New Member/Rider in Santa Cruz, CA

[PaCoX]

I was looking for a commuter scooter for work (~9-12 miles roundtrip depending on the route, no highway) and this forum was very beneficial in helping me decide on a 2017 Honda PCX 150 in Pearl White. I've had it for a month, and I absolutely love it! The only change I've made, so far, has been replacing the stock windscreen with the National Cycle medium windscreen (N50002). I can already see myself wanting a little more "get up and go" off the line, so some NCY parts may be in my near future.

Happy to be a part of the PCX community!

Time to scoot to work,
Ed Paco

20170802_164534.jpg (253.84 KiB) Viewed 1085 times

[kramnala58]

Welcome. Glad that we could help in the purchasing decision process. They are a fun little scooter, aren't they?

To help us help you better in future posts, could you be so kind as to add your location as a part of your profile? You can access it through the 'User Control Panel' button on the top left of the screen. Thanks!

[homie]

Hey Ed, she's perfectly beautiful! Welcome to the board

Don't let that dangling key pit up the ignition area. Sorry can't help myself

I assume Honda put the (F.I.) fuel injection sticker on the upper front?
There is a Honda Prestige Badge some of us like to add to the lower front that can be found online and was once placed by Honda. He's a link and picture of it if you want them.

HONDA STICKER FI PGM-FI
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-STICKER-F ... aA&vxp=mtr

PCX PRESTIGE X2 FRONT EMBLEM BADGE RED/CHROME
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCX-PRESTIGE-X2 ... QR&vxp=mtr

[PCX150Rider]

Same color and year PCX as mine. Welcome to the forum!

How do you like the National Cycle wind screen so far?

[djbass]

PaCoX, welcome!
Somehow there is a contradiction between requests of trips of 9-12 miles without trails and a high windshield

[Mel46]

Hey, it looks nice. Don't worry about what anyone says about the windshield. It just looks nice. That is all you need to hear.
Also, if you just want to get better bottom end, just change your rollers to 13 gram. They are cheap, and quite easy to change. I bought the NCY rollers because I bought the whole package, including the NCY variator AND drive face. Make sure you buy them specifically for the pcx, but you can get either rollers or sliders. Sliders work better but will not work with the NCY variator.

[PaCoX]

Welcome. Glad that we could help in the purchasing decision process. They are a fun little scooter, aren't they?

To help us help you better in future posts, could you be so kind as to add your location as a part of your profile? You can access it through the 'User Control Panel' button on the top left of the screen. Thanks!

As a life-long "cager," I'm surprised how quickly I got used to riding in traffic. But I'm definitely more hyper aware of my surroundings as I've noticed cars tend to tailgate without regard or oncoming traffic will make a lefthand turn in front of me even though I'm quite close.

I added my location and profile pic. Thanks for the heads up.

[PaCoX]

Hey Ed, she's perfectly beautiful! Welcome to the board

Don't let that dangling key pit up the ignition area. Sorry can't help myself

I assume Honda put the (F.I.) fuel injection sticker on the upper front?
There is a Honda Prestige Badge some of us like to add to the lower front that can be found online and was once placed by Honda. He's a link and picture of it if you want them.

HONDA STICKER FI PGM-FI
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-STICKER-F ... aA&vxp=mtr

PCX PRESTIGE X2 FRONT EMBLEM BADGE RED/CHROME
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCX-PRESTIGE-X2 ... QR&vxp=mtr

Homie, how do you handle the dangling keys situation short of only having only the PCX key?

My PCX did not come with an F.I. sticker, but I'll check out the sticker and Prestige badge. I've admired your PCX from afar.

[PaCoX]

Same color and year PCX as mine. Welcome to the forum!

How do you like the National Cycle wind screen so far?

The windscreen has taken the buffeting off my chest (it can get windy along the coast) . Now I feel the wind primarily around my neck and shoulders, just enough to keep me cool. As djbass pointed out, the windscreen is a little much for the work commute, but I plan on taking longer tours and darn it I just wanted that windscreen.

[PaCoX]

Hey, it looks nice. Don't worry about what anyone says about the windshield. It just looks nice. That is all you need to hear.
Also, if you just want to get better bottom end, just change your rollers to 13 gram. They are cheap, and quite easy to change. I bought the NCY rollers because I bought the whole package, including the NCY variator AND drive face. Make sure you buy them specifically for the pcx, but you can get either rollers or sliders. Sliders work better but will not work with the NCY variator.

Thanks, Mel46, I appreciate that. I know being a member of such a great crowd includes some good ol' fashion ribbing once in awhile (and I knew ahead of time that windscreens get their fair share of yucks), and I love to give as good as I get.

I thought about just changing to lighter rollers, but I'll probably end up going for the whole kit. Would it matter if I stuck with the stock drive belt after making the NCY mods?

[TheMaverick]

As a life-long "cager," I'm surprised how quickly I got used to riding in traffic. But I'm definitely more hyper aware of my surroundings as I've noticed cars tend to tailgate without regard or oncoming traffic will make a lefthand turn in front of me even though I'm quite close.

There are a lot of safety hints and tips when riding a motorcycle. There's a dude Kevin Morris (licensed motorcycle instructor) runs a great YouTube channel called MC Rider that every biker should checkout.

https://www.youtube.com/user/kevinmorris22

This is a good one to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnY8HnSHans

I run a bad facebook motorcycle tips and tricks to stay alive page too: https://www.facebook.com/MotorcycleTips ... StayAlive/

Hope this helps.

[PaCoX]

As a life-long "cager," I'm surprised how quickly I got used to riding in traffic. But I'm definitely more hyper aware of my surroundings as I've noticed cars tend to tailgate without regard or oncoming traffic will make a lefthand turn in front of me even though I'm quite close.

There are a lot of safety hints and tips when riding a motorcycle. There's a dude Kevin Morris (licensed motorcycle instructor) runs a great YouTube channel called MC Rider that every biker should checkout.

https://www.youtube.com/user/kevinmorris22

This is a good one to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnY8HnSHans

I run a bad facebook motorcycle tips and tricks to stay alive page too: https://www.facebook.com/MotorcycleTips ... StayAlive/

Hope this helps.

Thanks, I'll check them out. I'm also signed up for my local California Motorcyclist Safety Program in late August that will not only make me exempt from the DMV driving test but will also lower my insurance.

[homie]

Homie, how do you handle the dangling keys situation short of only having only the PCX key?
My PCX did not come with an F.I. sticker, but I'll check out the sticker and Prestige badge.

Sorry that F.I. soft gel was for idle stop... you wouldn't have idle stop. Here is the last known F.I. decal turning up on PCX from Honda. It has only been blue so far. Um now I'm wondering Oh who knows.

I have no answer for extra key protection. My bike keys stand alone until someone figures that out I guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-FI-PGM- ... rkt%3D1%26

[Smaug]

Welcome Ed. I wish I lived out in Santa Cruz. You can ride and commute all year out there. Many of us have to hang up our helmets after November.

Nice looking scooter you've got there.

Have you had it up in the twisties in Malibu yet? Highly recommended. I haven't had a scooter up there yet, but I flew out and rented a KLR to do it one year. Your lane splitting law made the ride home to my sister's in Burbank in rush hour almost painless.

[TheMaverick]

Thanks, I'll check them out. I'm also signed up for my local California Motorcyclist Safety Program in late August that will not only make me exempt from the DMV driving test but will also lower my insurance.

Great stuff - with the chances of dying on a bike being some 30 times what it is in a car, I think we all need to tip the odds in our favour as much as we can.

[you you]

Homie, how do you handle the dangling keys situation short of only having only the PCX key?
My PCX did not come with an F.I. sticker, but I'll check out the sticker and Prestige badge.

Sorry that F.I. soft gel was for idle stop... you wouldn't have idle stop. Here is the last known F.I. decal turning up on PCX from Honda. It has only been blue so far. Um now I'm wondering Oh who knows.

I have no answer for extra key protection. My bike keys stand alone until someone figures that out I guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-FI-PGM- ... rkt%3D1%26

I've been a one key only person all my life too. I'd also never buy a bike with a key eroded top yoke. Shows the owner doesn't care too much for it.

[PaCoX]

Welcome Ed. I wish I lived out in Santa Cruz. You can ride and commute all year out there. Many of us have to hang up our helmets after November.

Nice looking scooter you've got there.

Have you had it up in the twisties in Malibu yet? Highly recommended. I haven't had a scooter up there yet, but I flew out and rented a KLR to do it one year. Your lane splitting law made the ride home to my sister's in Burbank in rush hour almost painless.

Thanks, Smaug. There's a "mountain range" that separates us coastal folks from those inland, and every weekend you can see and hear the sportbikes tearing through. I haven't tested the PCX's torque on any significant climbs and I have yet to push beyond 50mph. Technically, I can't get on the highway until I get my M1 license, but with the stock PCX possibly topping out at 64mph, I'm a little reluctant to get on there anyway.

[Mel46]

On the matter of stock belt vs reinforced belt when you change out the variator, a stock belt will do fine. It may need changing sooner than the reinforced one but otherwise it should be fine. If your belt has less than 3,000 miles on it when you change to NCY you should not have to worry about changing it when you do the mod. However, with more wear than that on the belt you may not get all of the performance that you expected, since belts are the one factor that will have you losing power as it ages.

[TheMaverick]

On the matter of stock belt vs reinforced belt when you change out the variator, a stock belt will do fine.

For what it's worth, I'm still on my original stock belt coming up on 32,000km.

[Mel46]

Wow! I do believe that Honda has a recommendation to change the belt more often than 32,000km.