Modern Buddy

The Buddy's weight is 243. The Holligan is 278. The Buddy is supposed to get 90 plus MPG. The Holligan is supposed to get 100 plus MPG. I think both use the same motor. Why is the Holligan rated as a faster scooter and gets better MPG when they use the same motor?

The Hooligan has taller wheels, which creates a higher effective final drive ratio.

Pork Butt Rub wrote:The Buddy's weight is 243. The Holligan is 278. The Buddy is supposed to get 90 plus MPG. The Holligan is supposed to get 100 plus MPG. I think both use the same motor. Why is the Holligan rated as a faster scooter and gets better MPG when they use the same motor?

Incidentally, the name of the second scooter is Hooligan, not Holligan. Sorry, but my Elementary School teacher job makes me want to use a red pen on everything.

It's weird that there's not a single Hooligan on Fuelly to verify actual mileage.

It must be hard feel disconnected from your job at home when you have to grade papers at night.

My wife has a 170 buddy, and I have a hooligan, and for whatever reason, her buddy is faster on the top end. I thought it was because I outweigh her by a bunch, but even when we swapped scooters, I could go faster on her buddy than she could on my hooligan. As for mpg's, Ive never checked, but I think both the scooters get pretty close to the same mpgs, give or take a mile or two. As for motors, I don't know if they are identical, but I do know the drive belts are not interchangeable.

luckyscroller788 wrote:As for motors, I don't know if they are identical, but I do know the drive belts are not interchangeable.

That's interesting!

So at least the engine cases must be different, even if it is the same overall GY6 architecture.

I presume, then, that when one says the two bikes have the same engine, that this specifically refers to the cylinder, head, (and crank??)?

Pork Butt Rub wrote:The Buddy's weight is 243. The Holligan is 278. The Buddy is supposed to get 90 plus MPG. The Holligan is supposed to get 100 plus MPG. I think both use the same motor. Why is the Holligan rated as a faster scooter and gets better MPG when they use the same motor?

The Hooligan is not a faster scooter than the Buddy nor does it get better MPG than the Buddy. My Hooligan averages 75 mpg and I top out at 60 mph GPS verified. My Buddy gets marginally better numbers in both MPG and MPH. The 35 lb difference in weight does make a difference but it's a very slight difference. Not enough to make you want to dump one scooter for the other. BTW, if anyone tells you they're getting 100 plus MPG with a Hooligan, they're blowing smoke.

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Buddy Oxford Green
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green

Great responses, seriously. Well, all except Cummings. I'm a teacher as well. I teach 2nd & 3rd grade special ed. Glad I'm not pompous. Looking at getting a Buddy very soon. Planning on taking the side roads and visiting quite a few places.

My Hooligan gets around 85 mpg, my 170i Buddy about the same. Both topped out at 59 mph...the Hooligan's 12 inch wheels made that 59 mph feel smoother than the Buddy170. The engines are different ..
As a side note my Buddy Kick got over 63 mph, and gets around 90 mpg...wish it had 12" wheels...
I do like the rear disc brake on both the Hooligan and kick.
These speeds are on level highways and with my 150lbs...

Ootscoot wrote:My Hooligan gets around 85 mpg, my 170i Buddy about the same. Both topped out at 59 mph...the Hooligan's 12 inch wheels made that 59 mph feel smoother than the Buddy170. The engines are different ..
As a side note my Buddy Kick got over 63 mph, and gets around 90 mpg...wish it had 12" wheels...
I do like the rear disc brake on both the Hooligan and kick.
These speeds are on level highways and with my 150lbs...

How are the engines different? And, in the interest of standardizing to keep manufacturing costs down, why would Genuine have 2 different 170i engines?

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Buddy Oxford Green
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green

skipper20 wrote:

Ootscoot wrote:My Hooligan gets around 85 mpg, my 170i Buddy about the same. Both topped out at 59 mph...the Hooligan's 12 inch wheels made that 59 mph feel smoother than the Buddy170. The engines are different ..
As a side note my Buddy Kick got over 63 mph, and gets around 90 mpg...wish it had 12" wheels...
I do like the rear disc brake on both the Hooligan and kick.
These speeds are on level highways and with my 150lbs...

How are the engines different? And, in the interest of standardizing to keep manufacturing costs down, why would Genuine have 2 different 170i engines?

Bill in Seattle
'12 170i Buddy Oxford Green
'14 170i Hooligan Matte Green

I know the Buddy uses the short case version engine and I would assume the Hooligan being bigger would use a long case engine. Other than that, I would think the engines are the same.

The Hooligan has a longer engine - hence the difference in belt size and 12" wheels. No oil filter. It does have an oil cooler as does the 170i.

Pork Butt Rub wrote:Great responses, seriously. Well, all except Cummings. I'm a teacher as well. I teach 2nd & 3rd grade special ed. Glad I'm not pompous. Looking at getting a Buddy very soon. Planning on taking the side roads and visiting quite a few places.

Actually, I'm not pompous at all if that is what you are implying, just trying to be precise. I did use a winking emoticon in my reply to inject a bit of humor into my response. I've always heard the 170 is faster and quicker than the Hooligan. The Hooligan is a very stable bike at speed but definitely tops out in the low to mid 60 MPH range on level ground and probably gets a realistic 80 MPG.

Sad to hear about the Hooligan speed compared to the Buddy. Only having sat on a Hooligan, it felt like it was much more ergonomic for my body.

cummingsjc wrote:Incidentally, the name of the second scooter is Hooligan, not Holligan. Sorry, but my Elementary School teacher job makes me want to use a red pen on everything.:

Maybe Pork Butt Rib meant to call it a Hole-igun?

Dooglas wrote:

cummingsjc wrote:Incidentally, the name of the second scooter is Hooligan, not Holligan. Sorry, but my Elementary School teacher job makes me want to use a red pen on everything.:

Maybe Pork Butt Rib meant to call it a Hole-igun?

Too funny!

HanShan wrote:Sad to hear about the Hooligan speed compared to the Buddy. Only having sat on a Hooligan, it felt like it was much more ergonomic for my body.

I owned one for about 8 or 9 months. I bought it used with around 500 miles on it and some body damage from an 8-month pregnant lady for $1500. I fixed the damage and repainted the bike to make it look nice then sold it for $2500 after putting another 800 or so miles on the bike. If I had not needed the money more than the bike, I would have definitely kept it as a daily rider. My wife loved the bike also for it small-medium size, decent power, decent MPG, and smooth ride. For what the Hooligan is, it is a great bike and worth the $100 premium and small hit to speed and MPG over the Buddy 170 in my opinion.

.....I bought it used with around 500 miles on it and some body damage from an 8-month pregnant lady for $1500.....

You have to be a real sucker to actually pay for body damage from a pregnant lady. When my wife was in labor it was absolutely free just as long as I stood close enough to the bed.

charlie55 wrote:

.....I bought it used with around 500 miles on it and some body damage from an 8-month pregnant lady for $1500.....

You have to be a real sucker to actually pay for body damage from a pregnant lady. When my wife was in labor it was absolutely free just as long as I stood close enough to the bed.

That is all.

cummingsjc wrote:

HanShan wrote:Sad to hear about the Hooligan speed compared to the Buddy. Only having sat on a Hooligan, it felt like it was much more ergonomic for my body.

I owned one for about 8 or 9 months. I bought it used with around 500 miles on it and some body damage from an 8-month pregnant lady for $1500...

Did the previous owner run into the pregnant lady?

Ok folks, you got me good on that one. I surrender!

Hi! First post here - I rented Genuine scooters in Hawaii, now planning on moving there and buying one.

I got about 80+ mpg on the Hooligan over 2 weeks of touring. I personally thought top speed was more than enough for the machine - the speedo said over 70mph. I out-accelerated every other vehicle from stops and was about average highways speed. In my opinion there's no need for more power/speed if you're just using this for normal transportation.

That being said, I have a 1000cc motorcycle that I used for thrills. If that's what you're after on a scooter, more power to you, just please be aware of mechanical condition (especially loose or damaged fasteners), tire capability, etc.