Grom

[leolion]

Anyone have/had/ridden one?

Any good? are they fun? or are they just a typical 2v air cooled one cylinder 125 with tiny wheels?

I see one regularly on my rounds and it looks pretty funky.

[Bubbs]

I really want to try one to see how fun it is. Last time I asked your question I was told to just get a monkey bike / pit bike instead.

The Grom engine swaps are really cool though.. i'd love the 450cc variant.

Or this 1198 panigale...

https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/ducati-1199-panigale-powered-honda-grom-is-as-insane-as-it-gets_7.jpg
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Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

[chickenstrip]

[c_dug]

Didn't the Panigale one burn to the ground shortly after it's first proper use? There are some really cool modified ones around though, they do look a hoot to ride.

I saw a new CB300r the other day which was a bit like a slightly scaled up Grom, like a 75% scale big bike. Probably more suited to silly engine swaps I'd think.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Bubbs]

[woo]

TL DR it’s a nice/fun/economical bike


I had a Grom for almost 4 years and I loved my time with it, like really loved my time with it.
As long you accept it for what it is you will be fine. (It’s an air cooled 8.5bhp 125cc and wont get you anywhere in a hurry)
It can do a max speed of 65mph and is easy and cheap to maintain and run. (can do 72mph downhill lol)

Mine did on average 140mpg and a full tank would last about 120 miles doing city riding, if your doing motorway journeys this will drop to about 100mpg and a tank of petrol will last about 80 miles.
But if your doing country roads with speeds between 40mph and 50mph then you could get 160mpg with a tank lasting for 160 miles. (I once got 175mpg from a tank)
This is all before the reserve light comes on
Heres my fuelly: https://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/grom_125/2015/wooizm/441875

Its extremely easy to work on as I learnt all my maintenance from watching youtube videos and I was able to do oil changes and check/adjust valve clearances on my own.
Plus I learnt how to clean the oil spinner which has to be done every 7,500 miles. (if you buy one thats second hand check if this has been done and if not get it done asap as this should be done after the 1st service at 600 miles and again at 7,500 miles and so on after.
Also clean the oil gauze thing and fit a new engine/clutch basket gasket whilst your at it.

The oil is supposed to be changed every 2,500 miles but I did mine every 1,250 miles as its £11 per litre and this bike only holds a litre of oil and I used fully synthetic oil as the oil is used to both cool and lube the engine and gear box my research pointed that this was best in this small air cooled engine.
An oil change should take no more than 10 mins, (dealers wanted to charge £130 for a 10 min oil change and a 10 min valve clearance check.
The oil change is literally undo the drain bolt at the bottom of the engine and let the oil drain out do up the bolt and then pour new oil in.

The valve clearances are also supposed to be done every 2,500 miles and this should take no more than 30 mins there’s very good videos on youtube on how to do this.
Maybe I had a very good engine but I checked the valve clearances every 2,500 miles and since 5,000 miles to 22,500 the valves in mine did not need adjusting once despite my long distance tours on the bike with it being 1.5k rpm away from the redline for hours at a time when riding to Scotland.

I took mine from London to North West Scotland in 2017 & 2018 touring round Scotland and got up there on the motorway. https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=321042
I changed the gearing on mine so that the engine does not rev as high when on the motorway (Standard front sprocket is 15 teeth but I went for 16 teeth and fitted a healtech speedo healer).

There is no storage space under the seat all there is under the seat is the battery and small tool box pouch.
The seat is also VERY uncomfortable on long distances or anything more than 50 miles so if your riding for long periods of time or long distances id recommend you get the seat reupholstered a,d an Air Hawk seat thing.

A set of good quality tyres like Michelin Power Pure SC is about £65 and the front lasts for ages, for mine the front lasted about 9,000 miles and the rear lasted around 6,000 miles but I did do a lot of motorway miles so for street riding these tyres should last longer.

I did about 23,000 miles on mine before I sold it to my mechanic as he wanted to give it as a birthday present to his son.
I bought mine brand new from Dobles in Coulsdon in December 2015 and they were very helpful just my bank balance didnt get on with their servicing costs so did it myself. (This did invalidate the warranty but meh lol)

I have gone back to a GSXR1000 but I can honestly say that by the end of this year I will most likely get another Grom but the next one I get will have a 143cc engine kit as it would be nice to be able to maintain 65mph through anything. (hopefully my mechanic will sell mine back to me lol)
I am happy to sit at 65 mph on the motorway just when the winds hit and theres hills dropping down to 50 mph can be annoying!

In its standard 125cc form if you have the strong winds against you, you will drop from 60mph to 50mph and up hills you will not be able hit 60mph, on straights or not steep hills 60mph can be maintained.
But if your just doing town riding you will be absolutely fine.

It’s a great small bike and out of all the 125cc I would only ever consider the Grom or the Honda CB125R 2018 model
I had a Yamaha R125 and to be honest the bike didn’t feel as well built and solid as the Grom and the R125 has very short oil change intevals (oil needs changing every 1,800 miles).
The Yamaha MT125 has the same engine as the R125 so that’s not for me infact the R125 felt filmsy and fragile compared to the honda grom.

Would I advise you to get one, errrmmmmmmmmm YES!!!
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[leolion]

nice write up!

i only ever sit at 55mph even on my 700 so im wondering if im paying a lot of extra money out for no reason!

[woo]

im going to test ride a 2019 honda CB125R tomorrow morning and if it ticks my boxes i may get rid of the GSXR1000 and take this new honda up to scotland when i go this summer
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Whosthedaddy]

Yep, got a 2016 one, fun little bikes.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[woo]

so test rode the 2019 honda CB125R and its a good soild feeling bike but its no Grom

I will be back on a Grom come winter!!
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[leolion]

so im looking at getting rid of the 700 and getting a new cub.
I know the answer (on here anyway) am i a wuss not worthy of my full licence?

[woo]

nope cos im getting rid of my GSXR1000 in the autumn and getting a Grom back
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[leolion]

[B0ndy]

Honda should stick a bigger engine in them, then I would be interested..

Tried one out, fine around town (round London it would be perfect) but find yourself going up a hill, dual carriageway or motorway and the fun soon disappears.
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CBF 125 -> CB400SF -> GSX600F -> ZX6R (G1) -> GSXR1000 K4 -> ZX6R (B1H Stunt bike) -> VFR800 -> R1 5PW -> Sprint 1050 -> Fireblade 929 -> ZX10R C2H -> GSXR1000 K3

[leolion]

change of plan ive only been offered 3500 for my 700 8 months after baying 5500 for it so it aint going no where!!

[bigdom86]

how tall are you guys? these look like fun but at 6ft2 and 130kg (mostly muscle ) these look like a torture device, the cbr600 is bad enough!

[stevo as b4]

Not sure about Honda sticking a bigger engine into them personally.

The air cooled horizontal lump is iconic and suits the look and design of the bike. It wouldn't look cool with an upright liquid cooled dirt bike engine IMO.

The only downside is that seeing as they've made it a 125cc bike and not bigger or smaller, means it's compared to other 125's especially the funky naked ones. When some have the full 15bhp it's disadvantaged on spec even if it's smaller and lighter.

You could make all MSX's a 250 or 350cc machine, but even with a 35bhp engine there'd be plenty of people that want more, or who would dismiss the bike for not being powerful enough.

I wouldn't have an MSX as an only bike, unless I lived in a city, rode it mostly in the city for short trips, and or had to keep the bike in the house and get it though doors etc.
In that case you can argue that an electric bike is far better an option too.