So what do we know about the Honda Grom?

I've been out of bikes for a couple decades now, but for some reason I stumbled across these and they caught me eye.  Correct any misconceptions I may have developed so far, but it looks like are low power, small, somewhere between a motorcycle and a moped.  Ridiculous (like 100mpg+ ) gas mileage and pretty much infinitely customizable.  Looks like a few hundred bucks worth of breather mods generates a decent power bump.  Road legal, but tops out about 60 mph.  

Things I don't know: 6'2" dude fit on one?  Why do/don't I want one?  

Recent discussion where Tom Suddard bought one:  https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/motorcycles-and-bicycles/should-i-buy-a-honda-grom-or-a-kawasaki-z125/151833/page1/

Judging by the YouTube videos I've seen you have to pretty much be an assclown wearing no gear aside from a helmet to be part of the Grom crowd. Causing a multi-Grom pileup scores you bonus points.

In reply to ddavidv :

I don't think I've seen any Grom riders in the Minneapolis area who weren't wearing full face helmets and riding jackets.

I want one for bombing surface streets and participating in the occasional Grom race on kart tracks. At 6' I fit pretty well on it. Certainly more comfortable than the Honda rebel 250 I brought home for a friend last year.

Given the groups of Grom I see running around, I think we need to create a word to describe a group of Groms, like a "pod" of whales or a "murder" of crows...  

Scrom of groms? Like “scrum” in rugby?

Scrotgroms? (feel free to mess with the spelling).   I'll start digging the patio.  Only ever saw one in the wild and that was just a few weeks ago.  Full leathers helmet etc.  Unlike the classy hot chick on a monster dirt bike with dainty little slip on sneaker style shoe baring those oh so delicate unprotected ankles. 

I haven’t owned or ridden a Grom, but I know a few things:

Small lightweight bikes are ridiculously fun for local surface street/backroads rides.

Everyone I see on a Grom looks to be having a great time.

Personally, I can’t help but compare Grom prices to prices of used small dual sports and sporty streetbikes like WR250, DR350, DRZ250, XR250/400, Ninja 250, CBR250/300, etc. and marvel at the fact that folks will pay more for a Grom. 

Upon further reflection, I'm probably out.  I was thinking more rationally about the whole thing and realized that getting to any decent riding roads would require that I transit 55 mph rural highway were the average actual speed is 60-65 mph.   Seems like, even modified, that's at or above the max capacity of the bike.  I do like the "playing with Legos" aspect of modifying them, but probably not enough to buy something I wouldn't likely ride much.  

clutchsmoke said:

I want one for bombing surface streets and participating in the occasional Grom race on kart tracks. At 6' I fit pretty well on it. Certainly more comfortable than the Honda rebel 250 I brought home for a friend last year.

I can't conceive how a Grom is more comfortable that a Rebel.

The main difference is the Grom actually has resale value.

Vintage Vespa’s are fun and easily do the 60-65mph. Relatively inexpensive, unlimited aftermarket hop-up parts and a whole sub-culture of support. Easy to resell when you are finished.

Genuine Stella is an Indian-make knock-off of a steel body Vespa. I had one and rode it for 2 years. It was a 150cc 2-stroke, 4speed transmission, front disc brake and rode on 10” wheels. After a cylinder, carb and pipe it ripped! I missed riding that one so much, I bought a 1966 Vespa 150 Super rolling chassis to build. Scooters are an addiction.

Yamaha TW200. A small size(7/8scale) dual-sport that has found a niche and stood the test of time. Fat tires, low seat height, lightweight and just enough power to have lots of fun on. We used to trade them in and I had a list of people to call once they hit the showroom floor. I sold one to a cousin of mine and he’s been riding it for 15 years. 

Some of the TNG scooters(twist-n-go CVT transmission) can be modded to run 70mph with no problem. My pitbike is a modified Yamaha Zuma that will carry me around at near 70mph and it’s only 70cc. Modified clutch, expansion chamber, carb, clutch weights and everything else that can be bolted on to it. It’s a wheelie machine!

We used to race a modified DRZ-110 with several different sanctioning bodies. After lots of $$$ it went from 110cc with a clutchless 3-speed transmission to a full 195cc 6-speed monster that dyno’d at 24.7rwhp! 

Little bikes are tons tons of fun!

In reply to Appleseed :

Check out this site, compare ergonomics of different bikes. https://cycle-ergo.com/

Grom vs. Rebel ir looks like on the Grom your knees are bent more than the Rebel. But on the Rebel your hips are more crouched/pushed up 

Appleseed said:

clutchsmoke said:

I want one for bombing surface streets and participating in the occasional Grom race on kart tracks. At 6' I fit pretty well on it. Certainly more comfortable than the Honda rebel 250 I brought home for a friend last year.

I can't conceive how a Grom is more comfortable that a Rebel.

There are some varieties of rebel that put the foot pegs slightly in front of you and handlebars at a weird curve and strange placement. Whereas the Grom is basically a standard riding position except tighter ergonomics. 

Riding that rebel meant that at 6ft tall my knees were basically level with my nipples. Palms at the same height as my armpits. Terrible.

There's this big dingbat here in Lawrence that I saw one night basically stunting in the middle of a street downtown (such that it is) on a Grom.  

They don't seem like real motorcycle to me.  I think I'd rather own a 20 year old GS500 than a Grom.