What Do A Brake Caliper Lock And A Variator Have In Common?

[homeslice]

I'm still laughing at myself, you can too if you want. About 10 days ago I fell asleep watching TV. When I woke up I thought, "put the bike in the garage". In a groggy state I went outside, fired her up and hit the throttle. She went about a foot and came to a dead stop. I had forgotten to take off the caliper brake lock, and now, at one in the morning, it is screaming. I took the lock off and, again, started to put the bike in the garage, but now I don't have a front brake. Something is wrong, and I'm leaving it 'til the morning. In the AM I limp in to my trusty Sumet Honda and tell my story. When we got finished laughing at me I ordered a new brake caliper. While I'm there a friend came in that I had wanted to talk too. He had installed a generic variator on his PCX two weeks before. I wanted to ask him if he had a power gain and if there was a fuel efficiency loss. Yes, a definite power gain!. No, no discernible fuel efficiency loss. Since I had seen the installation, talked face to face with my friend, asked all the right questions, and got all the right answers, I took the plunge.

My recommendation for increased power on your PCX, go to Sumet Honda and buy the variator for a mere 1600 baht. If you want to stop on a dime, get the brake caliper lock!

[HDRIDER]

He he good one

[tirekicker]

That's the problem with a disc- lock, it's so easily forgotten, I tend not to use mine any-more preferring to use my elongated pad- lock on the front wheel which is more visible.

Nice tires, are they Michelins ?

[ttakata]

Yep, I've rolled into my brake lock before.

Not sure if they have them still but Kryptonite used to include a small orange cable that you would tether to your throttle so you can't forget to unlock the thing.

Since I lost the tether, I don't use a disk lock unless its the Xena alarm kind.

[homeslice]

That's the problem with a disc- lock, it's so easily forgotten, I tend not to use mine any-more preferring to use my elongated pad- lock on the front wheel which is more visible.

Nice tires, are they Michelins ?

Yes Michelin's! Very happy with them!. 2200 baht in China town.

[homeslice]

Yep, I've rolled into my brake lock before.

Not sure if they have them still but Kryptonite used to include a small orange cable that you would tether to your throttle so you can't forget to unlock the thing.

Since I lost the tether, I don't use a disk lock unless its the Xena alarm kind.

It's the Xena alarm kind, well worth the money!

[tirekicker]

That's the problem with a disc- lock, it's so easily forgotten, I tend not to use mine any-more preferring to use my elongated pad- lock on the front wheel which is more visible.

Nice tires, are they Michelins ?

Yes Michelin's! Very happy with them!. 2200 baht in China town.

Thanks, I live in Phuket and will check out the local Michelin dealer. I'm generally a fair weather rider but would feel more confident on Michelin in both wet and dry.

Much Obliged.

[insertcoins]

Let me know what you end up with tirekicker. I am also in the market for new tires for my PCX and also in Phuket. I remember there was a topic about PCX tires that had some good suggestions, not only Michelin's.

Also do you or anyone know a shop that sells PCX seats in Phuket? Or if a BKK member knows a shop that can ship a seat like this to Phuket (but provide me adequate pictures first) that would also be appreciated.

Something like this (including the passenger's back rest)

or this:

Edited July 9, 2011 by insertcoins

[tirekicker]

Let me know what you end up with tirekicker. I am also in the market for new tires for my PCX and also in Phuket. I remember there was a topic about PCX tires that had some good suggestions, not only Michelin's.

Also do you or anyone know a shop that sells PCX seats in Phuket? Or if a BKK member knows a shop that can ship a seat like this to Phuket (but provide me adequate pictures first) that would also be appreciated.

Something like this (including the passenger's back rest)

or this:

I 'll let you know what i find that will fit the standard PCX rim but doubt whether Phuket has as much choice as Bangkok. Sorry cannot help with any information on the modified seats as i have not seen any in Phuket.

[HDRIDER]

ยางนอก IRC WINGS PREMIUM

- Front 110/70 - 14

- Rear 120/70 - 14

http://www.likito.com/products.php?idpro=32

Thats what i got on, not a bad tire, Sumet cycle will ship them to Phuket, quick as well.

[tirekicker]

After visiting several tire shops in the area it seems there is little or no choice for the sort of tires we are after i.e Michelin /Pirelli. I also rang MCW in Phuket Town who told my they order all their bike tires from Bangkok. Maybe the market in Phuket is just not big enough !

Let me know what you end up with tirekicker. I am also in the market for new tires for my PCX and also in Phuket. I remember there was a topic about PCX tires that had some good suggestions, not only Michelin's.

Also do you or anyone know a shop that sells PCX seats in Phuket? Or if a BKK member knows a shop that can ship a seat like this to Phuket (but provide me adequate pictures first) that would also be appreciated.

Something like this (including the passenger's back rest)

or this:

Edited July 12, 2011 by tirekicker

[tirekicker]

Thanks HDRIDER seems like Bangkok is the only place to buy these tires.

ยางนอก IRC WINGS PREMIUM

- Front 110/70 - 14

- Rear 120/70 - 14

http://www.likito.co...ts.php?idpro=32

Thats what i got on, not a bad tire, Sumet cycle will ship them to Phuket, quick as well.

[Mack22]

Long time listener, first time caller. Hey Homeslice, I have a PCX in Chaing Mai and I'm curious, can you tell me what kind of performance gain you got with the variator install? I have followed the Jcosta thing for a while and for 6500 plus lossing 30% in fuel/mileage, I decided to wait. You say the genaric variator cost you 1600? Do you know if Sumet will ship it to me? You have a different muffler on your bike, what is it and does it help? Thanks.

[homeslice]

I guess I should have been more specific.

I don't have a dyno and I am speaking from a non-technical point of view. From the light I am considerably quicker. Where I really wanted the power was at 50 or 60 kph and I wanted to pass someone. Before it just didn't have what I wanted, not that it is slow, it just needed more guts at 50 or 60. If I were to describe the bike from take off to top end, I would say that it is quicker from the line and does not lag in acceleration 'til it reaches it's max speed of 121kph. Before I got 103 before the governor kicked in.

There is no discernible fuel loss, if there is it is because I am "in it" more.

Yes, it costs a mere 1600 baht installed. I'm sure Sumet will ship it, and stand behind it also.

The muffler is an Over which is a Japanese company. I think it helps a bit but I like it because it is loud and people hear me, instead of hitting me. Loud pipes save lives.

Welcome to TV

Long time listener, first time caller. Hey Homeslice, I have a PCX in Chaing Mai and I'm curious, can you tell me what kind of performance gain you got with the variator install? I have followed the Jcosta thing for a while and for 6500 plus lossing 30% in fuel/mileage, I decided to wait. You say the genaric variator cost you 1600? Do you know if Sumet will ship it to me? You have a different muffler on your bike, what is it and does it help? Thanks.

[SumetCycle]

Thanks for the plugs Homeslice and HDRider. We can ship the variator, tires, and any other parts or accessories anywhere in Thailand. Just send a message and let us know what you need.

Brian & Pam

[VocalNeal]

Long time listener, first time caller. Hey Homeslice, I have a PCX in Chaing Mai and I'm curious, can you tell me what kind of performance gain you got with the variator install? I have followed the Jcosta thing for a while and for 6500 plus lossing 30% in fuel/mileage, I decided to wait. You say the genaric variator cost you 1600? Do you know if Sumet will ship it to me? You have a different muffler on your bike, what is it and does it help? Thanks.

I have never seen anywhere anyone report 30% loss of fuel economy from J Costa.

Worst I have heard is a 200lbs+ guy in Chiang Mai who claims he loses 13% with no mention of how he rides.

Any increase in performance will net an increase in fuel consumption. One cannot circumvent the laws of physics.

I should add here that the Thai PCX has different rollers than the European one. So an easy thing would be to sell a variator sheave with European rollers and claim it is a performance variator. .As Costa was developed in Europe it already gives more performance than the European rollers.

All depends on what you want.

Edited July 16, 2011 by VocalNeal

[homeslice]

The variartor question; asked and answered!

VocalNeal, on 2011-02-24 10:05:01, said:

I will be happy to sell you a J Costa variator and/or a J Costa exhaust.

I had Honda install a J Costa variator. Is it faster, yes and no. In some cases it is and in others not, my top end is now 119 km/h were before it was 109 km/h tops The down side is I was getting 45 - 50 km/l and now it is way down to 35. In the end it wasn't worth the cost to me, but you will have to decide.

JeffreyMcCollum, on 2011-05-08 14:41:17, said:

VocalNeal, on 2011-02-24 10:05:01, said:

I will be happy to sell you a J Costa variator and/or a J Costa exhaust.

I had Honda install a J Costa variator. Is it faster, yes and no. In some cases it is and in others not, my top end is now 119 km/h were before it was 109 km/h tops The down side is I was getting 45 - 50 km/l and now it is way down to 35. In the end it wasn't worth the cost to me, but you will have to decide.

Isn't this why most of us should "settle for Honda and Yamaha engineering"? The reason I tested my friend's stock PCX against my Yamaha Nouvo Elegance instead of renting a Costa variator equipped PCX from the owner of Nunn Massage is I had this deep seated feeling in my guts that the fuel economy of the PCX would suffer enormously and that for this reason only a very small percentage of PCX owners would want to sacrifice this kind of fuel economy for a little more power. From what you are telling us for 6 miles an hour increased top end you are reducing your fuel economy roughly 30 %.

Long time listener, first time caller. Hey Homeslice, I have a PCX in Chaing Mai and I'm curious, can you tell me what kind of performance gain you got with the variator install? I have followed the Jcosta thing for a while and for 6500 plus lossing 30% in fuel/mileage, I decided to wait. You say the genaric variator cost you 1600? Do you know if Sumet will ship it to me? You have a different muffler on your bike, what is it and does it help? Thanks.

I have never seen anywhere anyone report 30% loss of fuel economy from J Costa.

Worst I have heard is a 200lbs+ guy in Chiang Mai who claims he loses 13% with no mention of how he rides.

Any increase in performance will net an increase in fuel consumption. One cannot circumvent the laws of physics.

I should add here that the Thai PCX has different rollers than the European one. So an easy thing would be to sell a variator sheave with European rollers and claim it is a performance variator. .As Costa was developed in Europe it already gives more performance than the European rollers.

All depends on what you want.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

I got the modified variator and it give more, how much? i got from A-B before in about 25sec and after it was down to around 20sec,(think it was, i put it in another tread,, i tried uphill as well gave me 10km more speed, i am really thinking to buy the Costas just to compare,, but it will have to wait a few weeks, work first

I dont care about how much fuel i use, if i did i would let the scoooooter be stock,, but i still got around 40km/l and we got a lot of hills where i live

This is why i dont care about fuel on my scooter, i guess i should on this bike

Edited July 17, 2011 by HDRIDER

[VocalNeal]

HS,

I your zest to quote posts on J Costa you seem to have forgotten to quote the fact that hill climbing performance went up 13%, top speed by 10% etc. I still maintain there is no free lunch and as I said when performance is available it tends to get used even if unconsciously. The poster in question also said his 45kg wife gets much better economy. It is swings and roundabouts.

If fuel economy is your aim then do not mess with the stock bike. If you want performance then either you buy the best or you don't . If you want small gains you could convert yours to Euro spec if you want but again fuel economy will suffer.

Oh and just like Brian sells scooters nowhere have I said I don't sell J Costa. my avatar should be a hint. Of the 17 I have sold, from memory, only the two gentlemen you quoted have expressed any dissatisfaction. I won't bother, but if you search TV you will find at least two who are happy. To cancel out these two who are not.

As HD says at the end of the day it still only a 125 scooter.

[homeslice]

VN,

I have no zest, I am just quoting facts. And I will quote somemore, hopefully you will get it.

I began to read about your product long ago, and I also readthat you disappeared for more than a month. When you reappeared I pm'd you. Youwanted me to wired you 6500 baht…..in Thailand, a country known for scams,and I told you would not. I said I buy in cash face to face, when I see what Iam buying. I asked you to meet me at a Honda dealer when I was in Bkk, youbacked away.

I asked on the forum if anyone knew about the "jcostavariator", and you responded "Hey, homeslice wants to know about thejcosta variator", which was déclassé', and it (your behavior) left me witha suspicious impression of you. I decided to wait and not do anything with my125.

I continued to read the posts about your product and was notsurprised to hear of dissatisfied people and the report of a 30% fuel efficiencyloss. Considering everything, "it" just doesn't pass the"smell test".

I heard of a better variator and gathered information aboutit's performance face to face, at a Honda dealer and decided it was worthtaking the risk, at a substantially lower cost.

I was very happy with the result and I posted an impartial review,not mentioning your product at all. Another person, who apparently has followedthe history of the jcosta variator, asked me about the specifics of mine. Iposted the facts, as I see them, about my variator. I did not mention yourproduct at all.

You responded to the person asking me about my variator experience,not my post, in defense of your product.

I quoted part of the thread history regarding your product,not you, pulled from thaivisa.

You responded, attacking my zest, and my "125",which was not cool. No one was trying to hurt you.

In summary, first I would say, people buy from people theylike and trust, that's fundamental. You're not credible too me, even though youmay be to someone else, and you have a history of disappearing.

You have admitted to only being available through "circuitousrouting", and you want people to wire you money……in Thailand?

You are on this forum as much to sell a product as to tradeinformation, and you are imposing yourself…

Someone else has a better mousetrap, at a substantially lowercost with a better performance review, sold from a brick and mortar, with a guarantee.How can you argue with that?

Apparently you can escape the laws of physics sometimes, butyou can never escape the laws of economics.

I wish you the best!

HS

HS,

I your zest to quote posts on J Costa you seem to have forgotten to quote the fact that hill climbing performance went up 13%, top speed by 10% etc. I still maintain there is no free lunch and as I said when performance is available it tends to get used even if unconsciously. The poster in question also said his 45kg wife gets much better economy. It is swings and roundabouts.

If fuel economy is your aim then do not mess with the stock bike. If you want performance then either you buy the best or you don't . If you want small gains you could convert yours to Euro spec if you want but again fuel economy will suffer.

Oh and just like Brian sells scooters nowhere have I said I don't sell J Costa. my avatar should be a hint. Of the 17 I have sold, from memory, only the two gentlemen you quoted have expressed any dissatisfaction. I won't bother, but if you search TV you will find at least two who are happy. To cancel out these two who are not.

As HD says at the end of the day it still only a 125 scooter.

[VocalNeal]

,and I told you would not. I said I buy in cashface to face, when I see what Iam buying. I asked you to meet me at a Hondadealer when I was in Bkk,

You and I both know the above is a complete and utterlie, where you dreamed this up I do not know. There is no reason at all for meto agree to meet anyone at any Honda dealership other than either you being toolazy to come here. If you want to meet me in person, as a number of mycustomers have, you can simply come to my office which is very near theSkytrain.

and I also read thatyou disappeared for more than amonth.

This is true. I wasin hospital being treated for andrecovering from Gullian-Barre syndrome. Thisis a fact. Your insinuation isthat I disappeared so therefore my customer serviceis wanting? Yetmore BS. You should check more fact before posting.

Someone else has abettermousetrap, at a substantially lower cost with a better performancereview, soldfrom a brick and mortar, with a guarantee. How can you argue withthat?

Someone has not invented a better mouse trap. What theyhave done is take a stock Honda variator sheave machine a few bits off and wellsome lighter weights which is what areused in Europe.Hardly rocket science but yes easy money. What J Cotsa has doneis rethink the whole function of a variator and come up with a different concept. Then last fall spend some weeks in the PCX case and tailored their product to improve the performance of a European PCX. Which as has already been said has lighter weights than an Asian one.

I have a brick and mortar office with staff etc. and as for the guarantee I havealready refunded one guys money as he had undisclosed problems and so I boughthis unit back from him without question and subsequently sold it used to someone else who has notcomplained

[VocalNeal]

So much rubbish in HS's post I had to reply twice!

In summary, first I would say, people buy from people theylike and trust, that's fundamental. You're not credible too me, even though youmay be to someone else, and you have a history of disappearing.

You can trust who you want almost all of my customers transfer money and received their product within 2 days. I have had offere of deposits which i refuse until I have stock. As for disappearing I hope i never suffer from something like GBS again.

You have admitted to only being available through "circuitousrouting", and you want people to wire you money……in Thailand?

Rubbish see above.

You are on this forum as much to sell a product as to tradeinformation, and you are imposing yourself…

Yet more rubbish. I was a TV member long before i started selling variators. Check my posts most have nothing to do with PCX.

have to go some of my trusting friends have come to visit.

[HDRIDER]

Homeslice

you should do your homework first, go back and look at everything about costas and vocalNeal and people who have bought from him, and then say sorry

[katabeachbum]

Homeslice

you should do your homework first, go back and look at everything about costas and vocalNeal and people who have bought from him, and then say sorry

appeles and oranges

JCosta is excellent, but comes at a price

Sumetcycle/Honda modified is 1600 baht and does make a difference

I did a short ride on HDriders with Honda/Sumetcycle modified variator, and when he says speed up the hills increase from 40-50kmh loaded with 120kg, that is exactky how much more modified Honda provides. 20-25%

want more, go JCosta

want more, go 150cc kit and JCosta

all come at a price of more fuel of course. It aint no hybrid

[bbradsby]

Yep, I've rolled into my brake lock before.

Not sure if they have them still but Kryptonite used to include a small orange cable that you would tether to your throttle so you can't forget to unlock the thing.

Since I lost the tether, I don't use a disk lock unless its the Xena alarm kind.

Where in BKK can I get the Zena screaming disc lock? Need a few... BTW, this has saved my Ducatis discs back in Cali a few times, and maybe discouraged a thief or two:

[homeslice]

Sumet Honda

Yep, I've rolled into my brake lock before.

Not sure if they have them still but Kryptonite used to include a small orange cable that you would tether to your throttle so you can't forget to unlock the thing.

Since I lost the tether, I don't use a disk lock unless its the Xena alarm kind.

Where in BKK can I get the Zena screaming disc lock? Need a few... BTW, this has saved my Ducatis discs back in Cali a few times, and maybe discouraged a thief or two:

[katabeachbum]

2 members posts bickering each other have been removed

this is about bikes, not about members

[steve1234]

Anyone in the Pattaya - Jomtien area who would like to try a PCX with a modified variator fitted, can give me a call and come and try one of mine, then if you would like to have one fitted on your bike, my mechanic ( ex Mityon ) can fit one for you.

You can contact me on 087-1304387.

Regards.

Steve.

Edited January 19, 2012 by steve1234

[karlos]

You could always fit a coiled plastic cord to the lock that loops over the handle bars