Genuine Scooter Co. have announced a new Buddy 125 model, the Series Italia. The bike (a U.S.-market PGO BuBu) features new two-tone olive paint/plastic and a few other nice touches. Genuine’s ability to change up colors and names, and throw an extra few decals on a bike is surprisingly (and rightfully) effective, it’s surprising to not see other importers copying their ideas. Italian-named Asian scooters are so common now (Vino, Milano, Il Bello, etc.) it shouldn’t even seem strange, but it still is. The Series Italia (and all 2007 Buddys,) will feature upgraded lighting, a cell-phone charger, and hazard blinkers, and a new red Buddy is on the way. In other news, Genuine and Black Cat are sponsoring the AMA Flat Track Championship. (Image: courtesy Genuine Scooter Co.…their new designer is doing nice work.)
Pretty cool though I would have encouraged them to use something a little more “celeste” blue-ish (blue-ish green).
Bajaj did a color like this for a year or so and I thought it looked really good.
We were against retro before we were for it?
That’s good lookin’. My only complaint with the first Buddys (Buddies?) was the color choices. That green is pretty classy lookin’. Does it look as good in person?
Jimbob, I don’t think it’s really very retro, maybe that was their intention (judging by the name and background art), but I see it more just being tasteful cosmetic variations to a modern scooter.
Understood, B, but :
“Series Italia features many vintage, “period correctâ€? touches, sure to conjure images of holidays in 1950s Rome. These include whitewall tires, dark green seat, grey grips, and an eye-catching two-tone paint scheme [that seems like a paen to the first Piaggio Vespa—J-B] that will make you dream of scooting in Tuscany.”
Maybe it’s a case of po-TAY-to/po-TAH-to here, but the chromed mirrors and redesigned headset seems to my eyes a further hat-tip to the retro crowd, tha’s all.
Either way, a nice bike for $2700, given the build quality and dealer network.
Yeah, you’re absolutely correct that they’re trying to market it as old-school, I guess my problem with “Retro” is that it’s usually superficial, with plastic chrome and random unnecessary junk glued on, whereas (presumably real) chrome mirrors and whitewalls will always be in fashion. the grips and seat are clearly vespa-inspired, but they work well with the modern design of the bike.
Just like most modern Vespas, the “retroness” is excusable, because it’s tastefully done, and form still follows function. The only thing that bothers me is the faux-italianness, not only because it’s silly, but also because Genuine should have enough pride to not try to pass off a well-made Taiwanese bike as European, especially because the quality of Taiwanese bikes rivals today’s Italian bikes.
maybe scooterworks should come out with a special edition of their restored Vespas ‘series de taiwan’
I thought of it as more like Genuine is tweaking Piaggio’s nose — the Buddy “Series Italia” vs. the PX150 “Serie America”.
Only if the buddy was made in america.
score one for eagle eye Big Al! That’s awesome.