Hanging around, waiting to ride...

[Scarlett]

Hi All,

New rider here. Last August I decided to ask hubby for a scooter. I didn't realize what I was getting into! Ha! He bought me a 2003 Reflex and I spend 5 months practicing at the school, riding on the rough gravel roads which mostly make up where we live, and yes, crashing. (But not too badly) I finally took the MSF course on a 50cc scooter-I was the only rider in the class on a scooter. Guess what? Didn't care! All I wanted to do was learn and pass the course which I did. I am in my mid-fifties in good shape, or so I thought, and by the end of two days I was exhausted! But very proud of myself. Anyway, I use my brand new Candy Red 2016 PCX 150 ( named Scarlett) to ride to work- a 34 mile round trip. Unfortunately, the county decided to fix the only paved road which leads into our subdivision so it has been closed for almost 3.5 months. The only other way out is about 3 miles of gravel completely destroyed by oil tankers. Not for the faint of heart and I know, cause I had to use it when I came home from work and found the paved road closed. Yikes! So, hanging around and waiting to ride and I have surprised myself. I can't wait! My modifications so far are a tall National Cycle windshield, and we are trying to attach an accelerometer to flash when the bike slows down but are still working on that. I also want to put on a new seat and do what Mel and others did with the variator to make it go a tad faster. Yes, I have been lurking. What happened to the Reflex? My husband now rides it and enjoys it. He rode motorcycles for years but gave it up 20 years ago. Oh, I am based in the country about 100 miles outside Houston, Texas. This is a great forum and I hope to learn more! I will post a picture when I learn how.

[homie]

Alrighty then! another new rider, ought to be able to fix that road before winter I hope. Billy be liking it if he knew of your general where-a-bouts... so's he knows something, bout you.

OK I will ask, what is a "accelerometer to flash when the bike slows down"?

[Scarlett]

Hi Homie,

Thanks for the welcome. It took a few minutes to figure out the profile thing but I did list my location.
The accelerometer is what my husband called it. It is a device made by a couple of companies-Gearbrake.com is who we bought it from. Basically, its a custom wiring harness which plugs in to the brake wiring and when you release the throttle, and the bike slows down, the brake light will flash so those behind you can see that you are slowing down. It will flash three times when you actually apply the brakes and then the light will go solid. Anyway, he found a good place to install it, but it appears to be so sensitive that whenever the bike hits a bump in the road, the thing flashes. Not good. We thought initially it was because the bike was so light but they also think (at Gearbrake) that it could be because we installed it over one of the shocks. It is currently installed right inside the seating/cargo space but right over a shock, if that makes sense. My husband does not think moving it will help, but we are going to try and move it. Not many options unless you want to start putting holes in stuff and we really don't want to do that. Since my PCX was the first harness they have made for that particular scooter they didn't quite know what would happen. They have offered a refund, but we are going to try some other stuff, first.

[kramnala58]

Welcome to hondapcx.org .... officially, with being merely a lurker

As you have probably seen, there is lots of help and interaction here, and to top it off, we are just a good bunch of folks .... well, at least most of us are.

[Mel46]

I know what you are talking about but I am not sure that it will work very well on the lighter bikes. As an example of what I mean, I could set up a dash camera on my Burgman 400 and it took smooth video, but when I tried to set up a dash cam on the pcx it was too jittery to view. If you ask any of the members on this forum you will find that we have discussed where to put a gopro or other camera so that we could get smooth video, and the consensus seems to be on your body or helmet, but NOT on the bike.
There is an alternative if you can not get the device to work properly. I purchased a 'Knight Riderz' led brake light that I installed on the top of the license plate. It strobes back and forth continually while you ride. When you touch the brake the light flashes for 3-5 seconds before coming on steady.
http://www.customdynamics.com/knight_ri ... ht_bar.htm

[Rickjds]

Congrats on your PCX purchase! Sorry to hear you can't ride Scarlett.

[WhiteNoise]

Welcome aboard our forums and congrats on purchasing another Honda! Hang in there, your gravel will turn asphalt soon then you and hubby will roll down the road(s) together. I think it's great when couples have that in common. Cheers 2 you both

[honkerman]

Hi Homie,

Thanks for the welcome. It took a few minutes to figure out the profile thing but I did list my location.
The accelerometer is what my husband called it. It is a device made by a couple of companies-Gearbrake.com is who we bought it from. Basically, its a custom wiring harness which plugs in to the brake wiring and when you release the throttle, and the bike slows down, the brake light will flash so those behind you can see that you are slowing down. It will flash three times when you actually apply the brakes and then the light will go solid. Anyway, he found a good place to install it, but it appears to be so sensitive that whenever the bike hits a bump in the road, the thing flashes. Not good. We thought initially it was because the bike was so light but they also think (at Gearbrake) that it could be because we installed it over one of the shocks. It is currently installed right inside the seating/cargo space but right over a shock, if that makes sense. My husband does not think moving it will help, but we are going to try and move it. Not many options unless you want to start putting holes in stuff and we really don't want to do that. Since my PCX was the first harness they have made for that particular scooter they didn't quite know what would happen. They have offered a refund, but we are going to try some other stuff, first.

Welcome, welcome. If I may, I have such a thing on my PCX and I'll tell you, they are not sensitive enough to detect engine braking on our machines, but do work for panic braking. I did a bit of a review on my experience. Here is the written write-up of my experience.

http://scootinfool.blogspot.com/2016/06 ... cator.html

The video is here

[Scarlett]

Thanks for all the welcomes! Thanks, Mel and Honkerman for your input. I will checkout your links and video, for sure!
Not ready to give up on something like that yet.

[silverantec]

Welcome Scarlet, and if I might offer my opinion, if drivers behind you require a warning for when you simply decelerate not using your brake nothing short of an air raid siren will help them. I understand your desire to think about your safety, but many years ago I was in a car in a line of stationary traffic and was rammed in the rear by person who admitted he did not realize the cars were stopped.

Your best bet is to use your mirrors a lot and always know what is going on behind you.

[homie]

Your best bet is to use your mirrors a lot and always know what is going on behind you.

This is true, but don't worry about whats behind you right off. Odds are long for this kind of collision but eventually you begin to pay more attention to 'short stops and where's my exit' strategies. I do this kind of rear view motoring at higher speeds, not much you can do about it in stop and go traffic. Just try to choose who's behind you... preferably low and pointy so's you can get some air if they are going to ram you from behind

[Scarlett]

Very true! I tend to drive with my accelerator, rather than with my brake in my car, and I find myself driving the scooter the same way. I do need to pay more attention to whats behind me. In fact, as I learned in class, I know I need to pay attention to everything way more when riding the scooter! I still have to perfect things when riding the scooter-for instance, it took me forever to learn how to turn the darn thing. The advice that finally clicked with me was "look where you want to go" and that was never more true than when I was heading across the road toward a barbed wire fence and realized at the last moment-I don't want to go there!!

[homie]

Are you geared up? Something to buffer the slide of you fall off? I know its hot in the lone star state but the road isn't finished yet anyway. Cooler days are coming... woot!

[kramnala58]

The advice that finally clicked with me was "look where you want to go" ..........

That used to be WhiteNoise's signature. Being a newbie rider when I started, it was best single piece of advice I received. With driving in such congested conditions as Bangkok, it has paid dividends. I try to be fully aware of my total surroundings, but I focus on where I want to go, not on where I don't want to go (or avoid).

[relic]

look where you want to go
great advice-check your mirrors every once and so often-and tap-strobe - the brakes to let anyone behind you
that your are slowing down or stopped

[Scarlett]

Am I geared up? Oh yeah-a full face helmet, jacket, and gloves and boots. Had to get boots with a bit of heel cause I am only 5' 2" tall. I could flat foot on the Reflex but not on the PCX. Thats ok though-it keeps me from sticking my feet out. The PCX is so well balanced I can practically stop it and stay upright on it without putting my feet down!

[flyingzonker]

Good luck with your PCX.

I have owned both PCX and Reflex. I love the PCX--and loved the Reflex, but not quite as much. The PCX is so light and quick, riding on one is like being able to fly.