Uh oh, now what have I gotten myself into???

[green427]

Met a seller this morning trying to get rid of his 1990 Honda PC800.

42K miles.

This guy bought it off eBay, did not know how big it was going to be, so he let it sit in his garage for almost 2 years. He took it around the block a few times, and dropped it on the left side while moving it around. Cracked the mirror and mirror housing. P.O. painted the bike black on top of the original maroon. I think it should have been left alone. All other trim appears to be fine except the windshield moulding.

Checked it out closely. Fuel in the tank was clear, very little rust. Oil drips from the bottom of the engine somewhere. Could not take a closer look at the engine due to all the plastic. Driveshaft and axles are clean and dry. Tires look brand-new, but are 5 years old. No visible rust on the frame, but exhaust pipes are rusty. It has not run in over a year, and it cranked, but did not start.

Guy says he took it in to the dealer soon after he got it, paid for a "tune up", and after dropping it, it did not run right. Dealer tells him it needs a tune up. He said "but you just gave me a tune up". Dealer then said it might need a complete engine overhaul. I don't buy that, since it was a zero-speed drop.

It has switches and buttons for a stereo system that I can't find. Has a throttle lock too. Trunk is massive. Seat does not have any rips, but the mini backrest is falling apart. Center stand works fine. He did not know what a center stand was. Includes a Honda service manual. Plastics look a bit worn, but not in bad condition. Headlight lens is a little yellowed.

He supposedly paid close to $4K for the bike plus the service. He is upset at the whole "new motorcycle owner" experience and wants it out of his garage. I asked him for his lowest price. He said if I take it this weekend I can have it for $800.

Talked to the wife, she asked me one question: If I fix it up and get it in decent running condition, will I be able to sell it for more than what I put into it?

I did some research, the bike should sell for about $2000-2500 if it is in top running condition with all parts working.

I told him I would take it, but need to find a way to transport it home.

Haven't picked it up yet, no funds were transferred yet, but right now I am wondering if this will be a winner or loser........

[JB1290]

That may be a tough one to make money on based on its age and how much you end up having to spend on it. Personally, I would buy it but not to try and make money off of it. I would want it to tear down, rebuild it and add it to the stable. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[Wahrsuul]

For $800, I'd be all over it.

[tcoop]

For $800, I'd be all over it.

+1

[luckylindy]

Haven't picked it up yet, no funds were transferred yet, but right now I am wondering if this will be a winner or loser........

Winner.  I would go for it.

[green427]

Ok, had to scramble and find a trailer. Next-door neighbor had a car trailer, a lot bigger than I need, but it got the job done.

It was a hair-raising experience driving down the back alley to that 1930's row-house development with 2 inches to spare on each side. 

We pushed the bike on to the trailer and tied it down, got it home.

Here are a couple pics right after getting home.









Generally, it is in good condition. I cannot get over how vast all the plastics are, even the handlebars are covered in plastic. Some areas have a couple cracks, there are scratches, etc. I am spoiled by the condition of my NH.

Put it in the shed for now. Will tackle it slowly when I have an hour or two each weekend.


The mechanical part of it is easy; it is the plastics I am most concerned about. 20 years is a long time for plastics, and all the pieces squeak and seem brittle.

What I cannot get over is how huge the trunk is. Can put two helmets in there.

[green427]

I might have bitten off more than I can chew.

While this bike is an excellent design as far as ergos are, it is a nightmare to wrench on.

The plastic body panels are like a Rubik's cube. Even the Honda manual has specific steps on how to remove these panels.

Once the panels are off, you are stuck with wires & cables surrounding the engine, and the frame blocks most of the engine. There is a fiberglass shield surrounding the engine to keep the heat away from the plastic.

Honda sure did design this thing to be maintenance-free, which means it is a pain to work on.

Anyway, it ran for 10 seconds, then refused to start. Backfires quite a bit. All symptoms point to a fuel issue, so I took the carbs out.

I took them apart, they are pretty clean, but since I already took them apart, might as well do the Pine-Sol soak.

Here are some pics of the bike after I took many things apart. I cannot emphasize on how much Tupperware is involved on this thing, including the handlebars.

























Original owner had a bunch of accessories, and some dumbass decided to hide these switches and wiring behind the plastic. No idea what they are for.







It appears to have a new oil sending tube kit.









Since the carbs appear to be fine, I am going to drain the old fuel out of all tubes and replace the filter. Next step is to check for vacuum leaks.

[hppants]

I might have bitten off more than I can chew.

Looks like you are chewing just fine.  Fingers crossed.  Good luck. 

[SliverXZennon]

I always wanted a PC800 for touring, I think it would be the perfect bike for that. Plastics look like a pain though, good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.

But for $800!!! What a deal!

[gammer]

Wow, the lines on the PC look allot like the ST's

[fishball]

Neat bikes, very maxi-scooterish in looks.  There are a few around town here and they always catch my eye.

[Plumcrazy]

Pull up next to one of those Silverwings...scare the crap out of them when you leave the light.  Then it will be worth the $800

Wayne S

[green427]

Put the carbs back together after the Pine Sol soak.

Also put a new fuel filter in. Wow, you would think this bike was designed by the GM folks back in the '80's. It is very difficult to get access to anything. Took me an hour to put the new filter back in, since the fuel pump is in the way.

Took me a while to get the carbs back in, and had to adjust the cables. Put fresh gasoline mixed with Seafoam in the tank. Removed the plugs, they all had black soot, cleaned them up and checked the gaps.

Cranked her up. After 15 seconds of cranking, she fired up. Checked the alternator output, 13.6V, not too bad.

Rode her around the neighborhood while some neighbors wondered why I am riding a bike with exposed internal parts, and me wearing a water-soaked diaper rag on my head. It was 98 degrees and 85% humid today. Feckin' hot. The heat from the radiator on my exposed legs felt like a blast furnace.

The PC800 seems to run well, except there is a "miss", and I am pretty sure it is not the clutch or carb. The next step is to check the coils, wires, etc.

Riding this thing around the neighborhood, I can see why everyone likes it. VERY comfortable riding position. Seat is very comfortable. Does not feel that heavy.

I soaked the engine parts in degreaser and gave it a good washdown. Changed the oil and filter.

I gave up and put everything back. Gotta take a break from this oppressive heat.

[scoathy]

That is a nice looking bike. Especially for $800. Good luck on tunin' her up!

[SliverXZennon]

Green: Does the PC have an actual tank or is it hidden under all of those bits?

[green427]

Green: Does the PC have an actual tank or is it hidden under all of those bits?

The fuel tank is below the seat. This bike was designed differently than what you would expect.

The fake fuel tank on top is actually covering the big air box, and the carbs sit right under the airbox. This bike was designed to be as maintenance-free as possible, and to NOT look like a naked bike.

If you took all the plastic off, and removed the seat, fuel tank, and carbs, you are left with a typical Honda V-twin touring bike.

Take a look at some pics of the ST1300, and you can see some similarities to this bike.


More pics below to give you an idea.

[Wahrsuul]

Take a look at some pics of the ST1300, and you can see some similarities to this bike.

Hey now, lets not get personal   I've always thought the PC800 looked more like the ST1100.  The St1300 is much more angular.  Still looks like a big scooter sometimes tho.

[green427]

Take a look at some pics of the ST1300, and you can see some similarities to this bike.

Hey now, lets not get personal   I've always thought the PC800 looked more like the ST1100.  The St1300 is much more angular.  Still looks like a big scooter sometimes tho.

My bad, I should have said 1100. The 1300 still looks scooter-ish, but I would still love to have one.

[Wahrsuul]

Just messing with you.  The ST1100 was a great bike, I loved mine.  My current ST1300 has more of a scooter look to it, I think.

[luckylindy]

 Looks like you're making good progress.  Are you thinking of keeping it or selling?

[green427]

Looks like you're making good progress.  Are you thinking of keeping it or selling?

Most likely will have to sell it. I would like to keep it, since it feels more comfortable than my NH, but it is older, and not as clean as my NH. Plus, the whole family is accumulating medical bills this year, so any "profit" I make on this bike will have to go back in the bank.

The newer ones ('97, '98) are nicer, but usually sell at premium prices ($4500 +up). If money was no issue, I would grab one in mint condition. If you happen to test drive one, I guarantee you will want to buy one on the spot. Heavy, yes, but all that weight is very low.

[green427]

To give you all an idea of how massive and convenient the built-in trunk is, check this picture out. Two large full-face helmets can fit in there. And, the lid is waterproof.

The more I work on this bike, the more I like its design, however you have to know how to remove all the pieces in the right order. Everything is crammed into tight spaces.






The battery is very tightly packed in that little space. Took me awhile to figure out how to get it out.

[braceyoself777]

Thats the most space age bike I've seen, lol, cool thought and something different....

[CraigF]

I've seen one PC800 in person, not far from my house at a gas station.  There was an 70-something year old man airing up the tires.   Man, that's a cool & unique bike. 

I just checked craigslist in my area and there are 3--all are around the $4000 mark.

[geaux]

I keep scanning craiglist looking for deals like that. The owner dropped it once and gave up? I've been riding two months and I pick it up and get back on.

I like the idea of gas under the seat. Just makes sense.