Greetings from Washington state! I bought a new 2019 Buddy 170i a year ago and I love it! You made a good video with a lot of detail on the Buddy, but you didn't mention one of the best features is a flat floor which lets you carry larger items that you hold in place with your feet. These scooters are great for getting groceries, getting fast food to bring back home, or running errands around town . They make these chores fun to do. Plus you can hit the yard sales, or just take it for a buzz around town to see what everybody is up to in the neighborhood. These are great for really hot days when you can let the breeze cool you down while everybody else is overheating in the sun. Plus, you can park them next to the bike racks at a lot of stores since they are on the small side. What a great way to get around.
@@glenmones713 They both do. It's the 10" wheels. I love Genuine but I wish they'd bump to 12" wheels whenever they make a new scoot (i.e. when they came out with the Kick).
@@9988ScooterGirl my problem with the buddy is the rear drum brake.. I won my buddy125 in a raffle I would trade it in for a buddy kick or hooligan170 in a heartbeat. Little wheels are great cheap tires nimble etc.. not great for rough roads but hey you should’ve gotten a Yamaha tw200 😂
They run better than you would think, for such a small engine. The kick starter comes in handy, especially when you are out and about. The battery can be dead and you kick them and they fire right up. I love that!
Buddy is better in electric wiring assembly. Also, the fiber-reinforced plastic body panels are not so easy to crack as well as ugly as Vespa after tipping over.
HAve had my 125 about a week .. Performance wise, I am very very satisfied... Happily ran 55 60 MPH and ,despite the 10 inch wheels, felt very stable at that speed. AS far as "pep" seh definitely, ahem, SCOOTS!
I just purchased A "BUDDY50 " .love it❤️.. 2 stroke 49cc engine gives lots of torque! .. here in Connecticut no registration insurance..👍. Just a regular driver's license needed..( I have a motorcycle license from years ago) .. I installed a primo windshield.. gained 5mph 👍.. and I remove the catalytic converter exhaust..& installed a scooterworks exhaust system no catalytic and gained another 5 mph top end.. does an honest 40 to 45 mph on level ground ( 45 to 50 mph on the scooter speedometer) it hits the bumps a little hard.. but the scooter is super fast for a 50cc!
@@glenmones713 In the United States, it is a violation of Section 203(a)(3)(A) of the 1990 amended Clean Air Act for a vehicle repair shop to remove a converter from a vehicle, or cause a converter to be removed from a vehicle, except in order to replace it with another converter,[27] and Section 203(a)(3)(B) makes it illegal for any person to sell or to install any part that would bypass, defeat, or render inoperative any emission control system, device, or design element. Vehicles without functioning catalytic converters generally fail emission inspections.
The buddy is absolutely underrated. PGO makes a great short case Minarelli clone. It’s so good that you can buy Zuma parts and they bolt right in. I have a Buddy 50, with just a variator, clutch, and a slight jet and it’ll hit over 50mph without issue. The genuine may be goofy but the bikes are right there with the best.
I don’t think the genuines are goofy at all. The ones riding them look goofy…..just like the ones riding motorcycles look goofy. The motorcycles look nice, but the riders look goofy, especially the ones who mean mug and wear “cuts”.
I have a 2018 I bought new has about 7k miles and I have to say the wheels are my biggest complaint my only time to go down I’m sure do to the small wheels other wise I use it everyday with no problems....I watch a lot of your videos and keep thinking I should upgrade to a vespa
I am thinking of getting a Buddy 125. The 10 inch wheels are something you get used to. I had an old Vespa P200e with a hop-up kit and expansion chamber. It would do about 85 on a good day. Death trap, no brakes and didn’t handle. My old Kawasaki H2 was safer. I wanted the Buddy because there is a lot of parts available. I think 55 or 60 is plenty fast on 10 inch wheels.
I enjoyed the review, its the kind of scooter I have often hired on vacation as even in Italy I find its hard to find a Vespa for hire. One thing I do like the look of is the mirrors. I had an MP3 500 for a year and the mirrors were diabolical. I must admit that getting older I like the fact that my GTS has ABS but I grew up on ten inch wheels and no ABS. So as you say you just need to be aware and ride accordingly. Keep up the good work.
Hi Robot, I have been watching you for years, thanks for all the info! What's the difference between this and the Buddy Kick 125? And how do they compare to the Urbano 200?
Great review, Robot. I have a 1958, robin egg blue Allstate Vespa 125 scooter. It has been setting for years. I inherited it from by master machinist uncle. I paid a motorcycle mechanic put it in road ready condition. He has completed his work and has road tested it up to speeds of 45 mph. The bike has about 350 miles on it. I am interested in getting a modern scooter with today's safety features. A vintage Vespa is cool but I'd rather be riding and not spending time making adjustments. I would much rather be on the seat of a new Honda Super Cub riding the the back roads here in Ohio than in my garage. I plan to sell the Vespa and apply the cash to a new scooter. The saddle has a small tear and there some cosmetic scratches and nicks. It's in great shape for its age. She has been stored indoors all her life. I would appreciate your advice on how to find a buyer for my scooter.
Dig your videos. Believe it or not your videos are so good that I've used them to help do maintenance on my Buddy Kick, which you say is completely different bikes in this very video. Help me out my Robot homie and do some things for the KICK. You would be the first on UA-cam or the internet near as I can tell. I get it, it's not as popular as others in the Buddy line. I myself think they should drop the Buddy moniker altogether. It's just so much different, but I digress, Genuine never asked me. Please Robot Sir, put out a KICK video?
@@buffering7612 no they don't at all actually. It's a considerable difference in every thing from the Bosch fuel injection on the Kick vs a carburetor on the reg 125 to the conventional motorcycle like oil filter on the reg buddy vs the screen in spring setup on the Kicks oil reservoir. I could go on. I'm sure that there are some similarities, some of the guts inside are like a lot of other Genuine models. I'm sorry, but the longer I own my KICK the longer I think they should drop it from the Buddy family all together. Like, the Rough house and Hooligan are their own lines. I'm sure Genuine's got their reasons, but damned if I can suss them. Clearly this pokes a nerve with me, lol.
@@loucipherreed3211 look into a used buddy 170i I got my 08 buddy (125 but still) for $1500 last year with factory miles and no fuel in it I want a buddy pshyco bored too 170 😂
@@buffering7612 I think my Genuine dealer said the 170is are fuel injected. I almost got one and at that price, I'd say grab it. Beat boredom's ass bro. If you can find one, get a Royal Alloy, that thing just looks like it tears shiat up, supposed to be faster than the 170i. It's not a buddy either just another Genuine. Oh I thought you said you could buy a 170 for 1500. Read that too fast.
@@loucipherreed3211 never heard of the royal alloy I’ll look into it.. saving up now for when a used xr650L shows up locally.. nobody sells them!!!! I refuse too get a “new” one they’ve been making them for decades and they’re tanks. 99 Kawasaki Mojave (lemon) 03 Yamaha blaster (lemon) 98 Kx125 (clapped) 03 Crf230/ttr225 (tank) 07 Crf250 (125 with torque not worth the $) 97 Cr250 (fast tank) 03 Cr125 (good but not on pavement) 08 buddy 125 (little tank) What I’ve owned over the years; when I turned 17 I had too stop riding dirt bikes everywhere 🤣
Great v-ideas, i would like to ask, if Is posible to get, main plain bearing like You had in whole overhoul of Blue Vespa? I faund that piaggio, selling just vhole casting, witch Is a bit expensive. ThankYou Petr
I have a question I have genuine buddy 170i and I want to know the rear tire how many spline does have. The reason I ask cause I want to install a final gear 18*36 and the rear axle both has 19 spline.
Hey Robot! Your channel is awesome, thanks for all the great information. An elderly couple near me is selling a 2009 buddy 125 for 1400. It only has 614 miles. Should I grab it up? I don't know much about buddy scooters. I used to own a vino 125 about 5 years back.
I hope you got the buddy 125. I just got a 2006 with 12,000 miles for 800 and this bike is unbelievably fast. I owned a vino 125 before and no comparisons can be made. The buddy is like a rocket ship
@@nyazz22 That’s so unfortunate. Sorry to hear that. The torque pull is no joke, it’s very easy to lose control. So an inexperienced rider can easily wreck it. The vino was climbing hills @ 15mph but the buddy @ 50mph (same hill). I’m so addicted to this machine. Truly a marvel of engineering
Hello thank yo i have one but the guy i got it from put a air cooling system on it and an exturnel oil filter on it he had to make a bracket for both so im trying to find out if i need the oil filter he added to it i don't see were that one would go if it was stock and i would like to remove it if i can
This "buddy" is called "BuBu" in Taiwan and made in Taiwan by PGO. PGO has made Vespa thru re-licensing by Bajaj of India decades ago. BuBu is popular among local high school kids in Taiwan for drag racing. In fact, BuBu is a nimble "bazooka" regarded by youngsters. The short wheelbase attributes to the nimbleness for youngsters to ride in lane-splitting among busy street. An affordable scooter while being reliable.
I have a buddy 150 cc who ever had it set it to hall ass I mean if’s fast but since it has a small 2 gallon tank so distance is not great how can I adjust carburetor to get it back to normal speed and maybe get better gas mileage
Idk but I’d look for a used one first if the owner/bike can prove too you he changed the oil you’ll be fine. A guy with 100k on his told me you can put 30k on it before you need a belt and brake pads. Rear tire lasts 6k front lasts 12k
Greetings from Washington state! I bought a new 2019 Buddy 170i a year ago and I love it! You made a good video with a lot of detail on the Buddy, but you didn't mention one of the best features is a flat floor which lets you carry larger items that you hold in place with your feet. These scooters are great for getting groceries, getting fast food to bring back home, or running errands around town . They make these chores fun to do. Plus you can hit the yard sales, or just take it for a buzz around town to see what everybody is up to in the neighborhood. These are great for really hot days when you can let the breeze cool you down while everybody else is overheating in the sun. Plus, you can park them next to the bike racks at a lot of stores since they are on the small side. What a great way to get around.
My Buddy 50 2 stroke .. seems to take the bumps kind of hard... Does your 170 buddy hit hard also?
@@glenmones713 They both do. It's the 10" wheels. I love Genuine but I wish they'd bump to 12" wheels whenever they make a new scoot (i.e. when they came out with the Kick).
Perfectly stated. I like the flat floor to also take my laundry to the laundry mat.
@@9988ScooterGirl my problem with the buddy is the rear drum brake.. I won my buddy125 in a raffle I would trade it in for a buddy kick or hooligan170 in a heartbeat. Little wheels are great cheap tires nimble etc.. not great for rough roads but hey you should’ve gotten a Yamaha tw200 😂
"If honking is important to you, this is the scooter for you" top tier quote lol
Pros v Cons. Lots of detail. Honest review. This clip is Designer approved. 🤖🛵❤️
Great ride .6 years proud owner. Even bought mine used
They run better than you would think, for such a small engine. The kick starter comes in handy, especially when you are out and about. The battery can be dead and you kick them and they fire right up. I love that!
Great little bikes. We love them around here too!
I'm torn between a Vespa and a Genuine scooter
Thank you for doing this review you made my decision even harder lol
I own a genuine buddy 125 and I have owned a vespa. I like both but if money is no object get the vespa
If you've never had a Vespa, you should own one at least once. I love my primavera 125, it's a great ride. It's often admired by passers by!
Buddy is better in electric wiring assembly. Also, the fiber-reinforced plastic body panels are not so easy to crack as well as ugly as Vespa after tipping over.
He’s right about the small tires on any scooter. Extremely easy to dump because distance increases while braking
Not any scooter. My Piaggio BV 250 has 16" tires.
You are so detailed man! I wish I lived in San Diego just so I could bring my GTS to you guys!
Thanks! At least stop by if you’re ever in town.
HAve had my 125 about a week .. Performance wise, I am very very satisfied... Happily ran 55 60 MPH and ,despite the 10 inch wheels, felt very stable at that speed. AS far as "pep" seh definitely, ahem, SCOOTS!
I just purchased A "BUDDY50 " .love it❤️..
2 stroke 49cc engine gives lots of torque! .. here in Connecticut no registration insurance..👍. Just a regular driver's license needed..( I have a motorcycle license from years ago) .. I installed a primo windshield.. gained 5mph 👍.. and I remove the catalytic converter exhaust..& installed a scooterworks exhaust system no catalytic and gained another 5 mph top end.. does an honest 40 to 45 mph on level ground ( 45 to 50 mph on the scooter speedometer) it hits the bumps a little hard.. but the scooter is super fast for a 50cc!
Wow, you gained a whole 5 MPH at the expense of polluting everyone else's air. The catalytic converter is there for a reason
Sorry the tiny number of 50cc 2 stroke scooters..isn't going to pollute anyone's air ..or warm the earth 😂..
@@glenmones713 In the United States, it is a violation of Section 203(a)(3)(A) of the 1990 amended Clean Air Act for a vehicle repair shop to remove a converter from a vehicle, or cause a converter to be removed from a vehicle, except in order to replace it with another converter,[27] and Section 203(a)(3)(B) makes it illegal for any person to sell or to install any part that would bypass, defeat, or render inoperative any emission control system, device, or design element. Vehicles without functioning catalytic converters generally fail emission inspections.
I never saw one in white before. The cast wheels are a good upgrade.
Thanks for the review.
Thanks for watching!
Im halfway repainting mine white now that I see this I love it
The buddy is absolutely underrated. PGO makes a great short case Minarelli clone. It’s so good that you can buy Zuma parts and they bolt right in.
I have a Buddy 50, with just a variator, clutch, and a slight jet and it’ll hit over 50mph without issue.
The genuine may be goofy but the bikes are right there with the best.
Well said, thanks for sharing!
Put a pipe on it!! Technigas silent pro!! 25%more power !crazy on mine!
I don’t think the genuines are goofy at all. The ones riding them look goofy…..just like the ones riding motorcycles look goofy. The motorcycles look nice, but the riders look goofy, especially the ones who mean mug and wear “cuts”.
Would like a review on the Buddy Kick
I have a 2018 I bought new has about 7k miles and I have to say the wheels are my biggest complaint my only time to go down I’m sure do to the small wheels other wise I use it everyday with no problems....I watch a lot of your videos and keep thinking I should upgrade to a vespa
That's a bummer! Yeah, great little scooter, but does have a few flaws. Let us know if we can help with an upgrade down the road. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the video review. You do a great job and your work is appreciated.
My pleasure!
But, the history is where it's at!
You just answered my question on larger tires (just asked on a different video). Good to know. I’ll probably go with the Liberty’s bigger wheel.
the buddy 150 horn is awesome - you can scare the crap out of cars with that sucker. They are expecting a huge truck!
I am thinking of getting a Buddy 125. The 10 inch wheels are something you get used to. I had an old Vespa P200e with a hop-up kit and expansion chamber. It would do about 85 on a good day. Death trap, no brakes and didn’t handle. My old Kawasaki H2 was safer. I wanted the Buddy because there is a lot of parts available. I think 55 or 60 is plenty fast on 10 inch wheels.
GREAT video / you should do a review of the buddy 170i 🤙
"No one ever plans on crashing" 🤣 Truer words were never spoken!
Nice video. Your opinion on the Genuine Grand Tourer 150?
Thanks for another great review, very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it
I enjoyed the review, its the kind of scooter I have often hired on vacation as even in Italy I find its hard to find a Vespa for hire. One thing I do like the look of is the mirrors. I had an MP3 500 for a year and the mirrors were diabolical. I must admit that getting older I like the fact that my GTS has ABS but I grew up on ten inch wheels and no ABS. So as you say you just need to be aware and ride accordingly. Keep up the good work.
Hi Robot, I have been watching you for years, thanks for all the info! What's the difference between this and the Buddy Kick 125? And how do they compare to the Urbano 200?
Very happy with. Worked as well as i expected
What do you think of the buddy 170, 2012
Great review, Robot. I have a 1958, robin egg blue Allstate Vespa 125 scooter. It has been setting for years. I inherited it from by master machinist uncle. I paid a motorcycle mechanic put it in road ready condition. He has completed his work and has road tested it up to speeds of 45 mph. The bike has about 350 miles on it. I am interested in getting a modern scooter with today's safety features. A vintage Vespa is cool but I'd rather be riding and not spending time making adjustments. I would much rather be on the seat of a new Honda Super Cub riding the the back roads here in Ohio than in my garage. I plan to sell the Vespa and apply the cash to a new scooter. The saddle has a small tear and there some cosmetic scratches and nicks. It's in great shape for its age. She has been stored indoors all her life. I would appreciate your advice on how to find a buyer for my scooter.
I’d be interested in buying it off of you.
@@whitenoise4617 Tell me more. Where are you? Make an offer.
I bought one today. I am so excited
How do you like it? I’m getting my first bike here soon, and wanted to get my girlfriend a scooter.
@@MegaManlet i have had mine a year. I am so glad i bought it
The Stratocaster of scooters!
Thanks Robot for your video
Bye
Stuart
Great job! Thanks
Our pleasure!
Dig your videos. Believe it or not your videos are so good that I've used them to help do maintenance on my Buddy Kick, which you say is completely different bikes in this very video. Help me out my Robot homie and do some things for the KICK. You would be the first on UA-cam or the internet near as I can tell. I get it, it's not as popular as others in the Buddy line. I myself think they should drop the Buddy moniker altogether. It's just so much different, but I digress, Genuine never asked me. Please Robot Sir, put out a KICK video?
If I’m not mistaken the kick has the same guts as the buddy.
@@buffering7612 no they don't at all actually. It's a considerable difference in every thing from the Bosch fuel injection on the Kick vs a carburetor on the reg 125 to the conventional motorcycle like oil filter on the reg buddy vs the screen in spring setup on the Kicks oil reservoir. I could go on. I'm sure that there are some similarities, some of the guts inside are like a lot of other Genuine models. I'm sorry, but the longer I own my KICK the longer I think they should drop it from the Buddy family all together. Like, the Rough house and Hooligan are their own lines. I'm sure Genuine's got their reasons, but damned if I can suss them. Clearly this pokes a nerve with me, lol.
@@loucipherreed3211 look into a used buddy 170i
I got my 08 buddy (125 but still) for $1500 last year with factory miles and no fuel in it
I want a buddy pshyco bored too 170 😂
@@buffering7612 I think my Genuine dealer said the 170is are fuel injected. I almost got one and at that price, I'd say grab it. Beat boredom's ass bro. If you can find one, get a Royal Alloy, that thing just looks like it tears shiat up, supposed to be faster than the 170i. It's not a buddy either just another Genuine.
Oh I thought you said you could buy a 170 for 1500. Read that too fast.
@@loucipherreed3211 never heard of the royal alloy I’ll look into it.. saving up now for when a used xr650L shows up locally.. nobody sells them!!!! I refuse too get a “new” one they’ve been making them for decades and they’re tanks.
99 Kawasaki Mojave (lemon)
03 Yamaha blaster (lemon)
98 Kx125 (clapped)
03 Crf230/ttr225 (tank)
07 Crf250 (125 with torque not worth the $)
97 Cr250 (fast tank)
03 Cr125 (good but not on pavement)
08 buddy 125 (little tank)
What I’ve owned over the years; when I turned 17 I had too stop riding dirt bikes everywhere 🤣
A really fun ride!
How much can you expect to pay for a buddy 125 that has a salvage title but is in perfect working order?
Hello i don,t know if you can tell me this or not but i hope you can is the pgo t-rex 150 engine the same as the buddy 150 the same style engine
It definitely looks like a similar motor, but we couldn't tell you for sure if it's identical. Genuine doesn't import the T-Rex to the US.
I believe they are the same engine.
Great v-ideas, i would like to ask, if Is posible to get, main plain bearing like You had in whole overhoul of Blue Vespa? I faund that piaggio, selling just vhole casting, witch Is a bit expensive. ThankYou Petr
Thanks Robot Man. Good video.
If I buy the 70 years Vespa scooter online will it come built already or do I have to assemble it myself ?
Can you do a genuine hooligan 170 review
Thanks for the content
Need Front forks for 2007 buddy 125.( In Kentucky). Any suggestions on cheap?
I have a question I have genuine buddy 170i and I want to know the rear tire how many spline does have. The reason I ask cause I want to install a final gear 18*36 and the rear axle both has 19 spline.
Can u ad 4.00 - 10 inch instead of the stock 3.50 - 10 inch tires
Hey Robot! Your channel is awesome, thanks for all the great information.
An elderly couple near me is selling a 2009 buddy 125 for 1400. It only has 614 miles. Should I grab it up? I don't know much about buddy scooters. I used to own a vino 125 about 5 years back.
Sounds like a decent deal. They are great scooters for the price point. We have been selling them for years and we love 'em!
I hope you got the buddy 125. I just got a 2006 with 12,000 miles for 800 and this bike is unbelievably fast. I owned a vino 125 before and no comparisons can be made. The buddy is like a rocket ship
@@leelee3995 I got it! it was an awesome bike. Unfortunately a friend wrecked it really good. On to the next
@@nyazz22
That’s so unfortunate. Sorry to hear that. The torque pull is no joke, it’s very easy to lose control. So an inexperienced rider can easily wreck it. The vino was climbing hills @ 15mph but the buddy @ 50mph (same hill). I’m so addicted to this machine. Truly a marvel of engineering
@@leelee3995 yea it did have some torque right off the line I loved it. oh well, I moved up to a KTM450 and I gotta say, I love it too.
Hello thank yo i have one but the guy i got it from put a air cooling system on it and an exturnel oil filter on it he had to make a bracket for both so im trying to find out if i need the oil filter he added to it i don't see were that one would go if it was stock and i would like to remove it if i can
But can you change the tires?
Are there many used ones available? Where is the best place to look?
We get used Buddy's occasionally here at our shop in San Diego (www.vespamotorsport.com). Other than that, check craigslist or offerup. 👍
Big Fan Thanks
Glad you dig it! 😎
Nice one again, if they were available in UK maybe I would try one out.
Too bad. Thanks for tuning in!
In the UK these, with minor cosmetic differences, are sold as the PGO Ligero.
This "buddy" is called "BuBu" in Taiwan and made in Taiwan by PGO. PGO has made Vespa thru re-licensing by Bajaj of India decades ago.
BuBu is popular among local high school kids in Taiwan for drag racing. In fact, BuBu is a nimble "bazooka" regarded by youngsters. The short wheelbase attributes to the nimbleness for youngsters to ride in lane-splitting among busy street.
An affordable scooter while being reliable.
I have a buddy 150 cc who ever had it set it to hall ass I mean if’s fast but since it has a small 2 gallon tank so distance is not great how can I adjust carburetor to get it back to normal speed and maybe get better gas mileage
There is a screw on carburettor for idle adjusting. You will find it after removing the bucket under the seat.
Is the msrp still $2700?
Idk but I’d look for a used one first if the owner/bike can prove too you he changed the oil you’ll be fine. A guy with 100k on his told me you can put 30k on it before you need a belt and brake pads. Rear tire lasts 6k front lasts 12k
Piaggio Group Overseas = PGO
If it’s not a sweet used deal don’t get yourself onto one of these drum brakes are a joke.. kick and hooligan have discs
No good for me 🙁 being 6ft3
台灣的 bubu 125, 我有三台，呵呵
wait, this 2020 still has a CARB? lol
yeah you can fit 2 migget helmets inside. nice