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Review of the 1998 Honda PC 800 Pacific Coast
The First of the Multi-Mission Machines
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Riders are belatedly discovering the quality, versatility, and the statement of individuality embodied in Honda´s PC800 Pacific Coast.
Review of the PC 800 Pacific Coast submitted on 2007-06-15.
Riding a Honda Pacific Coast makes you a lightning rod for all kinds of questions and comments. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to the worst of them, realizing that any motorcyclist who utilizes the term “rolling porta-potty” has issues of their own to deal with.
Lately, however, with the price of gas soaring and the realization that we’ll probably never see sub- Dollars 2 per gallon gas again, the questions I’ve been getting are sharper, more focused, and far more intelligent.
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 “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man,” “Back to the Future,” and “The Bourne Identity.”
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 very popular 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, the marketing folks at Honda rolled consecutive gutter balls, never really presenting the PC800 properly to the public. The bike was priced too high, and the flood of execu-commuters never materialized.
Honda tried again in 1994, inflation having made the price of the bike much more palatable. Success was moderate and the bike was produced through the 1998 model year before the guillotine fell, this time for good.
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 almost 3,000 members from 14 different countries, a total that climbs at a rate of 20 to 30 new members per month. 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. Stops at gas stations prompt the undivided attention from shirt-and-tie types who wander over to look at the bike and ask questions. Maintenance issues are always high on their list. 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, which include gas, maintenance, and repair, have consistently stayed below 7 cents per mile.
Surprisingly, the thing that impressed them the most was the sound. The PC doesn’t have the traditional motorcycle muffler, the kind that fits on the end of the tailpipe, sort of like Jason Bourne’s silencer. Instead, the pipes run from the engine through a muffler shaped very much like a small car’s. The resultant noise is somewhat reminiscent of something owned by George Jetson, or a very large industrial fan. The ´Loud Pipes Save Lives´ crowd will not be impressed, but in my experience the passage of a bike equipped with straight pipes only elicits a wave of hostility which then devolves upon anyone riding on two wheels.
Of course, they love the trunk. Even people who hate the bike love the trunk. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 to 50 liters, 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 ground, the space is completely waterproof. And when you open it, your possessions won’t spill out onto the ground, as they are wont to do with side-opening bags. The addition of a 42-liter Givi top box looks so natural that you wonder why Honda didn´t include one in the first place.
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. It will get you there, but not with the eyeball-deforming g-forces of a sportbike. 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. At least two owners have run their bikes up to a quarter-million miles, only to lose them to the arrant stupidity of cage operators. 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 tall windshield provide a comfortable bubble for the rider. At high speeds, however, the bubble tends to collapse between the rider and the passenger, making the back seater feel buffeted, especially around the helmet. The occasional appearance of bugs coming at you from behind will attest to the odd aerodynamics at work.
Overall, the bike is very smooth and easy to operate. This is a machine that is equally at home unreeling a 700-mile day on the Superslab with the trunk stuffed to the gills, or rippin’ it up at Deal’s Gap. The flexible nature of the PC’s design also was revolutionary for it’s time. Back then, you had to choose between “go hard” motorcycles and “go far” motorcycles. The PC melded the two together quite nicely. The bike´s reliability is becoming legend. A few years ago, I told my Harley friends that I was embarking on a 9-day trip through 6 western and southwestern states. Alone. They thought I was crazy to trust any motorcycle to that extent. The bike, as I expected, performed flawlessly across some 5,000 miles of some of the most desolate real estate this country has to offer. At the other end of the extreme, this is a machine that you can flog at Deal´s Gap to the limits of the tire tread with complete confidence. Between the long-distance comfort and the clearance and maneuverability in the twisties, the PC800 is just plain fun to ride.
Of course, no bike is completely perfect. Pacific Coast owners yearn for the 1100cc powerplant from the big Shadow. The tranny seems to be 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 short a distance to have to pull over and fuel up. The bike is that comfortable. The ’89 model is notorious for the trunk rubbing on the rear tire and a stator that can’t seem to last more than 30,000 miles (both issues fixed for the 1990 model and beyond.). Over the years, the older models have begun to experience a few problems with the mounting systems for the body panels, the plastic becoming somewhat brittle with age. However, modern polymer repair techniques render that problem transitory. The engine and fuel system (Mikuni carbs) defy upgrades. Nobody makes an aftermarket exhaust for the PC, although one mechanically-endowed owner has adapted the 2-into-2 exhaust system from the Shadow with gratifying results.
All the model years are almost identical, so the availability of parts is very good. A good-condition Pacific Coast with low miles can be had for around 5 large (about the same price they were 8 years ago), which makes for a very reasonable investment.
This 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, feeling like there´s no reason to dress like an escaped felon in order to ride a motorcycle. They are 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 reveal both sides filled with ice, beer, and soda.
Reverent silence followed.
Practicality wins again.
This review of the 1998 Honda PC 800 Pacific Coast
was submitted by: Ralph Couey
This review of the 1998 Honda PC 800 Pacific Coast was posted by a visitor on Bikez.com and does not necessarily reflect facts, truth or Bikez.com's opinions. Please report profane or otherwise inappropriate content by following this link. |
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