Stored for Winter 2013

[OriginalRocket]

Temps are struggling to reach 45 here. And the nights are below freezing now.

PCX is officially stored until about mid march 2014.

Parked it with 9816 miles on my 2011.

This winter I plan on a major overhaul.

Replace the original tires, they are just about at the wear bars.
Valve adjustment
Engine oil change
Change air filter
Inspect belt drive
Change final drive oil
Change coolant.
Inspect, and possibly replace front pads, rotor looks fine.
Flush and change brake fluid.
Change fork oil, and add covers for protection,

Projects include improving the front lights, Maybe a HID kit
Replacing the rear shocks with better aftermarket.

[Pedro-agogo]

I feel so sad hearing a PCX has gone into hibernation. I couldn't imagine what that is like as I live in Australia (on the west coast). While we get to ride all year round the summer can be brutal as we have many celsius 40+ (F 100+) days and its tough sitting at traffic lights and wherever I am going I arrive drowned in sweat so not so good for work. Pros and cons for every situation. At least you will make good use of the winter taking care of your PCX. I would love some new shocks too but the ones I have seen are way too much for me.

[Stef-fm]

Same here in South Africa. All year round commuting. In winter you just get out the ski gear... and off you go. Looks funny, but works like a charm. Been doing it for years.

[Alibally]

You car use it all year round in the UK but they spread tonnes of salt on the road in the winter and it really wrecks the exposed parts of the bike.

[haildamage]

Temps are struggling to reach 45 here. And the nights are below freezing now.

PCX is officially stored until about mid march 2014.

Parked it with 9816 miles on my 2011.

This winter I plan on a major overhaul.

Replace the original tires, they are just about at the wear bars.
Valve adjustment
Engine oil change
Change air filter
Inspect belt drive
Change final drive oil
Change coolant.
Inspect, and possibly replace front pads, rotor looks fine.
Flush and change brake fluid.
Change fork oil, and add covers for protection,

Projects include improving the front lights, Maybe a HID kit
Replacing the rear shocks with better aftermarket.

i also commute all year round. this year i have gotten a deep cycle battery to put under the seat and run my Warm and Safe jacket separately from the bikes electrical system. we will see how well that works!

would be interested in a report on any HID conversion! doubt i would do it as i find the lights pretty adequate but if it looks easy enough i might be tempted. i recently did (had done) an HID kit on my DRZ. these guys were pretty good to deal with, IMO.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

[dustin91]

i also commute all year round. this year i have gotten a deep cycle battery to put under the seat and run my Warm and Safe jacket separately from the bikes electrical system. we will see how well that works!

Hail, what was the process to get the separate electrical system for a heating system? My dealer installed a small USB power port so I can keep my phone or GPS unit charging, but I'm sure there's nowhere near enough power for a heating system. Any pics you can post? Thanks!

[haildamage]

i also commute all year round. this year i have gotten a deep cycle battery to put under the seat and run my Warm and Safe jacket separately from the bikes electrical system. we will see how well that works!

Hail, what was the process to get the separate electrical system for a heating system? My dealer installed a small USB power port so I can keep my phone or GPS unit charging, but I'm sure there's nowhere near enough power for a heating system. Any pics you can post? Thanks!

i've been waiting for it to get cold enough to try it before making a full report. i am using a warm and safe 90watt jacket with a thermostat. at 50% the thermostat cycles the jacket on and off for 1/2 second on and 1/2 second off. at 25% it is on for 1/4 and off for 3/4 seconds. the jacket is so warm i can rarely stand to turn it on above 50% for very long. my commutes are a max of two hours both ways. therefore, i need a 12V 7.5Amh battery for 2 hours at 50%. i went with a 12Amh battery because more is better and that was the largest size that i was sure would fit under the seat.

it is really important to understand that you need a DEEP CYCLE type battery not an automotive battery for this type of application. the one i got had some weird terminals so i just soldered the battery charger connector and electric jacket connector onto the battery.

will do a full write up once i have thoroughly tested this system.

[dustin91]

Looking forward to it!

[ericpcx]

I will be putting my PCX away as soon as they start spreading the dreaded salt

[OriginalRocket]

Yup, the salt is killer. Here they use some other chemical combined with salt, to work better in the colder temps we get. Which of course is even more damaging to metal.

[katschamne]

I'm with OriginalRocket. I haven't put it away yet since I just got it back from the dealer. I want to try and ride a bit more before storage to make sure that the problem I had was indeed fixed. My husband is still riding his shadow and plans to continue as long as there's no snow or ice. I'm not that brave. For me it's a bit too cold.

[Darth Emma]

I'm thinking I'll have to put my Forza away for winter soon too. It's getting to be too cold to ride. I keep hoping to get out a bit more though.

Fortunately, the basement to my house has a walk-in double-wide door and I can bring both of my scoots (my Ruckus and my Forza) inside for winter. I'll put them both on battery tenders, fill them with gas, put Stabil in the gas, and cover them. It's going to be a long winter!

[Nines]

Yeah, I'm almost at that point, too. I don't have any plans for mods or maintenance, other than to change the oil. I just cracked 200km, so not much need. I will be putting it to bed in the basement as well, but unfortunately its entrance involves an as yet unconstructed ramp, 6 stairs, some swearing and probably a minor heart attack I'm holding out hope for another couple rides, but if the ol' fella gets his moose, it'll have to be moved sooner. Slightly OT, I added a Givi short windshield yesterday and had a short test ride. Winds were gusting over 70km, so it was a good day for it. What a difference! I'm very pleased with it, and didn't find the helmet buffetting bad, IMHO.

[you you]

Yeah, I'm almost at that point, too. I don't have any plans for mods or maintenance, other than to change the oil. I just cracked 200km, so not much need. I will be putting it to bed in the basement as well, but unfortunately its entrance involves an as yet unconstructed ramp, 6 stairs, some swearing and probably a minor heart attack I'm holding out hope for another couple rides, but if the ol' fella gets his moose, it'll have to be moved sooner. Slightly OT, I added a Givi short windshield yesterday and had a short test ride. Winds were gusting over 70km, so it was a good day for it. What a difference! I'm very pleased with it, and didn't find the helmet buffetting bad, IMHO.

200kms?

[Nines]

youyou, I haven't done my road test yet, so I can *technically* only go out with some other obliging soul who has their MC license already. I'm at the mercy of others, so yes, I only have 213km on my scoot.

[maddiedog]

I'm riding straight through the winter! My definition of winterization is riding it at least weekly.

[you you]

youyou, I haven't done my road test yet, so I can *technically* only go out with some other obliging soul who has their MC license already. I'm at the mercy of others, so yes, I only have 213km on my scoot.

Are they on another bike?

[MichRocks]

Yea, it's getting that time. Left work this evening, in the dark. It was raining. My rain-gear works fine- I was dry, but my helmet fogs up a lot. Twice during the 30+ mile ride home, I saw the telltale flick of eyes as a deer bounded across the road in front of me. Both times I had only had time to get my fingers from the grips to the brake levers before the deer was gone. They forage in the corn fields, and head for home in the trees in early evening. Not a nice thing to see, in a car, or especially on a bike, when the fog makes it harder to see the road through the rain on the face-shield. The only thing that is going to make it easy to say "OK enough" is that snow is headed this way in two days, and I don't want to add a third ingredient to the mix.

Time to start waxing my skis....

[OriginalRocket]

For cool mornings and nights, I use pin locs inserts for my helmet. Even have a dark tint one that I use plus the built in sun shade when I have to ride into the sun on my morning and evening commutes.

[MichRocks]

Thanks for the notes on the pin locs inserts; these look good. Unfortunately, my helmet won't support it, but I will find a solution. I think you would have some of the same environmental conditions in Illinois that we do in Mich (neighbors, etc!). Watch out for the big brown fuzzies!