Buddy 50 Resurrection - Project: Black Jack Jr

Discussion of the Genuine Buddy, Hooligan, Black Jack and other topics, both scooter related and not

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SeattleScootNoob
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Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:26 am
Location: Seattle, WA 98102

Buddy 50 Resurrection - Project: Black Jack Jr

Post by SeattleScootNoob »

Back in May of 2016, I bought my very first scooter - a slightly used 2014 Buddy 50. And for the next 10 months I had an absolute blast every time I rode it regardless of where I was going, which I imagine is a familiar feeling to many of you.

Then, in March of 2017, less than a year after we were brought together, my Buddy was stolen and I was sad. Angry too, but mostly sad. :cry:

And as the days and weeks continued to pass by, I really didn't think I would ever see my Buddy again...

So when I finally received a call from the local police department telling me that my scooter was found abandoned across town, I was beyond elated. Until I saw the condition it was in. The ignition had been completely drilled out and it wasn't running. The center stand was bent and it had been dropped several times. There was damage to the front windshield panel from being removed many, many times to hotwire it. In a little over 3 months it had been driven over 800 miles.

When I got it home and started cleaning it, I found some broken glass drug paraphernalia in the under seat storage area. That made me imagine the lives of the people who had stolen my scooter and how difficult, scary, stressful, and challenging things must have been for them. So I really hope that while they had my scooter, they experienced some joy that gave them an escape from their challenges for a while.

Now that my scooter is back, I want to get it back on the road and better than it was when I first bought it. I'm not a mechanic and this is my first scooter, so I kind of figure that since it isn't running it would be hard for me to worse (but not impossible), making this is a good opportunity to learn how to fix and maintain my scooter.

Right now my vision is upgrading various parts to improve the overall performance and changing the appearance to something similar to the Buddy Black Jack. I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions and I'll post pictures and progress in this thread. Onward!
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ChuckyD
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Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:00 pm

Post by ChuckyD »

SeattleScootNoob,
Glad you got your bike back - that was traumatic!

But we're here to help you with your mechanical questions. Please fire away. I think you'll find that - with a little 411 - you can pretty much fix anything on your scoot.

I had 5 motorcycles over the years. Just got my Buddy 125 two weeks ago, and I'm amazed at the relative ease of maintenance. Your confidence develops with each success.

Again... here to help, mate!
Chuck, out on the Olympic Peninsula
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a2dmusic
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Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 2:34 am
Location: Seattle

Re: Buddy 50 Resurrection - Project: Black Jack Jr

Post by a2dmusic »

SeattleScootNoob wrote: Right now my vision is upgrading various parts to improve the overall performance and changing the appearance to something similar to the Buddy Black Jack. I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions and I'll post pictures and progress in this thread. Onward!
Welcome my local-friend, I am too much of a newb myself to be able to answer questions for you, but, as a fellow Seattleite, I look forward to your progress and hope we can meet up on the road one of these days when you're up and running! Glad you got your baby back!
skipper20
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Posts: 836
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:19 am
Location: Des Moines, WA

Re: Buddy 50 Resurrection - Project: Black Jack Jr

Post by skipper20 »

SeattleScootNoob wrote:Back in May of 2016, I bought my very first scooter - a slightly used 2014 Buddy 50. And for the next 10 months I had an absolute blast every time I rode it regardless of where I was going, which I imagine is a familiar feeling to many of you.

Then, in March of 2017, less than a year after we were brought together, my Buddy was stolen and I was sad. Angry too, but mostly sad. :cry:

And as the days and weeks continued to pass by, I really didn't think I would ever see my Buddy again...

So when I finally received a call from the local police department telling me that my scooter was found abandoned across town, I was beyond elated. Until I saw the condition it was in. The ignition had been completely drilled out and it wasn't running. The center stand was bent and it had been dropped several times. There was damage to the front windshield panel from being removed many, many times to hotwire it. In a little over 3 months it had been driven over 800 miles.

When I got it home and started cleaning it, I found some broken glass drug paraphernalia in the under seat storage area. That made me imagine the lives of the people who had stolen my scooter and how difficult, scary, stressful, and challenging things must have been for them. So I really hope that while they had my scooter, they experienced some joy that gave them an escape from their challenges for a while.

Now that my scooter is back, I want to get it back on the road and better than it was when I first bought it. I'm not a mechanic and this is my first scooter, so I kind of figure that since it isn't running it would be hard for me to worse (but not impossible), making this is a good opportunity to learn how to fix and maintain my scooter.

Right now my vision is upgrading various parts to improve the overall performance and changing the appearance to something similar to the Buddy Black Jack. I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions and I'll post pictures and progress in this thread. Onward!
Good for you. I definitely like your attitude. Welcome aboard from a fellow PNWer.

Bill in Seattle
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green
Moyesdriver
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Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:08 pm
Location: Nashua NH

Blackjack paint

Post by Moyesdriver »

You can buy new body panels in the Blackjack flat/matte black color, but you can also spray your own repairs and match the color perfectly. I went to a local auto body paint shop and they matched the color with SEM 41013 Trim Black "Euro Jet Matte" spray can paint and recommended SEM 39863 Plastic Adhesion Promoter as a sort of primer. You can sand out any scratches or gouges in your panels, I would suggest wet sanding the plastic until it is perfectly smooth, clean it with a solvent, air dry, then a quick thin coat of the adhesion promoter followed by multiple light coats of the Euro Jet Matte. The color match is absolutely perfect and might be what was used originally; you cannot tell the difference from a new factory panel. It bonds perfectly to bare plastic using the adhesion prep. If you are trying to reproduce the Blackjack look or do repairs on one you should definitely give this a try. Probably the least fussy spray finish you'll ever deal with.
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