Buddy Kick vs Vespa Sprint 150

blue888sky · Post by **blue888sky** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:15 pm

Hello. I'm a happy owner of a Buddy 125 that I purchased new in 2009. I brought it in today for service, and under the influence of the beautiful 60 degree day in Chicago, I started nosing around the new scooters.

Last year I found myself looking at a Vespa Sprint 150, but I never made the decision to buy it. I test-rode a Kick today and really liked it. I remember liking the Sprint test ride, too - but can't recall it well enough to compare them directly. One thing I like about the Sprint is the 12 inch wheels.

The Kick's performance and speed is enough for me. I like the electronic display and the braking. Also, the seat is bigger and looks to be more comfortable for a passenger than the Buddy 125.

If they were priced the same, I'd probably get the Sprint, but the Buddy is considerably less expensive. So I'm looking for opinions on whether the additional cost for the Sprint is worth it, and if there's anything I might not be thinking of that I should be. Do 12-inch wheels vs 10-inch wheels really make that much of a difference? The vast majority of my riding is on city streets - most of them bumpy.

Thanks!

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 8:21 pm

Funny that you compared those two, heres why. A friend was looking at the Vespa Primavera 150 and the Buddy Kick. Turns out the Vespa was just so costly after all the other "hidden" charges were revealed and he just did not "feel the love" for the Kick. So on the way home we ended up looking at a Lance Cabo 200i. He ended up buying that instead. Was not Vespa money, quicker than the Buddy Kick, and has the same 2 year warranty as the Kick. Cabo was under $3000 out the door fully legal/DMV included! Cant beat that deal. I really like the weird Lance Cali Classic 200i (big, ugly bars!) and it has EFI. Im so tempted to replace my Buddy 125.....

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:44 am

Is there a difference between the feel of 10" wheels and 12" wheels? Yes. And you didn't mention the ABS on the Sprint. However, it all comes down to what meets your needs and what you like. If you want to compare two scooters, probably a good idea to test ride them the same day or weekend.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:02 am

DeeDee can chime in better, but he says the maintenance on the Vespa is a pain.

The fit and finish is usually better, more 'classic', and not as much plastic as the buddy.

My logic is I can routinely find a Buddy for 1-2k depending on age and condition. Not so with the vespas. Used they sell for a what a buddy costs new, and often as much as a much bigger motorcycle.

They do look really nice and I like them a lot, just too costly for me.

Pros are that it's a more comfy ride on the 12" wheels, but not by enough to double the costs.

blue888sky · Post by **blue888sky** » Tue Feb 21, 2017 4:05 pm

Thanks for the replies. I'm still thinking it's not worth the extra money, and this was the first I've heard of maintenance being a pain with the Vespa Sprint. Maintenance is so simple on my current Buddy, and that's a big draw.

Maybe one more test ride on the Sprint....

PhillyKick · Post by **PhillyKick** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:29 am

I haven't ridden both, but as I was saying while riding home yesterday, swinging my legs over the kick NEVER gets old. In the dry it'll corner hard enough to scrape the center stand, and it stops pretty quickly too. I've had it up to an indicated 51, (no windscreen, milk crate on the rear rack) and it was stable.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:22 pm

I don't have much saddle time on the Kick, but our local dealer let me take one out for a bit. The dual shocks are real nice, and it was pretty smooth. I did like the seating a bit better too. But I'm addicted to my buddy after 17k miles.

blue888sky · Post by **blue888sky** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:28 pm

Thanks all for the comments. I'm pretty sure I'll go with the Kick. One more test ride with my wife on the back to confirm.

I'll use some of the money I would have spent on the Vespa to accessorize properly.

Now if anyone is interested in a 2009 Buddy 125 in great condition* with just under 4k miles on it, let me know. New battery, just tuned up, never crashed or been dropped.

*Except for this: The bolts that hold in the rear rack/top case have stripped out. Like in this post on the Hooligan: topic30327.html It would take some kind of a welding job to repair, I think. The mechanic thinks it's from a combination of heavy loads and Chicago's bumpy streets. I agree.

Because of this, Scooterworks only wanted to give me $400 for the trade - but this was before the tune up and new battery. Think I'm going to price it in the $600-$700 range.

Thanks again!

blue888sky · Post by **blue888sky** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:30 pm

...Although there's a slight chance my wife might want to keep it, but I doubt it. We have nowhere to park a second scooter except on the street. It has been garage kept all along.

dasscooter · Post by **dasscooter** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:34 pm

I'd pick the Kick if you're doing mostly in-town riding. Last weekend I did a 100mi country road ride on a Sprint and it's an amazing machine. They don't make good city bikes because of the metal body, though. One fall and there goes all the resale value.