Grom - any takers?
Discussion
Allow me to explain...
Spent this spring & summer commuting on the bike (MT07) and found this delightful as a way to get out on the bike more in a life now infiltrated by a tiny human. As a knock-on effect, i found my fuel costs dropped by nearly half (MT does 60 to 70mpg without much effort on my journey through B roads & rural villages).
So i've been thinking; is it worth getting a small, fun, cheap to run commuter bike with the aims of this maximising the fuel savings?
Immediately a Grom comes to mind; small, cheap, cheap to tax, probably as good MPG as you'll get, easy to service, hold their value relatively well.
Just wondered if anyone runs one as a 2nd bike, the realities of the speed/power etc or if i'm just spending too much time on ebay drumming up an idea i don't need!
It will be a 2nd bike, and share the garage with MT +/- it's replacement.
Spent this spring & summer commuting on the bike (MT07) and found this delightful as a way to get out on the bike more in a life now infiltrated by a tiny human. As a knock-on effect, i found my fuel costs dropped by nearly half (MT does 60 to 70mpg without much effort on my journey through B roads & rural villages).
So i've been thinking; is it worth getting a small, fun, cheap to run commuter bike with the aims of this maximising the fuel savings?
Immediately a Grom comes to mind; small, cheap, cheap to tax, probably as good MPG as you'll get, easy to service, hold their value relatively well.
Just wondered if anyone runs one as a 2nd bike, the realities of the speed/power etc or if i'm just spending too much time on ebay drumming up an idea i don't need!
It will be a 2nd bike, and share the garage with MT +/- it's replacement.
I also started commuting on a Tenere 700 (Same engine as your MT) this year, and halved my fuel bill 70mpg.
The Grom looks like fun but not sure i'd want to travel further than the local shops on one, certainly wouldn't want to do my 18 mile commute on one. But I am nearly 20st, so i'd look bloody ridiculous anyway. :-)
The Grom looks like fun but not sure i'd want to travel further than the local shops on one, certainly wouldn't want to do my 18 mile commute on one. But I am nearly 20st, so i'd look bloody ridiculous anyway. :-)
I've had a Grom I've used for commuting for 2 1/2 years so feel well placed to answer.
If your sole purpose is to save money on fuel, tax and insure, service and repairs then go for it. I get 120-130mpg no issues and it costs about 6 quid or something to fill up. Generally good around town, although it has many draw backs, and I regularly end up taking my Aprilia or Husky 701 to work instead.
Its slow, in my mind dangerously slow. Pretty much removes all the advantages of riding a motorbike into work. Cars will race you, bully you and you have extra in the tank to get away from any situations. Drivers will get very annoyed with you filtering if you then hold them up on a National road a minute later. No power to overtake lorries or slow moving traffic on national roads - think sitting behind a heavy skip lorry in the pouring rain thats throwing spray and filth up at you that you can't overtake so just have to sit there being miserable wishing you were on a proper bike
You have to thrash the thing from cold (depending on your commute) I'm straight out onto an A road so have no choice.
It will break - It wont let you down but you will always be tinkering with it. Its generally very cheaply made, things rattle loose and fall off. The chain tensioner is an absolute joke, always comes loose just a terrible cheap design with two tiny little nuts holding it all on. Aftermarket solutions are £100+ - There goes your fuel savings.
The chain itself is awful, straight in the bin with that and a DID chain went on.
The riding position does a very good job of masking its small size, but people act like you are invisible on the road. Ask yourself do you want to be next to a big lorry on a tiny little motorbike they cant see.
The headlights are terrible and the general charging system is weak - It wont take extras like heated grips and phone chargers without potentially upgrading the charging system. My bike doesn't charge the battery at all from idle.
No matter how much ACF50 or whatever you use, the rear swing arm will rust in front of your eyes, they wont stand up to British winters. Maybe if you treat them a bit like a disposable razor.
I could do on.
Mines going up for sale shortly if you want
If your sole purpose is to save money on fuel, tax and insure, service and repairs then go for it. I get 120-130mpg no issues and it costs about 6 quid or something to fill up. Generally good around town, although it has many draw backs, and I regularly end up taking my Aprilia or Husky 701 to work instead.
Its slow, in my mind dangerously slow. Pretty much removes all the advantages of riding a motorbike into work. Cars will race you, bully you and you have extra in the tank to get away from any situations. Drivers will get very annoyed with you filtering if you then hold them up on a National road a minute later. No power to overtake lorries or slow moving traffic on national roads - think sitting behind a heavy skip lorry in the pouring rain thats throwing spray and filth up at you that you can't overtake so just have to sit there being miserable wishing you were on a proper bike
You have to thrash the thing from cold (depending on your commute) I'm straight out onto an A road so have no choice.
It will break - It wont let you down but you will always be tinkering with it. Its generally very cheaply made, things rattle loose and fall off. The chain tensioner is an absolute joke, always comes loose just a terrible cheap design with two tiny little nuts holding it all on. Aftermarket solutions are £100+ - There goes your fuel savings.
The chain itself is awful, straight in the bin with that and a DID chain went on.
The riding position does a very good job of masking its small size, but people act like you are invisible on the road. Ask yourself do you want to be next to a big lorry on a tiny little motorbike they cant see.
The headlights are terrible and the general charging system is weak - It wont take extras like heated grips and phone chargers without potentially upgrading the charging system. My bike doesn't charge the battery at all from idle.
No matter how much ACF50 or whatever you use, the rear swing arm will rust in front of your eyes, they wont stand up to British winters. Maybe if you treat them a bit like a disposable razor.
I could do on.
Mines going up for sale shortly if you want
A neighbour riding past me on their Grom was one of the things that got me back onto motorcycles, something I should have done years ago.
That Grom rider had other motorcycles. They replaced it with a PCX 125 Scooter as the PCX was more practical as a commuting tool due to storage and said according to the dash they were getting over 130mpg.
That Grom rider had other motorcycles. They replaced it with a PCX 125 Scooter as the PCX was more practical as a commuting tool due to storage and said according to the dash they were getting over 130mpg.
Also the stock tyres are dangerously terrible - replace with Michelin City Grip 2s, again there goes some move 'savings'
and the stock seat is so uncomfortable and thats me coming from a 701 enduro that il ride for hours on end with no issues even though people say they are torture.
Youl probably need to fit Pro taper after market bars as well to get the ergonomics right as the handle bars are far too low from standard makes it feel like a little tiny childs bike, which it sort of is.
Theres a big difference between people saying "they got me back into riding" I hear this a lot...and HAVING to ride one day after day. These people will generally use them every now and again and it will be all novel and fun. Getting your gear on at 4.30am on a winters day and getting on one like I do. No thanks. Hence why I never ride it any more
and the stock seat is so uncomfortable and thats me coming from a 701 enduro that il ride for hours on end with no issues even though people say they are torture.
Youl probably need to fit Pro taper after market bars as well to get the ergonomics right as the handle bars are far too low from standard makes it feel like a little tiny childs bike, which it sort of is.
Theres a big difference between people saying "they got me back into riding" I hear this a lot...and HAVING to ride one day after day. These people will generally use them every now and again and it will be all novel and fun. Getting your gear on at 4.30am on a winters day and getting on one like I do. No thanks. Hence why I never ride it any more
Bob_Defly said:
My mate has a Grom, and as fun as it looks on a sunny B road, I'd hate to have to ride it in heavy traffic. It just doesn't have enough presence on the road to be safe, especially in the dark/wet winter weather.
This^Anyone old enough to remember riding a restricted 3hp 50cc bike as a 16yr old will know that it's a scary proposition.
One of the advantages of a big bike is the power and therefore ability to assert yourself on the road. You can pretty much out accelerate everything else meaning you can determine your riding environment,,,On any underpowered machine, cars are climbing all over you to get past, you can't get away from heavy trucks or slow vehicles etc. It's not fun....
Small bikes are only fun where you're only competing with pedestrians or donkeys... otherwise, bigger is better.
Also, and as much as you think it's be fun and whooo, think of the savings, the above limitations will make you reach for the bigger bike after the first few weeks and it'll be a case of purchase price wasted not fuel costs saved....
I’d run the MT07 through winter. I hate 125s they are so slow they just put you in a position where you are in traffic with the 1.4 Astra two feet behind you with you getting in their way.
The MT will be a great all year bike. I’ve ridden one and loved it, I prefer a bit more power but I’m a weekend rider. That’s not to say the MT07 is slow, it’s more than enough for getting out of the way of traffic.
The MT will be a great all year bike. I’ve ridden one and loved it, I prefer a bit more power but I’m a weekend rider. That’s not to say the MT07 is slow, it’s more than enough for getting out of the way of traffic.
I've had the latest shape from for just over a year, it also shares the garage with an MT, albeit an MT10. I have to say, I absolutely bloody love the Grom. I use it for generally popping out the the shops, razzing about town and a bit of fun. It's great on roads up to 40-50mph, but above that does start to struggle. It's great at filtering in busy cities and tbh I've never had an issue with being seen, the headlight being a LED is quite bright so that helps. I've had as much as 170mpg out of mine on a gentle ride around Oxfordshire country roads. £10 seems to last forever, I've averaged about 130mpg but I do rag the poor thing pretty hard and it has dropped the mpg since I put a full Yoshi system on it.
If I had a city commute I would definitely use it as it's so cheap to buy and run. I work from home 9 days a fortnight and do take the Grom the 100 mile round trip when the weather is alright even though it's a mix of A34 / M40 lol
If I had a city commute I would definitely use it as it's so cheap to buy and run. I work from home 9 days a fortnight and do take the Grom the 100 mile round trip when the weather is alright even though it's a mix of A34 / M40 lol
Lukas239 said:
MT does actually tick a lot of boxes being that it's cheap to run, fun and (at least in my eyes) genuinely quick up to legal speeds.
A 70hp bike will always be more than enough to get a wriggle on compared to normal traffic! Don't let the modern mega-power bikes distract you from at least 200bhp/ton.RizzoTheRat said:
If the idea is just to save on fuel, is it worth considering something electric? A full size bike like a Zero will cost 15k+, but something like a Super Soco or a NIU scooter are 2-4k and similarish performance to a 125cc petrol bike
Seat have got an electric scooter for around the 5k mark but I'm lead to believe that insurances on electric bikes are high at the moment. There's a UsernameKate video on it if electric is an option.If it was me, I'd look at a CBF125/CB125F. Cheap, built in mind boggling numbers, does 120+mpg without trying and isn't so slow that you'll be passed by old ladies and cyclists. £1500 gets you on a good used bike and £10 gets you serviced for another 3000 miles on the road. As cheap things go, these are fantastic. If it's just a tool to get you to work and back then you can't go far wrong.
I bought a new Grom in 2013 and used it for 3 years to occasionally commute 10 miles to work and back again along city B roads and country lanes. I would avoid dual carriageways and above.
It was enjoyable, it cost about £6 to fill the tank once every two weeks and I covered about 5000 miles. It did about 130mpg.
Sadly, the Thai build quality was not as good as traditional Honda and the chain stretched like knicker elastic and needed a new chain, adjusters and spindle by 4000 miles and I'm not tall or heavy. The replacement SV650S was far, far better quality and far more durable.
The Grom was comfortable but lacked any weather protection and the 2013 headlight was borderline dangerous in the dark (I used cycle LEDs). The originals had the orange indicators as DRLs. I didn't like the subsequent styling but had they made a 200 or 250 version, I would have been interested.
For commuting, a scooter offers far more weather protection and a better choice of engines.
It was enjoyable, it cost about £6 to fill the tank once every two weeks and I covered about 5000 miles. It did about 130mpg.
Sadly, the Thai build quality was not as good as traditional Honda and the chain stretched like knicker elastic and needed a new chain, adjusters and spindle by 4000 miles and I'm not tall or heavy. The replacement SV650S was far, far better quality and far more durable.
The Grom was comfortable but lacked any weather protection and the 2013 headlight was borderline dangerous in the dark (I used cycle LEDs). The originals had the orange indicators as DRLs. I didn't like the subsequent styling but had they made a 200 or 250 version, I would have been interested.
For commuting, a scooter offers far more weather protection and a better choice of engines.
k knows how I've ended up with R1200RT 
I'd personally go for something like a CRF250L in those circumstances. Small enough to be manageable in traffic, decent lights & presence, 6 speed gearbox so has legs on A roads.
I didn't rate mine as a trail bike on harder trails but for popping around as a 2nd bike it was ideal.
Guess as a trail bike it could be attractive to theives if not parked securely?
Usual PH reply, going off topic when asking for advice - sorry.
I didn't rate mine as a trail bike on harder trails but for popping around as a 2nd bike it was ideal.
Guess as a trail bike it could be attractive to theives if not parked securely?
Usual PH reply, going off topic when asking for advice - sorry.
I returned to biking 6 months ago after >30 years by buying a new grom.
Most of the replies here seem to have a lot more experience than me. I really enjoy it, but essentially its a toy to me which probably matches a lot of the replies here.
I've never found it wanting performance wise on the roads I go on, but I'm happy being a slow rider. Size-wise, I'm 6 foot and I feel comfortable on it, but I'm only doing about 20 or 25 miles at a time. Mates have said within 6 months I'd be looking for something bigger/faster. I'm not yet.
Most of the replies here seem to have a lot more experience than me. I really enjoy it, but essentially its a toy to me which probably matches a lot of the replies here.
I've never found it wanting performance wise on the roads I go on, but I'm happy being a slow rider. Size-wise, I'm 6 foot and I feel comfortable on it, but I'm only doing about 20 or 25 miles at a time. Mates have said within 6 months I'd be looking for something bigger/faster. I'm not yet.
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