My New PCX150H Was Delivered Today. . .Better Than Expected

[PCX150Rider]

I'm really happy with my new 2017 PCX. Getting used to the ergonomics. The stock seat and suspension will work OK for me.

Sending this from another PC as my main one is under repair/replacement. . .time will tell.

Comments:

My Owners Manual was printed in March of 2016 in Vietnam. It still calls for the valve inspection at 600 miles and then every 2500 miles after that. But other's have gotten new PCX's in the UK and their manuals call for every 4000 miles. What's up with that? All the PCX150's are made in Vietnam now right? Also my service manual is for the 2017/2018 but has been repackaged in inventory several times since it was printed for the 2013-2015 model years. The service manual accounts for the changes for after 2013 and so it hasn't changed even for the new 2017 or 2018 models. That being said it does call for the 2500 mile interval valve inspections. So I'm wondering if the 4000 mile interval is the one to go with now but manuals printed up to March 2016 don't reflect that (older manuals).

The U.S. version has IRC stock tires.

Can you use the Pro Honda 4M Synthetic 10w-40 oil in both the crankcase and the final drive gearing in lieu of the 10w-30?

I also picked up some Honda 50 / 50 non-corrosive coolant to keep the coolant reservoir topped off.

Taking my time getting used to the way it handles and the switch locations. Really happy purchase. Highly recommend it. It does the job and no buyers remorse. Only have 7 miles on it now and when the sun comes out later I'll be riding with strong surges of throttle and backing off to glide to break in the piston rings properly. Won't ride at same speed for extended periods. Using the on/off method with the throttle. Had it up to 45 MPH so far.

Here's some pics. Will post again when I can use another machine until my good one gets fixed or replaced.

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Homie - That 5000 mile inspection video is great. Now that I've seen how the service manual is assembled it must have taken a long time to put the panel disassembly/reassembly sequence together for the valve adjustment procedure. I may use some cereal box cardboard to deflect the oil off the center stand into the catch basin when I do the first oil change at 500 or 600 miles.

[WhiteNoise]

Yes! This is a HAPPY DAY indeed. Got a name yet?
No? Then sit awhile, you'll come up with one. I see your other bikes, "Make room fella's, there's a new kid on the block!" (Jealousy is strange)
Congratulations ~ White's the one!

[homie]

The stock seat and suspension will work OK for me. I agree and I've installed and ridden on both stock and aftermarket. You have a long haul bike in the garage this ones for FUN and beer runs.

My Owners Manual was printed in March of 2016 in Vietnam. It still calls for the valve inspection at 600 miles and then every 2500 miles after that. But other's have gotten new PCX's in the UK and their manuals call for every 4000 miles. What's up with that? If I had to do it again I would not think about valve clearance until 5k but you void your one year (six month) warranty if you don't


The U.S. version has IRC stock tires. Ditch them at your earliest convenience, Michelin city grip and we don't slip

Can you use the Pro Honda 4M Synthetic 10w-40 oil in both the crankcase and the final drive gearing in lieu of the 10w-30? It's not what the SM recommends, spend the 10 bucks.

I also picked up some Honda 50 / 50 non-corrosive coolant to keep the coolant reservoir topped off. Excellent! drain it all in two years or some thousand miles which ever comes first.

Only have 7 miles on it now and when the sun comes out later I'll be riding with strong surges of throttle and backing off to glide to break in the piston rings properly. Won't ride at same speed for extended periods. Using the on/off method with the throttle. Had it up to 45 MPH so far. On conventional motor oil, Mototune theory... I'm a believer

Homie - That 5000 mile inspection video is great. Now that I've seen how the service manual is assembled it must have taken a long time to put the panel disassembly/reassembly sequence together for the valve adjustment procedure. two days causally. Hand tight + 1/4-1/2 turn on the drain bolt (don't chance the torque wrench on the oil plug) not worth striping.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! So envious of the new PCX... whats the ignition look like? Did you get a couple keys of FOB?

[easyrider]

The first valve adjustment is most important after the valves wear -in and seat themselves, but afterwards not so critical.Good luck with the new toy..addictive pleasure .
PS I would also change the factory fill oils(crankcase and final drive) at the same time although some will disagree.

[PCX150Rider]

Yes! This is a HAPPY DAY indeed. Got a name yet?
No? Then sit awhile, you'll come up with one. I see your other bikes, "Make room fella's, there's a new kid on the block!" (Jealousy is strange)
Congratulations ~ White's the one!

Sorry WN, I haven't thought of a name for it yet. . .but I'll know it when I see it.

The first valve adjustment is most important after the valves wear -in and seat themselves, but afterwards not so critical.Good luck with the new toy..addictive pleasure .
PS I would also change the factory fill oils(crankcase and final drive) at the same time although some will disagree.

Yup. . .great advice EasyRider. I think I will change out the crankcase and gear oil at the first service. I have a theory that the reason they specify the Pro Honda HP4M Synthetic 10w-30 Honda oil for the final drive is so that in the winter it doesn't get too thick when first running the scooter each day. It's a given it will work fine in the warmer weather. However, they allow you to use either the 10w-30 or 10w-40 Honda oil in the crankcase because the seasonal oil changes are more frequent and you have a chance to alternate between the two. The interval on the final drive is every two years. So I'm thinking if I used the PCX from April through November. . .it would be OK to use the ProHonda HP4M Synthetic 10w_40 (with Moly) in both the crankcase and final drive. When it gets really cold I'll just start it up once in a while on the center stand and use the MOPED for errands. Again, just a theory.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! So envious of the new PCX... whats the ignition look like? Did you get a couple keys of FOB?

Hey Homie as you requested. . .here's a pic of the ignition and also another of the front brake disc brake setup. They gave me two keys and two key fobs. Nothing extra. . .no free shirt. . .no helmet. . .I guess they must have thought they gave me a good deal already and free delivery. Nice people but business did not seem overly busy. It's the times. Wait until gas goes up to $4 a gallon again.

As I mentioned to EasyRider I'm thinking I may use the Honda 10w-40 in both applications and ease back during the cold months. My local Honda dealer doesn't carry the 10w-30 and I've read from other threads where other people have problems getting it also from their dealers. It seems they readily stock the 10w-40 though. Go figure.

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BTW I only got the helmet leash (wire thing) in my tool kit. . .nothing else.

Trying to optimize my postings until I get my main PC operational. Replaced a video card already but that didn't cure the problem.

Nothing a good ride on the PCX tomorrow when the sun is finally out again can't cure.

[homie]

That's what I wanted to see ... very happy they don't get fancy stateside with keyless ignition. Well you got a helmet wire and a parking brake WOOT! Have you found out if the P-brake works yet? Easy fix if it don't.

[PCX150Rider]

Have you found out if the P-brake works yet? Easy fix if it don't.

Yes. . .the parking brake definitely works. . .and works very well. . .with one caveat. One must make sure that even after you release the parking brake that you hear the distinct sound of the mechanism letting go and RTN. Even though you push the button back in the parking brake may still be engaged. Feather the rear brake lever a few times until it actually does release and rotate the rear wheel on the center stand (engine off) just to make sure it spins freely. Maybe after I use it numerous times it will become less "sticky" but right now I've had to feather the rear brake lever two or three times until I heard the "spring ping".

One other thing. Not so much an issue for you veteran riders but for a newbie the front brake fluid reservoir may seem filled at a very low level at first glance. The reason is the position it's mounted to on the handlebar. If you rotate the handlebar until the brake fluid reservoir seems level in the big picture you'll notice that it now appears quite full.

The quality, finish, and fit of the parts on this scooter are incredible IMHO on first impression. I'm going to put some more miles on it today and continue the "break-in" phase.

Since the under seat storage area looked a little too new I figured I'd add a couple of stickers.

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[homie]

One other thing. Not so much an issue for you veteran riders but for a newbie the front brake fluid reservoir may seem filled at a very low level at first glance. The reason is the position it's mounted to on the handlebar. If you rotate the handlebar until the brake fluid reservoir seems level in the big picture you'll notice that it now appears quite full.

That is correct, you must be reading your service manual or is that information in the owners manual? Also you will find the CBS brake fluid very hard to see inside that little port next to the ignition. It will look empty unless you work a weird angle from your light source. I'm surprised someone hasn't made a pad for the luggage box and posted a template, a common thing shared with luggage containers on other bike forums.

[PCX150Rider]

Just got back from a 50 miler. Averaged 102.6 MPG. The PCX definitely does the job. Keeps right up with traffic and handles moderate hills very acceptably for a 150 machine. The seat was OK. . .as was the suspension. Definitely a step up from my Roughhouse (although for a 49cc it's not bad).

One thing that I noticed and I'm not sure if it's a characteristic of the PCX in general but the throttle grip kind of shakes on washboard type bumps a little more than I would expect. Everything is secure. . .but it's like the clearance is a bit too much laterally. I may tighten up the throttle cable a bit on the 600 mile service. It has plenty of slack so a newbie wouldn't take off abruptly and I know that you have to be able to fully lock the handlebars right and left without any effect on the engine at idle. The slop that I feel on the bumps is from lateral movement caused by a liberal gap between where the throttle cable hooks up under the handlebar switch cover and the grip itself. Anyhow. . .I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a spacer or something missing. If it's common to all the PCX's I can live with it.

Other than that I can't find anything to complain about. The mirrors are acceptable and the stock tires actually aren't bad but due to their size I won't push them like a Moto GP bike.

I'm still getting adjusted to how high to pick up my feet when I take off from a dead stop and to coordinate between the turn signal and horn buttons. Different bikes. . .different ergos. Need to build more brain cells.

[homie]

Definitely a step up from my Roughhouse (although for a 49cc it's not bad).
I may tighten up the throttle cable a bit on the 600 mile service. Mine has less than the 1/8 twist and still is not effected by turning so maybe you can tighten a little to your liking.

The slop that I feel on the bumps is from lateral movement caused by a liberal gap between where the throttle cable hooks up under the handlebar switch cover and the grip itself. Anyhow. Yes I know right? this is the same on both my bikes and I think it tacky having this motion at all, but maybe a regulation in the industry for safety concerns. I wouldn't shore it up with anything as you might take it out with bar-end mirrors or custom grips later.

I'm still getting adjusted to how high to pick up my feet when I take off from a dead stop and to coordinate between the turn signal and horn buttons. Different bikes. . .different ergos.

You may never get to the horn when you need it. It's just not right, even as big as it is. Especially if you've ridden other bikes.

So the Roughhouse had less clearance?

[PCX150Rider]

Took the PCX out for the first night ride. . .only about 8 miles though. The LEDs are bright and on high beam reach out quite far. The tail/brake light is massive and the license plate is lit up like a restaurant sign. Again, I'm glad I bought this thing.

I did tighten up the throttle cable a bit. Had two 10mm wrenches. Found an extra set of six metrics I had stored away in a plastic pack that I put under the seat along with the regular tool pack to which I added an adjustable Crescent, bottle opener, Cannondale fold up driver set, knife, and a Maglite. I have a Kryptonite cable lock I swap back and forth between the two scooters as well. It's good that you can't lock them unless you have the key installed.

Riding in the dark I found that if I try going for the horn by "feel" it helps to pass my thumb over the top of the turn signal switch and go one more up. . .still need to work at it more to get spot on to the button surface and not over shoot it and press on the cover. May sound crazy but 1/2 a second means a lot sometimes.

I'll deal with the loose tolerance in the throttle grip. . .just wanted to make sure it's a common characteristic.

I've got the regular Roughhouse with the 10 inch wheels. Has that 2-stroke Minarelli engine. Tall seat and flat floor board. Use to pulling my feet up higher and tighter in. With the PCX I don't have to pull the feet up so high or in as tight. Getting more use to it.

Here's a pic of my Roughhouse. I added my sport bike packs to it and put some rubber padding material on the deck. About 5K miles on it now and original belt, rollers, clutch, and brakes. It's a moody engine (as 2-strokes are) but it's fun to run it WOT and still only do around 45ish MPH. Like they say it's more fun to run the small bikes fast than to run the fast bikes slow. You can ring it's neck and as long as it's got fuel, air, oil, and a clean plug it just screams.

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[homie]

they say it's more fun to run the small bikes fast than to run the fast bikes slow. You can ring it's neck and as long as it's got fuel, air, oil, and a clean plug it just screams.

It's true, I needed to go see my man about a custom blade he made for me last night about 11pm. Being a short three mile ride to have taken the bigger bike would have been so serious and methodical. Instead I pulled on a leather pilot cap, googles and in my tennis shoes blasted off weaving down the dark back streets and alleys going way faster than I should but feeling like I was on my childhood Schwinn... What a wonderful memory of freedom we get from a scooter.

[you you]

they say it's more fun to run the small bikes fast than to run the fast bikes slow. You can ring it's neck and as long as it's got fuel, air, oil, and a clean plug it just screams.

It's true, I needed to go see my man about a custom blade he made for me last night about 11pm. Being a short three mile ride to have taken the bigger bike would have been so serious and methodical. Instead I pulled on a leather pilot cap, googles and in my tennis shoes blasted off weaving down the dark back streets and alleys going way faster than I should but feeling like I was on my childhood Schwinn... What a wonderful memory of freedom we get from a scooter.

Ooh. Lets see the blade?

[homie]

What a wonderful feeling of freedom we get from memorial day is what I should have said... Church was GREAT today

Ooh. Lets see the blade?

Do you really want me to jack the brothers excellent thread with a video of my homie's blacksmith skills? It's the first of two survival / skinning blades he designed for me. Custom detail you just can't buy over the counter. I will post in 'something completely different'

[Carl]

Nice one. Congratulations!

My 2016 is on 13,000 miles as as far as I know never had a valve check. Don't mess around getting one done unless there is a problem. Mine is serviced every 6 weeks or so by a Honda main dealer.

Check out my blog.

http://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5725

Enjoy your new ride.

[Jge64]

What is it that you service every six weeks?

[Carl]

What is it that you service every six weeks?

A 2016 125 PCX. I've done 13,000 miles since 1/03/16. I think that works out at a 2500 mile service every 6-8 weeks.

[PCX150Rider]

Homie - sounds like some kind of incredible camping knife. . .check out the true story movie "127 Hours" some time. Talk about survival.

YouYou - now that's a knife.

Carl - thanks, saw your snow covered PCX on the other thread.

Speaking of other threads one of the other posters was having oil dripping problems with his 2017 PCX under the final drive area. He's supposed to have a dealer check it. I looked at mine. . .and with about 80 miles on it now there's no dripping.

About the horn, as absurd as it may sound I think I've got a method to my madness. As I pass my thumb up past the turn signal button I can feel the raised portion of the horn button on the left hand side (even with gloves on) that sticks out just above the switch cover. On the right hand side it's more flush and hard to tell. When I'm there I can nail it. It is a large button but for some reason it seems elusive when I'm in a hurry to use it. The horn buttons on my '95 Civic EX on the steering wheel are like that as well.

One last thing. I checked the oil level and it was OK. First I checked it cold and it seemed only half full. Then I checked IAW the manual and let it warm up for about 4 minutes and then cool down a couple of minutes and sure enough it showed full (only placing the dip stick in the hole. . .not screwing it in). Also it's hard to see the coolant level or CBS fluid level in new clean reservoirs. . .even using a flashlight.

Sending a Memorial Day salute to all those who served their country . . .THANK YOU!.