The Buddy is a motor scooter distributed in the United States by Genuine Scooters of Chicago, Illinois. Introduced in 2006, it is the most popular scooter the company sells and is stocked by 240 of its dealerships across the country. The machine is manufactured by PGO Scooters of Taiwan and sold there and elsewhere under other names.
Genuine Buddy at a glance
| Distributor | Genuine Scooters, Chicago, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PGO Scooters, Taiwan |
| Introduced | 2006 |
| Engines | 50 cc air-cooled two-stroke; 125 cc four-stroke; 168 cc fuel-injected |
| Transmission | automatic CVT, twist and go |
| Brakes | front disc, rear drum |
| Fuel economy | 90–100 miles per gallon |
| Dealer network | 240 Genuine dealerships in the United States |
| Other names | Bubu (Taiwan), Metro (Canada), Ligero (United Kingdom) |
| Range in 2019 | Buddy 50, 125, Little International 50, 170i, International 170i, KICK |
| Licence | the 50 cc version counts as a moped in many US states |
Based on the English Wikipedia articles on the Buddy and on Genuine Scooters.
History of the Genuine Buddy
A Chicago brand, a Taiwanese scooter
The Buddy arrived in 2006 as part of the range of Genuine Scooters, a company based in Chicago, Illinois. Genuine set up a second supply partnership that year with PGO Scooters of Taiwan — labour strikes at its Indian supplier LML kept interrupting Stella production — and took an active part in specifying the new machine rather than simply importing it. The same scooter is marketed in similar configurations as the Bubu in Taiwan, the Metro in Canada and the Ligero in the United Kingdom. In the United States the Buddy quickly became the brand’s most popular model: by the time of its 2019 line-up it was sold in 240 Genuine dealerships nationwide.
Engines and running gear
Throughout its life the Buddy has been offered with a choice of small engines. The entry model uses an air-cooled 50 cc two-stroke unit, while a larger 125 cc four-stroke engine serves the bigger version. In 2011 Genuine added a 168 cc fuel-injected model, the 170i. All versions have automatic CVT transmissions, so the rider simply twists the throttle and goes, with no gear shifting. Braking is by a front disc and a rear drum. From time to time Genuine has also offered 150 cc models as special editions with special trim.
Why it sold
The Buddy’s rounded, retro-influenced bodywork was combined with practical figures: 90 to 100 miles per gallon and a low entry price. Because the 50 cc version qualifies as a moped under the laws of many US states, it could be ridden without a motorcycle licence, which widened its appeal beyond dedicated riders.
Design and features
- Twist-and-go transmission: every Buddy uses an automatic CVT, which makes it easy to ride in city traffic.
- Three engine sizes: a 50 cc two-stroke, a 125 cc four-stroke and, from 2011, a 168 cc fuel-injected unit.
- Economical running: claimed fuel economy of 90–100 miles per gallon.
- Moped status: the 50 cc model needs no motorcycle licence in many states.
- One scooter, several names: the same PGO-built machine is sold as the Bubu, Metro and Ligero in other markets.
Genuine Buddy versions
- Buddy 50: the 50 cc air-cooled two-stroke entry model.
- Buddy 125: the 125 cc four-stroke version.
- Buddy Little International 50: a 50 cc model in the International line.
- Buddy 170i: the 168 cc fuel-injected model introduced in 2011.
- Buddy International 170i: the International version of the fuel-injected scooter.
- Buddy KICK: a 125 cc model in the 2019 range.
The Buddy is the best-selling model of Genuine Scooters; its stablemates from the same PGO partnership are the Roughhouse 50 and the Blur 220i.
Sources
- Buddy (scooter), English Wikipedia: history, engines, models, names in other markets
- Genuine Scooters, English Wikipedia: PGO partnership, fuel economy, moped status
