Another new PCX owner

[NMpdx13]

Hi everyone!

I just put $300 down payment to hold a 2015 PCX-150 (Black) over at Beaverton Motorcycles (Tigard, Oregon) and I should be picking it up next Saturday! It'll be my first time riding a scooter/motorcycle, other than the Team Oregon class I took back in August. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time!

I managed to get an awesome deal ($3,935 total including all fees and DMV). I know it's not really riding weather right now, but I can't wait to ride it home, and at least ride it around the block a few times (I live in Aloha, Oregon in case others here are in the Portland Metro area).

I'm a total newbie when it comes to owning a scooter or any kind of vehicle for that matter, so any tips or advice would be most welcome. I can post pictures when I go pick it up and bring it home on Saturday (provided it's not pouring rain next weekend like it was today!).

-Noell

[gn2]

Hi Noell

Best advice I can give you is to get some more training, particularly regarding hazard perception and collision avoidance.

[Steph]

Wear Hi-Viz like me!

[Mel46]

All of the above, and practice, practice, practice. Go to an empty parking lot and practice slow turns, emergency stops, and quick turns for evasive action. Even I have been caught by surprise at how quickly you can turn this little beast, so balance becomes very important when you have to turn quickly. Imagine yourself riding behind a fellow rider who suddenly turns off of the street and into a narrow alley. Be able to do this.

[SECoda]

What a beautiful area to ride (but challenging). Columbia river and Mt Hood. Been there a long time ago. A few bears too.

[WhiteNoise]

Hi Noell and Welcome to our forum(s). Nice deal on the PCX. I understand the waiting could make you excited and nervous, it goes hand in hand sometimes We're all kids when it comes to getting a motor bike, especially your very first! Are you kidding! I was sooo hyper! Happens to me every time!

Okay, okay....But I do have a few concerns and I have some questions:

How far away is the dealer from you? Are those roads busy & congested with cars? At what speed would you have to ride to get it home (or wherever?)
I'm not familiar with the "Team Orange Class" (you took back in August). Is that a Motorcycle Safety Class/Course? Lastly, would your dealer be willing to Deliver Your Very New Handsome Black PCX to you? (Not riding it, but by using his trailer?) Would you mind him/her doing that?

If you do ride it home, please wear proper riding clothes, especially a helmet. I like others here, no matter how experienced, wear gear All The Time. We'd rather Be Safe not Sorry

I'm Super Happy for you!! Saturday will be a day that You Will Never Forget! Let the Good Times Roll!

[WhiteNoise]

Oh yeah! We Love Photos!! (hint, hint)

[Fizzy Rascal]

Welcome.

[fish]

Welcome.
I had my first scooter delivered.....and think ALL scooters should be delivered.
Most dealers do not permit test rides ...so your first ride on that new scooter is off the dealer's lot and into probably heavy traffic....unless he's built his firm in the sticks.
If a scoot is delivered to your residence, you can get familiar with it in a comfortable setting. Launching out into traffic on a totally unfamiliar ride is risky.
Fish

[WhiteNoise]

This was WhiteNoise's Ride Home ("My house...is a very, very, very fine house" (With NO kids in the yard...."
Scoot is All mine, all Mine, I say!)

[kcpcx]

Welcome. I like the white. It's the only color that's almost as attractive as the red. (lol)

[NMpdx13]

Thanks for all the great advice so far! I'm not sure if the dealer delivers, they didn't offer that to me. But I've sent an email to the guy that I am working with there and asking if they have delivery available.

The dealer is about 7 miles away from my apartment, an 18 minute ride, WITHOUT going onto a freeway/highway. I think it ranges from 35 mph-45 mph streets. I would be ok, I think, if I just ride it around a bit in their parking lot, there's also an Office Depot next to the place, I could ride around the parking lot there, then head home.

This is Team Oregon: http://team-oregon.org/ It's a motorcycle safety course, and it's the only approved motorcycle safety program in Oregon. Oregon requires everyone at any age to pass a motorcycle safety course in order to get your endorsement now, this is a new law as of January 1, 2015. Last year it was everyone under the age of 61. The year previous was 51, and so on.

[OldGuy]

Ride it like you are invisible to other traffic. bikers will see you, but many auto drivers will not, especially at night or at dusk or dawn. Car drivers look for two headlights coming before pulling out from a side street, you only have one. It might be better now, but I first started riding over 40 years ago, and that was my main trouble, cars pulling out in front of me, either not seeing me or not seeing how fast I was coming. Once you get used to it, and stay out of cars blind spots, you can enjoy being out in the open. Good luck, and enjoy!

[fish]

After reading your last post - I think you'll do just fine.
Sounds like you've got your head on 4-square.
My 2 cents on Hi Viz riding gear: A lot of newish riders seem to want the 'tough' all-black look for the helmet and jacket color.
Some of these same riders come to regret that decision - and go back and re-purchase some Hi Viz gear because they decide it is not so much fun going through traffic in a hard-to-see 'stealth' mode.
Fish

[homie]

You will want some good wet weather riding gear Beautiful state but if I recall it rains, rains and then rains some more. I don't think the streets ever really dry.

[sharpei]

всем привет я новенький из России

[SECoda]

Welcome! I am not sure there are many Russian speaking owners on the forum.

Dobro pozhalovat '! YA ne uveren, chto yest 'mnogiye rossiyskiye vladel'tsy, vystupaya na forume.

[Beachboy]

My 2015 PCX costs $2500 here in Thailand. However, a decent bottle of wine costs $18. We drink a lot of chateau de cardboard, so there are tradeoffs in life.

I was thinking about new riders the other day. New riders dump their bikes within the first month. Most of the time it comes from trying to steer the around the bike around a corner at too much speed. You've got to lean to steer and you do that with countersteering. Take a look on YouTube to see how to do this. Slightly pull left to lean right. Pull right to lean left.

It rains a lot certain times of the year here. A poncho works for me and honestly I drive when it's raining.

By the way I average 110 MPG. Have fun.

[Mel46]

A black pcx looks nice, but it might be beneficial if your clothing contrasts it, so wear bright clothing. When i had my Suzuki Burgman 400 it was gray and silver, so i added some reflective tape, and bought some hi-viz gear. Much better. Now that i have my pcx, the hi-viz gear is even more important because it is much smaller than the Burgman. I have even added more lights to the bike. Anything to make me more vizable.

[NMpdx13]

Good news! They've offered to deliver the bike for free. I'm excited!

I definitely don't have any black clothing. They pounded in the "high-viz" clothing thing pretty well in the MSF classes (I actually took the classes 3 times, lol!).

Countersteering, yup, I knooooow all about that. I was so excited in the classes when I figured out how that all worked and how it felt, it made sense when I finally got it. I'm glad they're delivering the bike, so I can practice all that stuff again in quiet parking lots.

I'm sure someday I'll dump my bike, but I'll do all I can to prevent that.

Thanks for all the great advice so far!