Performance Upgrade Question

[jazdrmr]

OK,....I love my Buddy 125.....the size is right....it's cheap to keep....it's fun to ride.....it doesn't get much better! But out on the highway going to work it would be nice to have another 5-10 mph. I've been watching MB for some time now and am a bit confused as to what my options are for boosting performance.

So my question is......if today I wanted an extra 5-10 mph, what can I do (I already have a windscreen)? Is this a pipe, jet, roller combination? Has someone put together a kit yet? Is this something that probably won't happen for a 125?

I've been looking at a GT200, but the $$ is double that of a Buddy, upkeep costs more and it's a bigger scoot. Plus, to me, there's just something special about owning a Genuine Scooter product (Let's see,....did any Piaggio manager/officer send out a "thank you" message to Vespa owners recently...I may have missed it on MV).

Thanks in advance for any advice .

~Bing

[jrsjr]

Let's see,....did any Piaggio manager/officer send out a "thank you" message to Vespa owners recently...I may have missed it on MV.

I hear that. The fact that the top dog at our favorite scooter company checks in on our site speaks volumes, does it not?

About hotrodding the Buddy, I haven't heard of any kits that give the kind of dramatic improvement you're asking about. If Scooterworks and POC Phil haven't come up with anything, then I'm a little skeptical that anybody else will come up with a kit that magically makes the buddy 10MPH faster.

I had a Vespa GT200 and I loved that scooter. To prove it, I totally rode it across the United States from sea to shining sea in the 2004 Scooter Cannonball. If I lived within 30 minutes of a solid dealer with a history of being able procure parts and service Vespas, I might wish that I still owned the GT, but I don't and I wouldn't own one unless I did. Period.

As it happens, I do live within 20 minutes of a SYM dealer. if I were going to buy a scooter that would absolutely positively have to go out on the highways and main roads where I live (it's pretty hard to get around here otherwise), I'd get a SYM HD200 (really 171 ccs). It's a big-wheel scooter with the kind of top-end speed you're looking for. I'm not ignoring Kymco, either. I live within 10 minutes of a dealer that apparently does not want to be a Kymco dealer, so I'd rule out the Kymco People S 200 (really 163 ccs) for that reason.

Hope this at least provides some perspective.

[JNV]

The thing that keeps me from wanting to kit my buddy is that it is damn reliable as it is. About the only thing I would be willing to do would be a carb + pipe upgrade, and if that increased power sufficiently then a variator and up gear kit. However, I have not seen to much stuff out there for the Buddy just yet. The stuff I have seen floating around has not been from reputable dealers / suppliers. So I guess my advice would be to wait on performance stuff until you see it sold by reputable dealers that Genuine does business with. I think Genuine does have a pipe for it though.

[ericalm]

An extra 10mph on the top end is a lot to ask, unfortunately. 5 is definitely possible. The current options out there are heavier rollers — though I don't know how much you lose in off the line acceleration — and there are also performance pipes. These work well together, btw. A performance variator would also help, but I don't know what's available.

As far as cylinder kits, there aren't any commercially available for the Buddy yet but I hear there may be some coming early in '08. Chances are, though, you'd be looking at more low and mid torque and acceleration, but not much added to top speed.

[Buddy_wannabe]

how about preformence parts for the 50 ?? I have heard the Prima pipe helps. How much? ...... Different carbs offered? .....

[ericalm]

how about preformence parts for the 50 ?? I have heard the Prima pipe helps. How much? ...... Different carbs offered? .....

Check out this page:
http://www.scooterworks.com/Performance_Parts_C290.cfm

The pipe is $189. They offer a cylinder kit, rollers, etc. here.
I don't know that you'd ever need a different carb, just different jets.

[jazdrmr]

Thanks everyone for your advice and thoughts. My dealer has suggested a couple of mods from Scooterworks (pipe, jet, rollers), but I think I'll just sit back and enjoy my Buddy for now.

[ericalm]

Thanks everyone for your advice and thoughts. My dealer has suggested a couple of mods from Scooterworks (pipe, jet, rollers), but I think I'll just sit back and enjoy my Buddy for now.

Not a bad idea, especially since you still have at least a year on your warranty. These kinds of mods will invalidate any coverage of your engine, transmission, exhaust. etc.

Some people want performance mods the second they drive off the dealer lot—or before, even. Which is cool for them. I like a little confidence, though.

[Dibber]

Jaz, you might be a good candidate for a Buddy 150??? It might be just what you are looking for. Only time will tell how the Buddy 150 perform.