Film: Honda PA50-II, Manhattan

By

The first in a series of on-bike films from Hell For Leather, this one stars a Honda PA50-II, a pair of New Balance sneakers and the heavy, aggressive traffic of Manhattan.

Special thanks to Go Pro for providing the cameras.

Hell for Leather Magazine and any of its affiliates or parent companies are not responsible for the content of these videos nor the actions of the rider[s] depicted within. Hell for Leather Magazine is a news source and has no involvement with any actions depicted in the video, any hosting of the video on Hell for Leather’s site is strictly for news related purposes. Any editing to the video by Hell for Leather is done strictly for format purposes. Hell for Leather DOES NOT promote, encourage, or endorse any unsafe operation of a motor vehicle. Always, obey all local and state traffic and safety laws and wear approved riding gear.

  • Scott

    seek & destroy.

  • Tristan

    This is great!

    C’était un rendez-vous has nothing on this little movie.

  • geoff

    did you door ding that construction truck on purpose?

    you have brass balls

  • Eric M

    You passed right by Tasty Dumpling. Missed opportunity.

  • mark

    It wasn’t a “door ding.” I think he was just checking something in the mirror – probably something to do with the video camera.

    • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Grant Ray

      He wasn’t checking camera gear, Mark. That’s all I can say.

    • nick2ny

      Just checking to see that the chest camera was functioning!

  • http://ridethetorquecurve.blogspot.com hoyt

    hockey elbow pads would help

  • kingroyale

    badass – can we get this reposted with the Naked Gun theme too?

    • Matt

      badass? my friend, you have a lot of living to do. lol.

  • Dennis L

    Woohoo! Make more! Make more!

  • Marshall

    I couldn’t ride that thing without smiling ear to ear the whole time.

  • dave

    this one was a hit…
    very cool

    just dont get killed on our account…
    watch those car doors opening up
    dave

  • http://www.typetwelve.com macfarlane.a

    An amazing video. I’ve been contemplating getting a GoPro to document drives.

    This is totally the best way of getting around Manhattan.

  • George

    That was fantastic! A bit like “Ghost Rider Fu__ Police” at about 1/10 the speed and noise. Great post, one of my favs from your blog.

  • Matt

    Throw a kit.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_kIUSr7-is

    not the same Matt as above

    • http://www.urbanrider.eu urbanrider

      That… is… quality!! :D

  • http://www.sideburnmagazine.com Ben Part

    Grant
    Excellent stuff.
    thanks for not adding a death metal soundtrack, so we could fully appreciate the measley “Wiiiiiiing-ding-ding”

    Is it my imagination or is the engine moving about independently to the frame? Bolt loose isolastics maybe?

    Particularly enjoyed the last sequence of outboard off to paddle ashore, with a 2″ bunny-hop to get up the kerb.

  • rock

    awesome vid.

    engine and subframe are soft mounted to the frame with a pivot in the front, and shocks in the rear. a giant swing arm if you will.

  • Marshall

    GoPro’s are totally worth the money. They’re over built too… I crashed and slid on top of the mount. It was between my bike and the track and still works just fine.

  • Stephen

    That was awesome! More, please!

  • Cole

    Awesome Video!

    Brought back memories from Gran Truismo 2

  • Adrian

    Excellent ..reminded me of the days when I had a PC50 and a Puch Maxi..awesome little city bikes.

  • sam

    my busa could beat you

  • http://artistruth.livejournal.com will

    Someone jacked my Ruckus last week. I wasn’t missing enough before…>:-(

  • http://artistruth.livejournal.com will

    BTW 1,000,000x better than that Ghost Rider bullshit. More Please.

    • MeandmyR1

      Are you insane?… Ghost Rider rules!!!
      (This is cool tho. Lets have more hacking thru city traffic vids. Used to dispatch myself- it is an art for sure.)

  • will

    I used to have a 78′ NC50 Express, pumpkin orange, with 1300 miles and like new condition. Got it running great, rode it to work a few times, got tired of it, and sold it. Not fun doing 25mph on the side of a 2 lane country road for 10+ miles. Now I live in a relatively metro area of SFL, and I sit in traffic with a CB550, LOL. Hobbits are my holy grail of mopeds, I will own one someday.

  • Sam

    This is absolutely epic.

  • http://www.selfedge.com kiya

    That was awesome, we need more videos like that.

  • http://www.youtube.com/GofasterPB RiderP5

    I didn’t know GoPro made a belt-buckle mount. Fun stuff!

  • Rick Maiman

    Great, great, great to see some NYC based riding
    footage. Who says we’re not prime two wheeled country. I commute often on my Zuma from Queens. It’s death defying but once I come across the Queensboro or Williamsburg bridges, Manhattan is mine. To hell with Mayor Bloomberg and his bombed congestion pricing plan. Your little epic proves that there’s nothing like a bit of two wheeled hooliganism. Kudos on the curb bump and sneakback ahead of the van!

  • aeolus

    Like Dave says, mind the car doors. Wouldn’t want to see blood all over those cool sneaks. Here is another on board urban jaunt. Don’t no where he lives but I wouldn’t mind calling it home. But he takes way to many chances.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS6RKZk6_Wo

  • CD

    I wonder if one of the ultra narrow, board-track style Derringer Cycles would be even more fun through heavy traffic…

  • Dave

    Great video. I must be fairly conservative as I thought he was taking some pretty ballsy chances a couple of times. Don’t know what he was doing with the mirror on the van, but it made me laugh. Good job.

  • Core

    @Video

    You have brass balls my friend!

    Some of those passes looked like you were passing by an inch or less.

    Anyways, ride fun!