600 Mile Service in Progress

[TonyM]

I hit the magic 600 mile mark today on my Forza so I rode it to the dealer for its first service. I had already purchased the taller Honda wind screen and a Givi topcase mount for my topcase and they will be installed too.

I asked the service manager about the most recent recall for the Forza and I was told that it had already been done before I bought the bike a few weeks ago so I'm pleased about that.

My bike should be ready now but I won't pick it up until tomorrow. I'm anxious to see the improvement with the taller windscreen.

Have to say that I've become used to having a tall windscreen on my scooters. I had installed a two inch taller Cee Bailey windscreen on both my Silverwing and my Burg 400 when I had them. Unfortunately, Cee Bailey does not make one for the Forza. But Laminar Lip makes a deflector for the Forza but it sort of looks weird - not sure I'll buy one.

And today, I received the two piece tool so that I can fiddle with the rear shock adjustment. I'm hoping that I can find a better setting that will improve the ride for me. It's too harsh the way it is but I might have to live with the terrible suspension. My Butt Buffer seat pad is making life tolerable for me due to the suspension roughness.

[Jockay]

I bought a used Forza 300 and found the rear suspension to be way too hard so much so it spoiled the ride.

I was pleased to find that the previous owner had set the rear shocks to their hardest position and set about adjusting them down a notch by using the two piece tool supplied in the toolkit. I easily adjusted the left hand side shock but when I came to adjust the shock on the muffler side I found it impossible to adjust because of limited access and the fact the two piece tool kept parting company and or slipping off of the shock adjuster notches mostly because I could not get a proper grip and or leverage so I set the LHS shock back to its highest position and took the F back to the dealer and explained my problem.

They took the bike into the workshop and within minutes the job was done after which I was told that the easy way to adjust the offending shock is to loosen off the three muffler bolts which is enough to allow adequate access to the shock to adjust it.

Anyway I found the journey home to be much more enjoyable but felt that the shocks were still too harsh and upon returning home I let the bike cool down then set too adjusting the shocks back down another notch. I had to phone the dealer to obtain the muffler bolt torque settings and once set I headed off out and was very pleased indeed to find that the settings were just right for me transforming the ride.

[wilbur]

I have my shocks set very soft, and it's still pretty harsh... Until you get to 50-60mph. Then it feels like a big bike.

[TonyM]

Jockay, thanks for your comments about the suspension. Though I wish that I would seen your comment before I picked up my bike this afternoon - I would have had the dealer set the shocks on the "softest" setting.

While I just received the two piece tool to adjust the shocks, I did not know that it still won't work without removing or loosening the muffler.

I do not have a torque wrench nor do I know how to use one. And a hand injury has rendered my "strong hand" unable to properly use tools.

BTW, the Honda tall windscreen looks great and works great around town and on the freeway.

Unfortunately, I live in an area with very strong cross winds and I think that due to the lightness of the Forza, it gets severely blown around. While crossing the very tall Antioch Bridge on the way home today, I again felt that the scooter was going to be blown out from under me. Awful unsettling feeling that I've never experienced with any of my many motorcycles and scooters. I feel very fortunate to have made it over the bridge without going down.

[Branyers14]

The tall windscreen looks and works great. I have found that it makes cruising much more enjoyable without the blast of air to my chest.

Just bought these too for those cold mornings:

http://japan.webike.net/products/21870789.html

[gn2]

No need to touch the muffler, just undo the lower mount bolt for the shock, pull it clear, adjust and bolt back in place.
You may not even need to use the two-piece tool, it should turn ok by hand.

[Mister Paul]

The Honda tall screen is fantastic. I'm 5'9" and it's just the right height.

[Branyers14]

The Honda tall screen is fantastic. I'm 5'9" and it's just the right height.

Is it just me or does the windscreen put the wind to your back and give you a little speed boost regardless of which way the wind is blowing? I find that cruising at 70-75mph is much less labored with it installed.

[Mister Paul]

The Honda tall screen is fantastic. I'm 5'9" and it's just the right height.

Is it just me or does the windscreen put the wind to your back and give you a little speed boost regardless of which way the wind is blowing? I find that cruising at 70-75mph is much less labored with it installed.

Couldn't answer that, sorry. I've never ridden it without.

[TonyM]

To Branyers14: Thanks for the link to the hand deflectors. I bought a set very similar to those in your link but I bought mine from National Cycle for my Honda Nighthawk 750. I later used them on my Silverwing scooter. I'm not sure that they will fit on my Forza though.

How much did they charge you for shipping? It looks like they ship from Asia or Japan. Thanks.

[TonyM]

I went ahead and ordered the Hand Deflectors that Branyers14 provided the link for. They look nice and seem to be made as well as the US made National Cycle brand. They seem to be made specifically for Honda scooters which pleases me.

I've used hand deflectors on my previous scooters and they really help cut down on the cold wind during wintertime riding. Now if I can install my Gerbing's heated glove harness on my battery, I will be ready for winter.

Oh, I also discovered that the Laminar Lip that I had bought for my stock Burgman wind screen fits perfectly on the tall Honda windscreen that I had the dealer install. Now I have that option too for winter riding.

[iceman]

I went ahead and ordered the Hand Deflectors that Branyers14 provided the link for. They look nice and seem to be made as well as the US made National Cycle brand. They seem to be made specifically for Honda scooters which pleases me.

From the pics I thought they were quite small in coverage but if they work well then great - I wonder why there are three different versions for PCX from year 12 to 14 - did the handlebars/mirror config change that much?
HONDA PCX125 JF28 [Model year; -12. 4 [Compliance and other information] Fno. 1000001-
HONDA PCX125 JF28 [Model year; 12. 5- [Compliance and other information] Fno. 1100001-
HONDA PCX125 JF56 [Model year; 14. 4- [Compliance and other information] Fno. 1000001-

If I could get the bar ends off (red loctite, chewed screws, four people inc. me have now given up for now) I would have gone for:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181765568245? ... EBIDX%3AIT
You can get smoke, red, blue and black and from £10-12 or so delivered. I did order these and they were quite good for the price, but sold them when I could not get the bar ends off to fit, as summer was coming - or what bit of sun we had. Now winter is around the corner I will re-consider my options - bar muffs, these kind of shields, or drill the bar end screws out, remove the end platic and use a large grip to twist the dame screws.