The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Riding today on my beloved PCX doing about 50--faster than I like on PCX--going south on a 4 lane arterial intraurban highway, speed limit 45, I almost, as they used to say, bought it. I was concentrated on making speed--had to get home for something--and did not notice that a red compact has crossed the two north bound lanes and was poised to enter the traffic stream just ahead of me. This was an idiotic move--you do not half cross a highway--a busy one at that--and then wait in the middle for a way to bolt into your intended line of travel. The compact was gently rolling toward my lane. I was too close and going too fast to safely stop. I jabbed for my wonderful horn--but missed it!!!! I hit the goddamed turn signal. It was n't til I passed this car--somehow he/she stopped for me--that I found my horn and put forth a useless blast.

It may have been an inexperienced driver. It may have been someone who is too old and gone in the noodle or the eyes to be driving and should hang it up.

One thing I learned--I need to practice finding that nutty horn button until I can hit it anytime and anywhere.

another thing I learned: Don't concentrate on getting to some far off place fast to the exclusion of what is going on dead ahead of you.

I've had a similar experience where I needed the horn but couldn't quickly find the button.

Very poorly placed if you ask me.

I always flash my highbeams at cars in intersections or getting ready to merge.
I don't care if they find it offensive, as I find headbutting the side of a car or taking an air swim even more offensive.

chicaboo wrote:I always flash my highbeams at cars in intersections or getting ready to merge.
I don't care if they find it offensive, as I find headbutting the side of a car or taking an air swim even more offensive.

That could be easily mistaken for a signal from you to proceed.
My instructor said never to flash. ...just put on the high beams...or leave them alone in that situation.
Yes, Honda errored in the horn button position. It is the same on the Forza.
Fish

fish wrote:

chicaboo wrote:I always flash my highbeams at cars in intersections or getting ready to merge.
I don't care if they find it offensive, as I find headbutting the side of a car or taking an air swim even more offensive.

That could be easily mistaken for a signal from you to proceed.
My instructor said never to flash. ...just put on the high beams...or leave them alone in that situation.
Yes, Honda errored in the horn button position. It is the same on the Forza.
Fish

Been told here, if you flash and they proceed and cause or get involved in an accident, you are partly to blame as you advised them to proceed. Got to be careful with all those dash cams around recording things.

I recently read on another forum that weaving back at forth when approaching a situation such as was mentioned (SMIDSY - Sorry Mate I Didn't See You) is effected. A number of those who posted said they started doing it and noticed a marked difference. With only having thousands of miles experience with riding a bike compared to 10's or 100's of thousands, I don't feel I am qualified enough to say one way or the other how safe or practical it is. How about some of you others? What do you think?

fish wrote:That could be easily mistaken for a signal from you to proceed.

Not in this country.

I gave up on the horn..always hit the turn signals too. Best thing I found is to be be attractive or distractive . I always try to turn a bit or weave in and out so my headlight is variable and wavy when approaching a turning vehicle. Always use my high beam in daytime. Problem is that many folks don't have good depth perception and an oncoming motorcycle tends to be a constant and can be misjudged, especially when you blend in with the "A" pillar or windshield frame.Not a whole lot anyone can do if they don't see you, so best you can do is be a distraction to their normal expectations..so a little weaving cant hurt..except if a cop is around.. He might think you are drunk ?? LOL

Around here it is not uncommon to see some 'I'm more important than you' idiot to cross traffic on a 4 lane street and stop right in there in the traffic, waiting for an opening on the other side, going in the opposite direction. They would just sit there on one side, blocking all traffic, until they were allowed to enter traffic on the other side of the medium. I can't tell you how many accidents have happened behind those idiots because other drivers had to stop suddenly because of them. Yet, they would not stick around for the police once the accidents occurred. No, they were too important for such things as courtesy.

As for my horn on the bike, I ALWAYS miss it in an emergency! Who was the idiot who thought it was a good idea to swap the turn signal and horn!?

easyrider wrote:...Problem is that many folks don't have good depth perception and an oncoming motorcycle tends to be a constant and can be misjudged,....

The forum I saw the SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Din't See You) post on, had a video that showed exactly that. The approaching motorbike remained quite small until just before it got to the camera and grew larger.

Switching between the PCX and the Silver Wing makes finding the horn button more problematic. On the PCX, the horn is above the turn signal, and on the Silver Wing the turn signal is above the horn. Or is that the other way round?

Anyhow, I almost never use the horn. Don't use it for less dangerous situations, and if it's a really dangerous situation I'm too busy braking and/or steering to use the horn. I'm not coordinated enough to do all three at the same time.

I politely bip the horn when the texting person ín front of me
fails to notice that the light has turned green.

On most other occasions, I'm too busy taking evasive action.

DailyRider wrote:I politely bip the horn when the texting person ín front of me fails to notice that the light has turned green.

If you still have the OEM horn, they will probably think it is just another text message tone sounding.

Bash On! wrote:Switching between the PCX and the Silver Wing makes finding the horn button more problematic.

I had been riding my PCX (the only bike I had ever riden) for 3½ years before I bought a Yamaha Majesty this summer. I think every time I tried to cancel the signal on the Majesty, I pressed the horn instead. Indeed, I think the PCX switch placement could have had a little more thought put into it.

easyrider wrote:I gave up on the horn..always hit the turn signals too. LOL

I would give up on my horn too, if it were still the stock PCX horn; but I have installed an air horn and once you've had a taste of the power of an air horn, even a 12 step program won't set you free of it.

Today I went out riding and practiced, when approaching any problematic or potentially problematic situation, keeping my thumb at rest on the horn button. It wasn't that hard to do and seems to me it might be a promising solution to the horn button search dilemma.

Good Fly! Ah yes, a little thing called "muscle memory." Remember that from your MSF course?

WhiteNoise wrote:Good Fly! Ah yes, a little thing called "muscle memory." Remember that from your MSF course?

I don't recall too much of that course, other than that one of our instructors was a woman; I mowed her down when my 250 got away from under me. She was a good sport about it--that's the part I remember best. May be some kind of a moral in that?

The horn seems in a natural place for me and easy to press when needed, but the PCX was my first stint on 2 wheels.

Bash On! wrote:Anyhow, I almost never use the horn. Don't use it for less dangerous situations, and if it's a really dangerous situation I'm too busy braking and/or steering to use the horn. I'm not coordinated enough to do all three at the same time.

Bash, I'm with ya on that. I can count on one hand the number of times I've used my horn as I would rather steer or brake to get out of trouble!