I purchased this 2009 Genuine Buddy 125 this past weekend from the original owner with 172 original miles. The bike was bought by a woman owner and used until she realized it was not safe enough for her to commute to work on. It sat for around 4-5 years and was not running when I looked at it. She said her mechanic brother-in-law checked the bike over and said the carb was completely gunked over and needed a new carb. I paid a whopping $1K for it. I brought it home and spent about an hour removing and cleaning the bottom portion (float chamber) of the carb. The float bowl was surprisingly clean, but the slow jet was clogged up. I cleared the obstruction with a piece of very fine wire, reassembled the carb and she fired right up with the kickstarter. I put a new battery in her this morning and now the electric start works like new.
So for $1,030 I've got a practically brand new Buddy 125, which retails new for over $2,600 (not including prep, licensing and doc fees). There are deals out there, you just have to be patient and have confidence that you can revive a bike that's been sitting for a while.
