Hi

[writergirl4017]

I am a relative newbie for scooters in general and the PCX particularly. I just got my PCX last Friday, so I’ve had it a week. I just got my PA motorcycle permit and will take the Beginner course next week (weather permitting) or in the spring. I got to ride a few times before it got too cold. I love what I’ve seen so far. This is an upgrade from a Yamaha 50cc scooter I got for my birthday last year. My husband rides a modified Genuine Buddy 50 cc scooter (with 70cc upgrade). I’m not into tinkering, just getting on and going. That is why I like scooters over motorcycles and at 5’4” most motorcycles are too big for me.

[alx123]

Welcome and congratulations on your new PCX.

Coming from a 50cc, i suggest you take it slow on the PCX. Enjoy and always think of safety first.

Keep us updated. Cheers

[writergirl4017]

Yeah it does take a little getting used to, but I learn quickly. I’m hyper sensitive about safety, so no worries there.

[Old Grinner]

Make sure when the first scheduled maintenance gets done that both the oil plug and the oil filter screen get removed for a thorough draining job.

Or, you can pay to have your local dealer perform the service and they'll have it on record for warranty purposes.

As a past PCX owner, I (and others) have actually found some fuzzy debris (cloth like material) in the oil filter screen at the first oil change. Somewhere along the manufacturing process cloth (or a cloth-like material) must be used for something. You'll see the cap bolt on the lower left crankcase.

Good luck and you'll smile away the miles with your new PCX.

[Mel46]

If you let your husband change the oil be very careful of that drain bolt. It does not have the best head on it, and some members have actually rounded the head (which makes the future removal almost impossible).

I always suggest that you let the shop do the first service, but it is expensive (around $300). That is because there is a LOT of tupperware (panels) that have to be removed in order to do the first valve adjustment. Essentially there are 3 things that are important on the first check: valves, oil change, brake check and adjust (mainly the parking brake and drag on the rear drum). ..and take a coffee break because it takes SOOO long to do it due to the complexity of the Tupperware.

Once the valves are checked and adjusted you may not have to check them again for a long long time.

[WhiteNoise]

Hello there! Welcome aboard PCXville! It's cold outside. Will you be riding in all that? Burrrr

[writergirl4017]

No, I’m
Not diehard who rides I’m freezing temps, so I may have to put her up for a while and I will be overseas for a the entire month of January, so I’m thinking I need to winterize her. I use the Star Tron fuel stabilizer and we have a batter tender we use if we aren’t going to be riding for a while. We keep them in our garage, but it isn’t heated. Any tips I should know? I also use a car jack to get front wheel of the ground. The scooter only has 32 miles on it. The downside of buying a scooter in the winter months-you don’t get to ride too often. My husband rides sometimes if temps are closer to 40, but even with all winter gear on, it just too cold for me. I’m guessing the first service happens at around 600 miles? Is that right? And since this is a brand new bike, do I need to have the oil changed before I put her up for the winter? Or is the oil in there still clean enough?

[GeorgeSK]

I stabilized the fuel and just rolled Mantis into the unheated, detached garage. I try to put a battery charger on each of the scoots and the boat battery on the 1st and 15th of the month - top up takes maybe two or three hours. Given that your scoot (and its battery) is new, it is probably unnecessary to do anything about the battery (although more technical minds will have to chime in about whether 32 miles of travel is enough to top off the charge on the battery). Maybe just a good charge before your January adventure would be a good idea just to be on the safe side.

Relax and savor your anticipation of a fun spring.

[big bear]

i live in pa to

[87112]

If you're not going to do any freeway riding the PCX of any generation is about as fun as it gets. I would be on one if I did not need 65mph and above. My cold riding temp cutoff is about 50 degrees.

[Mel46]

The first service is 600 miles as far as I know...unless the 2019 model has changed that much. Also, the oil that is in the bike right now can be considered 'starter oil' and should be changed when you do that first service because it collects "seating" metal fragments and other foreign objects that may have found their way into the engine at the factory.

The PCX does not have an oil filter like those on cars or big bikes. It has a screen on the side and is easy to get to.

Get a Service Manual. It Is well worth the money if you or hubby will be taking care of the scooter yourselves.

[writergirl4017]

Thanks for all the tips. Most of the riding I do are in roads where max speed limit is between 45 and 55 mph. I don’t plan on riding on I95 on this thing, but for most of the local roads, it will be perfect. And there are usually side roads if I really wanted to ride somewhere that was mostly accessed by highways. But for my needs and skill level at the moment the PCX is perfect. I take the Beginner course next week and the motorcycles they have are 250cc. That will be interesting to see how I can handle them, never haven driven a real motorcycle in my life. But I figured it’s easier if I just get licensed as a full motorcycle rider in case I want a motorcycle later on.

[Mel46]

If you don't have one already, I would suggest that you get a taller windshield than the original one that comes on them. Whether you ride a lot or a little you will notice an improvement in your ride once you add one. At 5'4" you can get by with the smaller of the two sizes that are generally available, though my wife is 5' even, and she prefers the tallest screen so that all of the wind is diverted from her.

We ride the back roads as well, and the wind can tire you out. We would prefer to enjoy the scenery than to think about When We can stop.

[writergirl4017]

I will look into a larger windshield down the line. Are they easy to install? As I said I’m not into tinkering but if my husband could do it easily, I might be able to talk him into it. I will also look into a service manual, but I will probably let the dealer do the first major 600 mile service. It will probably take a while to get to 600 miles since I cannot ride it that often even during the riding season. Mostly on weekends and days off. But if I get to six month mark and still haven’t gotten it to 600 miles, I will at least get the oil changed and remove starter oil.

[WhiteNoise]

writergirl, I'm glad to read that you'll be taking the Basic Motorcycle Course, Smart decision!

Have you asked the instructors or powers that be, if you can use your own scooter (should You choose to) during the course? Some folks like that idea and others say, "why mess yer own bike up if you take a spill?" Others say, "I know my bike and want to use it." Where are you at with that?

In the state of Florida we were given a choice of bikes, Scooter, Enduro or Motorcycle. They were all lined up on the field, you merely walked over to claim your trainer ride. Most chose a motorcylcle but there were enduro and scooters on the course as well. There's a bit more involved shifting but once mastered, it becomes second nature like driving a manual trans (shift) car. Have you done that...driven a manual transmission car? That's a good place to start. Easily learn about timing, the synchronization of smoothly shifting gears up or down while eyes are up scanning about you.

When I was younger I enjoyed shifting both 4 wheels and two. I have stories (not telling now).
.....Now a bit older and with more traffic on Long Island I enjoy the ease of Twist n Go. Simples & Why Not?

On the other hand, if You plan on riding a shifty bike down the road...then it's a no brainer. Manual 250 it is! Be Confident. Pay close attention and LISTEN to the INSTRUCTOR(s) CAREFULLY.

Best Luck to You and Keep us Abreast of "Your Success!"

[big bear]

i took that course in july you can ride the pcx at the time i had no way of transporting the pcx to the training site but you can use it hopefully if you do the instructors will know the regulations they told me if i used my pcx i would get an 8 restriction but thats only for bikes under 50 cc i flunked the course but passed my test on the pcx at the DMV

[GeorgeSK]

In my state, if you take and pass the course on a scooter, you get a restricted motorcycle license. Shifting and maneuvering a 250 cc motorcycle is not terribly daunting, and you end up with what might be a more useful product. That said, I would be really nervous to go on a demo motorcycle ride now that it has been five years since I took the course. Twist and go is pretty fine.

[big bear]

yes some states have a restriction if you take your test with an automatic bike but pennsylvania does not the instructors for the MSF course are not state employes they are hired from an outside company the ones i had were from california and did not know pennsylvania laws which is not good if you take your test in any bike over 50ccs you get a full motorcycle endorsment if you pass in pennsylvania

[writergirl4017]

Big bear-thanks for the info about taking test or course on my scooter. I think I will still learn the motorcycle in case I ever need to drive one. I learned to drive with a manual car so clutches and shifting are not completely new to me. But it is different in a car since pedals are in front of you. On a motorcycle everything is behind you for shifting or braking for foot operations. I could ride my PCX to training site but I’d rather use their equipment and the wider my riding skills the better I will be. I love scooters. I saw the old movies where people are just cruising around and it just seemed fun! And where I live, I can ride just about anywhere-from the movies to shopping. The scooter is easier to get on-twist and go. The fuel economy is great. Even riding in hot weather isn’t bad. You can always park your scoot under a shady tree, even where a car can’t normally park. Last summer my husband and I rode to an event in a nearby town. All the parking spots were taken, but we were able to park our scooters in one small space close to the event. Had we been in a car, we would have had to walk quite a distance.

[Mel46]

Once you set up a PCX for comfort it not only looks good, but you will find that you will want to spend more time on it. I have had motorcycles most of my life, and I never had as much fun on one as I have had on my scooter.

My PCX is not as nice as the newest ones, but after I have upgraded it with what suites me it is just right for me. I did put better adjustable shocks on it (Takegawa Lowering Shocks), and I changed out my seat for a custom one, but the newest PCX comes with a better seat than the 2013 model had. I am not sure what they did about the shocks on the newest one, but the ones on previous models were bottom line ones as far as I could tell.

In any case, after you have gotten use to your new bike, consider what you don't like, and change it for something that you do like. After you and/or your hubby get use to removing the plastic panels, you will find that changing out parts is not that difficult. Most questions can be answered by forum members, if you get stuck.

I hope you have many good riding experiences on your new scooter. It is a joy to ride.