The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

I'll preface this by saying that my 2015 PCX 125 is only 4 months old and has done just over 1800 miles.

In the last 6-7 days, something weird is happening when accelerating from zero. The set- off used to be smooth and seamless. But now it's jerky and juddering a lot. It's a really big contrast. This only happens when setting off from a standstill, and it stops at about 10mph. As soon as I pick up some speed, it's completely smooth again.

Any ideas what's going on?

Thanks.

It might be the clutch juddering. If they get glazed up it could cause the complaint you have as it slips at low speeds then once fully engaged it stops juddering.

No doubt someone will correct me on this but a few full throttle starts might clear the fault, otherwise is a strip and clean.

I have that on my 2015 125 (now on 3000 miles and about 8-9 months old) - mentioned it a few times over the past few months and it's not only annoying but something I hate about the bike. Also, the past 2 weeks, from standstill till moving a few miles/h, when I gently turn the throttle I not only get the judder (most times) but now a whine that goes as soon as the bike is moving. Not sure what that is - hope it's the belt/clutch rubbing/grazing rather than bearings as I have not had the 2nd service done so probably lost the warranty.
I had the 1st service at the dealer, so oil and most things should have been checked from new - the 2nd service costs quite a bit (£130ish with tax) but does not really do much according to the schedule. Oil level seems fine and oil looks ok in main engine
That's one other thing I do not like about the pcx - the fidely and poor design oil checker - all too easy to catch on something when removed/inserted to check level.
As to the judder - the belts are supposed to last a long time and are quite tuff - do they stretch? Could that be a cause of judder?

When moving off don't open the throttle gently.
This is what causes the clutch shoes to glaze and this is the cause of the judder.
The gentler you are moving off the worse it gets.

i think the correct term is shudder. Just take some 220 sandpaper and remove the glaze from the pads, and the clutch bell. See how that preforms. My bike does the same thing, but i ride hard.

So I should hit the throttle hard every time I set off?

I took my CBT test on a Honda Lead, a bike that was old and abused being used by 1st timers to biking and those wanting to pass the basic CBT - yet it rode well, had no judder even with gentle throttling. Yet much newer tech PCX's that we try and look after and go gentle with - seem to suffer from 'shudder'. As someone else mentioned and seeing people with other makes of scooter (100+ parked at work), they seem to purr in comparison and sound much nicer.

Mine shudders. It helps if you pull the brake and rev the throttle a bit before you pull off

iceman wrote:I took my CBT test on a Honda Lead, a bike that was old and abused being used by 1st timers to biking and those wanting to pass the basic CBT - yet it rode well, had no judder even with gentle throttling. Yet much newer tech PCX's that we try and look after and go gentle with - seem to suffer from 'shudder'. As someone else mentioned and seeing people with other makes of scooter (100+ parked at work), they seem to purr in comparison and sound much nicer.

You have 100+ scooters parked at work?! (and in an English speaking country!!!!)
That is more scooters than in the whole state of Ohio! (78% English speaking! :-)
I cannot imagine this.........
And yes, part/gentle throttle at takeoff freq can cause clutch chatter for a moment. After new DrPulley sliders, new belt, deglazed clutch pads.....the takeoff judder on too gentle throttle came back very quickly.
Give it the beans a bit......and your scoot will skip right through this annoyance.
Or, buy a nice CB300F with a clutch we can control.
Fish

My girlfriend and I both have 2013 PCX150's and they have been shuddering upon take off since about 3 months after purchase and it's been going on ever since. We've taken our bikes to two different bike mechanics and they both say that "there's nothing wrong with them". I really wish mine would stop shuddering everytime I take off... but at this point I've simply learned to deal with it.

I'm beginning to think this is a design flaw with so many PCX's doing the same thing.

My one's ok but I usually pull away reasonably briskly. It helps stop the clutch glazing up apparently.

I ride a Vision 110cc and I have zero shudder, what I do have when in traffic and slowly moving off is a sudden drop on the clutch engage/disengage it's not smooth. Something I am used too but felt like i'd mention.

On snowmobiles we used to tell folks WOT on takeoff or face the shudder/glazing.

I do not always get shuddering, but now for the past few weeks I have a mild whining sound before the clutch fully engages and I'm moving. Once moving, even slowly, it seems fine until I take-off from still. Really unhappy about this as it's a sign something is not right. I did not want to have all the services done as that is nearly £1000 over the 2 years (inc VAT) - actually about 850 + vat.

As I do not have a garage and the weather is still hit and miss, I may open it up when the weather warms up a bit. I'm hoping it's the belt slipping or such, but not sure. I was hoping if I rode it with care, did not go mad when new, that is would last and be hassle free, albeit with self-service after the first one.

I checked the oil today and that seems to be at the right level and looks in good condtion, at least at the level checker, although this is just the engine oil not the rear drive. I turned the rear wheel both directions and did not get the nasty noise some people have turning the wheel slowly when on the stand.

CVTs are a weird animal and I still prefer them to chain maintenance and manual shifting but being gentle is often harder on them than being aggressive on the throttle.

tbln930 wrote:CVTs are a weird animal and I still prefer them to chain maintenance and manual shifting but being gentle is often harder on them than being aggressive on the throttle.

Learn something new every time I open this forum

I agree with a more substantial throttle usage instead of a light twist.

Well, been more aggressive on the throttle, but not WOFT, and the bike is running much better. The mild 'whining' noise before the clutch engaged and the shudder seem to have subsided and I feel much happier with the bike now. Seems the belt/clutch were glazed and causing grief.
Ever since new my mpg has dropped, at first I got around 140mpg but over time it's dropped to 130 or just under (I know, still great!) - but for the first time in 6 months the gauge is showing near 136mpg again (after 6 days commuting) rather than 129 (which it has for the past few months of riding). I know you cannot go directly by the built in meter, but I have always found it to be within a few mpg compared to the real calculated figures from full tank (near brim) to single bar (I use fuelly and always use the printed receipt for litres in against trip miles from last fill-up).
The fact the bike sounds nicer, rides nicer and amazingly the meter is showing near to what I had in mpg when I first got the bike, things seem great again

Wait the PCX has a MPG meter too?

The 2015's do - you can toggle through several things such as total miles, trip, mpg or km/l, etc. Sometimes after a fill-up and 'reset' for the trip miles, it can go a bit wild and give very strange mpg (I've had 100's mpg) but then it soon settles and for me, it's proves to be very accurate as the fuel goes from 'full' to about a 1/2 tank downwards. I know it's that good because as mentioned I go be litres in (say 1.67) against trip miles.
Good to have a nice running PCX again - was getting worried by the low whine and nasty shudder it was making before the clutch cut in.