Buying a bike for MPG/Vetter Challenge, what would be your favorite?

[renault_megane_dci]

The only drawback of a CVT for Vetter Challenge is the (pretty much) un-ability to change the gear ratios and take full advantage of the stream-lining.

Assuming Honda did their work properly, there is no potential for the PCX to go faster only with the stramlining (variators are probably at the maximum position when the PCX in standart trim is at full throttle).

Maybe you can check that by fitting a bike speedo on the rear wheel and let the scooter run on the center stand with the belt cover removed so you can see the position of the belt at max speed and the max speed with no wind (wich gives you the improvement potential)

I wouldn't do it for the breaking in thought ...

[sendler]

I rode the PCX150 to work today. 40 miles each way. Backroads at 55 mph on the way up and superhighway at 60- 65 on the way home. Whoever said you can't go on the big road because of the wind performance needs more experience. This bike is very stable in dirty air as it is on gravel and the air coming over the front is calm. The speedo of my US version is dead on with the gps. I also set up to check the odometer and it too seemed to be pretty close but I forgot to check it again more toward the end of the ride. I only used full throttle a few times, even staying off the stop on the biggest hills. There is some sort of electronic limit at 68 mph which comes on as a slow surge. And I can hit this speed on the flat with no draft. I oscillates smothly in a sine wave at maybe 1-2 Hz. This is much slower and gentler than most rev limiters I have seen which have more of 10Hz sawtooth pattern. I got my tach in the mail today so I can check to see what rpm this is and if it is a rev limit or a speed limit. If I had another 3 mph, I would never get dropped or become an obstacle in the truck lane. I may have to see if my variator is letting the belt all the way out and make a change to something else if it isn't. It's going to be hard to get really accurate fill ups. I filled to the bar at the bottom of the filler neck last night but tonight as I was adding fuel it was low, low, low, and then splash! Fuel shot right out the top and made a mess. So I didn't get a good fuel economy calculation but it looks like at speeds over 60 mph/ 100kph, my CBR250R will beat the PCX on gas. I still enjoy riding it though and if I wasn't running late both ways, I could keep it to 50 mph on the back roads and turn a good number. The high beam is awesome! Better than many cars. The tires shake a little. Maybe I will ask my excellent Honda shop manager if warranty will balance them once since there are no weights on either wheel. There is a slight tendency for the rear top hop sideways just a little bit over some of the bigger humps in the highway that develop across the paved over expansion joints. All in all a really nice bike. Especially the way that Honda has smoothed the air over the front of the high quality bodywork.

[sendler]

1 round trip to work and some Saturday riding. 6 miles at 65 mph. the rest of the miles at 53 mph. Ran the PCX150 until the last bar started flashing at 121 miles and kept going till 128.5 miles. Filled it on the center stand as much as I could get in which is part way up the neck. 1.299 gallonsUS. 98.9 mpgUS.

[renault_megane_dci]

pretty good for the breaking in !

[sendler]

Tried to run the PCX out of gas while carrying a fuel bottle but didn't have time to keep going. I made it to 149.5 miles and added 1.538 gallonsUS at the fill up for 97.2 mpgUS. Maybr Satyrday I can run it dry to determine the true tank capacity and fuel remaining when the last bar starts to flash. The last couple bars on the fuel gauge go by too quickly to be useful. Something like 12 miles for the 4th, 8 miles for the the 3rd, and 6 miles for the 2nd to last. Maybe 6 more miles on the last bar before it starts flashing but then it will flash for 35 miles. I am close to 100 mpgUS so you can translate all of those miles remaining roughly into .01 gallonsUS remaining.
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600 miles already. Time for the first service. Will change to Mobil 1 4T or I might even try regular Mobil 1 since there is no wet clutch. The valve clearance check up is due but it might be a couple more weeks before I get around to tackling that.
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The tires tend to shake at speeds over 55 sometimes. Other times not so much. There aren't any wheel weights on either wheel. Rather than make my service department tear the wheels off to balance them, I am going to try some Dynabeads in the tires. I also started to detect a very slight steering head oscillation at 65 mph that starts with the tire vibration. Just barely noticeable.
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A scooter's low center of gravity and a seating position which is less conducive to sticking out a knee or hanging off the seat means more lean angle for any given curve than a sport bike. My tires show only the slightest chicken strips remaining unused even though I don't do any hard cornering.
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[HHOTDI]

wow Sendler, that is awesome. My wife and I are ready to get another scoot and have been looking at one like yours. There is a Sh150i for sale locally as well...decisions decisions. :{)

[sendler]

One of the Honda salesmen (female) that I know rode the PCX and the SH back to back and said she preferred the ergonomics and handling of the PCX better. She never got comfortable on the SH. It has bigger wheels and more power though. A large rider on a PCX will have to remove the seat hump and wouldn't have room for a passenger. For me it seems the perfect blend of "just enough" and it is fun to be a part of such a widespread and growing "world bike".

[HHOTDI]

Thanks Sendler, i'm 6'6" and my wife is 6', I will make sure to test ride them first and see which one we/she likes. A very good idea Thanks for the updates! I for one greatly appreciate it. :{)

[sendler]

At 6'6 you are going to have to do a custom seat on anything with a bucket or stepped seat.

[renault_megane_dci]

Full use of the tire sides is really dependant on the geometry of the bike and type of tires fitted.

Narrower tires and smaller wheels really helps in this (bragging) department. I know because I went frow narrow to a little fatter (and taller) tires and while the bike feels much safer I certainly have not been going slower "knee out"