Ever since the Honda PC800 came out I've wanted one. Sure it looks like a Burgman, only grown up.
Anyone ever ridden one? Any comments? Suggestions. EBay seems to have an occasional one for low $2K
Prolly should have saved this for Friday but....
Howdy,
My wife had a PC. I rode it from time to time to make sure things were as they should be. Also used it on a long road trip once; my ST's volt reg. went night before departure.
Some basic observations: Compared to any bike I've ridden before/after, the rider has the sensation of being seated further toward the rear of the wheel base. When making turns, you get a sense that the bike's center of rotation is just a few inches forward of the rear tire. Never bothersome, just unique and different. This is perhaps reflective of the fact I noted the cockpit 'length' was a tad shorter than my ST. I 'felt' as though the seating arrangement were missing an inch or two (sort of like a BMW Z3 or Miata compared to a Z4).
Engine is a 800cc parallel twin going into a single exhaust can. Has a enjoyable exhaust note. The engine is unlike any other motorcycle I've ridden. RPM's around 7K IIRC, relatively low. However the higher into the RPM range you go, the smoother the engine gets. It's really incredible. Wind it out to 7K (which is actually rather pointless) and it's not a far cry to claim its almost as smooth as when its off. Most other bikes start buzzing themselves to death...
The shift points come decidedly earlier than on an ST, for instance. As an ST rider, it was easy to forget at times (due to rudimentary similarities) I was not on the ST. A few times I caught myself at the midpoint of a curve, ready to roll on power, only to urgently realize a need to downshift. A twin 800, the power band comes on a bit later and with less umph than it's larger brother.
The bike does provide all-day riding comfort. Cockpit is clean, uncluttered, and decidedly automotive-like. Once I got past the 'its not my ST' mindset, and started just riding it, I found I was actually having a lot of fun. Get it for what it is, not for what someone might think it 'should' be.
The bike is pre-radial, so plan on liking Metzeler Marathons (ME880) or the like. The bike won't 'eat' tires, though my wife did run through a couple. Suspension is supple. You can have fun with the bike but, with minimal adjustments, you're not going to be competing with sportbikes. Of course, neither would a Harley, nor is that why you buy one.
In hindsight, one thing I would definitely do is put in a Powerlet outlet for charging the battery. Located low, right side, just forward of the rear wheel, its a pain to get to. The Battery Tender pigtail was not 'quite' long enough to properly snake into the trunk area. Melted insulation once when the pigtail fell back down inside, touching the exhaust.
Guess I should comment on the trunk. Yes, it's spacious and you can get a bunch in there. Personally, I prefer having a pair of side bags (ST, FJR, or the like), with a top trunk. My wife sure loved the trunk though. When we went out on events, and needed to run for grocery/supplies, we always made sure the PC went. The trunk's great for handling beverages
.
In clean shape, well-maintained, $2K is a good deal. It's a respectable machine (though it gets little or none). It is not uncommon to find PC owners that have 2, 3, even 4, refusing to let any of them go.
