Top 5 Features of the Honda Grom

Honda’s popular Grom came to market nearly 10 years ago as a quirky minibike that was, in the words of our reviewer at the time, “the reincarnation, in one way or another, of every kid’s dream bike.” The following decade saw the model generate a massively enthusiastic rider base, an expansive aftermarket, and a few update instances that made the platform even more enjoyable for those at the helm.

Editor’s note: We last test rode the Honda Grom during the 2022 Honda Grom ABS MC Commute Review and 2022 Honda Grom ABS Review articles and videos.

For us, time spent with the Grom has been good from the very start. The bike’s approachable nature and inherently fun design never fail to bring a smile to our faces. So we thought, in honor of the model’s approaching 10-year anniversary in 2024, that we’d share five of the top features.

The small stature of the Grom is one of its most instantly recognizable characteristics, but surprisingly, the bike offers a comfortable cockpit even for riders over 6 feet. The 230-ish pounds handle effortlessly, while its carrying capacity and long, flat bench seat make it possible to bring along a passenger for many riders. It’s great in congested urban areas where parking sports are at a premium and it stores easily even in a cramped garage.

As one would expect from a lightweight, 125cc single, the Grom offers great fuel economy. During our latest tests on the 2022 edition (the year of the most recent update), we registered 97 mpg for a total of 150 miles of range between fill-ups with its 1.6-gallon tank. It’s obviously not a long-range machine, but that level of economy is great for commuters and keeps gas charges easier on the wallet. As of writing, for example, the national average price is $3.75, which means you’ll need to shell out only $6.00 to fill from empty.

In 2022, Honda made it easier than ever to swap out the bodywork on the Grom, but even before that, a massive aftermarket had made it easy to tailor the Grom to just about any personality. Soon after its debut, we fit on a number of pieces from Race Tech, Yoshimura, Bazzaz, Galfer, and Öhlins and saw suspension performance, acceleration, handling, throttle response, and braking performance improve dramatically. Outfitted with pieces like these, the Grom makes a phenomenally fun mini-racebike, but also obviously makes performance on the street that much better. The range of options has only expanded since then.

You’ll need $3,599 to pick up a base-model Grom today. For the range of benefits the platform offers, this is a steal. And when you consider the options we talked about above with regard to customization, the base MSRP leaves room for most to realistically consider upgrades.

Throughout all our testing encounters with the minimoto, the Grom’s ease of use may be its more broadly appealing feature. The approachable engine, the responsive and compliant controls, the diminutive size, and the effortless handling all contribute to making a machine that allows riders to focus on the fun from the start. It’s not a twist-and-go automatic, but even cycling through the five-speed transmission is a breeze and can easily be managed by even the greenest rider.