If there ever was a motorcycle that could be defined as a ‘fun bike’, the Honda Grom would be it. Due to its low cost and accessibility, the Honda Grom found a good deal of success around the world and in the United States. The bike is small, light, and has an engine that produces manageable power. It’s one of the most approachable, easy-to-ride, beginner-friendly motorcycles out there.
But the Grom isn’t without its problems. In fact, even though it is considered a cheap and affordable bike, with a few hundred dollars more you can get appropriately sized bikes that are still beginner-friendly and perform better in just about everything. For the Grom, being a motorcycle of very compact dimensions has some benefits, but it also comes with a few drawbacks that just might not be worth it, especially since there are also some safety implications to be taken into consideration with a bike as small as the Grom.
There Is A Way Cheaper MiniMoto Within Honda's Own Lineup
To start things off, if someone is looking for a miniMoto simply as a means to get around town and do short commutes, not caring about performance or status or anything of the sort, Honda has the much cheaper NAVI, with a base MSRP of $1,807. As a reference, the Honda Grom has a base MSRP of $3,499 and $3,799 for the ABS model. The Honda Navi is basically a small scooter and will get the job done for your inner-city commuting needs. This huge price difference within Honda’s own miniMoto lineup is in itself already a great hint as to why the Grom is overrated.
The Honda Grom has a 124cc, SOHC, air-cooled, 2 valves, single-cylinder engine that makes a claimed 9.7 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm and 7.7 pound-feet of torque @ 5,500 rpm. It has a 5-speed transmission with a chain final drive, and it can barely reach 60 MPH if ridden by a light motorcyclist and even then it takes a while to get there. That is another drawback. If one’s commute involves some highway riding, it could be difficult to get up to speed on an on-ramp to merge safely into highway traffic, or just maintain a safe cruising speed while on it.
The Grom's Small Wheels Can Be Hazardous
Another issue the Honda Grom has is its small 12 inche wheels with 3.9 inches of suspension travel in the front and 4.1 inches in the back. This means the bike is terrible at handling potholes and other imperfections on the road. There is a reason off-road motorcycles have big wheels and long suspension travel. Regular road bikes fall somewhere in between looking for a better balance of handling and performance on road. If the Honda Grom hits a particularly nasty pothole with its tiny 12-inch wheels, that’s just a recipe for disaster since the chassis of the Grom will be destabilized and won't be able to deal with this type of obstacle as any other ordinary motorcycle would.
Still, on the issue of chassis stability, the Grom’s wheelbase is very short at 47.2 inches, while most bikes will have a wheelbase ranging from 48 to 65 inches. A shorter wheelbase usually means the bike will have a stiffer and more responsive frame, which the Grom does, and this is one of the reasons why it is so easy to ride. But when something unsettles the front wheel, it will quickly work its way back to the rear wheel as well, destabilizing the whole bike. A shorter wheelbase also means it is easier to lift the front wheel. That’s not a big issue with the Grom since its engine is not powerful enough to do power wheelies, so the rider will only lift the front wheel when he intends to. However, being easier to lift the front wheel also means it is easier to lift the rear wheel. So in an emergency braking situation, you might find yourself lifting the rear wheel of the Grom unintentionally, further complicating a potentially dangerous scenario.
You Can Buy A Proper Motorcycle For Almost The Same Price
As mentioned before, and this is just one example, if the customer adds $400 on top of the price for a Honda Grom ABS with a base MSRP of $3,799, it is possible to get a proper motorcycle such as the KTM 200 Duke with a base price of $4,199. The KTM 200 Duke is a great beginner bike too, so if riding for a long time is the plan, miniMotos would soon be left in the past for other regular-sized motorcycles.
Ultimately, it has to be understood that miniMotos such as the Honda Grom are not meant to be used as regular, all-around motorcycles. It is possible, for sure, but far from ideal. The Honda Grom fits the ethos of an expensive toy, good for fooling around in the backyard, running errands within close distances, and teaching kids how to ride motorcycles.