The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

you you wrote:Is it really that important?

Are you important?

Yep same here, low two fingers, nod or.....nada.
Then there's always the rowdy towner's breakfast biker bunch! I just couldn't resist

It's been a mixed bag around here (Chattanooga area). At first, it was pretty cool to get the low two finger wave (does anyone else think that could sound dirty?), but the first guy that did it probably think I was stuck up since it took me by surprise and I didn't react quickly enough. So for a while, I watched for other bikes and try to mirror what's thrown at me. I'm also of the belief that some don't realize I'm on a scooter as they approach, but whatever. :-) I've now pretty much settled into the pattern of nodding at every bike that passes by. If they choose to reciprocate, then cool. If not... no biggie.

I just ride and smile. I couldn't give a rats A$$ who acknowledges me or not when I'm riding as long as no one runs me over. Most bikers laugh in a parking lot when they realize what it is, and dismiss it with a chuckle and head-shake, but will give me a nod or some "cool" hand gesture on the road as long as they don't know its a scooter. So screw'm. I love this this thing!

The contrasting experience is pretty interesting to me.

Back on the PCX, it's rare for anyone to make any kind of acknowledgement to me. Might be a once a week occurrence. But just today I started riding on my CB300F and pretty much anyone who rode in the opposite lane made some kind of a waving gesture to me, which I might awkwardly try to return as I'm still a little twitchy about letting go of my clutch in fear of killing my engine.

In Spain, not a nod or a wave, ever! I nod to car drivers if I am letting them in or turn but that is it. Nada on the hola folks. I think it is all a bit too machismo here for bikers yet everyone double kisses on meeting everywhere else, men, women, kids, etc. Maybe I should try air kissing other riders :-)

Valiant wrote:I'm still a little twitchy about letting go of my clutch in fear of killing my engine.

Only touch the clutch whaen you use it to change gear, do not rest your fingers on it and do not sit holding it in at traffic lights etc, always select neutral.

The shift to neutral has been kicking my ass. Every time I try to stick it there, I'm either in 1st or 2nd. Damned leg is also sore where the screws went in <_<

I've also found that not depressing the clutch all the way tends to kill the engine if I'm stopped.

The MSF course also drilled into my head that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is the clutch.

Old trick from my Ducati days: select neutral while still moving as you roll to a stop.
I had a Pantah 500 mk1 which simply would not select neutral with the engine running while stationary.

Actually, I generally find it easier to get to neutral by giving the shifter a small tap from 2nd like tapping your feet to a tune. Getting it into neutral from 1st is fairly difficult, as trying to use light to medium pressure gets me nowhere, while a hard shove up will pop it into 2nd.


Back on topic though, it is pretty funny how you get snubbed riding a PCX, but once your butt is on a motorcycle, you get to be part of the cool kids club. I'm waiting in eager anticipation for people I don't know to pull up and have a chat with me.

It should loosen up a bit with use.
Nice little bike, unfortunately not sold here, only the faired version.

Both Great tips and advice from gn2 on use of clutch

Anyway, these days it's not really a nod. More of a cock.

Mister Paul wrote:Anyway, these days it's not really a nod. More of a cock.

Let's have a competition for best post ever. I nominate this one

I throw the peace sign down to the side if I initiate the greeting, the two finger acknowledgement if I'm replying, and the nod if my hands and eyes are busy on the road. This is after I did a raised hand wave, and looked it up and saw only noobies like me do that! Xb

Pity there isn't a more universal guidebook to these hand signs. Had a guy point his hand to the road and wasn't sure if he was trying to indicate a hazard to me or something.

Valiant wrote:Pity there isn't a more universal guidebook to these hand signs. Had a guy point his hand to the road and wasn't sure if he was trying to indicate a hazard to me or something.

A guide book?

Live love learn enjoy n ride what cha like Wave, nod, 2fer fingers away. All in fun, n fun for all. No acknowledgement? Frig'em!
Here's some biker to biker sign/talk: Cool Dude!
http://www.viewfromthecloud.com/2006/08 ... s.html?m=1

How about this one

WhiteNoise wrote:Both Great tips and advice from gn2 on use of clutch

Reasonable people can differ. I usually don't put the bike into neutral at stops unless both hands are needed for some quick task. Keeping it in first gear allows you to quickly move the bike in case a distracted driver doesn't see you stopped (eye on mirrors until vehicle behind you fully stops) or you need to get out of the way of some other mayhem. More distracted drivers = more need to do this nowadays.

Regarding getting into neutral, you'll quickly figure out how your bike likes to be shifted. As already mentioned, shifting into neutral as you're rolling works, as does experimenting shifting either up from first or down from second. You can also slightly let out the clutch, rolling forward a smidgen, and then re-engage the clutch. Sometimes that's enough to move transmission "stuff" into better alignment.