The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Great website! I have read a lot of the posts. I am seriously considering picking up a PCX. Currently have my eye on a 125. Other then the obvious, such as top speed, etc. My biggest concern is the center stand problem associated with the 125's. Would this signicantly influence most of you? Should I hold out for a good deal on a PCX 150?
Thanks!

We have a 150. A friend of ours has a 125. The pick up on the 150 is better than the 125. However, he is about to do some mods to it which should increase his power to that of our 150. He took his center stand off so that he wouldn't have that known problem. We use our center stand all the time, including fill ups, so to us it is important. Other than that, the bikes are the same. Most of the parts are interchangeable. We have the following parts on ours that were advertised for a 125: custom seat, tall Givi windscreen, Givi tailbox, new rear tire (Michelin City Grip). If top end and take off are not important, the 125 should do the job. However, if you want those in the future you will have to go to the after market sites and purchase the parts to make it faster. It all will depend on what you plan on doing with your scooter. There are good deals on both out there now.

There are two models of 125, the original launch one and the updated eSP one.
The 150 is also eSP.
Only the original suffers from centrestand issues.
To know which is what look at the airbox. If it doesn't have eSP on it, walk away.

I have a 125 and would lean toward the 150 if I had a "do over", simply for the power. I don't have the ESP and the center stand was important to me ... that is until I learned of the problem. I rarely use it now and may even take it off in case someone else decides that they want to use it and it is the proverbial straw that break the camels back ... or the PCX's block.

depends on where you are in the world

over here in the uk we dont get the 150cc

but the americans dont get the 125cc i dont think

125cc seems to be a europe licence thing

andyscooter wrote:125cc seems to be a europe licence thing

So is 150cc.
in Italy (centre of the scooter universe) you need a full licence for anything over 150cc

If I have done my research correctly, ESP became available in 2012 on the 125. I'm looking at a 2011 model year 125. I suppose I could get accustomed to using side stand only while out riding, in the absence of center stand, I could use some sort of wheel chock or stand, etc. at home for service/ repairs and longterm storage to hold bike in up right position?

The early 125's do have a centre stand. Some people have had problems with the stand lugs cracking or breaking off though. The lugs have been beefed up on the later esp. models. As long as you check them for cracking etc before buying one and the stand is free and well greased then there shouldn't be any problems. It think also that if some people sit in the scooter on the centre stand this may create excess strain on the lugs as well causing premature failure.

It's easy to remove the stand and grease it, with the return springs being the hardest part to refit.

Here's gn2's "how to" grease yer pin (a lot of miles on that thar bike!)
http://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1344

So, in short, if you can deal with the center stand problem then the choice is yours. I like the 150 because it has that extra power that is sometimes needed. Still, your choice should depend on what you will be using it for, including if you plan on doing any traveling on the freeway at all, which might require a little more power than a standard 125 can provide. But then there are mods that can be done to help in that area, if you have the ability to do the mods.