The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Rode my son's CB500X the other day. I'm not short, and that bike is tall! Don't know the seat height...but the whole bike is tall.
If I buy it, I'll probably add the lowering kit. Maybe not - if it were to screw up the handling. This thing is dumb easy to ride. Engine is so docile. Can pull away with no throttle.

I read so often that people ride scooters because they hate shifting.
I miss shifting. Always enjoyed it. Probably would feel differently if I had to commute through a crowded city, which is also not fun on a scooter!

Anyone else like shifting?
"Snick, snick" and away you go! Cool!!
(why do I own scooters? Big frown from family - 6 kids & the Mrs.- when I decided to return to riding at my age. Scooters were ""so European". Bikes not.)
Yeah, like at 6'3.5", 265...I look like one of those little European dudes!
Fish

I Keep saying I would get another motorbike.But when I ride my 3 scoots,[being greedy] its so easy,or am I just being lazy.?
As for the Honda cb500x,rode the cb500f some time ago,as others too
Triumph tiger 1050
Suzuki 1250 bandit,both so easy to ride,but both heavy and it dosent do my back any good.the power I can handle,but its the weight.

Along with the PCX, I have a Yamaha SR400.
I enjoy riding both, and like the 'retro' look of the SR. As I don't really think about shifting, I'd say it doesn't bother me
I would have to say that with my wife as a pillion passenger, she prefers the "security" of the PCX (there's a top box mounted), but the comfort of the SR.

if im doing tail of the dragon type roads I want to shift
if I'm doing around town, or interstate, I want the variator or the honda DCT.....

Almost all my rides are for errands and in city with no room to rip fast like a motorcycle. So shifting is a chore. Pass.

Ditto.
Shifting, listening to the changing of gears, the fumes of all combined Was Fun back in the day - when there was less congestion-traffic/less stop n go. Now? waay to much of that. Lanesplitting ain't gonna happen. This is NY and LI is part of the madness.

Heck, I sold my beloved 82 Honda Civic because of bumper to bumper traffic. Going to/from work shifting was just another job. So I stopped working that double shift

I have had both - scooters (including a touring scoot, the Burgman 650) and bikes.

With only the B650, I missed the control that shifting gave me. Mostly when on the open road - and I did a cross-country with that beast.

With cycles...in traffic...I get tired and annoyed. Lights and traffic snarls are something I dread.

I have also come to understand, that big bikes are a pain in urban settings. They're ponderous to maneuver. They're tiring to hold up in traffic or long lights. And their power and speed are meaningless.

Little bikes, have their own issues - and I've had two, a TW200 and a Z125. Running them through the gears, HAVING to downshift to get back with traffic that's starting to roll faster...a bigger pain.

The scoot variator transmission is not only easier in such a setting; it's more fitted to the engine and machine.

For motorcycles I would have to say shifting is fundamental for the experience. For my truck i'm getting on in years. I'll surrender the 6 speed stick shift soon and have extra hands for burgers and coffee... is that dangerous?

fish wrote:Rode my son's CB500X the other day. I'm not short, and that bike is tall! Don't know the seat height...but the whole bike is tall.
If I buy it, I'll probably add the lowering kit. Maybe not - if it were to screw up the handling. This thing is dumb easy to ride. Engine is so docile. Can pull away with no throttle.

I read so often that people ride scooters because they hate shifting.
I miss shifting. Always enjoyed it. Probably would feel differently if I had to commute through a crowded city, which is also not fun on a scooter!

Anyone else like shifting?
"Snick, snick" and away you go! Cool!!
(why do I own scooters? Big frown from family - 6 kids & the Mrs.- when I decided to return to riding at my age. Scooters were ""so European". Bikes not.)
Yeah, like at 6'3.5", 265...I look like one of those little European dudes!
Fish

You are almost six four and you found the CB500 tall? Strange.

you you wrote:

fish wrote:Rode my son's CB500X the other day. I'm not short, and that bike is tall! Don't know the seat height...but the whole bike is tall.
If I buy it, I'll probably add the lowering kit. Maybe not - if it were to screw up the handling. This thing is dumb easy to ride. Engine is so docile. Can pull away with no throttle.

I read so often that people ride scooters because they hate shifting.
I miss shifting. Always enjoyed it. Probably would feel differently if I had to commute through a crowded city, which is also not fun on a scooter!

Anyone else like shifting?
"Snick, snick" and away you go! Cool!!
(why do I own scooters? Big frown from family - 6 kids & the Mrs.- when I decided to return to riding at my age. Scooters were ""so European". Bikes not.)
Yeah, like at 6'3.5", 265...I look like one of those little European dudes!
Fish

You are almost six four and you found the CB500 tall? Strange.

Not strange to anyone who's ever been on a CB500X.
The X is not a sport bike. The X is the adventure version of the CB's. Lovely upright riding position, with a high CG.
Fish

fish wrote:

you you wrote:

fish wrote:Rode my son's CB500X the other day. I'm not short, and that bike is tall! Don't know the seat height...but the whole bike is tall.
If I buy it, I'll probably add the lowering kit. Maybe not - if it were to screw up the handling. This thing is dumb easy to ride. Engine is so docile. Can pull away with no throttle.

I read so often that people ride scooters because they hate shifting.
I miss shifting. Always enjoyed it. Probably would feel differently if I had to commute through a crowded city, which is also not fun on a scooter!

Anyone else like shifting?
"Snick, snick" and away you go! Cool!!
(why do I own scooters? Big frown from family - 6 kids & the Mrs.- when I decided to return to riding at my age. Scooters were ""so European". Bikes not.)
Yeah, like at 6'3.5", 265...I look like one of those little European dudes!
Fish

You are almost six four and you found the CB500 tall? Strange.

Not strange to anyone who's ever been on a CB500X.
The X is not a sport bike. The X is the adventure version of the CB's. Lovely upright riding position, with a high CG.
Fish

I'll check it out as I've been looking all my life for a bike that wasn't too small. This must be it.

I've only sat on a CB500X in a showroom the once, but as I recall I was able to have both feet flat on the deck at the same time. Inside leg 32"
The CB500X seat is only 25mm higher than my SV650.
Tall it isn't.

Gears and manual clutch are a complete pain in the arse in heavy city traffic.
Much easier to twist & go, never in the wrong gear, no false neutrals, no fannying around trying to find first after you've had to ram the anchors on because some dick pulled out in front of you etc, etc...

Right, seat isn't taller, else little guys won't buy --- an adventure bike is taller, has a lot of ground clearance and at least the appearance of more suspension travel. Grips are higher, tank is higher...
Higher CG. Tall bike - like most adventure bikes...and, at least this Honda - not to be confused with the off-road capabilities of an Africa Twin.
Adventure bikes are cool and popular these days - esp. the naked jobs.
Fish

Shifting is fun for me. . .except in bumper to bumper traffic. Then I'm worried about the clutch/oil/engine heating up to damaging levels. Head can warp and clutches can wear out prematurely. . ..

The thing I like about scooters at this stage of the game is they just kind of cut to the chase of the riding experience. Start and go! (allowing for a bit of a warm up of course)

I found that the shifting experience varies between the size and type of engine also. An inline 4 multi requires a more aggressive/quick shifting method. . .blipping on downshifts of course for engine braking. A parallel or V-twin is a bit more relaxed and you can step into the upshifts with a more leisurely pace as the engine/flywheel momentum more cordially invites the next gear. A thumper is just plain fun. The windup, the pitch, the swing, and again, and again, and again, etc. . .. Usually simpler to work on. . .thumpers have always been a joy for me to own.

My KLR is a tall ride. Plenty of ground clearance. . .overall nice bike. I'm still waiting for a reply from a parts vendor as to when a new supply of Rick's Stators that will fit my machine will be in stock.

My Suzuki GSF 1200S is quite versatile. It can pretty much be whatever you want it to. Around town bike or interstate road warrior. You can do most of your own maintenance if you take your time. Solid machine.

My PCX is as dependable as a fountain pen. Don't blame the pen if you forget to fill it with ink and don't let it dry out.

I'm beginning to like the scooter style of riding more now. . .. Easier to ride. . .economical. . .overall easier to own. . .utility value. . .no stress moving it around in a garage. . .lower seat. I just wish the horn and turn signal switches were in the same location on all motorcycles and scooters.

When I was younger I loved to shift. I could use the transmission to slow me down or to quickly get away from a situation or traffic. However, as I started to slow down I found the joy of twist and go. Not only is it a lot less work, but it made riding fun and gave me more time to enjoy myself. Going to the store was actually fun. No work to keep up with traffic. Just twist and go.

Horn vs turn signal location....that is another subject.

I would like to shift if I were doing something performance oriented maybe. When I was a teenager I had a few five speed cars and that was kinda fun, then I drove heavy trucks with 8-13 unsyncronized gears for a few years and after that shifting felt kinda like work, as in my mind I associated shifting with being in my truck on the Capital Beltway since I lived and worked in the DC area.

Right now my PCX is my only vehicle, maybe if I had a "play bike" so to speak I would get a manual transmission, but the thing is the PCX is fun, so fun isn't what I am lacking storage is, so if I wanted to get something else to compliment the PCX's weaknesses it would probably be a station wagon or a truck or something that can haul big things as that would save me the occasional cargo van rental. If I were to replace the PCX it almost certainly would be with a scooter, DCT motorcycle, or CVT motorcycle.