Newb Questions

General Honda PCX chat, questions about the PCX, or questions about riding.

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heydave17
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Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

Just got a 2017 blue PCX 150 and so far after 100 miles I love it, but I have some questions.

1. On 2017 PCX150 is the left brake lever controlling both front and rear brakes? Owner's Manual keeps referring to left brake lever as the rear brake but in other places I've seen it referenced as a combination lever.
2. Is there a way to make the parking brake work? I made sure rear brake was adjusted exactly as Manual says and parking brake still does nothing.
3. Rear shocks are poor and I see there are good aftermarket choices. Has anyone just cut a couple 1" diameter holes in the inner box liner under the seat to access the top shock mount, or is it really necessary to tear half the body work off to do this?
4. Is the 2017 manufactured in Vietnam or Japan? I've seen both mentioned.

Many thanks - looking forward to lots of fun with this baby!!!
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2017 with National Cycle mid-height windshield
2017 with National Cycle mid-height windshield
pcx150.jpg (366.91 KiB) Viewed 1638 times
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homie
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by homie »

heydave, Welcome to the board!

The right lever (where your reservoir is) will slip the front wheel first on gravel before the rear even though it's combi... treat it like the front brake it mostly is. The left will slip the rear wheel first but you always pull them evenly together for optimal braking.

To set the brake lock put on the center stand;

1. Squeeze the left hand brake hard several times without touching the brake lock knob and release the lever.
2. Go to the nut at the rear axle and rotate it clockwise one increment at a time until the wheel has resistance enough it will not spin more than a few inches with a good thrust.
3. Check now that you will not be able to set the brake lock at all... because there is not enough play.
4. Turn the nut one increment at a time counterclockwise until you can set the brake lock. Check each time you meet a new increment on the nut if you can set the brake lock and stop when you can.

When you can set the brake lock you will have free spin on the wheel, the shoes will be properly adjusted and the brake lock will work as good as the stupid thing can.

IMO and personal experience never use the brake lock for more than adjusting your drum shoes because if you fail to release it someday you burn up the shoes. No indicator, no idiot light and you can't feel it's on when driving... just smell burt shoe when get to destination.

No one has cut a hole in the luggage box yet to make rear shock access easier, just me talking about it on a YT video :)

Made in Vietnam or Japan?.... its says on the colum to the left of the ignition.

Your parts catalog is attached... enjoy! and thanks for the picture :)
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Parts Catalog Honda PCX150 NEW - 2ND EDITION.PDF
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Mel46
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by Mel46 »

Oh, and one more thing. Can you tell us your location so that we can help you better, please? There is an instruction somewhere on this forum about setting your location where you put your model, etc. Thanks.

Oh, and here is a place that has some good shocks.
http://www.powerbypcx.com/en/52-comfort-pcx-v3
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Givi tall windshield & tailbox - Lots of extra lights
Custom seat from Thailand - Bad Boy Airhorn
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NCY variator, drive face, and rollers
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by xixon »

heydave17 ...welcome to the PCX forum, nice looking scooter

I never used my park brake as I figure the double kick stand will keep it stable and is more reliable, and as homie says it's easy to forget to release the parking brake

Mel46....my guess is he's from Iowa with all that corn in the background :)
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by PCX150Rider »

Could be Upstate NY or PA too! ;)
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by PCX150Rider »

Here's a link that describes the Combined Braking System from Honda. :geek:

http://world.honda.com/PCX/chassis/page02.html

If your PCX is a 2017 it's from Vietnam. Mine is also. Great workmanship and nicely put together. ;)
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by Smaug »

They're sure coming with taller windshields these days!

Of you decide to cut into the underseat liberty for sick access, please let us know how it goes, with pix on where to cut and how you waterproofed it afterwards.

Maybe a small hole saw in just the right place and some kind of rubber or foam plug?

I'm thinking the rear shocks are crap too. I've seen two comments on them: one by homie and one by a Pennsylvania scooterist, who said the NCY (?) Shocks stew much better.
-Jeremy
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

I'm in central Wisconsin - lots of corn here too! I will fix my profile - thanks for the tip.
So I can confirm it was made in Vietnam according to the manufacturer's label. The right hand brake (hydraulic) controls only the front brake as verified on the center stand. I adjusted the rear brake per your instruction and now the parking brake works but I absolutely see myself leaving it on and frying the rear pads so probably won't use it. I have had Harley Davidson's in the past and I always kept a short nylon strap with Velcro on it to hold the front brake lever down if I felt I needed a parking brake and that is probably what I will do with this one - no chance of riding away with that still on! I'm going to carefully look at the shock mount idea before hacking anything up. There are a lot of plastic plugs that would snap right in as long as it is a perfectly round hole. I'm seeing a lot of good tips on shocks in this forum. Oh, and my windshield is called a Medium height - can't imagine how tall the Tall is!!

I've had motorcycles my whole life with the last 2 being a Fat Bob and a Road Glide, and I have to say I am having more pure fun with this PCX than I did with the big bikes. Just throw on helmet and jump on and ride - don't need to take half an hour for requisite Harley boots and Harley shirt, and Harley Jacket....etc.....
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by PaCoX »

Welcome to the club! We have the same model year and windscreen. Honestly, I'm having trouble noticing a discernible difference between the stock windscreen and the medium National Cycle. If anything, I feel like the wind noise in my helmet has increased since switching to the National Cycle. Maybe I should've gone with the Givi.

I never apply the parking brake as I've found it to be pretty much useless, though my OCD has me disengaging the parking brake periodically. The stock rear shocks? I suspect they undergo a metamorphosis into concrete footings when I'm on the scooter and can't actually see them anymore.
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National Cycle Windscreen N50002
National Cycle Windscreen N50002
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* 2017 Honda PCX 150 (Pearl White)
* National Cycle Windscreen (medium)
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by WhiteNoise »

Welcome aboard our forum(s) :P and congrats on the New 2 You Scoot.
Harley to PCX, quite the move. I will respectfully ask, How's the PCX feel butt wise? No vibration like a Harley but maybe a bit of lower back pain? The PCX stock seat gets mixed reviews. If you're good with it, cheers to that! I have a custom seat now but I'm "OK" with the stock as well.
That's it for now. I Might ask more later.
Cheers and be safe, always.

Oh wait a minute! Would you do us a favor and put your location in your profile? I know you mentioned it in your post but I'll never (we never) will remember that. Members add theirs because it helps us to help one another. Sometimes...on the spot! Cool right?
I have easy instructions below my post to get that done. Giving thanks in advance from all Us hooligan's :D
Location, Year & Color - Please enter Yours today!
How? Log in. Click the User Control Panel button (top right of any page). Upon destination, click Profile in left column. Look >See the questions? Please Complete. We Thank You
heydave17
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

OK I tried again to update profile with location and I think the first time I didn't hit submit. Hopefully it is there now. For me the biggest thing with the taller windshield is taking wind off my chest at speed and making the bike a little more aerodynamic. I would guess the coefficient of drag on the curved and slanted windshield is less than on a near vertical human chest. Also if I drive into a cloud of bugs I can duck my head and not get splats all over my face.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by Smaug »

That wind screen has GOT to keep a lot of airflow off the chest. Looks pretty aerodynamic, too. But depending on the design, there are penalties. Changing the airflow can make it so the wind hits the rider mid-helmet; that's turbulent and noisy. Clean air from the stock screen would be quieter, but pretty tiring on the highway at 60 mph.

A taller screen won't have either of those problems, but they often will give back pressure and reduce fuel economy. Also, since you have to look through them, the view is not as clear and it becomes critical to keep them clean. It's always a trade-off.

I have the Givi medium shield. Wind protection is a good compromise between the stock/non-existent shield and a tall one. But I do get noisy, turbulent air right on the helmet. I wear ear plugs nearly all the time when riding, which helps a lot, but I do wish it was quieter.
-Jeremy
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

Oh and the seat - it is like a rock. 40 miles or so and I'm paralyzed. I will probably have the local upholstery genius replace the foam with his secret formula of three-layer multi-density foam for $100. Had that done on my last 2 H-D factory seats and it worked wonders.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

I agree that the windshield will create a low pressure zone right behind it (a vacuum drag so to speak) but I would think the upright human would so the same thing. So far after only about 50 miles I don't see gas mileage drop at all - assuming I can trust the fuel flow calculations the bike uses to display mpg. Hovering about 100-105 during "normal" putting around at average of 35-40 mph or so.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by homie »

heydave17 wrote:Oh and the seat - it is like a rock. 40 miles or so and I'm paralyzed. I will probably have the local upholstery genius replace the foam with his secret formula of three-layer multi-density foam for $100. Had that done on my last 2 H-D factory seats and it worked wonders.
No one has successfully engineered the kind of quality comfort in a saddle for the PCX you are accustom since i've been here without raising the captains portion considerably. We will watch a Harley rider show us how it's done with much interest :) The challenge has been foiled even by those in the business of making aftermarket seats and covers for PCX as I don't think a single one addresses a thicker higher forward saddle because that would be unattractive and sit the rider too high for the scooter. There seems to be no real solution but to redesign the frame for larger people.

Here are some reasons why this might frustrate you in my opinion;

Honda targets the Asian market for the PCX's riding position, not the larger American male.
The frame of the bike is short and rises quickly toward the rear forcing the rider too far forward for a comfortable cruising position. The hump can be smoothed out with aftermarket designs to a point but still the incline is steep, the plastic base to foam is shallow, and they've only built aftermarket seats on the stock bases to my knoledge.

What can be done;

Experiment with aftermarket saddles but not one's that cradle you even more.
Move the handle bars forward as far as you can given your windscreen restrictions and this might be an issue for your aftermarket screen but for stock ones it helps. This requires serious commitment to loosening the column bolts under those cosmetic caps. If you take this on ask how to get those chrome caps off without damage so you can reuse them and prepare for some very tight bolts.

Not trying to discourage you toward new foam at all, we need your help if you know something about custom foam. I've chosen to soften my stock saddle with use and condition my butt to it. After years of watching others try and owning one aftermarket seat myself... I don't use it.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by heydave17 »

Well that sounds discouraging. I am cursed with short legs so I have not found the seating position to be a problem, just kind of slide back to the bump and that is ok for me. The problem for me is simply the hardness of the foam. My upholsterer might look at the seat and say it's too thin for any remediation in the driver's segment, we'll see.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by you you »

Wot wind? At 50 mph?
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by Smaug »

it's not the seat that's hard, it's the rear shocks. Unless you're a lot heavier than I am and are "bottoming out" the seat foam. (I'm 175 lbs.)

FWIW - I put a Beadrider on mine and it's as good as I can get with junky rear shocks.
-Jeremy
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by homie »

My homey Jeremy makes a point here about shocks. I have NCY adjustable ones and I need to swap bikes with him someday for comparison. I've been on better shocks for a while now and have forgotten what the stock ones feel like.
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Re: Newb Questions

Post by you you »

homie wrote:My homey Jeremy makes a point here about shocks. I have NCY adjustable ones and I need to swap bikes with him someday for comparison. I've been on better shocks for a while now and have forgotten what the stock ones feel like.

Unremarkable tbh.
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