Pc800

[artemedes]

Today I rode with a friend as he test rode his soon-to-be-his 1989 pearl white PC800. I thought it was a really neat machine. It is in excellent shape and it fits him perfectly. I thought the trunk was massive and really cool. This one doesn't have a top-case, but I don't think my friend will need more storage for his uses. I can see why these bikes have a cult status and are highly regarded by open minded people who can appreciate the practicality and utility of such a machine. I had never seen one up close and was surpised that it was smaller than I expected. I think it might even have a shorter wheelbase than the NT.

He met me at my house and led the way on his current trusty steed, a honda reflex. We headed out of town to meet the owners out in the country and it was warm enough to be quite pleasant despite the ever present Kansas Wind. The wind tried to sour our moods by gusting at us as we negotiated the sweeping corners of route 4 scenic stone byway, but Kansas riders are only surprised by the wind when it stops blowing. I just smiled to myself as I watched my friend lean into the corners. I knew he liked it and was going to buy it before we stopped and turned around. The owners came with us on a GL800 and a suzuki M90. That M90 must have a lot of torque because I was having to give it alot of throttle and stay higher in the rev band than I am used too in order to keep up. It just seemed to accelerate out of the corners effortlessly. I think my friends confidence was growing on the PC800 and we seemed to be taking the last few sweepers faster than we had before.

I am glad he bought it and even more glad I could tag along.

After my friend takes ownership, I will have to get some rides organized and get some photos with my NT.

 

[Woodaddict]

He got the first model year of the PC800. I had 2 of them for 236,000 miles in 13.5 yrs. I really did like them for storage and weather protection with the taller rifle windshield. Even tho its a 800cc engine it only has 46 hp compared to the NT with 700cc and 60 hp. Plus the NT gets a tad constant better mpg. Wished they still made it, but they put the NT in its place, both PC and NT where/are not best sellers for Honda.

 

[tawilke46]

I owned a '98 Honda Pacific Coast from August 1999 to June 2008. I really liked that bike. And unusual design by Honda of America specifically for the West Coast folks that commute.
The trunk was the defining feature of the PC. A truly practical feature, you could put a lot of stuff in that trunk. I could put a full size helmet in one side and my jacket in the other side.

Wish I would have held on to it now. The bike was in pristine shape when I sold it. The old girl now resides in Texas somewhere around Austin last I heard.

 

[artemedes]

He got the first model year of the PC800. I had 2 of them for 236,000 miles in 12.5 yrs. I really did like them for storage and weather protection with the taller rifle windshield. Even tho its a 800cc engine it only has 46 hp compared to the NT with 700cc and 60 hp. Plus the NT gets a tad constant better mpg. Wished they still made it, but they put the NT in its place, both PC and NT where/are not best sellers for Honda.

That mileage is encouraging. I think this one had just crossed 30K miles. I kinda knew the PC had less power just didn't think it was that much of a difference. This one has the tall screen mounted and includes the shorter screen. I have heard many people call the NT the modern iteration of the PC800, and I see the resemblences (mid-sized, built in storage), but the PC800 still seems quite unique.

My friend commutes on his reflex, but has been reluctant to take it on more than day trips. In fact I am surprised at what he does with the reflex. On a previous ride I followed him most the day and we spent a lot of time in Kansas City Freeway traffic. Been to KC lots on my NT, but I would probably not have done that on his Reflex. I think he is going to enjoy freeway and longer trips on the PC. I already have an extra tent and sleeping pad, maybe I am hoping I can get him to come with me on some weekend moto-camping touring trips now.

 

[Phil Tarman]

When I started trying to buy a bike, a church member was selling his PC800. I don't remember the year, but it was beautiful, a mother-of-pearl that was a gorgeous color. Except he had dropped it on the right side and it had a scrape all the way down that side. He "only" wanted $4,000 for it. IIRC, it had about 35000 miles and, other than the scrape was in good shape. But I didn't have $4K. I ended up with my '83 GL650i Silverwing, which was a good bike, but not as good as the PC.

In 2000, I rode from Brian Head, UT, to Las Vegas, and then on through Ash Fork, AZ, Pagosa Springs, CO, Elk City, CO, and on to Mountain Home, AR, with a two guys on Kawasaki Concours and a woman on a PC. She had no trouble staying with us on the road but she needed gas about every 150 miles while we could go 260-275 miles on a tank. Granted she didn't have the acceleration we had, but she could run as fast as we did, cruising 80 or so on the interstate.

I still like the PC.

 

[Rich]

The small tank pretty much relegates the PC to commuter-bike status. Yes, you can tour with it, but lots of fuel stops. My son owned one for a couple of years and that's his recollection of it: "Seems like I was always refueling it".

I "toured" a bit with my SL350. It's range was about 110 miles really. You can learn to live with anything. Time causes us to remember stuff a bit more fondly than it deserves (except for my BSA's - those were junk).

 

[Lorien]

I seem to recall a range of around 200 miles with my 91. Seemed enough to tour on.

 

[Woodaddict]

That mileage is encouraging. I think this one had just crossed 30K miles. I kinda knew the PC had less power just didn't think it was that much of a difference. This one has the tall screen mounted and includes the shorter screen. I have heard many people call the NT the modern iteration of the PC800, and I see the resemblences (mid-sized, built in storage), but the PC800 still seems quite unique.

Just looked on the PC800 website for my actual mileage. 1996 PC, 160,560 miles in 10.5 yrs, 1997 PC 67,664 miles in 3.3 yrs. The '96 model was starting to burn some oil, about1/2 qt in 450 miles. So thought maybe I would have a certified Honda mechanic working from his home making some extra money to rebuild the engine @ 136,500 miles. He said the rings where gummed up sticking closed somewhat allowing oil to pass by, the price for labor, materials estimate was $2,500. So he routed me to find a used engine on ebay or craiglist. Found one at the time for $700. He swapped over carb, etc and it worked fine.
So your friends @ about 30,000 miles is 24 yrs old is an average of 1,250 miles per year. That could be a problem for bikes that don't get used alot as the years go by, can get unforeseen maintenence problems. (ps. pearl white is an 1989). And he could get many years out of it. In the PC years they only had 1 color per year. My 1996 was Candy Glory Red with Charcoal black lower, my 1997 was Candy Glory Red with flat Black lower.
Yep a 4.2 gal tank is small, my fill up normally would be 150 miles, I did take it to about 180 miles with my knees shaking! Normal MPG was 44-48 MPG Occasionally 50 MPG in summer under "easy" acceleration terms.

 

[coaster]

I seem to recall a range of around 200 miles with my 91. Seemed enough to tour on.

I had a 97 PC800, had a range of a little over 200 miles, rode coast to coast a number of times. Great machine put on a little over 100k, if they made a updated modernized version I'd buy but it in a heartbeat.

 

[elizilla]

About three months after I sold my NT, I met a local guy who was riding around town on a 1940 Ariel. (Riding the Ural has brought me into the orbit of people who ride antique bikes.) He wanted to get something to tour on, and he's got shorter legs than me. I suggested an NT, and wished I hadn't just sold mine because it would have been perfect for him. But he ended up finding a gently used PC800. Not sure what year it is, but it is red. Anyway, we have ridden together a fair bit since then, and the PC is serving him just fine; he is quite happy with it. It's the newest bike he has ever owned so it doesn't feel old to him.

Recently we swapped bikes for an hour or so and I rode the PC. It was OK, but the seat was so low it felt like I was sitting in a hole, and I had to get a bit deeper into the throttle than I am used to. My friend enjoyed riding the Super10 though it was a bit higher than he's used to. At the moto show they had a white Super10, which we both sat on and we are both convinced its seat height was lower than mine. The Yamaha rep swore it was unchanged from 2012 and that this bike was not modified. I wonder if the suspension on the show bike has gotten permanently sacked out from being strapped down in trucks? Anyway, my friend was getting the balls of his feet down pretty solidly, and he came away from the show making noises about adventure bikes.

 

[tawilke46]

I averaged between 50 to 55mpg on my PC. The best day was on a ride up to Natchez, Ms. On that tank I got 65mpg thanks to a little tail wind.
Got to admit I always wished for a 5gal plus tank on the PC......then you could have done some serious miles.
I still made trips to North Carolina, Texas, and Arkansas on it. Never had a problem with worrying about running out of gas. 180 miles easy on 3.5 gallons. By then I am ready to stop anyway.

 

[docta]

I am on the third of three PC800s I have had here at the Retirement home......'90, '96 and the current '95.....latter has Mick-O-Pegs, +4 Rifle screen and GIVI Monokey top box.......did an Iron Butt on it last year.....it requires only the usual oil/filter/tire changes and are absolutely bullet proof......as Sam said, no valve adjustments......I usually run about 180 miles between fuel stops, but can exceed 200, if necessary....do lots of 600 mile days when touring; up to 1000 if I need to get somewhere in a hurry.....self-cancelling turn signals are a big plus for me and the bike will travel at any reasonable speed you want, solo or two-up, sans vibration and noise.....babes here at the retirement home love it for its commodious storage....plenty of room for huge purses, plenty of clothing and lots of extra Depends.......

TW

 

[DirtFlier]

Although I rode my '97 PC800 for 102k from new, it did have its shortcomings. The primary one was the lack of choices for the rear tire because of the 15-inch size. Dunlop and Metzler 880 were the only two choices. Having an '89 now means it is around 25-years old and although the metal parts are OK, a lot of the rubber seals and O-rings are probably rock hard and in need of replacement.

 

[Zekesic]

I've had my 95 PC for 3 years now. Easiest to ride , most forgiving bike I've had. It's been my go to bike under a 200 miles and many longer trips til I got the Wing for that. Average over 50 mpg , gas, oil and go. Thinking about parting with it, but I seem to have gotten attached. Like many, would love to SE it reborn with abs and fuel injection.
Dick

 

[bicyclist]

Like many, would love to SE it reborn with abs and fuel injection.

Interesting thought. Take a wrecked NT and move the parts to a PC.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Back in the day I was riding a ST1100 and my good buddy was riding a FJ1100, we on a ride with a couple guys riding PC800's They weren't as fast as we were but they were right on our tail. We tried to shake them going up Poudre Canyon, highway 14, west out of Fort Collins. Finally shook them off our tail when we got to the top of the plateau in North Park and the road straightened out headed to Walden. That is were HP comes into play.

 

[Comanche]

During the winter, you see a fair number of PCs down here in deep south Texas. They're ridden by Winter Texans (what Florida and Arizona call Snowbirds). A lot of them join a ride-to-eat weekly ride organized by the ROMEO Riders. (Retired Old Motorcyclists Eating Out) Lots of PCs at the rides, including this one two weeks ago on South Padre Island. The owner is from Minnesota and keeps one PC there, then when he comes south for the winter, takes his Texas bike out of storage and rides here in Texas. There was white PC parked in front of me - and he has three PCs, one of which is his current rebuild project.

 

[Russ Foster]

While everyone is whining about their former PC800 ( I had a 1990 for 7 years) I wonder if anyone tried swapping the flasher from a PC to a NT700? I think the footprint is the same. Could it be this was the easiest fix and no one thought about trying it?

Russ Foster
Dallas, TX

 

[skiper]

First time I saw one was the first day in Sarasota Fl. This super layed back Fl guy with Hawaiian shirt, fancy shorts and moccasins zoomed away exceedingly rapidly and silently on his new.. showroom condition red PC. I was impressed with the machine and his lack of helmet.. that gear is not for me but the bike was - Florida has a great vibe.. PC accelerated like a monorail - surprising about the HP rating.. It seems any one statistic about an engine isn't enough to describe it's personality very accurately .. I hope to ride one some day

 

[JimTid]

I put 50K on a 89 PC800.
I enjoyed it. Electrical system was the weak point on mine. The stator was the first to go then a rectifier. I bought the NT700 as a modern day PC