Classic Motorcycle fails the Honda Pacific Coast (PC) 800.

Honda's PC(Pacific Coast ) 800. was designed with a truly ambitious aim. To do what the cub had done and tempt the car driver onto two wheels and thus reduce congestion.
however after nearly a decade and a comparatively modest number sold, Honda had to admit defeat.
Honda only managed to sell just over 14,000 units, well short of what they would have hoped for.

[@evdallas123]

I bought one new in 94 and still ride it I still love it after all these years I have grown old on it

[@bikerdood1100]

Owners do generally seem to love them, they just couldn’t persuade enough people to become owners for what ever reason

[@mr1bienvenu1]

I used to hate the looks of these bikes. Now I think they are very cool.😊

[@bikerdood1100]

It’s called getting older 😂😂 Happens to us all

[@rodneybjornstad9016]

Ha! Me too! And now I have one making myself part of the problem. Very ahead of it’s time. When I road it home. Was surprised it was as fast as it was. Given weight I thought it does well

[@jamesfquinn]

Look, if it’s not for you, pass it by. Yes, as a business decision, it was a fail for Honda. But it was exactly right for its owners. I wish Honda would have the guts to offer a new version with current technology. They won’t, unfortunately.

[@bikerdood1100]

I don’t believe I was harsh on the bike itself. If you watch the film quite the opposite in fact. I genuinely think it’s a great shame they didn’t sell buy the boat load. The idea is right, it’s just pretty much an impossible task. Car drivers simply won’t see an alternative. I do not at any point say that it’s a bad bike in any way.because it wasn’t

[@jamesfquinn]

@@bikerdood1100 I appreciate your wise understanding of the bike, Honda’s hopes in producing it, and the nature of the public that bought it - or didn’t. But including the Pacific Coast in your excellent series “Classic Motorcycle Fails” tends to send a different message.

[@evdallas123]

@@bikerdood1100 they actually have a small cult following of owners like myself that still love them

[@cbrippee]

Interesting, Honda definitely has the money to try. Back in 2018 When the new Goldwing came out, there was wide spread speculation that Honda was going to make a so called baby goldwing or a mid sized version. Now something along these lines of the PC800 only sleeker and ability to have feet forward with the manual and optional dct 1100 motor with all the tech in the 1100 rebel including cruise control and audio just might do the trick. One of my bikes is the Honda CTX 700 dct, however if Honda made a bit bigger version with the 1100 motor and tech and audio, I would be first in line to buy one.

[@captlarry-3525]

In the context of fully faired touring/commuters there is nothing "failed" about the Pacific Coast PC 800. One could wish for Fuel Injection. One could wish for 100 lbs less weight. But then the beemer owners who have that, would kill for the drive line longevity and long service interval and the hydraulic tappets that eliminate valve adjustments. 4 valves per cylinder and dual plugs aint shabby - even if you will never ever see them ! Where this shines is weather protection, wide power band, and comfortable riding position. It avoids the wretched excesses of size and weight of the ST's and Gold Wings, and aquits itself decently on smooth dirt roads..a surprise to many I am sure. It lacks a few things we take for granted now.. like outlets for electronics and heated clothes, and ABS but for many the latter is a plus in a super low maintenance machine- which the PC definitely is. For the "inseam challenged" this is the most civilized touring option there is, except the low seat version of the BMW K-75 which is considerably sportier suspension wise.

[@bikerdood1100]

Nothing particular wrong with the bike But a definite sales failure

[@captlarry-3525]

yes very similar engine in many other models including VFR 800. @@bikerdood1100

[@bikerdood1100]

@@captlarry-3525 well it was a V twin engine there of either 45 or 52 degrees don’t remember which. It similar to that used in a lot of Honda cruisers of the time 55hp was I think quoted Can’t remember what I quoted in the video without checking which perhaps put those people off who think that more power is the answer to everything but was certainly enough for the bikes intended role. As I said in the video it’s one bike in a long history of machines which have tried to meet a market which simply may not excise. Is it really possible to tempt people away from their cars and view the motorcycle as more than a play thing I’d like to think so but unfortunately no one has every pulled it off Yet

[@captlarry-3525]

@@bikerdood1100 So What ? so were a lot of good motorcycles, airplanes,and cars. Call if a Studebaker, but not a failure.

[@thelorax7704]

Well said. I absolutely love my 96 PC. This bike did not do well in the USA for a number of reasons, but that does not mean it's a failure. It just didn't sell. The American motorcycle community likes a different kind of bike, and did not appreciate the engineering that went into the Pacific Coast.

[@timrietbergen]

I have one, own it for a couple of years now. It's a great touring and commuter bike! Comfortable, composed. Downsides; crosswinds are fatal. I have spent quite a few miles at an angle against the wind keeping it well below 80kph to avoid sailing of the road. And adequate but underpowered.

[@bikerdood1100]

My early model CBR was the same, terrible in strong cross winds. I always believe it was the bulbous front fender

[@speece69]

The trick is to relax. For a motorcycle to track straight through a cross wind it must lean into the wind otherwise it will fall over. When you loosen your grip on the handlebars the PC800 leans into the wind and adjusts the necessary lean angle automatically so that the bike tracks straight. I find my PC800 very stable in crosswinds and through wind blasts from large trucks.

[@awuma]

@@speece69 I have found that the earlier GL500I and GL650I Silverwings also are fine in the wind.

[@johnhudghton2287]

You did not mention the Deauville. Surely a PC800 concept for the European market? The NT650V/700V is faired, shaft driven, liquid cooled and while not hailed by some bikers as it did not have lightning performance was a reasonable success for Honda. Many of us like our ageing Deaus which are outliving so many other bikes not because they excel, but because they are good bikes. I use mine mainly in the winter as it keeps the weather off me.

[@bikerdood1100]

Well there are similarities it’s true but the NTV was more well bike like I suppose. Great commuter. Many people dismiss them as dull but they are great bikes

[@mastercylinder1939]

I love the look of these bikes, at the time they reminded me of the bikes in Rollerball.

[@bikerdood1100]

Like the classic film reference

[@jaomwtoptd]

A senior executive at Honda was asked why they never changed the design of the Cub over all those years? He replied "Because they haven't changed the design of humans".

[@bikerdood1100]

That was true But now they’ve got strangely much heavier

[@bobbymaiu745]

Pc 800 one the best commuter motorcycle ever made speaking of experience fun nimble fast enough and bullet proof engine

[@bikerdood1100]

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how effective a bike is it doesn’t quite catch on with the bike buying public. Can be a conservative lot at times unfortunately

[@advancedinvesting]

I love mine. Owned bikes since 89. Harleys, sport bikes, cruisers. This is the most comfortable by far the trunk rocks too. Full disclosure I lowered the forks a bit and it came with a Corbin adjustable seat. Helps with comfort.

[@bikerdood1100]

@@advancedinvesting can imagine it makes a brilliant touring bike

[@advancedinvesting]

They handle a tip over well to. The hidden crash bars are awesome.

[@bikerdood1100]

@@advancedinvesting and a good idea carried over to the Pan European

[@Xstrada1]

I have an 89’ love it great commuter bike… definitely turns heads 😊

[@bikerdood1100]

Oh I expect so, they are very distinctive

[@erebus1964]

I own a 92. Not my first choice colorwise (It's red but I love the pearl shell white Hondas), but a great bike to ride, despite its lack of power in combination with the immense weight (>260Kgs) regarding the 800cc. Quite stable and easy to handle when in motion. It's a quite similar concept to the Honda CN 250 Helix/Fusion heavily "shrouded" and runs quite long without a need for major maintenance. In case of the PC 800 I additionally would like to mention the twin ignition per cylinder (you got four spark plugs). But you surely must be a fan of Japanese design of the eighties ... well I am. And many People don't believe that it's over thirty years old, they mostly think it is fairly younger. I always appreciated Hondas approach to try out new concepts, even though not all of them sold well.

[@alm4132]

I've had three '89s. Just bought a 5820 mile one out of Texas. Full systems clean and rebuild from decades of storage and it is a great bike. Not selling it this time.

[@derekp2674]

In the 1900s, stereos also came as standard equipment on some H-D touring models, including the faired versions of the ElectraGlide and the FXRT (Harley's answer to the BMW RT range). I owned a 1990 FXRT from about 1996 to 2004. I did enjoy the radio when touring, especially on long boring bits of the ride. For proper biking roads like Denbigh Moor or the Cat and Fiddle I probably wouldn't have used the radio though...

[@bikerdood1100]

On a few bikes Most much less expensive than a touring HD

[@rustyturner431]

OK... I was a Honda dealer when the PC came out, and we were located quite near a VERY prosperous suburban area. We sold quite a few of them, and to customers we had not seen before. Many had had motorcycles in the past but drifted away. Now, more mature, they were not interested in sport bikes or cruisers (almost universally derided as Hondarleys). The PC required little servicing and was, as expected, bulletproof mechanically. I bought one for myself when the price was reduced (which happened very quickly...and there were LOTS of them left over), before I sold the dealership...and I still have it! I have, over the years, upgraded the tires , suspension, carbs and exhaust, and it has absolutely always started and gotten me to my destination in comfort, and dry. With a rack added, it is a wonderful back-road tourer for any distance up to about 500 miles, and it's quite useful around town for running errands. It would certainly work for a longer run, but if I'm going that far, I want soemthing faster...like my seriousy hot-rodded VF1100S with factory fairing and a LOT of engine upgrades. But that's just me: I'm old, but nobody's ever accused me of being slow! Good video, good bike...probably ahead of its time, like the Hawk GT and CB1 from that era.

[@bikerdood1100]

The bike itself was definitely pretty It’s a concept that Honda have returned to a few times over the years but has for one reason or another never gained much traction in the market Perhaps success relays too much on getting American to see them as an alternative to their cars

[@michaelb.42112]

Today is April 25, 2024 and I only discovered these bikes TODAY ! Im a 55 year old re-entry rider from sport bikes in the 90's and riding like a psycho on Lucas Valley Road, and D Street, so one day I just quit riding. 25 years later I got the itch and now own a Kawasaki Vulcan Classic 1500 and a 1996 Honda Elite 250 scooter which gets 90% of my attention and the Pacific Coast seems exactly in the middle ! A large, manual scooter. The Helix's dad.

[@bikerdood1100]

It is a great concept but as many previous manufacturers found, building an Everyman bike is one thing, getting sufficient people to buy it is something else

[@keving1633]

Definitely an interesting model. Kudos to Honda for trying. One thing I can't believe manufacturers overlook when trying appeal to new riders is the transmission. While motorcyclists rave about the control that comes with manual, most people just don't give a damn, frankly. People want to just go. Look no further than cars. No one buys manuals. Only niche enthusiasts seek them out. Everyone else just wants to gas and go with ease. And then you have to market the thing. What % of people even know what DCT is?

[@bikerdood1100]

As a practical machine it’s a winner but many people see the bike as a play thing

[@turniprider1]

I had one of these on my bench a year ago. I had several misunderstandings about it that I had to mentally purge. Once I straightened out two previous mechanics and owners efforts, I made peace with it and started to appreciate the engineering. Neat bike, but underpowered. Definitely not a two up touring bike. They can be had fairly cheap in the states if you want to own something different that returns a very sanitized ….perhaps soulless riding experience.

[@bikerdood1100]

I think the sanitised experience was their aim for some reason

[@captlarry-3525]

Mine has both soul and personality. Americans are besotted with power. If the two of you weigh over 600 lbs, we could be riding you !

[@thelorax7704]

My wife and I have ridden thousands of miles two-up on the PC800. 55 liter Givi top case as a backrest along with the 80 liters in the trunk. Never realized it wasn't good for two up riding. : ). We all have our preferences. I have enjoyed mine over the years.

[@aranyoung598]

I dunno I love it, I’ve had one for a few years it’s a workhorse, great on petrol and ugly as sin,

[@bikerdood1100]

It’s a great idea but you’re right about the styling it became dated very quickly

[@jimmyjakes1823]

I'm bike shopping now and there are 15 of these for sale within 100 miles of me, all of them in good to excellent shape. That seems pretty crazy to me for a bike that's been out of production for almost 30 years, was relatively expensive and didn't sell well. I really don't know what to make of it. Probably something to do with 90's japanese quality and the people who buy them, but that still seems like a lot of bikes. It's definitely true that no company has made a bigger commitment to putting people on bikes than Honda. The nighthawk line, hondamatic, and more recently the NC700 were all well engineered, versatile, user friendly bikes. These are bikes that are just waiting for a bike boom that never seems to happen.

[@bikerdood1100]

Shows how tough they are if their survival rate is so good

[@user-kt8yd6we4e]

One of the best Bikes ever. 2024 and I still want one.

[@bikerdood1100]

Certainly one of the most practical A bold effort by Honda

[@JW-ym5yb]

It definitely works for some folks. I took a test ride back in the day and it lasted about a minute. I found it to underpowered for my taste. I do know someone who bought one new and still enjoys touring on it. I can’t help wonder it the Africa Twin engine, now in diverse platforms, would do well in an updated Pacific Coast.

[@bikerdood1100]

Well it could just happen

[@jcoffey1992]

@@bikerdood1100 I believe Honda is reviving the NT700V Deauville with the larger Africa twin engine.

[@MobMoto]

@@jcoffey1992 The already make the NT100 with the Africa Twin engine. Im hoping they do the 750 Transalp engine that's coming into something like the PC 800.

[@scottchizer1634]

That was one of the best bikes I have ever owned

[@bikerdood1100]

Clever design that just never caught on

[@dezmondwhitney1208]

I Bought a new Honda C90 in August 1981. It was great on A and B roads, very economical on fuel and easy to ride up to about 55mph indicated. On any Dual carriageway, however, it could be overtaken by large commercial vehicles and I sometimes felt the wake of these vehicles threaten to nudge me of my direction of travel slightly which felt a bit unnerving to me. I genuinely liked the bike a lot though-a great commuter and A to B Bike and a bit of fun too.

[@bikerdood1100]

Year great on the right road but too slow on the wrong road. So many peoples first motorcycle experience was with cub.

[@banditbabe1]

I don't fancy one, or even the NC700 or NC750. A mate had a 700 automatic, I took it for a spin but hated it. It changed up gears so quickly. I pulled the best wheelie of my life on a C90 many years ago, I had never ridden a semi automatic and revved it up before putting it into gear! Yamaha's Niken and Piaggio's three wheeler are aimed at car drivers I think. Personally, I gave up three wheels at 5 years old.

[@bikerdood1100]

Oh I’ve done that on a cub It’s their party trick They do say the transmission is good I prefer a normal box myself That said I’m not averse to a big CVT When I’m feeling lazy they are very simple to use but the DCT seems to add a lot of unnecessary complexity and weight

[@G58]

You missed out on the best three wheeler experience on a bike license: the awesome Bond Bug! Back in the day, if you had a full bike license you could get straight in one of those orange wedges and have a Mini beating baby Ferrari experience for not a lot of money. They’re highly collectible now and gone up in value a lot since ‘79. I raced a Kawasaki 750 round the go-cart track at Donington when it was possible to just drive onto the circuit off the main road. The Kwak was rapid on the straits of course, but I was faster into and through the corners. I just slid the rear end on full throttle!! Ride safe 🧐😎😜

[@G58]

@@christga100 You missed out mate. It was the closest thing to driving a Ferrari I’ve ever experienced. And I never cared what my mates said. Back then we all took the Micky out of each other and each other’s bike choices anyway. Plus I bought mine from one of my biker workmates who just happened to be one of the cool kids well known for pulling girls in his Bug. It needed some work - which he was too lazy to do, so I got a good deal. The engine noise issue was easy to reduce with some thick fibreglass wool and bulkhead felt stuck to the inside of the fibreglass engine cover. Oh, and plastic pigs really were something very different, despite having a very similar chassis and the same basic engine, but the body roll issues made them truly horrible. No serious biker ever considered them. There was a really cute girl at work who begged me to give her a lift home one night a week. She was seriously as interested in my orange Bug as she was in me!! I named my daughter after her. After I took the Bug off the road and bought a Vauxhall Viva HB (because the front suspension struts weren’t attached to the wheel arches like on an Escort), I toyed with the idea of turning the Bug into a four wheeler - unaware that the factory had made a prototype I believe. All that’s needed is a subframe, suspension a steering rack, and flared arches. That would be the perfect Bug. Someone in the owners club has done one since too.

[@DaveChip-vx9ln]

I think this was the birth of the Pan .The pan st1100 great bike but long term issues . Alternator fails swinging arm rotting . Pitty I loved my Pan but £500 for the alternator and a major job to replace it . I have been a Mechanic for over 3o years and would never ever want to replace another . 2 days work bloody crazy. EX police bikes had major problems with this issue as they would power wash the bikes and leave them to dry out . Then of course leave the bike running at crashes etc on the main stand causing the engine to get very hot . Some developed cracks in the engines and this is yet another issue. The rad was placed in a stupid place and rotted you only found out upon failed cooling . Now don't get me wrong the Pan is and was a great bike but for me to many long term issues . The wight also caused problems for the police bot in the uk and the USA . To much weight caused the bike to weave and squirm under the weight of the extra pressure of carrying the extra radio packs etc . The other issue again going back to the alternator was that you have to fit a 45 amp alternator to keep the battery charged whilst using the extra power like the radio and extra lamps . I have sold over 25 pans as a dealer and wont take another in part ex . To much hassle . I love riding the pan but its simply gone by its sell by date .

[@bikerdood1100]

Honda do like to over complicate things sometimes, I think the CX did a similar thing with its alternator, if I remember correctly it was at the back of the motor. I had to replace the head gasket it took an absolute age and was a ridiculous process when I compare it to doing the same thing on a Guzzi engine

[@G58]

TOO

[@G58]

@@bikerdood1100 Doesn’t the CX actually have a separate and rather easily accessed car type alternator?

[@bikerdood1100]

@@G58 it’s not easily accessible from what I can remember

[@G58]

@@bikerdood1100 True. You do have to remove the engine from the frame.

[@1funcar]

I had a black PC 800 just like in the video. I liked the concept but there were three things that convinced me to trade it for something else in a couple of years. 1) Even considering it was only 800cc in displacement, it was s-l-o-w. Either a different state of tune or a larger engine would have solved that without the need for something to race against a Ninja or other similar bikes. 2) The windscreen produced considerable buffeting at the top of my helmet. That was pretty annoying. 3) The bodywork was - for me - a pain in the butt. Just trying to get to the battery had me worried that I was going to break something. It looked great but getting to the inner workings of the bike wasn’t my idea of a picnic. Honda came close to hitting a home run with this bike as a smaller alternative to the Gold Wing, it just didn’t satisfy me as I had hoped for.

[@bikerdood1100]

Three well considered points there

[@capiberra4118]

Early '80's Yamaha XVz12 Ventures were all this and more. Looked at both, but bought the Yamaha instead.

[@bikerdood1100]

The Ventures like the Honda were US market specific

[@JokerInk-CustomBuilds]

There is one of theese for sale in my town... and I am really tempted!!

[@bikerdood1100]

Well they are very good in their designed role

[@JokerInk-CustomBuilds]

@@bikerdood1100 Thats what I hear all around... have been doing abit of research since I need a cheap touring bike... and I am a fairly short guy, so the low rideheight is a perfect match... I was looking at an old Goldwing... but the PC800 has alot more personality and unusual design features wich makes it abit more fun and interesting to me... and it is a lighter bike!

[@timbrogan607]

DId you get it? I have or had 2, my brother crashed my first one and now I use the one I bought as a "parts" bike. Longest I've ridden my '89 was 713 miles in 4 days. Loved it! I bought a '78 Goldwing last year but still think my PC800 has a better ride.

[@bikerdood1100]

@@timbrogan607 less is more I think here Goldwing is a big old beast and I suspect the lighter PC would do the job just as well

[@JokerInk-CustomBuilds]

@@timbrogan607 I am in the process of buying it! Just waiting for the snow to clear so I can pick it up! I have allready planned installing a bluetooth stereo amplifier and speakers and a total repaint. :D

[@Jodyrides]

let me start at the beginning I have my own channel here on KZbin I have owned 108 motorcycles so far. Dirt bikes, street, bikes, café racers, many two strokes, trials, bikes, standards, sport, touring, big, touring bikes. No Harleys, Being a motorcycle mechanic at three different dealerships, and a motorcycle salesman at four different dealerships for 17 years part time ,I always knew better. I have owned two Honda pacific coasts. A 1990 which I used as a commuter until it got totaled at an intersection with me on it while I was sitting there, waiting my turn at a stop sign.. The most profitable paid nine month vacation of my life.. I replaced the 1990 PC with a 1994 PC.. I commuted on that 1994 six days a week, eight months, a year, for the next 24 years.. I retired, and I had 3 other street bikes at that time, - gl1800 goldwing, a moto guzzi norge 1200, and a susuki vstrom 1000. with the color matched luggage.. The Pacific coast was not only my choice to ride to work daily on my 26 mile round-trip on back roads, it was the best commuter motorcycle I ever owned.. yes, the fairing works pretty well in the rain, but you apparently have never ridden a Honda pacific coast in the rain. Those plastic cover crash bars make the wind go up your pant legs, which was nice on hot days, but not a great thing in the rain. Your feet are right out there in the Jet, last of wind and rain off of the front wheel… these machines have 48 hp .. they have two spark plugs per cylinder, which means they will run on Mexican gasoline if need be.. I upgraded the suspension toKONI, shocks and Progressive brand fork springs. I upgraded the horns to VOXBEL. Horns wired through a relay that I saved from one of my four moto Guzzi’s.. access to the dipstick to check the oil level takes less than two seconds. It’s under a plastic pull off cover on the inside of your right ankle… I have never had even a lightbulb burnt out on this motorcycle. Nothing ever went wrong mechanically or electrically. my only complaint is minor. There are only two companies that make tires in sets for this motorcycle. Metzler and Dunlop.. not much of a selection.. The other minor complaint is, the size of the fuel tank was not even 5 gallons, and there was no reserve to switch to if you run out of gas. But there is a very accurate fuel gauge… I just filled up once a week, usually took around 4 gallons.. One other minor annoyance, the seat is way too soft. I switched to a stiff, thin Corbin seat, which is shaped exactly like a horse saddle. I could ride that saddle 400 miles with just stopping for gas line, which I did on some weekends riding from Pittsburgh to Bethany Beach Delaware on the shore. that’s a little under six hours just stopping for gas twice .. On those rides to the coast on weekends.. at times, the flow of traffic was approximately 85 mph at times.. you gotta go with the flow or get run over.. being a 6 time road racing champion, 2 time national champion , I was sensitized to the speed, and I appreciated the fairing protecting me from that wind blast.. I would usually take that trip on my Goldwing or my Norge, actually, the Norge had high foot pegs and low bars, and was not comfortable for that six hour ride like the Pacific coast where the gold wing are.. but once I got to the destination on the Pacific coast, I appreciated it more than the gold wing, because I could maneuver it just about anywhere to park it, unlike the gold wing, which I did not like driving on sand.. I consider the Honda pacific coast, the best all-around motorcycle in the entire history of the universe Honda gave a team of engineers that assignment of coming up with a motorcycle. It would not be offensive to a non-motorcyclist. The team that designed the Pacific coast was the same team that designed the first Honda prelude. You can see the similarities from the rear of the Honda civic coast. So they hid the wheels, the engine, and the sound… I thought it was funny, looking when they first came out, until I rode one that came in on trade in one of the shops. I was selling motorcycles in part-time.. you said that these Pacific Coast motorcycles were not imported to Great Britain. That’s odd because I heard they were being used as taxis in London and other places… I also heard they were popular with motorcycle couriers in London., Honda worried more about not offending non-motorcyclists than they did about pleasing real motorcyclists when they designed the Pacific coast. A pity

[@bikerdood1100]

Well running on Mexican gasoline is not really a problem here, fortunately As for popular in London? The bike was never an official UK import although there are a for greys so it would never have been used in any number at all the Deauville which is I suppose a cousin on the bike was how ever so you have your V twins crossed there I’m afraid I didn’t live anywhere near London but have visited many time I’ve never seen one there it has to be said. I like the idea of the bike I I list it as a dial simply because it fell fair short of their sales expectations As a sale’s concept of course it’s nothing new at all and Honda do continue to try to tap into this suppose market (DN) Can they tempt people, Americans in particular ( the bikes target market ) Out of their cars ? A big ask ThePan European was used experimentally as a Taxi for a short time and also as a novel way to tour the city with a guide The PC would have been a bad choice for this logically,no spares back up apart from common parts of course

[@roythearcher]

I hope those valves are hydraulic, not pneumatic!...That would need a whole new engine set-up....Not to mention a high pressure air pump!

[@bikerdood1100]

I suspect so

[@speece69]

The valves are not pneumatic . They are hydraulic. The link to Honda’s car division is a myth. The PC was entirely designed by the motorcycle division.

[@bikerdood1100]

Oh I don’t believe it is, the very nature of the beast screams two wheel car doesn’t it

[@alm4132]

Just over 16,200 worldwide production total.

[@bikerdood1100]

Good by say the standards of a European manufacturer, not great by Honda standards at all, the would have expected over 100,000 units The triumph Trident was seen as a flop but sold more that 25,000 and CBX 1000 was considered a failure by Honda and sold more than twice the 16,000 your quoting

[@trialsbikeguy]

I just bought a 89 PC800. The Headlight is dull. I'm sure the bulb is original. Cd I replace it with LED without pulling more voltage. What are the steps ???

[@bikerdood1100]

Good question an LED won’t just plug and play as I were on all machines Was it dull with the original dull then it could be a regulator/ rectifier issue or a burnt out alternator If not then more reading required to see what you need to add to the circuit

[@davem5333]

Honda uses proprietary bulbs sometimes. They are similar to standard types but the alignment tabs are different. May need to make one with some tin snips. An LED would draw less power. Check your voltage.

[@ryanrevis827]

If the only way for us to measure success is by units sold and not by the actual machine itself or its quality. Then we are doomed as a species.

[@bikerdood1100]

Well I would tend to agree But in the case of this machine It was Hondas primary goal to sell in massive numbers to tempt US car owners aware from the reliance on 4 wheels I nice idea but likely doomed from the start

[@clangerbasher]

I like it. Didn't Aprilla make a big-bike-scooter-like-too?

[@bikerdood1100]

They did but it was an automatic so a bit like Hondas NCs

[@captlarry-3525]

anybody who calls this a "scooter" is simply ignorant... look at a naked one. there is a big 8 valve 4 plug V-twin under there...some serious forks ...

[@clangerbasher]

@@captlarry-3525 No you are ignorant. Go play on the freeway.

[@lauriebloggs8391]

It's legislation and licensing (certainly in the UK) that keeps bikes as an expensive toy, and not a potential practical alternative. Very short sighted bureaucracy? The likes of the PC 800, BMW C1, Quasar, all had so much potential..........

[@bikerdood1100]

Well I’d have to say nonsense to be honest here. The press and the industry pushing expensive bikes to a middle class middle aged clientele because big bikes bring higher profits. It’s the same mistake Harley has been making for years pushing pricy models at an ever ageing fan base. Many more modestly priced bikes are out there and it’s interesting to see them gradually moving up the sales charts. It’s lazy and predictable to blame bureaucrats for everything from boring bikes to the weather but in reality companies have been trying to sell bikes like the PC 800 for decades, Ariel leader, Velocette LE , there are dozens of prewar examples, they are rarely if ever successful because well people even in the early days wanted at least some excitement. The reason such bikes fail is as simple as cheap cars. So the blame lies firmly in the hands of the customers, if enough people wanted em someone would build them. It’s really that simple.

[@bikerdood1100]

My on comment on licensing would be that for young riders it’s far too difficult to get a license compared to a car. Unfortunately given that so many first time riders are older in short not enough people give a shit. A petition was on line about younger riders restrictions. Hardly anyone signed it, so again riders have to take some responsibility here because no one , including most bikers thinks about younger riders and the future of motorcycles

[@lauriebloggs8391]

@@bikerdood1100 Bugger 🙂 twice now my epistles have disappeared, sorry!

[@lesklower7281]

Never got them in Australia unless somebody privately imported one into Australia but people did import the Suzuki Cavalcade into Australia l have seen a couple for sale because they were only sold in North America we missed a lot if motorcycles from the big four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers l have seen a lot of motorcycles that we never got in Australia as for this Honda we have a pacific coast in Australia

[@bikerdood1100]

It was the same in the UK Obviously aimed at the US commuter market

[@lesklower7281]

@@bikerdood1100 Honda build motorcycles in the USA for the North American market

[@gntdriver2840]

years ago i witnessed one of the most cringeworthy things ive ever seen in my life,and it involved a Honda Pacific Coast when it was a newish model. Myself and a few mates were spending a sunny sunday riding in the Lake Distrtict,and everywhere we took a rest stop the same attention seeking couple on their Pacific Coast would pull up soon after us,park the bike,open the boot lid for no genuine reason and just stand and pose next to it in the hope that people would come and enquire about their fantastic innovative new style of motorcycle. I did wonder if Honda were paying them We were glad when they eventually got on the bike and buggered off in a different direction to the rest of us.

[@bikerdood1100]

I’d like to say I do the same with my classic, but I don’t I pull over for a drink of wee or something. I’d prefer people didn’t notice me to be honest. I like anyone sensible does ride to be noticed, we ride for the joy of it

[@keemez]

pneumatic valves? don't think so, chief

[@bikerdood1100]

Chief Do I sound like an American Indian 😂

[@thatmanstumototours2270]

Only fail is someone failing to appreciate an excellent motorcycle....

[@bikerdood1100]

Or failing to understand the video 🙄 The failure in this case is not the machine itself but it’s failure to achieve Hondas lofty sales ambitions Should probably have paid a bit more attention Or actually watched the thing perhaps 😂

[@bikerdood1100]

Kind of seems like you decided the video was saying before you watched Oh dear

[@je7647]

funny everyone seems to be saying they own this motorcycle seems like its anything but a failure, to people who purchased it. understand it was a comm failure tho

[@bikerdood1100]

Not a failure as a motorcycle but definitely in terms of Hondas said aspirations The video does says just that 🙄

[@stuartmorton1279]

Never a fan of Honda's, to bland, but I do like this and the dn01.

[@bikerdood1100]

Interesting So a fire blade for example is bland and a Dn01 not U It’s an interesting perspective for sure

[@stuartmorton1279]

@@bikerdood1100 not into sportsbikes, give me a BMW K1 or Vetter mystery ship anytime.

[@bikerdood1100]

Me neither K75 though Smoother

[@dalewyatt1321]

Honda do some good work but every time they try to "create" a market, they fail.

[@bikerdood1100]

Well the Cub could be argued as creating its own market And then there’s the Goldwing

[@alxx1378]

It's ugly and not a motorcycle.

[@bikerdood1100]

Ok so you think it’s ugly but how is it not a motorcycle?

[@alxx1378]

@@bikerdood1100 underpowered and not good if windy . I feel the same with h d that are huge or goldwings etc etc armchairs on wheels. Re

[@bikerdood1100]

@@alxx1378 a lot of plastic encased bikes of the era didn’t do well in a cross wind, my jelly mild CBR was terrible

[@ericeckler8445]

i had one. it was awesome and fast. you know nothing.

[@bikerdood1100]

You should have paid more attention then Didn’t say or was a bad bike just said it didn’t sell Was a relatively modest 55hp though And the styling didn’t catch on , I can’t change the bikes reception and history because you don’t like it Rude little man

[@ericeckler8445]

@@bikerdood1100 You know what...you are right! Nobody got that bike. I did. My bike was totaled in a 45mph T-Bone crash and I came out of it with a couple of bruises. I apologize for my comment as I was drinking heavily and just mad at the world. It was a great bike that no one understood. It could pull the front up while doing a burnout. I know that sounds like BS, but its true. It was quiet and quick. It was featured as a cop bike on the movie Harley Davidson and the Marlboro man. I survived that crash with no damage to myself, that I accredit to the design features of that bike. Please accept my sincere apologies and keep up the good work! Something troubles me though. I made this comment 2 days ago. why does it show 1 hour ago?

[@boogaloo_weed]

I want one

[@bikerdood1100]

Hard to find They didn’t make many