Honda MSX125 (Grom)... should I?
Discussion
Been bikeless since last August, when I sold a nearly new Versys. I'd only had it 3 months, prior to that a KTM 950sm for over a year and before that a Street Triple R. Riding for 11 years with a variety of other machines, both fast and slow.
Was at the NEC last year when I first saw one of these and they look so much fun! Anyway, a local one has popped up near me for under £1800, year old 1500 miles. Is it worth a punt? Prices look pretty stable at the minute. Should I just forget buying a tiny little monkey replacement and get something decent instead? I was thinking that I could put it in the back of my VW T5 camper and take off on it in search of some local roads!
Was at the NEC last year when I first saw one of these and they look so much fun! Anyway, a local one has popped up near me for under £1800, year old 1500 miles. Is it worth a punt? Prices look pretty stable at the minute. Should I just forget buying a tiny little monkey replacement and get something decent instead? I was thinking that I could put it in the back of my VW T5 camper and take off on it in search of some local roads!
You are right all the reviews are good.
I was all over the idea of one of these, MissB and I saw them for the first time At the NEC..both had a sit on them and love the idea then The nice weather turned up so I got the Blade out....and it took my mind off it.
I need to get a demo on one and will take it from there..also MissB needs to get an insurance quote if she's going to learn on it.... if she won't be learning on it due to piss take insurance I'll look at something else as a second bike to plod about on rather than going for the Grom.
They do look a massive hoot, I love that it isn't a commuter 125cc or a faux 125cc sportsbike...it is what it is, you either get it or you don't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWExrcRmCNo
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=honda...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=honda...
I was all over the idea of one of these, MissB and I saw them for the first time At the NEC..both had a sit on them and love the idea then The nice weather turned up so I got the Blade out....and it took my mind off it.
I need to get a demo on one and will take it from there..also MissB needs to get an insurance quote if she's going to learn on it.... if she won't be learning on it due to piss take insurance I'll look at something else as a second bike to plod about on rather than going for the Grom.
They do look a massive hoot, I love that it isn't a commuter 125cc or a faux 125cc sportsbike...it is what it is, you either get it or you don't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWExrcRmCNo
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=honda...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=honda...
I've had mine since last November. I bought it to commute to work.
I bought it because it's small and I can get it round the back of the house and store it in my conservatory. As a bonus, you can park it just about anywhere, it's so short.
It's a great bike and a tank takes me about 120 miles - not sure it even holds a gallon as it costs me about £5.30 to fill it.
In traffic, it's quick enough to leave the cars behind, small enough to thread just about anywhere and doesn't seem to draw any resentment as it's "cute".
It's great to ride too, the chunky tyres allowing you to confidently crank it over. Handles really well.
The only downside for me is that my commute starts with a long uphill section. Despite it's size, it's not particularly light so 40-45 uphill is about the limit (and on a cold engine, not good) and it only does about 60 flat out, due to wind resistance (and I'm only 5'6 and 10.5 stone).
If I could change anything, it would be to increase the capacity to 250-300cc and add a 5th gear which would make it about perfect. As it stands, any longer journeys are not something I particularly enjoy as dual carriageways and motorways are not its natural environment (and the servicing requires a 40 mile round trip). So, in summary, brilliant as a commuter but it's limitation is the top speed.
Mine cost me around £2700 and I bought a servicing plan. Insurance was about £160 with zero NCB.
I bought it because it's small and I can get it round the back of the house and store it in my conservatory. As a bonus, you can park it just about anywhere, it's so short.
It's a great bike and a tank takes me about 120 miles - not sure it even holds a gallon as it costs me about £5.30 to fill it.
In traffic, it's quick enough to leave the cars behind, small enough to thread just about anywhere and doesn't seem to draw any resentment as it's "cute".
It's great to ride too, the chunky tyres allowing you to confidently crank it over. Handles really well.
The only downside for me is that my commute starts with a long uphill section. Despite it's size, it's not particularly light so 40-45 uphill is about the limit (and on a cold engine, not good) and it only does about 60 flat out, due to wind resistance (and I'm only 5'6 and 10.5 stone).
If I could change anything, it would be to increase the capacity to 250-300cc and add a 5th gear which would make it about perfect. As it stands, any longer journeys are not something I particularly enjoy as dual carriageways and motorways are not its natural environment (and the servicing requires a 40 mile round trip). So, in summary, brilliant as a commuter but it's limitation is the top speed.
Mine cost me around £2700 and I bought a servicing plan. Insurance was about £160 with zero NCB.
y2blade said:
WaferThinHam said:
They look so cool. V pricey compared to say a Stomp though.
What is a "Stomp"? Can be made road legal, or even the Skyteam gorilla.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=stomp+monke...
No thanks, looks like something Liam would buyWaferThinHam said:
They look so cool. V pricey compared to say a Stomp though.
It's like anything. Honda dealer says they are flying out of the door.Residual values should therefore be good.
You also have to look at it in comparative terms.
I would spend well over 3100 a month of train fares - this is peanuts to run and will still have a value when I trade it in whereas the train will only ever give me a coronary and the bike gets me straight home in 20 mnutes, not over an hour.
LuS1fer said:
WaferThinHam said:
They look so cool. V pricey compared to say a Stomp though.
It's like anything. Honda dealer says they are flying out of the door.Residual values should therefore be good.
You also have to look at it in comparative terms.
I would spend well over 3100 a month of train fares - this is peanuts to run and will still have a value when I trade it in whereas the train will only ever give me a coronary and the bike gets me straight home in 20 mnutes, not over an hour.
LuS1fer said:
y2blade said:
How many miles have you done on yours so far?
Not sure, to be honest - had the 500 mile service in January at bang on 500 so about 1000-1500 off the top of my head. I use it 4 days a week for a 20 mile (10 each way) commute, rain or shine.
graphene said:
I suppose, every 125cc 4t could be improved by an extra 30-100cc and achieving +20hp. Looks great, though. Not yet spotted one in the Dealers - perhaps they are all hiding behind big ugly Crossrunners and CBFs?
A long time ago, I had a CB250RSA, which would have been ideal and one issue I have with modern bikes is they seem to have abandoned the mean and lean philosopy and are now all quite bulky and wide.A modern scooter is bloody enormous compared to the 80s Melody or Passola mopeds.
My commute is mainly rural or urban so no fast sections in which to get humiliated.
When I first saw the MSX, it did look tiny compared to modern huge bikes but, in practice, it is fine and the styling means you don't look silly on one, even if you're tall.
I did try a CRF250LM as I am short of arse and it has smaller wheels than the CRF250L trailie but I still found it quite tall.
The annoying thing is that it does still leave you pondering whether to buy something bigger which I don't really need because the speed limitation will negate any joyriding in the summer.
I'll probably buy a front mudflap as the black engine does get covered in crud.
A centre stand would also have been nice.
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