I still find it difficult to get into 2nd gear sometimes (without ending up in a phantom neutral between 2nd and 3rd) I absolutely love it, and I don't regret choosing it over the 170 at all.

My view from the test drive of the 170. Pros: It was quicker on acceleration and easier to handle (super light). Cons: Didn't have the vintage look, too small, and not manual.

As you can see, my cons were more about personal taste than problems with the scooter. Regarding it being "too small", I'm 6'1 250. I have occasionally had my wife on the scooter with me (both about 5'7 110). I brought my wife with me for the test drive and she did not fit with me on the 170, but fits just fine on the Stella.

[Tapesonic]

Thanks again for the comments. I was at the dealer today and sat on the Buddy 170i and felt it small and actually light/almost cheap.

Saw a guy pull up in a Kymco Like200i in red. Spoke to the guy for a while. He's been riding scooters since young. He's Italian (funny how that happened). He's had Vespas (shifting), Piaggio's, The Buddy 150 and now this Kymco Like.

Like him, I really liked the looks of the Like (wow, unfortunate name, but so is Buddy). I also liked that the Like was physically bigger than the Buddy 170i. It's also less expensive and comes with a rear storage unit.

So now I'm contemplating that. Hate how these guys (except the Stella) are all plastic. Even looking again at Vespa just from a quality perspective (cost is very high, but so is quality).

This is fun (but difficult).

[Grant H]

I haven't ridden a Stella, so I can't really compare them...

I'm 5'10" 175, size 13 shoes. My biggest fit issue with the 170i was that my feet were too big for it! Honestly, could not put my feet down flat on the floorboard. Other than that, fine.

Did some riding with two people. The other person was 5'4", ~135. We did some highways etc., some trips on the order of half an hour. That's probably the limit of what's feasible (or pleasant). I actually enjoyed it greatly, and she wasn't miserable, but I'm not that she always enjoyed it (especially in the cold, with rain and wind). The suspension was a bit overtaxed by our combined 325+ (including gear, groceries, whatever).

I'd go 170i over Stella. Faster, less trouble, handles great, no muss, no fuss.

I'm 6'3", 220lbs size 13 shoes. My feet fit fine on the floorboards...


I did not know that the Stella has the twist-and-shift or go or whatever shifting. Thats strange.

I own a 170i and just love how easy and fun it is to drive. I was pushing its limits there for a while though because I drug the center stand on the ground going around a corner....

[ericalm]

The Like 200i is actually a 163cc. The Buddy 170i is a 168cc. If it matters to you, the Like 200i is built in China, the Buddy in Taiwan.

The Like does have front/back disc brakes and 12" tires. Its seat might be better for 2-up.

Both have a 2-year warranty, but the Buddy comes with 2 year roadside assistance, too.

I did not know that the Stella has the twist-and-shift or go or whatever shifting. Thats strange.

Fully manual, 4-speed transmission! That's a big part of its appeal.