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Honda PC Pacific Coast 800
The Pacific
Coast, or
PC800, was
introduced by
Honda in
the 1989
model year.
It was
a revolutionary
look back
then, the
bike completely
sheathed in
plastic body
panels, and
a spacious
clamshell trunk
in the
place of
traditional
saddlebags. The
appearance was
pure Starfleet,
minus the
warp drive.
The futuristic
shape found
its way
into a
few movies,
such as
Honda wanted
the bike
to appeal
to the
suit-and-tie set;
a bike
one could
ride to
work without
the risk
of soiling
the Armani
with grease
or oil.
With that
in mind,
the rear
end was
purposefully
modeled after
the Honda
Accord of
that era.
The bike
was produced
for two
years, the
’89 in
Frigidaire White
and the
’90 in
a magnificent
Candy Glory
Red. However, Since then, the bike has attracted a sizeable international cult following (look for the “Body by Tupperware” decals), the members of which have realized the machine’s many attributes. The group sponsors a lot of rides throughout the year, always easily identified. A parking lot full of PC800s resembles not so much a covey of bikes as a spilled bag of Skittles. The IPCRC (International Pacific Coast Riders Club) consists of some 3,000 members from 14 different countries, a total that climbs at a rate of 20 to 30 new members per week. From these owners one can find a wealth of information about the bike that somehow Honda never got around to promoting. A recent poll of members showed that the majority of them work in the engineering and IT fields, which is a strong statement in itself. Clearly, folks for whom precision is a way of life find this bike attractive. These days, the wallet-gutting routine of filling automobile gas tanks has a lot of commuters looking at motorcycles in an entirely new light; from the practicality standpoint. One of the Pacific Coast’s strengths is that it’s about as close to “fill and forget” as you’ll ever get with a motorcycle. Noteworthy are the hydraulic valves, which eliminate the need for valve adjustments. Over the nearly 8 years that I’ve owned my PC, my operating costs have consistently stayed below 7 cents per mile. Surprisingly, the thing that impressed them the most was the sound. The exhaust note is somewhat reminiscent of something owned by George Jetson, or a very large industrial fan.
Of course,
people love
the trunk.
Even those
who hate
the bike
love the
trunk. Somewhere
in the
neighborhood of
40 to
50 Litres,
the space
opens vertically,
which means
that you
could lay
a neatly
folded suit
coat (and
a large
briefcase) in
that space
and have
it arrive
at your
destination neat
and unwrinkled.
Because the
seams are
overlapped and
parallel to
the The PC is an uncomplicated machine, despite its looks. The engine, a slightly re-worked version of the mill from the 750 Shadow, rated at 64 bhp, is capable, but hardly dramatic. It will go 120 mph, but you might want to take a good book along for the acceleration part of the ride. Like all Honda motors, however, it is quality through-and-through. It is common to find owners who have racked up in excess of 150,000 miles without any major repairs. And it’s perfectly happy sipping 87 octane at a rate of 48 to 55 miles per gallon, depending on speed and aggressiveness. The 5-speed gearbox can be a bit clunky at times, but
still does its thing with little fanfare. Shaft drive completes the drive
train ensemble. The bike has a very low center of gravity, which makes it a
very friendly machine to operate, even at parking lot speeds. At around 620
pounds wet, it is a bit heavy, but nothing you feel once underway. The full
fairing and
Of course, no bike is completely perfect. Pacific Coast
owners yearn for the 1100cc powerplant from the big Shadow. The tranny is a
gear short, and the stator has very little excess capacity, so loading up
aftermarket electronics requires the accurate computation of wattage. The
gas tank, at 4.2 gallons needs to be bigger. PC riders complain that 180
miles is too All the model years are almost identical, so the availability of parts is still very good. A good-condition Pacific Coast with low miles can be had for less than 5 large, which makes for a very reasonable investment. machine gets attention from the white collar crowd, those who are individualistic enough to eschew a Milwaukee product or any of their dozens of clones, and mature enough to know their own limitations as far as speed and power are concerned. For them, a bike is more “tool” than “toy.” Therefore, practicality rules; and the Pacific Coast is eminently practical. If you’re tempted to ask, “So What?” bear in mind that this is what Honda’s target demographic was when the bike was introduced. So the red-headed stepchild of motorcycles has finally found its niche, only 17 years after the fact. This is what owning a PC is like. A couple of years ago,
I rode to a company picnic hosted by my wife’s employer. I rolled up to the
parking area, which was full of chrome and iron. From a distance I could see
the sardonic smiles already starting. I parked the bike and endured the
semi-drunken ribbing, which continued until I swung open the trunk lid to
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Any corrections or more information on these motorcycles will be kindly appreciated. |