Coming to a stop

[LucasC]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question. When I release the throttle (as in stop squeezing it) before coming to a stop without applying the brakes, the scooter continues to move forward, decelerating and when it has reached a very low speed, I suddenly feel sort of a "release" - the scooter inches up a bit more, as if the wheels were moving freely. I was wondering if that was normal - and I also hope my explanation makes sense.

Thank you guys!

[homie]

Yes, the rollers fall away from the clutch housing and you are disengaged from the drive train. It's something that takes place at 9 miles per hour or there about. Be advised never roll off a hill without throttling up over 9 mph or you will continue to free wheel on a grade until maximum velocity depending on the drop and how far down. Engaging the throttle at say 50 miles per hour during a free wheel down grade would be quite a shock to you and the drivetrain. If you ever find yourself in this situation the brakes will also need much more lever force to slow you down as the engine will not be helping you to brake. Have you ever seen those road signs 'NO ENGINE BRAKING' ? Those are about noise... this is about survival.

[gn2]

Not the rollers in the CVT, its the clutch disengaging.
The clutch is centrifugal.
When you move off revs rise, at a certain rpm the clutch shoes are thrown out onto the bell and the drive is taken up.
The shoes remain stuck to the bell by centrifugal force.
As you decelerate the centrifugal force reduces and the return springs pull the shoes off the bell and the drive effectively goes into neutral.
On a standard PCX this happens at 9mph.
All perfectly normal.
One thing to beware of is if you let it go into neutral then build speed downhill then open the throttle.
Not recommended, just ask Maddie.....

[yak]

Thanks for asking this question and thanks for the answers. I have wondered about this since i got my PCX. It gave me a funny feeling when i was new to the PCX ......when to let off the throttle when approaching a stoplight in a line of cars. I don't want to hold up the cars behind me. I don't want to cruise up to the car ahead of me.

[j.d.b.]

After a while you learn to "feather" the throttle if you need more of a coast when rolling above 9mph (crack the throttle a bit to lessen the engine-braking, close it to get more). It'll get reflexive. You'll lose the "herky-jerky" of the CVT under way.

[homie]

Not the rollers in the CVT, its the clutch disengaging.
The clutch is centrifugal.
When you move off revs rise, at a certain rpm the clutch shoes are thrown out onto the bell and the drive is taken up.
The shoes remain stuck to the bell by centrifugal force.
As you decelerate the centrifugal force reduces and the return springs pull the shoes off the bell and the drive effectively goes into neutral.
On a standard PCX this happens at 9mph.

I bow to upper echelon mechanics, what he said I'm sure Honda has run this down hill scenario on testing grounds (free wheeling to terminal velocity) and then throttling up at a high speed thus no damage but if you aren't ready for it there's that moment when the engine has some catching up to do and the rear wheel would lose traction. I have the perfect curvy steep grade in my neighborhood that I can demonstrate tomorrow with action cam if you check back.

[homie]

sorry didn't have the straight away I remember to safely engage the throttle... but I tried, I did do that.

[dasshreddar]

I do this on all my scoots... I live and ride in a hilly neighborhood and do this often. even at 30+mph.
don't be scared just be aware of the jolt.

[homie]

I do this on all my scoots... I live and ride in a hilly neighborhood and do this often. even at 30+mph.
don't be scared just be aware of the jolt.

30pmh at the end but the CURVE was not the place to re-engage the engine for me. Maybe someone else has a steep straight grade to demonstrate. Anyone live in San Francisco? Homie doesn't think he will push his luck on this particular road Call me puss youyou... but I'm ALIVE!

[LucasC]

Thank you so much for your answers guys, this all clear to me now! As you said j.d.b, I'll try to learn how to "feather" the throttle
Homie and Gn2, thank you for your detailed explanations, I really feel in good hands on this forum!

[iceman]

Homie - watching your video and seeing the speed on the bend, mostly recovering from free-wheeling, I think you were lucky not to spin out. It seems sensible to never free-wheel on any drop if possible.

[Ishkabibble]

I'm kind of curious what all this means in terms of "coasting"

I plan on using my PCX for my commute, and I have one stretch of road that's approximately a half-mile long, but it's a significant elevation decrease from the beginning to the traffic light at the intersection at the end. I'd say at least a 10 to 12 degree grade. Coming off this hill, I know I'll have to stop at the traffic light at some point.

From what I'm reading here, you can't coast this scooter by backing off the throttle and then engaging it a little while braking.

This "jolt" I'm hearing about concerns me. Modes of transportation aren't supposed to "jolt".

How should I ride to handle this situation, so that I don't tear up my brand new PCX?

[Jge64]

You need to ride the scooter for a few days , this is a non-issue. Forums have a way of making you think that there are bigger problems, when none really exist. I've never ridden a scooter up until I got my PCX, and it was very easy to manage after a few miles. It's never been a problem for me.

[gn2]

From what I'm reading here, you can't coast this scooter by backing off the throttle and then engaging it a little while braking.

This "jolt" I'm hearing about concerns me. Modes of transportation aren't supposed to "jolt".

How should I ride to handle this situation, so that I don't tear up my brand new PCX?

Moving off under power using the throttle ensures the clutch is engaged.
The clutch will remain engaged unless speed drops below a pre-set value, I think its around 9mph on a PCX.
If your speed remains above that you'll be fine.
If the speed drops below clutch disengagement speed, do not let gravity accelerate the scooter, use the throttle to accelerate as the disengagement speed is passed.
The jolt happens if you freewheel with the clutch disengaged then open the throttle at a speed which is too high for the gearing.
It would be like freewheeling down a hill on a motorbike then dropping the clutch with first gear selected.

In a nutshell, use the throttle to set the speed.

[Ishkabibble]

From what I'm reading here, you can't coast this scooter by backing off the throttle and then engaging it a little while braking.

This "jolt" I'm hearing about concerns me. Modes of transportation aren't supposed to "jolt".

How should I ride to handle this situation, so that I don't tear up my brand new PCX?

Moving off under power using the throttle ensures the clutch is engaged.
The clutch will remain engaged unless speed drops below a pre-set value, I think its around 9mph on a PCX.
If your speed remains above that you'll be fine.
If the speed drops below clutch disengagement speed, do not let gravity accelerate the scooter, use the throttle to accelerate as the disengagement speed is passed.
The jolt happens if you freewheel with the clutch disengaged then open the throttle at a speed which is too high for the gearing.
It would be like freewheeling down a hill on a motorbike then dropping the clutch with first gear selected.

In a nutshell, use the throttle to set the speed.

I don't understand any of that.

I'll be doing anywhere from 35 to 45 MPH coming down that hill. Much more than 9 MPH. I won't be accelerating at all, I'll be decelerating. After I've coasted down the hill. I say "coasted" because I certainly don't see accelerating down a hill while approaching an intersection with a traffic light that always stops me. Therefore, since I'm going down a hill, I won't be using the accelerator, thus not using power, thus coasting. I have to come down this hill and eventually stop, and in order to slow down, I have to accelerate?

That really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Can you please explain it in terms that someone less knowledgeable and less experienced than you can understand?

[iceman]

It just means if the clutch disengages when the bike drops below approx 9mph and you then pick up speed 'coasting' down-hill, you are in for a shock when you try to put on the gas or brake as the clutch will have to engage with a 'jolt' and braking with no engine to help slow you down is going to be hard on you and the brakes. It's a scary thing even on a modest downhill.

[gn2]

If you are riding at 35-45mph down a hill, the clutch cannot disengage so you cannot "coast", you just reduce the throttle opening to match the speed you want to maintain.

From a standstill, open the throttle, the engine speeds up.
Once the RPM is high enough the clutch shoes are thrown out onto the clutch drum by centrifugal force and drive is taken up, the scooter takes off.
The clutch shoes remain held on the drum by centrifugal force until the speed drops low enough to overcome the clutch shoe springs which pull the shoes clear of the drum and drive is disengaged.
The scooter transmission is now in neutral with the gear ratio set to the lowest value ready for the next take-off.
With the scooter in neutral, if gravity is allowed to accelerate the scooter to a high speed, when the throttle is opened the transmission will be in the wrong gear and the rear wheel can lock temporarily.

[Ishkabibble]

Okay, I think I get this a little better.

I'm probably going to have to ride it early on a Sunday morning to see what it does, without a lot of traffic on this hill, so as to not freak out when something unexpected happens in traffic.

Thanks!

[gn2]

It'll be fine nothing to worry about.

You got insurance and healthcare right...?

[Brent]

GN2, just to clarify . . . if I am coasting down a hill, and I rotate the throttle, I get a big jolt. I understand that and have done it a few times. My questions is, does it hurt the engine or clutch? Will it glaze the clutch, cause the belt to wear?

Thanks!

Brent!