Honda PCX150

[renault_megane_dci]

Now I remember why I swapped my Helix for a regular gearbox / clutch bike ;-)

[sendler]

Finally riding again after the coldest winter ever in the north east US. 116.3 miles with 1.280 gallons US = 90.9 mpgUS. Worst tank ever. Still under 0C cold in the mornings and using my heated gear. My fuel economy dropped quite a bit when I put the new Michelin City Grip on the back.
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Honda PCX153 (Honda PCX150) | Fuelly
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[treekids]

Thanks for posting this, sendler . very interesting. Any other aerodynamic mods? I'm wondering if a pcx-150 would be a good Freedom Machine contender (July 4, 2015, craigvetter.com).

What do you mean, renault_megane_dci? You find sender's talk of rollers and sliders a problem? I ride helixes, stock, and they run fine. I'm thinking of pcx-150 - it seems amazing that a 150cc can run at 68 mph like my helix, at 100 fewer cc and about 50% better mpg before aeromods.

[sendler]

CVT belt drive isn't as efficient as a chain for a competition vehicle but it has a big advantage for commuting in bad weather since it is sealed from salt and rain and is essentially maintenance free. The top speed of the PCX won't quite keep up on the highway. Maybe with a good aero tail and a gearing change.

[treekids]

Originally Posted by sendler

CVT belt drive isn't as efficient as a chain for a competition vehicle but it has a big advantage for commuting in bad weather since it is sealed from salt and rain and is essentially maintenance free. The top speed of the PCX won't quite keep up on the highway. Maybe with a good aero tail and a gearing change.

Yeah. And in traffic, not having to shift-down/shift-up.

Yeah, with good aerodynamics it should do better at high speed, and with gearing change it should go faster. Adjusting the weights (dr pulley etc) should do that, effectively, without having custom gears made, right? What I'm not clear on is whether heavier or lighter weights will give me slower start but higher top speed.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by treekids

Adjusting the weights (dr pulley etc) should do that, effectively, without having custom gears made, right? .

No. Changing the weights changes the rpm that the CVT pulls at while under full throttle for better acceleration. The DrPulley sliders will give a slight increase in gearing due to their design, not a difference in weight. But you will still be stuck at 65-70 mph depending on the wind and newness of your belt. The PCX150 is an amazing vehicle. But might get passed by Craig once in a while during a challenge. But who cares if you don't get an "official" score on a Vetter challenge. You still have a really nice riding and fuel efficient daily commuter if you can get by with a top speed of 65 mph.

[Grant-53]

Any plans for streamlining the scooter?

[sendler]

Probably not since my son also rides that and he is fashion conscious. The aerodynamics are pretty good on it to start with but a more aero trunk than the common Givi that I am using now would be nice.
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[renault_megane_dci]

It was my understanding that switching to heavier weights would make your CVT short shifting at the expense of slower acceleration (although with less pumping losses ).

Also for a given RPM, heavier weights will be farther out which also applies to top speed.

I red that it is very much usual that your top speed is not at your max CVT gearing because your engine simply can't get your vehicle up to that speed.

Sometime, lighter weights will improve top speed by allowing the engine to hit its power band

[sendler]

Lighter weights raise the pulling rpm of the cvt at the slight theoretical loss of economy. Although I didn't lose any economy when I changed to lighter weights. Any reasonable weight will be locked all the way out to max gearing long before top speed so weight doesn't make any change to that. The sliders are designed so the edge that is controlling the outward stop allows greater travel than a round roller can so they provide a slight increas in gearing up to the point where the variator halves meet. They are a very ingenious invention where every surface is optimized to do it's specific function. Unlike a simple round shape.
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