Leaving suspension as is

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TC3
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Leaving suspension as is

Post by TC3 »

When i first picked the bike up i was intent on changing the rear shocks. Now after 6 weeks of riding over all sorts of surfaces i have decided the stock cheapo set up works well enough for me. The bike feels steady and planted on bends even going over bumps mid corner. By adjusting the way i sit i no longer feel a twinge in my back when hitting a pot hole. I am not that heavy so maybe that has something to do with it.
Anyone else got used to the suspension or am i the odd ball?
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Fiah
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by Fiah »

No, I'm a heavy guy and I'm fine with the suspension as is as well. Sure, I get to know the potholes and bumps in my commute quite well, but that's true for just about any scooter or motorcycle.
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Alibally
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Leaving suspension as is

Post by Alibally »

I've not really had a scooter before ,unless you count the c70 I bombed about on 25 years ago , so don't know if the suspension is good, bad or whatever. I do think it's quite hard going over certain bumps thought but if he road is good I think it's fine.
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ese12105
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by ese12105 »

I would definitely like to switch out the shocks but there are not really many options that are within a reasonable price range... So I will be stocking with the stock shocks as well. They're really not that bad anyways :-)
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

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ese12105 wrote:I would definitely like to switch out the shocks but there are not really many options that are within a reasonable price range... So I will be stocking with the stock shocks as well. They're really not that bad anyways :-)
Well that's part of my reasoning as well. I bought the PCX to commute to my work on the cheap, but if I start replacing parts for €200 at a time, those savings evaporate instantly :?
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TC3
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by TC3 »

That is a valid point as I got the pcx as a cheap fun machine and though I did originally intend to do light modes I think I can live with tbe way it is quite happily for now....
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Woolley
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Leaving suspension as is

Post by Woolley »

I've never even thought about the suspension, seems fine to me. Although this is the first thing I've ever ridden so I've got nothing to compare to.
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by maddiedog »

I've ridden a whole bunch of bikes, and the PCX has the best suspension of any scooter I've ridden, especially 2-up. I might change it eventually to give me a bit more comfort for longer rides, but I don't like the options available either. I can't justify spending several hundred on suspension, when the stock setup works great.
Currently ride: 2011 Honda PCX 125 - Upgraded windshield and seat, keeping this one mostly stock
Previously rides: 2005 V-Strom DL650, 1974 Vespa Ciao, 2011 Honda PCX 170 (tons of mods - takegawa 170cc big bore kit, gears, etc), 1996 Honda Nighthawk 250, 1987 Honda Spree, 2000 KTM 125SX, 2003 Honda Silverwing, 2007 Genuine Buddy 125, 1998 Honda PC800, 2008 Buddy 125 (white), 2008 Buddy 125 (red), 2001 Honda Reflex, 1987 Honda Elite, 1988 Honda Spree, 2007 Yamaha Vino, 2007 Honda Metro, 2x 125cc pure-chinesium dirt bikes
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by EddieC »

Fiah wrote:Well that's part of my reasoning as well. I bought the PCX to commute to my work on the cheap, but if I start replacing parts for €200 at a time, those savings evaporate instantly :?
Great point. I had a Penske suspension on my last bike (sv650) and WOW.... did that make a difference. The PCX suspension is not nearly as good as that, but not horrible either... in my opinion the shocks are too soft... seeing that when my 110lb girlfriend joins me we can bottom out the suspension when going over one of many of Los Angeles's potholes. We are within the max weight limit of the scooter too so thats not the cause. This is also my first scooter so I have no other scooter to compare the stock setup to... I would like to change them out,.. but then I would have to do the front suspension to match... and we start talking about money again... The front actually performs fairly well now that I think about it, but unless we find some cheapo shocks for under $150 I think I'll be holding onto the stock setup
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by maddiedog »

Eddie, make sure your tires are fully inflated. We exceed the weight limit with me, my wife, the dog, and gear, and have only bottomed out a couple of times. I found out after we bottomed out the first time that my tires only had around 20psi, when they need 44, if I remember correctly. Inflating the tires made it handle much, much better too. It felt much more sluggish beforehand...
Currently ride: 2011 Honda PCX 125 - Upgraded windshield and seat, keeping this one mostly stock
Previously rides: 2005 V-Strom DL650, 1974 Vespa Ciao, 2011 Honda PCX 170 (tons of mods - takegawa 170cc big bore kit, gears, etc), 1996 Honda Nighthawk 250, 1987 Honda Spree, 2000 KTM 125SX, 2003 Honda Silverwing, 2007 Genuine Buddy 125, 1998 Honda PC800, 2008 Buddy 125 (white), 2008 Buddy 125 (red), 2001 Honda Reflex, 1987 Honda Elite, 1988 Honda Spree, 2007 Yamaha Vino, 2007 Honda Metro, 2x 125cc pure-chinesium dirt bikes
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by EddieC »

wait, you have 44psi in your tires??? I've ALWAYS had the front at 30 psi and the rear at 36psi, like the manual recommends. I'm pretty diligent about checking the pressure every few days. I carry a bike pump with me that works great on our little scooter tires.
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Fiah
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by Fiah »

44psi is on the upper end of what's recommended maybe, but when riding 2-up I'd say it's a good starting point.
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by EddieC »

i'm looking at my manual now.. they recommend 29psi in the front at all times.. Then 33psi in the rear if the payload is under 200 lbs, or 36psi if payload is over 200 lbs

But if you guys are riding around with over 40psi in your tires with good results... I'll try it out =]
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TC3
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by TC3 »

Eddie my last bike was a 2005 sv650s I had since new. I soon got used to that suspension which was not great but did the job.

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EddieC
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by EddieC »

ah... you had the second generation SV. I had a 2001. About a year after I bought it I switched to the penske. True, I had gotten used to the suspension, but I found a brand new penske shock for $400.... and this was when I had disposable income, so I jumped on the deal. Racetech springs and emulators were the next mod... and WOW! the suspension can make a world of difference. Granted... that was a $750 setup... and by now I know better than to spend that much money =]
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by skuuter »

I've got around 6000 miles of fairly hard riding at times, and a Lota' Long Gear Loaded Day/Weekend Trips on mine. My Rear Springs have sagged ever so slightly now, and gettin' a little softer. I noticed last weekend while passing Cars and Motorcycles on The Dragon that it would "wallow" ever so slightly when trying to change directions mid-curve. I'm sure mine will get an upgrade at some point, but Honda (IMO) did a much better job on the PCX125 than any of Their other Scooters except maybe the Silver Wing 600 (I've owned most every Honda Scooter from the 50cc to the 600cc Versions at some point...!!!
Ridin' and Socializin' the Southeastern USA on a 2014 Honda FORZA 300 Scooter...45+ years of Riding averaging 30,000 miles per year...!!!
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by haildamage »

skuuter wrote: (I've owned most every Honda Scooter from the 50cc to the 600cc Versions at some point...!!!
wow! you da scooter man!

anyway, i upgraded mine to the cheaper yss gas shocks and have now finally ridden them enough to be confident that the new ones are much better than stock. been riding over and over again on the bumps that used to completely jar on the stock shocks. they felt like they were made of wood. the yss actually absorb the bumps in contrast.

sorry guys, if you are happy with the stock shocks thats fine. but lets face it, they are the cheapest shocks they could have possibly used and far below the quality of the rest of the bike!

might think about the fork springs next.
ese12105
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by ese12105 »

They definitely are the cheapest!
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by JetPilot »

TC3 wrote:When i first picked the bike up i was intent on changing the rear shocks. Now after 6 weeks of riding over all sorts of surfaces i have decided the stock cheapo set up works well enough for me. The bike feels steady and planted on bends even going over bumps mid corner. By adjusting the way i sit i no longer feel a twinge in my back when hitting a pot hole. I am not that heavy so maybe that has something to do with it.
Anyone else got used to the suspension or am i the odd ball?
Hi TC3,

I would not bother nor spend money on upgrading the suspension on a scooter with 3 inches of travel, just seems like a total waste. I think effort and money would be better spent on a more comfortable seat. If I want to ride rough roads fast, I will just get on my Motorcycle that has a 21 inch front wheel and 10 inches of suspension travel :D

Mike
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Re: Leaving suspension as is

Post by Jge64 »

Well I disagree completely. I'm 240 pounds, that may have something to do with it , but stock shocks on my PCX were terrible, and after owning many hondas, I've often felt at least the rears are not very good. So I bought a set of YSS Z Shocks which were about 130 bucks shipped to me and the difference is pretty substantial. Especially for exactly what I wanted ,which was better performance over speedbump's and railroad tracks. I felt the difference immediately. A year later, I still think they feel good.
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