Buddy Runs Better in the Evening?

trevo_man · Post by **trevo_man** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:57 am

So I have been riding to work the past couple days (after weeks of raining had prevented me from doing so). When I ride in the morning (8:30 AM) Buddy runs fine; decent acceleration and a top speed of about 60MPH on flat ground. No problems. My commute is about 20 minutes long.
I park my Buddy outside in the sun when I arrive at work and go inside. I am working for about 9 hours. When I get off work (6:00 PM) and start Buddy back up the RPMs seem to be a little bit lower. On my ride home the RPMs are consistently much lower than my ride to work. The exhaust seems louder, the acceleration is quicker, I reach a top speed of about 65 MPH on flat ground, and it just feels to have more overall power.

I know this sounds insane and maybe it really is just all in my head, but is there any way sitting outside in the sun could affect a scooter in this way? I don't know if it has to do with temperature or air or something... Maybe it is simply the fact that I am in a little more stop and go traffic on the way home. But I wanted to throw it out there.

Has anyone experienced anything similar to this? I am really confused here and I want to make sure I haven't had some type of scooter related psychotic break.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:28 am

I can't say anything about the Buddy 125, but my buddy 50cc 2T runs way better when its about 60-65 degrees outside. If its too cold it doesn't like to start and if its too hot its a bit sluggish, so I know temperature can effect performance. Your not crazy, well at least this doesn't make you crazy

broke · Post by **broke** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:32 am

Is your immediate departure from work a slower, more controlled journey than your immediate departure from home?

It may be in my head, but it seems to me that if I go easy on the motor for the first mile or more of my journey, it will perform better once it's warmed up. Every time I go balls out with it right from the start after a long sit it won't get up to highest speeds later that ride...

hairball · Post by **hairball** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:34 am

When air is cooler you have more oxygen concentrated per Cubic foot of air, So your engine really does run better.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:51 am

trevo_man wrote:So I have been riding to work the past couple days (after weeks of raining had prevented me from doing so). When I ride in the morning (8:30 AM) Buddy runs fine; decent acceleration and a top speed of about 60MPH on flat ground. No problems. My commute is about 20 minutes long.
I park my Buddy outside in the sun when I arrive at work and go inside. I am working for about 9 hours. When I get off work (6:00 PM) and start Buddy back up the RPMs seem to be a little bit lower. On my ride home the RPMs are consistently much lower than my ride to work. The exhaust seems louder, the acceleration is quicker, I reach a top speed of about 65 MPH on flat ground, and it just feels to have more overall power.

I know this sounds insane and maybe it really is just all in my head, but is there any way sitting outside in the sun could affect a scooter in this way? I don't know if it has to do with temperature or air or something... Maybe it is simply the fact that I am in a little more stop and go traffic on the way home. But I wanted to throw it out there.

Has anyone experienced anything similar to this? I am really confused here and I want to make sure I haven't had some type of scooter related psychotic break.

Is it possible:

-Your commute is to the East, which would mean the prevailing westerly winds, though barely noticeable, are helping on the way home?
-Your flats, which seem flat, really are just slightly downhill on the way home?
-The coolness of the morning stiffens up the lubricant of the speedo needle just enough to affect its readout?
-You don't really like work? Our scoots are quite sensitive to those feelings, you know.

Post by **jmazza** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:11 am

broke wrote: It may be in my head, but it seems to me that if I go easy on the motor for the first mile or more of my journey, it will perform better once it's warmed up. Every time I go balls out with it right from the start after a long sit it won't get up to highest speeds later that ride...

I feel that same thing. Absolutely nothing scientific to back it up but I totally agree.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:12 am

Hehe, Syd beat me to it. I'd bet that there's an imperceptible downhill grade heading home.

As for the temperature, the air will be denser in the mornings because it's cooler. Around 6PM this time of year is just off the peak heat hours so the denser air/cooler air theory is out the window here. That is unless you live in topsy-turvey land.

Of course, you could be running slightly lean (at least for the summer), which would mean that the less dense air (from the hotter temp when you're riding around 6PM) makes a better air/fuel mixture on the way home than in the morning. But that's an off-beat guess. Don't go messin' unless you fully understand how it all goes together. Either way, it's nothing to be terribly worried about. Bring it up casually next time it's in for service if it's really noticable. Also, it's worth mentioning that I feel like I'm being slightly dyslexic in the lean/rich speculation. For some reason I'm having a little difficulty wrapping my head around the lean/rich-dense/less dense combination tonight. Must be distracted.

I'm still betting on the slight downhill

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:34 am

Do you have a beer after you get off work? (everything sems to run better after a beer)

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:40 am

Are you letting your scooter warm up for a few minutes before riding out in the morning, or just hopping on and going cold?

Buddy_wannabe · Post by **Buddy_wannabe** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:11 am

On your way home are you riding with the rotation of the earth?

JasonCT · Post by **JasonCT** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:53 am

Buddy_wannabe wrote:On your way home are you riding with the rotation of the earth?

Ooo coriolis effect - I appreciate the nerddom

Major Redneck · Post by **Major Redneck** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:41 am

hairball wrote:When air is cooler you have more oxygen concentrated per Cubic foot of air, So your engine really does run better.

this is very true, winter riding is for real bikers.

Modern Buddy

Buddy Runs Better in the Evening?

Buddy Runs Better in the Evening?

Re: Buddy Runs Better in the Evening?