First Impressions – Buddy 125
Yesterday I had my first opportunity to take a Buddy 125 for a spin. Between an initial test ride and the Negative Image Scooter Club’s weekly ride I put 42 miles on it. Some observations:
Seat Design
A few things stood out just looking it over in the shop. First, the Buddy is somewhat small. People as short as 5′2″ were able to place their feet flat on the floor while sitting on the seat. This is due to the way the seat tapers in the front.
I wasn’t truly able to see how well it would fit someone as tall as I am (6′1″) until I got it on the road. The seat is fairly flat on top, so it was easy for me to slide back far enough to keep my knees out of the handlebars. It’s also rather cushy, so the 30 mile club ride was no problem.
Design for Maintenance
My mechanic, John, pointed out a few items that got him excited. First off, there are four bolts that hold the bucket and seat in place. Remove those and it’s a clear shot to working on anything on the top of the engine, including the carburetor and the electrical components. No more groping up under body panels or around frame members.
Removing one other screw allows a large panel to be removed, exposing the cylinder head. It appears that valve adjustments and possibly even a top end replacement can be done without dropping the engine or removing any other panels. Great!
The air box is partially tucked up under the left side body panel. On Chinese scooters this can make it difficult to remove the screws so that you can check and clean the air filter, but on the Buddy there’s only one hidden screw, and the panel over it has a hole allowing screwdriver access. Another nice change!
Electrical
One of the first things I noticed when I started up the Buddy is the headlight – it throws a LOT of light! The taillight (which is actually an array of LEDs) is also pretty bright, and gets REALLY bright when you hit the brakes.
Another little feature I noticed is the accessory outlet located on the back of the front fairing. It has a weather-proof cover, and is positioned so you can plug in your cell phone and drop it into the “dashboard tray” so that it charges while you ride. (I suppose you could plug in your radar detector, too, but do you really need one when riding on a scooter?)
The Ride
Enough of the stuff you can see in pictures! How does it ride?
I started out with a little run around the neighborhood to just stretch its legs. Everything feels tight – no slop. The mirrors don’t go bouncing around and have just a touch of vibration when sitting at a light. The turn signal switch is crisp, with good tactile feedback when you cancel it. The blinker relay is easy to hear over engine and road noise without being obnoxious.
Handling is what you’d expect from small wheels and a short wheelbase. The cushy seat means your hands and feet may notice ripples in the pavement, but your body doesn’t.
Part of this trip took me on a long straightaway, where I was able to get the indicated speed to be just over 60 mph. When you consider that most stock 150’s won’t do that, this is an amazing little 125! There’s certainly enough power to carry my 230 lb. carcass over the hills around here.
Probably the only downside I noticed was a “hot plastic” smell during this trip. I’m guessing there was some packing material that didn’t get cleaned off the muffler. Whatever it was, I didn’t notice it when I went on the club ride in the evening.
Speaking of the club ride, the NISC was kind enough to gather at the shop before heading out. The initial destination was Shoen Place in Pittsford, and then we proceeded to Abbott’s in Bushnell’s Basin. Along the way we used the Mitchell Road bridge over the Erie Canal. That’s a steel decked bridge, and the Buddy’s tires did NOT like it! That was one of the scariest bridge crossings I’ve done.
Most of the way the speed was around 45 mph, which the Buddy handled without any problems. Not many twisties.
There was one notable difference from the Chinese scoots I’m used to – the sound. Even though the Buddy 125 is a four stroke, it sounds a bit like a two stroke. At least to my ears.
All in all I was very Impressed with the Buddy. I can see why it’s “America’s Favorite Scooter!”
Filed In: Scooters
