I am Torn and need advice.

[peterwphoto]

I live in San Diego CA and am looking to purchase the buddy italia 150cc.

I was doing some thinking and reading and I have come to the conclusion that the buddy will not be fast enough for freeway use. I am 6 foot 220 pounds.

I really like everything about it but i want it to take me everywhere. So if I wanted to ride for example utah or nevada ( or even cross country) I feel it wont have the power

I am looking at alternatives but I really want to like what I ride. The one I am reading into now is the People 250cc.

Any advice is greatly appreciated

-Peter

[jfrost2]

Theres no buddy 250.

150 cc even 125cc is enough for all of us, we dont use this on the highway, but many of us take back roads we search up on mapquest and google. I can get to a city in the same time using a country road as a car would using the highway.

[peterwphoto]

i am sorry.... buddy was on the mind I meant to say People 250. I edited the post above

thanks for the back roads advice. I may have to look into it.

-Peter

[jfrost2]

To my church is takes 15 minutes highway, using back roads, 15 minutes.

I timed myself when I was riding back and forth. Most country roads let you go 40-50mph so you are going almost as fast as highway.

[peterwphoto]

I understand about the country roads but I live in San Diego which there are no country roads that I am aware of.

I am looking to drive long distances. San Diego to yellowstone national park or portland for example.

-Peter

[NathanielSalzman]

Good call, I wouldn't ride a Buddy, even a 150, on a proper highway for very long. It'll do 70 mph for sure, but that's with its tongue hanging out. Don't think there will ever be a Buddy 250, not sure what you're reading. Did you mean the Stella 250 rumors? Even then, I wouldn't want to go faster than 70 mph for very long on 10" wheels.

Are you opposed to more of a cruiser-style scooter? There's the Kymco People S 250, or even the Xciting 500. There's also the Vespa GTV or GTS, which I hear are very fast and stable, but you keep that classic scooter look. There's also the Piaggio BV500 and MP3 in sizes up to 500 cc.

The small frame style scooters (and most scooters in general) are intended more as urban transport than highway bikes. There are plenty of bigger scoots that are just fine on the highway, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying that you might want to think more about what you want most from your scooter. No scooter can be all things. A zippy urban scoot isn't so hot on the highway, but at the same time a big cruiser loses much of that nimble factor and parking ease.

The other thing to think about is that in the case of your cross-country trip, there are lots and lots of roads that aren't highways. A long trip on a scooter, at least for me, would be much less about the getting there and much more about going there. Alix did her P.E.A.C.E. Scooter ride on a Buddy 125 and rode literally across the country and back. And she's about to do it again.

Hope that helps.

[jfrost2]

Someone rode the USA with a buddy 125 cross country, it was called peace scoot, they rode in a pattern that looked like a peace sign, but it was the ENTIRE usa.

[illnoise]

a 150cc scooter isn't much fun on the highway. It's ok for short bursts, but just about any 150 is gonna really be pushing its luck to keep up with 65mph traffic without wobbling and shaking and getting blown around by trucks and sidewinds. If you're planning on doing a lot of highway riding, I'd look at 250s and up.

I get what JFrost is saying, but I sorta disagree. Sure, you can make pretty good time, but you've only got 100 or 120 miles in a tank at that speed, and on a 150 your top speed is 65 or so, plus you're stopping for gas more than a car would, and it's best to stop that often anyway, just to get your feet on the ground and stretch and catch your breath. In a car on the interstate, you're likely going 80 and stopping far less frequently. And side roads often have a lot of stoplights and slow parts, which really kill your average speed. I really like riding on the side roads on a 150 more than I like hauling a** on the freeway in a car, but if you're in a hurry, the car's usually going to beat the scooter.

[NathanielSalzman]

I really like riding on the side roads on a 150 more than I like hauling a** on the freeway in a car, but if you're in a hurry, the car's usually going to beat the scooter.

Yeah, riding a scooter is rarely a way to save travel time, unless you can hop in a carpool lane. It's the trade off you make for getting there so much more efficiently and having 100% more fun while you get there.

[EP_scoot]

Peter,
if you want the ability to go cross country you can do it on a Buddy. It all depends on how fast you want to go from A to B. If it is about getting there ASAP, you probably want a motorcycle in the +600cc.

If is it about the scenery and talking to extrangers that will undoubtedly come to ask you about your mode of transportation, then go with the Buddy.

There are heavier and taller people than you in this forum that have a Buddy, so you will be able to get their perspective as well.

Alix has pretty much gone accross the country a couple times on her Buddy. www.peacescooter.com/

[PasadenaSue]

Peterwphoto -

There are plenty of country roads around San Diego. I am a bicycle tourist and I ride the San Diego Xmas ride - on great roads that go through some very nice country. Perfect roads to ride a scooter.

I wouldn't take a Buddy 150 on the freeway unless I had to (for a variety of personal reasons), but I would certainly take it to Utah or Nevada. It would just require more time and some planning. For me, that's most of the fun, getting off the freeways and taking the slower routes to get to my destination. Route 66 parallels I-40 through the desert. You get all the scenery and zero traffic - my kind of road.

If you plan on riding freeways a lot, I'd go with a much larger machine, but the cost is also going to rise. I prefer the relaxed pace of scooter travel. If I'm in a hurry, I just take my car.

Good luck.

PasadenaSue

[Dooglas]

I agree with others that the Buddy, or any other 125/150 scooter, is not for you if longer distance freeway riding is primarily what you want to do. There are certainly plenty of bigger scoots out there. The People 250 is one. The Vespa GT200 and GTS250 are a couple more. Suzuki, Yamaha, and Honda all make maxi-scoots that would do that job. I hafta ask though, why do you think you want a scoot? There are many models of sport and cruising motorcycles that are probably even more appropriate for that task. Scooters really shine on city streets and twisty little roads IMO.

[MarsR]

I live in Utah right at the 5000' level. While many people claim to get 60-65 or even 70mph, I have to really push to get my 200lbs up to 55-60mph (speed-o reading) on level road. I don't know if it's the altitude or what, but you might want to take that into consideration if traveling cross-country on a Buddy 125.

[Parkerl]

Well i live in salt lake city, utah and this summer me and my friends are planning on riding or buddy's down to St. George all back roads. we calculate that is will take about 7 to 8 hours thats adding the time we will need to stop and let the scoots cool down. don't know if i would be willing to drive all the way to cali. anyways i drive a buddy 150 and it will go 70 fine. i think the buddy would be fine if your willing to take back roads but the People 250 is way sick scoot i dont really like the look to much but its liquid cooled.

[jrsjr]

Hi Peter, welcome Modern Buddy! When I read your post, my thought was, "You've been reading my mail!"

I was doing some thinking and reading and I have come to the conclusion that the buddy will not be fast enough for freeway use. I am 6 foot 220 pounds.

Ditto. I'm almost exactly your size.

I really like everything about it but i want it to take me everywhere. So if I wanted to ride for example utah or nevada ( or even cross country) I feel it wont have the power

Ditto. I have, in fact, ridden a 150cc air-cooled scooter from coast to coast and I can tell you that there are lots of places where even the loneliest backroad suddenly ends and you will be forced to hop on the interstate, possibly for an extended period of time. There's really nothing you can do about it and a Buddy just isn't the right tool for that job.

I am looking at alternatives but I really want to like what I ride. The one I am reading into now is the People 250cc.

That's a pretty good choice, especially if you can find a deal on a leftover 2007 model. Another Taiwanese company, SYM, sells a 172cc scooter called the HD200 which is a big wheel scooter and which is reputed to be very speedy. I haven't verified for myself whether that bike is actually able to handle highway situations. Anyway, so far the reviews of that scooter have been very positive.

One question, are you in a hurry to buy a scooter? I ask because I am awaiting the arrival of a new-to-the-USA scooter from SYM called the Citycom 300. It's a 262cc water-cooled machine with 16 inch wheels. It should come in somewhere just under $5k and they should be here in August or maybe September. I'm thinking that's what I'm going to get. Here's a link to a site with some pix and stuff if you're interested.

[MarsR]

I am awaiting the arrival of a new-to-the-USA scooter from SYM called the Citycom 300. It's a 262cc (?) water-cooled machine with 16 inch wheels. It should come in somewhere in just under $5k and they should be here in August or maybe September. I'm thinking that's what I'm going to get. Here's a link to a site with some pix and stuff if you're interested.

Nice.

[Alix B]

Just checked that link on the SYM-very nice.

The Buddy never ceases to amaze me. I put 11,000 on her in 12 weeks, with 9,000 more ahead (in just one week I depart)

She maintained her peak efficiency for me, while riding mostly wide open throttle.
I rode her below sea level-9,000 ft above.
I'm a wee little jockey-weighing in at 115lbs. My gear is prolly 40lbs.

That said, I don't think the Buddy was created as a touring scoot. It's a superhero scoot but that doesn't mean it should be driven the way I do.

Yep, there were times that those country roads dumped onto an interstate. It's not legal to take on an interstate. You just also can't forget that you are on 10 inches-when going 65 mph on some grooved pavement-and then suddenly-a steel grate bridge pops up...joy. I would love bigger tires for the riding I do.

My decision to ride the Buddy on this trip was based on the performance reviews I read about it-all of which have been true.
I also wanted to drive it home to the average consumer that yes this little scooter took me 20,000 miles around the country-they could opt to ride one on a 10-15mile daily commute.

I was also impressed that I didn't have to pack tools. No jetting on the side of the road in 100degree weather.

[peterwphoto]

Thanks for all the replies. you are all so helpful.

I didnt even think about the tire size.... I will have to give that some more thought.

I am not in a rush. I own a car that gets about 27 mpg. the thing with the buddy is that I originally wanted it to just drive to work. Than I started thinking how it could save me on day trips and few day trips out of state.


How often / Long do I need to let the buddy cool when I am traveling?

Thanks,
Peter

[Alix B]

I didn't have a set schedule for it per say. Just made sure to check out the weird shops, talk to people, take photos, eat lunch. On a long ride, say 8 hours, four hours was my time to stop and eat lunch, get my land legs back-about half an hour.

Then intermittent stops here and there, gassing, et al.

[peterwphoto]

sounds great, I think i would stop for a bit every time I have to fill up.



Thanks for the response Alix and I cant wait to follow your journey.

I am so happy for you

-Peter

[Alix B]

Thanks Peter
I'm still processing that it begins in just 7.5 days.

I really look forward to visiting San Diego. Glad you will follow along the trip, make sure to say hi on the comments. That makes me happy when so far away from home...

[Dooglas]

How often / Long do I need to let the buddy cool when I am traveling?

I have not experienced problems with Buddy overheating on longer rides. Stopping for a rest break to let my tired fanny cool seems to be a bigger issue. The only cooling issue I am aware of is stop and go traffic at high air temperatures like Phoenix in the summer. Course that problem applies to all air cooled engines.

[polianarchy]

Well, what about saving your car for trips to Utah etc and using your scooter for in town rides? I'm much heavier (but also much shorter) than you, and I've gotten my 2006 Buddy 125 just past 65mph indicated, and cruised comfortably at 55-60mph indicated from Philadelphia to Baltimore. Sure it took me four hours on Route 1, not I-95, but it was fun!

I use my scooter for a 5-mile each way commute, all sorts of errands around this large city, and fun leisure rides all over the surrounding countryside. Yes, even to New Jersey. *shudders* I've not yet had a problem with over-heating the engine, and honestly have never heard of that problem here on this board.

I think your best bet is to decide what it is exactly that you want from your scooter. If you're willing to hold onto your car for those cross-country excursions (what about hitching your scooter to the back, so you can ride when you arrive???), then the Buddy might just be perfect for you. However, the People 250 might fit you better if you have very long legs, as well as meet your freeway requirements.