The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

There is some kind of corrosion to the back end of the Vario Cover of my 2013 PCX. Any ideas on what has caused it - plain old rainwater? Is it quite common? My bike has been garaged each night in the 5 years I have had it with annual short commuter mileage under 1000 miles. But it can be a tad rainy in the UK, at times.

I have a mind to replace it (11341-KWN-780) as long as I can take steps to avoid it happening again in the future. Is it simply a matter of replacing the old silver part of the Vario Cover with a new one. Just add a new gasket, maybe?

Something you pick up on your normal route?

Here’s what I would do:
Replace part and gasket
Tape the rear off and put 3 coats of clear plastidip on, instead of paint protection film.

Jge64 wrote:Something you pick up on your normal route?

Here’s what I would do:
Replace part and gasket
Tape the rear off and put 3 coats of clear plastidip on, instead of paint protection film.

OK. Thanks for your comments.
From what I can see online and in the PCX manual, it just a matter of removing the screws...? The black left section I guess just swaps over onto the new silver cover? Does the replacement gasket go on dry or with a bit of oil or grease?

Hi,
Its probably from a stone chip from another vehicle passing by, if you ride on our crappy salt roads in the winter it wont take long for the salt to react with the ally. If you catch it early you can get away with cleaning and repainting but I bet if you take the paint off first it might have eaten into the metal and scarred it. I would say in most countries the part is cheap but here in the UK it most likely isn't.
Take it off or remove the loose paint first and see how bad it is underneath then decide on paint or replace and remember ACF50 is your best friend, its the first thing i did on mine and all the other bikes I've owned.

Salt roads. Well, living by the sea, I guess that would do it. From the look of things it would probably be more sensible to replace the vario cover and be more vigilant in future. Because of the location I didn’t notice it that much.
ACF50 is a new one on me, or it was ‘til I looked it up, but then again many things are!
You just spray on liberally? Does it work on skin...keep me looking young?

Spray on a microfiber cloth or use a small brush, cover everything except your brake disc and pads, i get on my back and do all the visible framework too, little goes a long way, cant comment on skin

Thanks, Mark. I'll get me some of that, then.

It’s because you hardly use the bike and when you do you put it away wet into a damp garage. Throw in a bit of salt and Bob is your uncle.

You know I’m not being literal about Bob being your uncle don’t you?

you you wrote:It’s because you hardly use the bike and when you do you put it away wet into a damp garage. Throw in a bit of salt and Bob is your uncle.

You know I’m not being literal about Bob being your uncle don’t you?

Of course. No Uncle Bob’s in my family. Played cricket with a Bob, once, though.

Mark2260 wrote:Spray on a microfiber cloth or use a small brush, cover everything except your brake disc and pads, i get on my back and do all the visible framework too, little goes a long way, cant comment on skin

Wear gloves, its horrible stuff to get on your skin.

Get the cover off, buff it down and paint.
To stop recurrence, clean it with an oily rag rather than soap and water.

gn2 wrote:Get the cover off, buff it down and paint.
To stop recurrence, clean it with an oily rag rather than soap and water.

Thanks for the heads up about using gloves.
So you think the cover could be salvaged? Clearly I haven’t done any more than look at it but it does look kind of bubbly.
Will I need a new gasket or can I re-use the old one? Does the gasket go on dry, or with a bit of grease or oil?

aphid wrote:

gn2 wrote:Get the cover off, buff it down and paint.
To stop recurrence, clean it with an oily rag rather than soap and water.

Thanks for the heads up about using gloves.
So you think the cover could be salvaged? Clearly I haven’t done any more than look at it but it does look kind of bubbly.
Will I need a new gasket or can I re-use the old one? Does the gasket go on dry, or with a bit of grease or oil?

It doesn’t need salvaging, it’s only cosmetic. Just ignore it. It’ll outlast the cockroach

We have similar problems with salt air and blowing sand here in the Western part of San Francisco. Some folks will have the part media blasted and then powder coated. Don't know if it would be worth the money, but it works.

aphid wrote:So you think the cover could be salvaged? Clearly I haven’t done any more than look at it but it does look kind of bubbly.
Will I need a new gasket or can I re-use the old one? Does the gasket go on dry, or with a bit of grease or oil?

Very definitely can be sorted its just cosmetic.
Gasket can be re-used, just take cover off, paint and put back on.
There are locating dowels, I put a skim of copper grease on these and around the mating face of the cover.
Never bothered changing the gasket, never had a problem.

HondaC110 wrote:We have similar problems with salt air and blowing sand here in the Western part of San Francisco. Some folks will have the part media blasted and then powder coated. Don't know if it would be worth the money, but it works.

That’s good to hear. As you say, I think the cost of powder coating would be prohibitive. I can get a new vario cover and gasket for £54.99 delivered. True I may, probably will, hit the import tax and duty radar but not bad.

gn2 wrote:

aphid wrote:So you think the cover could be salvaged? Clearly I haven’t done any more than look at it but it does look kind of bubbly.
Will I need a new gasket or can I re-use the old one? Does the gasket go on dry, or with a bit of grease or oil?

Very definitely can be sorted its just cosmetic.
Gasket can be re-used, just take cover off, paint and put back on.
There are locating dowels, I put a skim of copper grease on these and around the mating face of the cover.
Never bothered changing the gasket, never had a problem.

Thanks for the encouragement. Seems worth a go especially if I can reuse the gasket, and I have some copper grease, too.
Just rub off the old crumbly paint with sandpaper? What spray paint do you suggest? Primer?

I say it's time to dress up the PCx, these plastic parts aint expensive.

What's the difference between the original and the plastic...other than the vario cover material?

^^probably just the look.