Bluntly asking, am I to fat for a buddy 170i?

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Mscmkr
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Bluntly asking, am I to fat for a buddy 170i?

Post by Mscmkr »

Hey everyone. I am new to the site, and scooters, and would love some info. I have been looking into buying a scooter for some time now and this has filled my head with about a million questions that I would love to have answered if I could. I would like to buy a scooter mostly for fun and not a daily driver. I don't think I will ride it to work or anything like that. Just want to get out on my days off and have a great time cruising around. Would love to join a local club as well. My first question, I love the buddy 170i and this is definitely my first choice of scooters. The only thing, I am about 6ft and 300lbs. Not exactly the standard size of the riders I have been seeing. Will the 170i be a good choice for someone my size or would I just kill the poor thing? Any info on this would be great.
Also, how truly reliable are the 170i's? I am not mechanically inclined and would like a scooter that's going to start and run when I need it to. Of course regular maintenance will be done. Just wondering if I would have to be fixing it all the time or not.
I love the site and am looking forward to getting out and riding. I hope I will see some of you out there sometime. Thanks and have a great day, mscmkr
gar1013
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Post by gar1013 »

I doubt weight will be an issue on the scooter, as I believe that they are rated for more than what you weigh (remember to include the weight of gear, cargo, fuel, etc).

The thing to look out for is to figure out if the dimensions are right for you. You'll need to sit on one to see.

If the fit is too tight, you may need to look at something a bit different - maybe another scooter, or maybe a motorcycle depending.
guzziknight
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Post by guzziknight »

I'm 265lbs and I ride a Blackjack 150. Works fine for me, so I'd guess the 170i would be better. Just make sure you're comfortable on it. Ergos are very important.
TVB

Post by TVB »

Addressing the simple question first: The Buddy (whatever model) is incredibly reliable. Unlike a lot of "vintage" scooters which are based on old-style designs and tend to require a bit of mechanical aptitude to keep running properly, its engine is all modern tech. But not so modern that it's cutting-edge.

As for carrying capacity... that's more complicated. There are plenty of people well over 200lbs getting around just fine on the Buddy; I was 230lb for a while and managed quite well on just the 50cc model. There are people heavier than I've ever been riding the 125/150/170-class models, so you're less not-standard than you may think. :) If a Buddy can handle a couple riding two-up (and it can), it can handle just one of you.

Of course you're not going to see the same acceleration as a smaller person (force = mass * acceleration, after all), or the same acceleration as you'd get on a bike with a bigger engine. If you're in a hilly area you need to factor that in too, because a bike that's operating at its capacity will lose speed going up hills. You have to ask yourself how important acceleration and top speed are to you.

My biggest concern for you would be comfort, because that depends in part on where and how you're carrying your 300lbs. To answer that question, you'll need to try a Buddy on for size, to see how the seat feels, how the posture fits you, etc.
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michelle_7728
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Post by michelle_7728 »

I am NOT trying to steer you away from a Buddy, as I don't think you are too heavy or too tall, but if you DO feel crowded....

I'm 5'5" (obviously a bit shorter than you), and have a couple Buddys and an Aprilia Scarabeo 500ie. At your height, you might also want to take a look at the Scarabeo...it doesn't have to be the 500cc, I just threw it out there as that's what I have...the 250cc is nice as well as the smaller ones. I was just thinking that with the Buddy I can usually flatfoot it, where as with the Scarabeo I'm on the balls of my feet. Being over 6' you could probably easily flat foot a Scarabeo. The Scarabeo and the Piaggio BV are unique in that they both look like scooters, not maxi-scooters...at least they don't look like a Burgman or a Majesty (not that there's anything wrong with their looks, just that they DO have a different look).

If the smaller scooter look is look you are going for, they "might" be a viable alternative for you if the fit on the Buddy doesn't seem to work for you.

Best of luck and make sure you post pictures when you finally get your scooter, what ever type it ends up being...the weather is great for riding right now! :D
Past bikes: 08' Genuine Buddy 125, '07 Yamaha Majesty 400, '07 Piaggio MP3 250, '08 Piaggio MP3 500, '08 Aprilia Scarabeo 500
Current bikes: Two '09 Genuine Buddy 125's
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Th17kit
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Post by Th17kit »

I ride a 150 Buddy with 2 people making 280 and it's no problem. You will likely want to upgrade the rear shock to get a better ride, but weight wise you'll be fine.

It's the issue of you being so tall that will matter. I think the Buddy is too small for you, like other people have mentioned. I'm 5'9" and it's really great for me, but at your height it might almost look silly since the scooter will be so much smaller than you. I bit bigger scooter like the Blur 220 Might be a better fit!
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Howardr
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Post by Howardr »

I'm 6'1" and 250 or so lbs. I have 27k miles on my Buddy 150 and still like riding it, even though I have a 250cc bike in the stable as well. It will handle your weight, but, as mentioned earlier, you definitely need to "try one on." Sit on a Buddy, then as many other similar bikes as possible. See what feels the most comfortable, then go for it.

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Throwback7R
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Post by Throwback7R »

I am 6 foot and 200 Lbs "Currently" I ride 2 up a few times with some friends that are 245 lbs so that is 445 lbs on the scooter so it will ride well .. Also I have a kitted 150 so a 171.
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Lostmycage
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Post by Lostmycage »

It'll handle you fine on level ground. I wouldn't suggest you have passengers often and I wouldn't advise you to go riding in the mountains or in any hilly areas. If you're just using it around town, I think the Buddy will work out just fine for you. It's a tough little nut to crack.
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skully93
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Post by skully93 »

My wife and I total over 300, and we've ridden her 125 and my 150 all over, including some fairly serious hills. I wouldn't say they perform as well with us both on (hence why she got her own, and we have a 500 for large trips) but it gets along fine. if you do a lot of hard stops you might need to replace the brake pads more often.
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richmintz
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Post by richmintz »

I've ridden a Buddy 170i 200 miles in a weekend. I'm 6 ft 2, 250 pounds. I found it perfectly normal. You needn't worry.
Mscmkr
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Post by Mscmkr »

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all the replies. I'm going to go this weekend and check out a buddy and see how it feels to me. I have also been looking at a Blur, but I love the styling of the buddy so much its hard to switch. Also, the price of the Blur kinda pushes the budget a bit to much.
It's funny, I have been thinking all day of the weekend I "could" have had if I already had my scooter. I live in Phoenix and I thought i could throw the scooter in the back of my truck and go up to Prescott and ride through the area around there. So nice up there this time of year. Sounds like I may need the extra horses of the Blur.
Thanks again everyone for all the great info. So many replies the first day is very cool. I love the website and you will definitely see me around here. When ever I make my choice and buy my scooter I will throw some pics up and show it off a bit.
Thanks again and safe riding, mscmkr
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cdwise
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Post by cdwise »

I've seen bigger folks than you on a Buddy 125. One memorial time I saw 2 up where each weighted at least 250 and other than the poor Buddy looking dwarfed it seemed to be doing fine. Okay it was a 35mph road and it was a lot slower on the acceleration and braking than our Buddy 125 but it wasn't an impediment to traffic. So while I wouldn't recommend riding 2 up on one it will handle your size and weight, just make sure that the scoot is comfortable for you.
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Papa Bear
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Max Load for a Psycho

Post by Papa Bear »

I ride a Psycho (125) and am wondering what its max load is. I weigh 275 and I have absolutely no problem taking off and cruising around. I would like to take one of my kids (grown) or my wife on an occasional ride. That would bring the load up to 400-440 lbs.

It does have upgraded shocks and fork (NCY Billet Racing Fork and NCY Adjustable Preload/Dampening Shock) but I don't know how much these will help, if at all.

Any insight?
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LunaP
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Post by LunaP »

I was/am back at about 240 and did just fine on my 170. However, I am 5'3". The only 'problem' (which is in quotations because it wasn't a problem so much as something my dealer mentioned would be relatively cheap and easy to upgrade and a big improvement to my daily 30 mile commute) was suspension- I planned on putting better shocks on it.
dtcrouch
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Post by dtcrouch »

with my stock 170 my gf and i weighed 310 lbs and i have some massive hills around my house i could hardly tell she was back there now i have the 171 cylinder and 62mm head , prima exhaust , complete ncy trans kit w sliders and now its faster with both of us on it than it was stock w just me on it , long story short yes it will handle your weight and if you want some umph do the trans kit its easy and doesnt void your warranty
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