I have trouble going over 50mph, rider issue, not mechanical

[luciddream2]

I recently upgraded from a Honda Vino 49cc to a 2013 Honda PCX 150. I wanted the PCX so that I could travel roads with 45mph speed limits and some short distances on 55mph roads. I just don't feel comfortable going over 50mph. The wind pushes me so much that I find I am holding onto the handlebars too tight, but I feel like if I loosen my grip, the wind is going to push me off. The wind isn't pushing my scooter around, (except on very windy days), but it is pushing me. Part of me thinks if the darn thing just had a gas tank I could grip with my knees, I'd be just fine. The only motorcycles I've ridden were dirtbikes in my younger days and I'm sure I wasn't going very fast through the woods on them. Am I just being a pansy? Should I just crank the throttle and hold on? I thought after a few months time I would be able to increase my speed a bit, but I don't know. I feel like I'm gonna get bounced off the seat or something.

[jburner]

You need a windshield that goes up far enough to block the wind. Then you’ll have the opposite effect. It will feel like you are being pushed.

[GeorgeSK]

I think that after you get more seat time on the PCX you will become more comfortable with its stability. Yes, your chest gets a fair bit of buffeting at 50 mph and above, as does your helmet (I use a full face). As you get more comfortable, you will hopefully not feel the need for a death-grip on the bars (which, to me, is most counter-productive to your control), and realize that a lot of your steering is with your butt and the pressure you put on the footboards.

You may want to get a bigger windshield, but I suggest you do nothing but ride for 500 miles or so before you decide to spend money toward a problem that may resolve itself.

[Brice]

I am fairly new to riding and I have Givi medium sized windshield. The wind at the high speeds don't bother as much as very top end high speeds themselves. Recently, I have found the small backside hump of a seat rest as a place to find lumbar/sacrum grip with the PCX. Hopefully after a few more hours of driving and you'll feel connected.


I wasn't much a motorcycle rider, but I relate what you are saying in that on motorcycle with a gas tank one feels more "as one with the bike".

[alx123]

Take your time to get used to it, not a good idea to force yourself to run speed your'e uncomfortable with; It's dangerous, especially if your'e too tense on the handles.

You've been riding a small scooter majority of your time, it takes time to get used to a faster one.

The wind alone can't push you off your bike, Iv'e seen lighter teens (no driver's license) riding the PCX faster than 50mph here in Thailand with just one hand on the handlebars and the other hand on their phones.

Though I will say that it's all in your head, I suggest staying on speeds you're comfortable with until you can gradually increase it.

[gn2]

Lean forward onto the air pressure.

[fish]

Scooter riding without a windscreen is like doing 50 in a lawnchair.
Some mount screens.
I take them off.
To each his own.
Ride at your comfy speed, with or without a screen.
Fish

[big bear]

ive never went that fast i think i broke 40mph once but thats about it

[vito]

Maybe its because I have been riding a motorcycle for over 35 years, but I love my PCX and ride it about as fast as it will go virtually every time I get on it. I added a taller windscreen but didn't like it, so I went back to the little stock screen and as long as I have a visor on my helmet I am fine. Even at 64 mph (the fastest I have been able to get the PCX to go) I don't find the wind much of a problem at all, and in the hot weather enjoy the airflow more than when I ride my Goldwing at that speed and have the fairing and windscreen block almost all the wind.

And I'll use this thread to comment on something else as well. I have read numerous times that people say that the little PCX gets blown around by wind and I have not found that to be true at all. I often take the scooter out on 55 mph roads, where I do about 60 mph most of the time, and have 18 wheelers pass me from the opposite direction. Even on my Goldwing I feel a degree of wind blast, and generally move to the outside of the lane as the truck is passing, but I feel that the windblast seems even less on the PCX. Maybe its the lack of a real windscreen, plus the step through design that allows the wind blast to dissipate, but I find it no problem or annoyance at all to take this scooter out on the roads.

Maybe for some of you it is just a matter of getting used to moving at speed on the scooter. I find the PCX tremendously stable even at the fastest speed I can get this scooter to go. Speed is all relative to what you are used to. Trust me, ride at 55 or 60 and before long you will feel like you are barely moving when you ride at 40 or 45. The other day I got my Goldwing up to 115 mph on a long stretch of open two lane road, and it sure was an adrenaline rush. Then I got home and took out the PCX. Doing 55 mph to run an errand felt like I was almost standing still after that triple digit ride on the Goldwing. And getting used to higher speed travel is a great way to increase your overall confidence in your riding, and in your bike. Ride safe, but enjoy.

[Old Grinner]

I also was amazed at how well my PCX handled windy days. It didn't matter whether it was head on or from the side. For a light machine I was impressed with it's stability.

The fastest I ever took mine up to was 60 MPH . . ..

Leaving it stock (except for some deer whistles and putting an LED light under the seat) I felt was the way to go. I never needed a taller screen. And in hot weather I welcomed any breeze to cool down.

I miss the PCX and as I've said before if the seat was a better fit for me I'd still have it.

DCP_1573ab.JPG

[Mel46]

My wife had the same problems when riding her PCX so I bought and installed a tall Givi windshield. None of the wind hits her since it is diverted. I put one on my bike as well and I ride comfortably now. It may look funny to some people but that tall windshield is great on the road.

I rode motorcycles most of my life but scooters are different because they already have some wind blocking from the plastic panels, which does affect it at higher speeds...so a windshield will help by diverting more of the wind at higher speeds rather than acting like a flat fronted bus.

We travel country roads at 45 mph most of the time but do go up to 55 mph when required to. Comfort is our primary concern during these rides.

Mel on his PCX-small pic.jpg (249.44 KiB) Viewed 1319 times

Notice the big windshield. I am 5'10". Shorter than that would put you fully behind that windshield.

[alx123]

Living in South east asia, riding with a tall windshield will get me soaking wet with sweat after 15 mins of riding. I'm using a medium lenght screen to allow some air hit my chest.

To OP, it's all in your head. The wind cannot push you off the bike. You'll get used to it eventually. Ride slower for now.

[you you]

Ride more, worry less.

[gn2]

Ride more, worry less.

^this.

[Mel46]

Since the location is in the United States I would say that there are places in which you actually COULD be blown off of your bike. A windshield here becomes a must for smaller riders if they want to be comfortable while riding. Dirt bikes are entirely different from the PCX. My wife had ridden dirt bikes but never a scooter. The positioning is different and the comfort level is different. Scooters are meant for relaxed riding. Get a windshield of some sort. You will feel much safer.

If you do not want the tall windshield, Givi offers a mid height one. It comes in smoke or clear.

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/giv ... cx150-2013

[luciddream2]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate your opinions. I agree it's in my head. I "feel" uncomfortable. I know that I am able to ride at higher speeds, but it feels uncomfortable to me. I am slowly working up to it. I've been riding short distances at 55mph. So far I've only ridden about 350 miles total on the PCX. I'm not going to push myself too much, but I am going to challenge myself so that I can work up to riding at higher speeds comfortably for distances of 10-20 miles. I may try a windshield in the future, but for now I'm leaving it as is. The scooter itself feels very stable, so that's not an issue. As far as wind gusts go, I have been blown around a bit, not by passing trucks, but by wind gusts on windy days. I don't like riding when it's windy at all. If I move my head to look left or right, the wind wants to take my head off. One of the problems of riding with a full face helmet I guess. Anyway, I may try the Givi medium windshield at some point. I'm a shorty so it should be the way to go.

[jburner]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate your opinions. I agree it's in my head. I "feel" uncomfortable. I know that I am able to ride at higher speeds, but it feels uncomfortable to me. I am slowly working up to it. I've been riding short distances at 55mph. So far I've only ridden about 350 miles total on the PCX. I'm not going to push myself too much, but I am going to challenge myself so that I can work up to riding at higher speeds comfortably for distances of 10-20 miles. I may try a windshield in the future, but for now I'm leaving it as is. The scooter itself feels very stable, so that's not an issue. As far as wind gusts go, I have been blown around a bit, not by passing trucks, but by wind gusts on windy days. I don't like riding when it's windy at all. If I move my head to look left or right, the wind wants to take my head off. One of the problems of riding with a full face helmet I guess. Anyway, I may try the Givi medium windshield at some point. I'm a shorty so it should be the way to go.

What a windshield did for me was decrease driver fatigue because there is always a bit of correction that your body has to make when fighting the wind. With a windshield in place, it takes the brunt of the force of the wind and you can relax and pay attention to driving and enjoy the ride a bit more.

[flyingzonker]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate your opinions. I agree it's in my head. I "feel" uncomfortable. I know that I am able to ride at higher speeds, but it feels uncomfortable to me. I am slowly working up to it. I've been riding short distances at 55mph. So far I've only ridden about 350 miles total on the PCX. I'm not going to push myself too much, but I am going to challenge myself so that I can work up to riding at higher speeds comfortably for distances of 10-20 miles. I may try a windshield in the future, but for now I'm leaving it as is. The scooter itself feels very stable, so that's not an issue. As far as wind gusts go, I have been blown around a bit, not by passing trucks, but by wind gusts on windy days. I don't like riding when it's windy at all. If I move my head to look left or right, the wind wants to take my head off. One of the problems of riding with a full face helmet I guess. Anyway, I may try the Givi medium windshield at some point. I'm a shorty so it should be the way to go.

You have not ridden the bike enough to evolve to a higher lever of confidence. When you get a few thousand miles under your belt--or wherever you keep your miles--you will be a different person on the bike. And then, the PCX is not a bike that is all that happy doing more than 45 or 50 mph. It is not a highway bike. It is for errands and for general light playing around. Another thing: PCX is a light bike and at higher speeds it doesn't hold the road the way a heavy machine does. If you want to do 60 or 65 or more you should get a maxi scooter or a motorcycle. Going around on a PCX at 60 mph is running the thing at the very top of its range. That is like going out for a jog and sprinting the whole distance. The bike won't last long that way.

[Mel46]

I have mine set up to do 75 mph not because I want to take it on freeways and other high speed roads, but rather so that I can keep the speed steady when riding on roads that have hills or climb into the mountains. There is a lot of frustration when you watch the speed steadily drop as you are riding just because you are going up a hill.

[WhiteNoise]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate your opinions. I agree it's in my head. I "feel" uncomfortable. I know that I am able to ride at higher speeds, but it feels uncomfortable to me. I am slowly working up to it. I've been riding short distances at 55mph. So far I've only ridden about 350 miles total on the PCX. I'm not going to push myself too much, but I am going to challenge myself so that I can work up to riding at higher speeds comfortably for distances of 10-20 miles. I may try a windshield in the future, but for now I'm leaving it as is. The scooter itself feels very stable, so that's not an issue. As far as wind gusts go, I have been blown around a bit, not by passing trucks, but by wind gusts on windy days. I don't like riding when it's windy at all. If I move my head to look left or right, the wind wants to take my head off. One of the problems of riding with a full face helmet I guess. Anyway, I may try the Givi medium windshield at some point. I'm a shorty so it should be the way to go.

What a windshield did for me was decrease driver fatigue because there is always a bit of correction that your body has to make when fighting the wind. With a windshield in place, it takes the brunt of the force of the wind and you can relax and pay attention to driving and enjoy the ride a bit more.

Exactly jburner