Brand-new rider and PCX Owner

[Bash On!]

My daughter (Miss Bash, aka Kyra) passed her MSF (Motorcycle Safety Course) this weekend! She got a better score on the test than I did taking the MSF course for the second time a few years back.

The training program messed up and didn't have the promised scooter for the training so she took the course on the PCX. Probably good in the end as they use 50cc scooters and she needed to get used to the larger PCX.

Here she is after our first ride together (me on Silver Wing):

kbike.jpg (165.3 KiB) Viewed 2072 times

[homie]

That's nice! she looks very happy about that first ride.

[kramnala58]

Congrats Miss Bash

Must be fun times for you Mr Bash, building memories with your daughter.

Interesting map in the background. Tell us about it. How many days can I ride in NY?

[Mel46]

Congrats to her. I am glad that she listened and took the course. It will help her quite a lot. However, I am not sure that she would be well served riding in tight jeans. I know that I move around a lot while riding because my jeans start binding after a while and become uncomfortable. I also know that when I had my accident the jeans were shredded but I was OK, aside from some bruises. I can't imagine how it would have turned out if the jeans had been tight.

[Bash On!]

Thanks, Gents, for the well wishes to Miss Bash.

@Mel46: Good point. Talked with Miss Bash about pants. "But, Dad, no teen girl has anything but tight jeans." We agreed on kevlar jeans and/or riding overpants. Frankly, it's always a tradeoff, of course. She is about 1.5 miles from school on 25 mph roads.

@kramnala58: The poster is an Aerostich giveaway that lists the number of days in a year at each location where the average high/low temperature never goes above 85 degrees or below 25 degrees. Buffalo rates 286 days, while Dallas is only 248. San Francisco is good 365 days a year, which I can attest to having gone to school in nearby Monterey, though foggy days are not uncommon there.

[Mel46]

Riding over pants are a good choice. Riding to school for such a short distance still has its dangers, but the biggest advantage of getting use to wear8ng over pants is that she will eventually be riding beyond that 1.5 mile limit, as she goes where her friends go and rides further away from the comfort zone at higher speeds. The PCX is an ideal bike for teens. It doesn't look so much like a scooter as say a Vespa does, and you can add bling and more comforts, such as a custom seat and a taller windshield, and a tailbox for books, though she will probably also have a backpack for school.

[axeltow]

Nice! Congrats. I would love to hear more about that BMW too

What about jacket? Is she going to get one?

Ahh...365...that would be lovely. It's raining atm here but I've decided that a 6 month scooter period is not enough for me.

[kramnala58]

..... I would love to hear more about that BMW too .....

Me too!

[flyingzonker]

Good for her.

May she learn the importance of covering knees, ankles, elbows, head, etc., the easy way.

[GeorgeSK]

They are some pretty stlyin' jackets out there - it should not be a tough sell. My jacket fits under the seat just fine when it is too warm to bring it into work. When I do bring it in, I get a fair number of (positive) comments.

Overpants do seem the better choice - she cannot be hanging around ALL day "unfashionable", although for a mile and a half ride, fully suiting up would be a tough sell to me after a while.

[Bash On!]

Thanks, all. Yes, Miss Bash has an armored jacket, armored gloves and a full-face helmet. She also agreed to overpants. However, as GeorgeSK points out, the pants might be a tough sell for such a short ride after a while--it'll take her longer to suit up and un-suit than it will to ride to school at some point.

A couple of you asked about the BMW. I bought the '71 R75/5 a couple years ago from the original owner (though it had been used by different family members). I paid too much for it but it was the model I wanted, and the price for these /5s is increasing so it'll will be a good deal eventually. With the low "Euro" bars it fits me just right and each time I ride it, I'm amazed how a 46-yo bike (made 10/70) can ride so well.

Here it is (paint is pearl white, lighting makes it look a little yellow):

r75.jpg (199.86 KiB) Viewed 1930 times

[Daguang]

Congrats！Congrats！

[homie]

That was the most bizarre engine design ever made. A strange bird indeed, somebody dig up a 360 video and drive by so people can appreciate the twin cylinder position. I have never seen one in person.

[kramnala58]

That is real sweet looking. Regardless of the price, you got what you wanted. Great perspective.

[BobS]

Homie - the flat twin engine across the frame was first put in a motorcycle in England 100 years ago. Lots of different manufacturers, including Harley Davidson, made models with that engine layout. Surprised that you have never seen one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_twin_engine

But then again, I never really noticed PCXs on the road until I got one.

[homie]

I just came off the story of Harley and all the way up to the magnificent knuckle head twin there was no flat one The only advantage I see to that is easy spark plug replacement, wasn't going into a turn too low either LOL.

[Mel46]

I can remember the first BMW bike I saw, way back in 1965. I was out on my Harleysville 8n West Texas. No one on the road but me and a trucker who was way up ahead. All of a sudden this thing comes flying past me. I was doing 80, so he must have been pushing 100mph. I cranked my Harleysville Sportswriter up to 135 and the race was on. I was reclined and I could not catch him. He finally pulled into a gas station and we talked bikes for about an hour. I had never seen the piston layout like that. He said that BMW had perfected it and that was their special identifier. He was going across country on his after a long tour in Vietnam. My brother took that same trip on a big Honda. It was a way for vets to clear their heads.

[Mel46]

I HATE autocorrect!!! Where do you get Harleysville from Harley Davidson ??!! It was a Harley Sportster.
I was behind him all the time. Never could catch him till he stopped.

[chicaboo]

It's just half of a VW flat four layout, which you've all seen in Beetles and Combi vans for decades.

[homie]

I HATE autocorrect!!! Where do you get Harleysville from Harley Davidson ??!! It was a Harley Sportster.

I think Harley made the "Harleyville" before he would have drafted up a twin like that ROFL