By: SutusB25 (offline)  Friday, 15 June 2012 @ 07:50 PM ICT (Read 10176 times)  

Curious to know if current PCX users would support or dismiss the idea . Large Top box fitted and strictly one -up driving.
Any thoughts anyone?


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By: Anonymous: Andrew Hargreaves ()  Saturday, 16 June 2012 @ 04:15 PM ICT  

Been there done that, in theory possible and the top box needn't be that big, but the seat is all wrong for a big guy.
The hump gets in the way you can't stretch your legs and when it rains you Finnish up sitting in a puddle. Get a wave save a lot of bother.

By: Big Guy (offline)  Saturday, 16 June 2012 @ 09:44 PM ICT  

Having once 'toured' from Burlington to Ottawa Canada and back on a Honda 65cc Cub, a trip of over 500 miles, I can attest that any motorcycle is capable of 'touring'. Mind you, I was 16 years old at the time, weighed 160 lbs soaking wet, and was happy to motor along at 40 mph with not a care in the world. I slept by the side of the road in picnic rest areas and it only took me two days to travel 250 miles to Ottawa. Your PCX 150 is a veritable Rolls Royce compared with my old 65cc Cub.

I concur with our friend that the PCX seat is the worst thing about the bike. I have a two year old PCX 125 and the only difference between it and the current model is the engine size. The seat sucks: the hump means that even shorter riders can't slide back and stretch out their legs. The hollow in the seat collects water and that's why PCX riders usually have a wet ass. What a horrible seat design!

In my case, 1,200 baht got me a rebuilt seat without the hump, so I can stretch right out. That said, it's still no cruiser when one considers the rider position and the seat design, but I do 4 and 5 hour trips on it regularly because it's all I have right now.

Tip if you're considering a box on the back: get a white coloured box. I have a black one and it might as well be an oven. My wife's white box is way cooler inside even on a hot and sunny day. Get a white box!

Next stop for me will be a Royal Enfield 500cc, but that's a different class. The PCX has many good things going for it: the 150cc, larger frame, bigger tubeless tyres and lots of pep for hills. For the money there's no other bike I'd own and it's capable of 'touring' - at least better than any other comparable scooter.




   

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By: Anonymous: Jeffrey ()  Sunday, 17 June 2012 @ 08:05 AM ICT  

1 year 26,000 km on my HOnda PCX 125

My base is in Chiang Mai. I have taken it to Pattaya, Bangkok, Nong Khai, up north, and everywhere inbetween. 2 up no less most of the time.. Alone I just use the under seat space and or a small back pack. Not a lot of good point to strap things on with.. 2 up we some time use saddle bags thrown over the seat. I have no problems with the hump some complain about and I am 100+ kilo and 189 cm tall.

only 1 nail in the rear tire in all this driving, no other problems. even drove on with the flat for another few km to a shop to fix it.

If youl ike adventure go have some fun

By: news (offline)  Sunday, 17 June 2012 @ 02:26 PM ICT  

Motorcycle touring is more about attitude than the motorcycle/scooter you do it on. I once met two French girls in Vietnam who drove two Honda Wave's from Bangkok to Laos and all the way up to the coast of Vietnam and they had very little luggage and depended on the availability of spare parts for the motorcycles on the way (they had no problems whatsoever).

Personally, I did Vietnam by motorcycle a few times, but I'm still thinking in the back of my mind to one day do it on a 125cc scooter/motorcycle similar to the French girls did it. It brings a challenge back in motorcycle touring, if I take our regular (big-bikes) the adventure is not that big... I know it's a piece of cake for my regular motorcycle...

   

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By: Big Guy (offline)  Monday, 18 June 2012 @ 11:29 AM ICT  

It has been my experience that in the case of the PCX, 125cc is adequate for touring even in the mountains, although 150cc would give that added punch I suppose. (I've never ridden a 150 cc PCX).

The good thing about touring on a small bike like the Pcx or some other small scooter is that you can go anywhere. There are few trails you won't attempt. If the locals get to their little isolated mountain village on scooters, then you can do it too. With a larger bike or with a small cruiser style you might forego a trip up a mountain trail and that's a shame because there is so much to see and so much beauty if you're willing to get off the pavement.

A small scooter also makes for fewer worries about break-downs or theft. You can always walk your scooter down the mountain or throw it into the back of a hired pickup truck to get it to a Honda dealership. If your Kawasaki Versys or Honda Steed breaks down in the mountains, you've got your work ahead of you because you have a heavy bike with a dead engine. Even on pavement it's no small chore to get a big bike into a pickup truck.

Life is full of compromises, and the trade-off with the PCX is low cost and agility vs. comfort and speed.

The PCX is a perfectly good little touring bike with a few changes to the seat, shocks and storage.

For $30 dollars the seat can be changed to get rid of the hump. You will need some larger shocks on the back as the stock PCX bottoms out the rear suspension with a faring driving and a Thai lady on the back. I have YSS adjustable shocks purchased from the Honda dealership. I can't recall exactly what I paid for them but it was about $125 installed for the pair and worth every dollar. With their addition the PCX handled so much better and rode like a bigger bike right away. Like I said, worth every dollar.

There are a number of rear storage units available. I purchased a GIVI Monolock from the Honda dealership and what a mistake it was. On the positive side, it has the feature that it is easy to remove. It locks onto its mounting platform with a key so there is no concern about theft and you can theoretically remove it and take it into your room for the night.

That was the feature that attracted me, but once I had the bike it I found I never took the storage container off. The downsides of the GIVI I purchased are many:

1/ It rattles like hell. Nothing to be done, that's the way it is.
2/ It is not truly waterproof unless the bike is standing still. If you're traveling, you will have water in the bottom at the end of your ride. There is no rubber seal between the fixed bottom and the lid. That's just the way it is.
3/ The black colour in the sun makes it a pizza oven. I'm to the point where if it's a sunny day I won't put my camera in the box and that's why I bought it.

The wife has a JNLAN top box on her scooter and in my opinion it is far superior to the GIVI at about half the price. It is fully waterproof while riding in the rain. It's permanently mounted so it doesn't rattle as the GIVI removable box does, and it is white so the interior stays far cooler than the black GIVI in the same sun side by side.

The JNLAN box can also be closed and latched without locking it, which is convenient at times. With the GIVI, it's set up so it cannot be left latched and closed without locking it, so if you carry the key on your ignition key ring (a natural thing to do) it means that you have to shut down the bike just to unlock and open the rear container.

Good luck with your travels!

Big Guy





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By: Anonymous: Martin ()  Wednesday, 20 June 2012 @ 12:05 PM ICT  


Hi guys,

the solution to the PCX seat is very simple. I have had it done to my PCX 150 and never looked back.I live in Thailand and here they'll refit your seat just about anywhere. (Don't know about other countries). All it takes is to unscrew the bolts on the seat divider,toss it out,and have the upholstery boys put in extra foam and /or plaster to even it out. I had mine raised by about 4cm along the whole length and now it feels just right for my 6.1" size. Also,I can move backwards or forwards on the seat as i wish. i can even stretch my legs if I choose to sit near the rear of the seat. My legs are now comfortable in all seating positions.great for longer rides and I have already travelled more than 10 000 km on my pcx,including trips longer than 600 km at a time. had a top box installed and riding has never been better.
Sure all of you can do same,if you need it.

Good luck,
Martin, Thailand

By: SutusB25 (offline)  Tuesday, 26 June 2012 @ 12:52 PM ICT  

I wish to express my thanks for your invaluable input.
I hired a PCX 125 and concluded:
1) A 125 is quick enough.
2) The seat hump is a pain –however thanks to your input I now know that solutions exist.
3) One negative feature was wind noise around my helmet. I initially wore a Thai standard basic job .I have a European style
helmet that I only use for touring . With that on the noise was reduced to an acceptable level. That said the noise returned with the visor up. I think this has to do with the laminar air flow which passes over the Honda’s small screen and then becomes turbulent as it reaches the drivers head.
Solution –change the screen for one that does not produce that particular characteristic.

Thanks to you all again –a joy to read about your experiences.


Alan Light

 

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