Hey Honda? Essential service should be EASY!
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 3:06 pm
Hi y'all, nice place ya got here!
I lately downsized from an R75 Beemer. I'm old, now and I still like to ride but, I just don't want the work of the whole "big-bike" experience, anymore. I picked up a '13 PCX 150. Very nice in a lot of ways, chief among them the sheer ease of operation. I'm used to carbs, chokes, points, wet coils, air-cooling, and all manner of apparatus and procedure from my youth. This thing is insane. No "starting procedure". Just turn it on, press start and it just runs. No trimming, no nothing, just ride off with a twist of the throttle. I'm in love (lust), so far, this being the end of the first week for me. I was going through it's maintenance this weekend and I did all the fluids, as I have done for decades each year on my old bike. Oil change isn't terrible, but could be less prone to mess. Rear end, no trouble. The next two fluids are where the crux of this first post is found.
First, the coolant change. I can see the radiator (like a nice heater core) cap and the overflow are pretty conveniently located, though the rad cap is slightly obstructed by the plastic core cover. A small annoyance, given that the cover has to be removed anyway to access the rad's drain plug. It gets interesting at the upper-forward cover bolt. It's blocked from access at most angles and recessed into the cover. I was able to get my medium-deep 1/4 drive socket on it and was able to swing the ratchet okay with a secret handshake. I thought about having to put it back in and decided to take it ALMOST out. I took out the other bolts easily as they are accessible directly. Taking the upper-forward bolt almost out was a good idea as I was able to move the cover back far enough to access the drain plug and remove it(nice time-saver). The coolant change was finished with minimal drama (is that really enough coolant?).
Next up (and this is a LULU), the brake fluid change. This thing has a rather "interesting" braking system. Not much machine to stop, really but there was SOME problem in some engineer's mind that this brake system was conceived to address. I see it as a "solution looking for a problem". I could see it if I only had a left arm. However then the throttle would be a problem(I digress). I saw the two bleed nipples on the caliper and also the two bendy brake lines coming to it. I ordered the manual but I haven't yet received it yet, so, I hit that thar inter-web for some enlightenment. TWO braking systems attached to ONE caliper. WTF?
Here's the best part: The rear system's reservoir (filled with fluid to be changed at least every two years) is buried in a maze of bodywork held together by bunch of clips, screws, secret hooks, and a Masonic seal. They spent a lot on the mounting of the reservoir, too (I'm in engineering and got a chuckle out of that set-up). Honda? Really? A solution looking for a problem with an inaccessible (but essential-service) fluid reservoir. I took a break and searched out a really fine pictoria/tutorial on this forum (thank you, Maddiedog!).
Rear brake flush (as required at two-year intervals): not quite two flippin hours!.
Honda? If you're reading this thread, Please make essential service EASY TO DO. The rear brake system on the PCX150 adds insult to injury. It's an unnecessary set-up, and VERY time-consuming to service.
Now that I've got that off my chest, have any of you thought about a solution to the problem of servicing the "solution-looking-for-a-problem" rear brake system on your PCX's? I'm interested in leaving the system intact, rather than somehow disabling the hydraulic part of it. A nice access port in the bodywork would be sweet. Anyone tried to incorporate one with pix? Depending on how expensive another "dash-surround" panel costs, I might give it a shot.
Thanks fer reading and ride safe!
I lately downsized from an R75 Beemer. I'm old, now and I still like to ride but, I just don't want the work of the whole "big-bike" experience, anymore. I picked up a '13 PCX 150. Very nice in a lot of ways, chief among them the sheer ease of operation. I'm used to carbs, chokes, points, wet coils, air-cooling, and all manner of apparatus and procedure from my youth. This thing is insane. No "starting procedure". Just turn it on, press start and it just runs. No trimming, no nothing, just ride off with a twist of the throttle. I'm in love (lust), so far, this being the end of the first week for me. I was going through it's maintenance this weekend and I did all the fluids, as I have done for decades each year on my old bike. Oil change isn't terrible, but could be less prone to mess. Rear end, no trouble. The next two fluids are where the crux of this first post is found.
First, the coolant change. I can see the radiator (like a nice heater core) cap and the overflow are pretty conveniently located, though the rad cap is slightly obstructed by the plastic core cover. A small annoyance, given that the cover has to be removed anyway to access the rad's drain plug. It gets interesting at the upper-forward cover bolt. It's blocked from access at most angles and recessed into the cover. I was able to get my medium-deep 1/4 drive socket on it and was able to swing the ratchet okay with a secret handshake. I thought about having to put it back in and decided to take it ALMOST out. I took out the other bolts easily as they are accessible directly. Taking the upper-forward bolt almost out was a good idea as I was able to move the cover back far enough to access the drain plug and remove it(nice time-saver). The coolant change was finished with minimal drama (is that really enough coolant?).
Next up (and this is a LULU), the brake fluid change. This thing has a rather "interesting" braking system. Not much machine to stop, really but there was SOME problem in some engineer's mind that this brake system was conceived to address. I see it as a "solution looking for a problem". I could see it if I only had a left arm. However then the throttle would be a problem(I digress). I saw the two bleed nipples on the caliper and also the two bendy brake lines coming to it. I ordered the manual but I haven't yet received it yet, so, I hit that thar inter-web for some enlightenment. TWO braking systems attached to ONE caliper. WTF?
Here's the best part: The rear system's reservoir (filled with fluid to be changed at least every two years) is buried in a maze of bodywork held together by bunch of clips, screws, secret hooks, and a Masonic seal. They spent a lot on the mounting of the reservoir, too (I'm in engineering and got a chuckle out of that set-up). Honda? Really? A solution looking for a problem with an inaccessible (but essential-service) fluid reservoir. I took a break and searched out a really fine pictoria/tutorial on this forum (thank you, Maddiedog!).
Rear brake flush (as required at two-year intervals): not quite two flippin hours!.
Honda? If you're reading this thread, Please make essential service EASY TO DO. The rear brake system on the PCX150 adds insult to injury. It's an unnecessary set-up, and VERY time-consuming to service.
Now that I've got that off my chest, have any of you thought about a solution to the problem of servicing the "solution-looking-for-a-problem" rear brake system on your PCX's? I'm interested in leaving the system intact, rather than somehow disabling the hydraulic part of it. A nice access port in the bodywork would be sweet. Anyone tried to incorporate one with pix? Depending on how expensive another "dash-surround" panel costs, I might give it a shot.
Thanks fer reading and ride safe!