The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Pcxdemon wrote:

k2apache6.0 wrote:

Pcxdemon wrote:I like the stretch kit. I've been wanting to stretch mine for a very long time now but I've been busy with engine tuning...

That might or might not happen toward the end of the year, nonetheless I enjoy reading about it, do you have, or will you be doing a thread on yours, I've been following Chicaboos experimentations with interest.

Yea, I have one somewhere with over 15 000 000 views and replies, haven't been there for a while though.

Actually you're quite famous around here, and yes I come across your threads before many times, glad to see your back again, the modders are my fave PCX'ers Hopefully you'll be active again with more great ideas. Welcome back! looking forward to your tuning/engine work and other stuff

More infamous than famous..

Well today I looked again the the adjustable bars and did a dry fit/mock up. For those that don't know, I bought an adjustable handlebar set from webike. Anyways, the thing that strikes you with these is how overbuilt they are, way overbuilt if you ask me. I disliked the PCX' bolt upright riding position, and feel that the problem with the seating position is party due to the stock set up pushing you back through lack of room, so what I intended to do was to get a lower bar say 1" lower and 1" further forward for a bit more space, and with the added benefit of putting a little more weight on the front wheel. So therin lies the issue, the adjustable bars are not perfect, they all assume you want higher bars. In the lowest position they are marginally lower say 3/8" but no much..The problem is they sit on the stock handlebar clamp lower portion, and are so overbuilt they tower above it and looked weird, something that doesn't show up in the marketing pics which show a somewhat overhead view. So what to do? 1st I modded the bars with some custom touches, the gold center nut is from a 2003 Yamaha RI caliper pot, the Banzai rising sun sticker covers the name badge 'bikers' in most markets, and I dovetailed a bar out the lower yoke for a clock thats not finished in the pic, see pic below then I will continue with further commentary...

So to continue on...
I wanted the bars to just clear the bodywork and just clear the screen, so after some calculations decided to cut down the stock lower handlebar clamps and the same with the plastic shroud that covers the mounting plate/yoke. I managed to get these down by about 3/4" by lopping them off with a hack saw (see pics) so now the whole setup will sit much closer to the top yoke instead of towering above it. I finished by filing the tops smooth and then drilling through the stock holes and tapping with M8 tap to regain thread lost in the 'lopping off' process so theres plent for the bolts to engage with. The clock dovetail was trimmed to length and the clock fitted and then the thing was dry fitted again for fit..Commentary continues after pic...

So to continue on, the dry fit was much better but by lopping down the clamps The tangs for the handlebar adjustment in the lowest position were now fouling the bodywork when the bars were turned. So off again to the vice and the hacksaw/file combo. Lopped off the height tangs about 3/4" and we have clearance again. So fitted the bars and made the adjustments. Now the throttle cable, the lowest part clears the bodywork by 1/4", and in regard to the forward placement angle position, I'm at about the same 1/4" clearance to the screen. Net result is approx 1" lower and 1 1/2" forward and looks much better with the whole setup closer to the top yoke cap, so a big success. Was going dark at end of job so no finished pic yet . Theres a couple of other things I'll be doing including uprated fork springs and front LED turn signals to match the rears the next few days but I'll have a pic tomorrow of the handlebar set up. Until then here's another one of the clamp 'lopping off' shenanigans. Stay posted...

I think I would just buy a flatter riser with less sweep angle that still clears the dash with brake levers and cables.
A black riser, black Forza collar and mounting blocks. Sounds like a good combo that can still mount accessories.
Good luck with modding this, I can't wait to see how it works out when you get some good light.

I did think about the easier route, but nah, go the whole Hog, to the bold the spoils.. When I put my mind to something it gets done despite the measuring, sawing, filing, drilling, tapping, extra work, whatever ..It's fun 'Guinea pigging' for the group, the both of us in various ways lol. Still you'll like it for sure, it really looks rad, and now with the modding completed they couldn't be lower or more forward, just clearing the bodywork at throttle cable metal loop, and forward at the screen just 1/4". Pic tomorrow.

Bit of a detour PCX'ers...
Thought while the front bodywork was off I'd finally get around to upgrading the HID lights with BMW X5 type projectors with 'light pipe' Halos. These are an 80mm assymetric, 10mm larger than the circular Gatling gun type previously installed, I can tell you it would be impossible to get anything larger in the PCX housing. I had to cut some recess pockets in the outer reflector to maintain the adjustment range but it's invisible from outside the lens. These projectors are car size minis so the performance shoud be even better than before, the Halos also come very close to the lens at the outer extremes too, but the end result despite being a PITA (splitting the shell again) was worth the effort. Hopefully I'll get it all done before work this weekend. Its been a busy week, but the handlebars, LED turn signals, and now the projector upgrades are completed and just need to put everything back together again, there goes Friday. Oh' and put in a new instrument panel cover on, the old one was just starting to show some sun related clouding after about 5 years. Will take some pics of the completed projects after the weekend
Left projector isn't cracked, just flash effect from the camera

Once again, wow!

So's been a while but some more modding, starting with the installed handlebars which as seen were modded to be as low and as far forward as possible. Some of the screen was cut away in the process, now the throttle cable barely clears the bodywork and at full turn the (clutch) and master cylinder perch just clear the screen. New mirrors are Magazi's, more on that later

The Magazis are the best I've tried yet but I didnt like the backs, so used a carbon backplate to dress the rears. Not so easy, the fake fasteners had to be drilled out, the mirror glasses removed then drilled and tapped for M5 stainless buttonhead fasteners. The other problem was that they stuck out about an inch too wide. So if you look at the pic below you'll see a small step in the stalks about an inch and a bit from where the mirror lens attaches. Ok, so what I did was cut about 5/8" out of the stalks then drilled and tapped both sides of the stalk for a M4 stud, the rest is just re-assembly making sure the 2 parts are aligned properly and fully tightened, voila much better look and about level with the bar ends. They look wider in the pic but it's just the camera angle.

Next up was a pair of NCY Front forks which ebay had a deal on $160 or thereabouts, so saved about $200 on em. The problem was they were orange, so dressed em up with 3M Dynock carbon vinyl, it breathes so no air bubbles, looks near perfect.

For you tire modding folks, the 100/80/14 was getting worn so bit the bullet and used the 120/70/14 I had in the cupboard, reversed the tread direction for rear fitment. About 320 miles on it without issue even at full tilt. Anyway here's how it looks, substantially bigger than the stocker without being so big as the bead pinching in too much, just about right and will suffice until Michelin makes a 120/70/14 rear for the 2019 model PCX then I'll get that one.

Finally BANZAI!
Japanese Banzai flags both sides, the 1st time I did this they faded fast in the sun, this time I clearcoated them before and it worked.

Heres a pic of the mirrors sand mods. Not a fan of the 'Tribal'/'edgy' backplates so used the carbon backs from my old ebay mirrors. The fasteners on these were also fake so had to be drilled out. As can be seen from the stalks after modding removed about 5/8" near the ends, changed the hinge bolts and backplate screws to stainless, and now they dont overhang the bar ends. For anyone interested they're the Magazi Viper model

k2apache6.0 wrote:Next up was a pair of NCY Front forks which ebay had a deal on $160 or thereabouts, so saved about $200 on em. The problem was they were orange, so dressed em up with 3M Dynock carbon vinyl, it breathes so no air bubbles, looks near perfect.

Can you review those ncy front forks? I need to do something about the OEM forks.

Fit and finish is excellent. Performance wise they are about even with a revalved PCX fork (stock with YSS fork valves) so damping is better especially at speed. However the spring rate is a bit soft. I'm going to install the YSS uprated springs from the other forks and that will be a winner. I tried the trusty fork bottoms 1st which looked amazing, but their omission of the top bushing ruined that affair, they'd blow seals and the stanchions would rub away at the interior removing aluminum thru friction as they moved.
So in my opinion
Worst: Stock fork (soft springs and poor damping)
Much improved: Stock fork with YSS uprated springs and YSS fork valves
Much improved: NCY forks with YSS uprated springs and looks great to boot.
So either the NCY's or stock with upgrades are about even, stock is a cheap fix but without the bling of the NCY's

Hey Apache. I'm not having any luck searching the forums for YSS fork valves. Are they hard to install? Are they available in North America? Thanks!

ScottDR wrote:Hey Apache. I'm not having any luck searching the forums for YSS fork valves. Are they hard to install? Are they available in North America? Thanks!

Yeah, not easy to find. A seller from the UK has them, he's on ebay in the states too though. They are also known as PDD valves.
Installation is easy but requires some drilling and a little guesswork setting the valves depending on your weight, I think I only needed 2 1/2 turns in on the screws from 1st spring contact for my 190lbs clothed weight. You'll also have to drill out your damper rod holes to about 3/8" and chamfer the holes from burrs. The valves will now take over damping duties from the damping holes in the rods. Next is setting the spring pressure on the valves themselves, more screw turns In for fatter folks. Oyabun (I think) has a tutorial on here somewhere, or send him a PM. He helped me out when I had a question or two about mine.
With the fork valves and YSS uprated springs there was a good improvement at the front end, much better over sharp edged bumps and much less dive under braking.

Thanks for the info, as for the use revalve kit, the install video shows the tops of the forks unscrewing off, I'm confused as to why you would have to drill them.