WRENCH: Honda PCX150 CVT Upgrade with NCY Super Transmission Kit

I decided to upgrade the variators in both of my PCX150's before my long road trip to Arkansas. They needed to be able to cruise comfortably at 60-65 mph without banging off of the rev-limiter at 63 mph. This upgrade did the trick! Skip to the end of this description for clickable time indexes.

The 2015 PCX150 received a DrPulley variator kit with 12g sliders. The DrP kit came with a new drive boss that was slightly shorter than the OEM piece, so that might also help to compress the pulleys together more and give a higher top speed (CVT belt is pushed higher and out to a larger front diameter). This bike previously had the OEM Honda variator and clutch pieces, but I had already upgraded it with 13g DrP sliders. The top speed was raised from 63 mph to 65-67 mph with just the sliders. After this DrP variator upgrade, it will pull consistently to 71-72 mph, and I never noticed it bumping off of the rev-limiter... so that means the bike was drag-limited (air resistance).

The 2016 PCX150 had a completely stock Honda variator, so it received the NCY (Golden Pulley) Super Transmission Kit. This kit consisted of a new variator, 13g roller weights, variator drive face, clutch assembly (clutch, drive bell, and rear pulleys), and a much stiffer rear drive spring. The previous top speed was the stock 63 mph imposed by the rev-limiter. After the upgrade, this bike can consistently pull 73-74 mph, so it's slightly higher/faster than the DrPulley in the 2015 PCX. Again, this bike never seems to hit the rev-limiter, so it's drag-limited.

Another major difference between the NCY and the DrP kits is that the stiff rear spring in the NCY setup makes the engine rev much higher before the clutch engages, and it is more rev-happy for climbing hills than the OEM clutch/spring in the 2015 PCX. This is good and bad, because the higher rev's dropped the fuel economy on the 2016 down about 7-10 points lower than it was with the OEM components. The 2016 now gets ~5-7 mpg lower than the 2015 over the same roads, where it previously achieved ~5-8 points higher than the 2015 PCX (probably due to the free-flowing aftermarket exhaust).

Time indexes:
0:00 Overview of the upgrade project, NCY Ultimate Transmission Kit
2:05 Beginning the disassembly of the PCX's plastics to reach the variator
8:40 Removing the CVT cover
9:40 Removing the variator nut the quick way using an electric impact drill
10:35 Removing the clutch nut
11:48 Removing the variator assembly, examining the guts of the variator
13:10 Cleaning out the drive housing, don't breathe this stuff... it can't be good for you
15:24 Reassembling the CVT with new components
17:24 Trying to compress the belt into the rear pulleys so it fits into the drive housing
17:50 Installing the NCY clutch
20:31 Installing the NCY variator with the OEM drive boss
23:06 Cleaning up and installing the CVT cover
28:51 Reassembling the plastics and body fasteners
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2016 Honda PCX150
NCY performance variator
NCY ultimate transmission kit
NCY super transmission kit