Technical Brake issue Honda Pcx 125 2011

[Dutchrider]

Hi all,

I'm a Dutch pcx driver, got it for 2 years now. But since the beginning I have a weird sound when using the front brake. It sounds like a "click". When using the rear brake there's no issue at all.

Untill now I haven't found the answer. I am looking for an online Dutch forum. I found my way to this forum while using Google.

I made a short video of the problem:



https://youtu.be/DkwQSKbK0pI

Perhaps it is recognizable for someone here. Tips are very welcome!

Cheers!

[Mel46]

Are you sure that it is the brake and not the front fork assembly? When you hold the left brake lever it is combined braking, so the front brake is also initialized, just a different set of brake calipers, or pistons. Others know more about the brakes than I do but I do know that it the PCX uses Combined Braking.

[Dutchrider]

Are you sure that it is the brake and not the front fork assembly? When you hold the left brake lever it is combined braking, so the front brake is also initialized, just a different set of brake calipers, or pistons. Others know more about the brakes than I do but I do know that it the PCX uses Combined Braking.

Well, how hard I try to brake with the left brake lever, everything is just fine. The click sound just appears with the use of the right lever.

I just hope it's not something in the fork assembly.

[gn2]

The noise in the video could be head bearing out of adjustment or wear in the forks or just the forks bottoming out.
Highly unlikely to be brake related.

[Eiron]

It doesn't sound like a brake-related knock to me, either. I'm guessing you hear it only on the right/front brake because the bike dives into the front suspension with only the front brake initialized. Can you do the same front-end pumping with only the left brake held and still get the same knocking sound? How many miles/kilometers are on the bike?

[Dutchrider]

With only the left brake held there's no knocking sound at all. No mather how hard I try the same pumping with the left one, there's no knocking sound.

It only appears using the right lever.

It has 12000 km on it.

[Gil]

I also hear that knocking sound when coming to a stop and using the left brake lever. I adjusted the Combined brake mechanism, that's under the instrument panel, but the sound is still there. There have been other members of this forum that have been annoyed by the sound too and they didn't find it ether.

Gil

[easyrider]

Forks low on oil / defective seals.Replace or check forks.I agree with others not brake related.

[Nemesis]

I had on my PCX similar "klick" sound when I used only front brake and stopping to standstill. The problem was a loose steering bearing (image - parts nr. 3 and 11).
Grab the steering and the fork and try to move it forward/back while you have the bike on a center stand and someone siting on the rear seat (that way you should have a front wheel free in the air).

[Dragon_uk]

I had the same problem, but my PCX doesn't do it when stationary only when braking and front wheel goes into pothole or any unevenness in the road, but it is a massive knock and i can even feel it in my hands, changed parts 6, 9, 2 and 1, 4, 5 with brand new Honda ones and no change (if not for worse).
If I ride through the same potholes and crappy roads without braking its all fine so don;t know what else to do. I also suspect something wrong with front forks but I'm busy restoring 1972 Honda C90 and 1964 Honda C100 for spring so will look into PCX when got C90 done and ready to have fun on.

[homie]

I haven't seen your issue posted in here before. Please follow up on specifics when you sort this out for future references. SM in your PM if you need it.

[Dutchrider]

Thanks for all the quick answers!

Is it hard to change the steering bearing on the pcx? Because the frame is all packed in plastic... Do I have to remove all the front bodywork?

[tomtomclub2005]

on a V3 you have to remove half the scooter. Since you have a V1 i think you can get away with just removing the plastics on top around the glovebox.

[Dragon_uk]

I'm pretty sure you have to strip whole front as I've done it about 3 years back on V2 PCX and it was as much of a pain in the back side as on my V3 few months back.
But taking pastics off is easy when compare to changing race heads, if you just do bearings it should be easy.
Make sure you do it up tight and undo half a turn when putting back together.

[Nemesis]

Maybe you don´t have to replace the bearing (if that is the problem), maybe you just have to adjust/tighten it. In that case you only have to remove plastics above the tank. 1h job.

[Dutchrider]

Maybe you don´t have to replace the bearing (if that is the problem), maybe you just have to adjust/tighten it. In that case you only have to remove plastics above the tank. 1h job.

Well I am going to give it a try this weekend. Hoping not to damage any plastics.

[Dutchrider]

Update: issue has been solved! Thanks for the advice.

The problem was a loose head bearing. Removing the plastics was a lot easier then I thought.

I tightened the bearing a bit and the knocking sound was gone =)

[homie]

Update: issue has been solved! Thanks for the advice.

The problem was a loose head bearing. Removing the plastics was a lot easier then I thought.

I tightened the bearing a bit and the knocking sound was gone =)

That's great! Thank you for following up.
Now we know the rest of the story for any one else with the same issue.

Nemesis is on his way to becoming a whisperer

[Nemesis]

Glad that you have the problem solved.

However, don´t be suprized if the knock sound returns after a while - that bearing adjustment is really tricky. Too loose and you have the movement (knock) when the fork is under tension, and if it is too tight, well... steering is not so smooth and probably the bearing won´t last long.

My advice: rather too lose than too tight. Even if you have to repeat the adjustment twice. And finally one or two drops of the threadlocker will keep it just the way it should (in my case no problems for more than 2000 km)

[Dutchrider]

You were right, I was nog satisfied about the steering after adjusting. Removed the complete fork now.

One of balls of the top bearing was gone, ordered a new set of bearing en will replace them next weekend for the best result.