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Why did you get a Monkey?

28K views 58 replies 42 participants last post by  Whaler27 
#1 ·
I’d been looking at the Grom for a while. Then, I saw the monkey and liked the retro look. However, I am a new rider and I’m wondering if I should spend 4500 on a Monkey or buy something a little bigger. There seems to be a lot of turnover with groms. I have just seen a monkey for sale with about a hundred miles on it. Do people primarily use these as training bikes, then move up? Why did you buy a Monkey and how/where do you use or intend to use it?
Is it your only motorcycle?
 
#35 ·
I live in the Sierra Nevada mountains where dual sports and adventure bikes are popular. I bought a monkey for trips to town, 35 miles round, and to manhandle and bounce around on fire roads. I'm getting back into motorbikes after a 10-year break and think riding Monkey will help me decide on a bigger/specialized bike for next year. Or I just thrash the Monkey again, maybe with knobby tires in 2021.
 
#38 ·
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Bought a Monkey because I have a crazy philosophy about life. I get one spin at this. I’m going to enjoy every day I’m here. This is my fifth bike in the garage. It’s just a stupid silly bike. I knew once I took it for a test ride I wasn’t leaving without it. It brings me joy. We spent the last few weeks modding it (not done) but I still smile at it.
 
#40 ·
i bought my grom/ruckus/monkey/spree/elite S because stock, it they ALMOST keep up on 45mph MAX roads in town here, and i will never need them for traveling /groceries / long distance. And to fully modify the bikes, is only 5000$. (And the bike will easily do 45mph then haha) Ive spent over $10,000 on just my cars suspension alone. Over 200,000$ spent in modifying cars. To me the little bikes are way more FUN to ride than a car, its wayy easier than riding an R1 or r6, i could have 50 bikes instead of 2 cars. and i alwayssssss go back to the basics. I fit my helmet to my bike. I dont like my AGV k6 carbon fiber helmet because its meant to go fast, designed for speed. Doesnt breathe going 40mph in town, and i wouldnt trust my ls2 as its too heavy for the r1. But the LS2 helmet with dual visors and adjustable XL vents, works great under 100mph. It will never be my first bike, or last, same with the helmet. But also, i would never recommend it to someone for their first bike. People say its a great beginner bike etc. it is easy to learn on because its small and light... but a lot of "professionals" these days, are taught wrong. the monkey/grom teaches you that you can be rough on a bike, hop on a r6 or r1 straight off a monkey/grom first bike, you might not fully realize the power behind the throttle and flip/lay it down. They say over 50% of motorcycle accidents are lack of driver skills.
 
#44 ·
As they say the check's in the mail and they'll deliver it the next time a truck heads to Indy. So why did I buy it? Originally I wanted a CT-125 "Hunter Cub" assuming they come to the U. S. and then talked myself out of that and had decided to buy a Super Cub C-125--at least until the shop manual arrived. Those things are a two wheeled small bore Acura and underneath all that plastic is a very complicated and high tech motorcycle. The CT-125 is almost as complicated and covered with plastic as well.

I found myself repeatedly visiting the Monkey page on the Honda website and thinking to myself that these things were "real" without all the plastic. I love the painted gas tank and I'm really, really tired of plastic covered bikes.

I think I can deal with the F. I. I've been studying this system since I sold my '14 Grom and it's relatively simple. Maybe not carburetor simple but if backyard hacks are hot rodding these bikes with success I think I can deal with it.

Why does it appeal to me? Better get a shrink. I think I'm tired of buying motorcycles with a purpose and just wanted something that was just stupid fun. Once it's in my hands I can ride it, compare it to my fleet of modified step throughs and a '16 KYMCO K-Pipe and see if the Monkey is as much fun as folks say or if I've gotten sucked into a lot of hype.

One thing is for sure--the neighbors will think that the crazy old man (63) down the street has really lost it this time.
 
#42 · (Edited)
As they say the check's in the mail and they'll deliver it the next time a truck heads to Indy. So why did I buy it? Originally I wanted a CT-125 "Hunter Cub" assuming they come to the U. S. and then talked myself out of that and had decided to buy a Super Cub C-125--at least until the shop manual arrived. Those things are a two wheeled small bore Acura and underneath all that plastic is a very complicated and high tech motorcycle. The CT-125 is almost as complicated and covered with plastic as well.

I found myself repeatedly visiting the Monkey page on the Honda website and thinking to myself that these things were "real" without all the plastic. I love the painted gas tank and I'm really, really tired of plastic covered bikes.

I think I can deal with the F. I. I've been studying this system since I sold my '14 Grom and it's relatively simple. Maybe not carburetor simple but if backyard hacks are hot rodding these bikes with success I think I can deal with it.

Why does it appeal to me? Better get a shrink. I think I'm tired of buying motorcycles with a purpose and just wanted something that was just stupid fun. Once it's in my hands I can ride it, compare it to my fleet of modified step throughs and a '16 KYMCO K-Pipe and see if the Monkey is as much fun as folks say or if I've gotten sucked into a lot of hype.

One thing is for sure--the neighbors will think that the crazy old man (63) down the street has really lost it this time.
 
#45 ·
Well, after two weeks of ownership and riding it about I have no regrets. It fits me perfectly, is a hoot to ride and the fit and finish is outstanding. Thank you, Honda for listening to our requests for fun small bores!!!
 
#47 ·
Do you know how good it feels to be able to answer this question? Probably, because you’re here too. Used to own a Suzuki DR 350 back in the 90’s. Loved it but moved to the big city and that was that. Turn 50 this summer and was flipping through YouTube and a Monkey video popped up and game over. I can’t tell you exactly why all I can say is I’ve never moved on something as quickly as I did buying a monkey. I’ve been whizzing around town and on back roads for the past three weeks and I’m already watching videos on how to mod it up. And now I’m popping on forums trying to seek out like minded people.
 
#49 ·
It appears lots of owners are in the over 40 yr age. I am 65 years old and bought mine because I remembered them as a kid and the retro look was done correctly. I used to own 6 of the Z-50s at the same time. Three of them were nice and the other three were kind of beat up. I have a red 2020 and when I saw them in the dealership for the first time I was hooked. They were hard to find locally and I finally found one over 100 miles away one way. I paid cash for it and never looked back. I only have a little over 100 miles on it because I bought it late last summer. I get a kick out of just looking at it in the garage. I love to drive it around the neighborhood and get lots of compliments on it. Unfortunately everyone wants to ride it and I tell some of them no because I have let other people ride my bikes only to wipe them out and not pay for the damage. These bikes are really worth the money IMO and are very well built. I love the fuel injection too. I have owned lots of bikes big and small and this one is the most fun and doesn't take up very much garage space and is very easy to move around. I like cruising at slower speeds and driving 60MPH on a highway doesn't really interest me that much. These bikes are just plain cool and that's why I bought mine.
 
#50 ·
I'm going to take a contrarian view on a Monkey/Grom as a starter bike. Yeah, it's a very unintimidating choice because of its size. But for anyone that feels that they'd like to open up the amazing world of experiences on two wheels, there's just not enough capability and you're going to be way too limited on it. If all you want to do is run around within a few miles of home it might be the perfect choice. But eventually, you're going to want to take a day trip somewhere or even travel on two wheels. Can you do that on a Grom/Monkey? Maybe, depending on where you want to go. There are lots of great starter bikes out there that are perfectly capable of hitting the open road for a week long trip.

OK, so I know of a few cases where people used mini-moto bikes in an epic fashion. There's a Kiwi couple that did the entire Trans America Trail on Groms. And I'm sure someone will post up how they rode to Alaska and back from Florida on a Monkey. So sure, you could do it but for anyone with limited funds that wants to open up a bigger world of experiences a mid-size bike is going to be just as easy to learn how to ride; will be more noticeable to the drivers around you on the road; and also be capable of easily running 70 mph all day long on a backroad tour of the world while hauling your overnight kit.

I'm going to guess there are way more experienced motorcyclists owning these mini-moto bikes than first timers. The reasons for that are obvious to everyone.
 
#51 ·
My wife and I purchased two monkeys last fall. Never seen one in person. Watched a lot of videos. We were looking for small bikes for camping , fishing and hunting, but also something to run around back roads and town. But easy to load in the truck was also a concern. When I pulled up to the dealer to pick mine up I thought WHAT DID I DO!!! that thing is small... Well to make an even longer story short we have Two Monkey Children now and love them they are so much fun. And no we are not new to bikes we have been riding trail bikes for 45 + years.
 
#53 ·
The honda monkey 50 was my first bike back in 1978. Both my parents past away last year and I saw the blue honda monkey and it brought such great memories of my parents. So I got a 2020 blue honda monkey and it was one of the best decisions and fun I have ever made. I absolutely love it. I grew up on dirt bikes so this is my first bike for the street. I have no desire for the freeway. I have taken a 5 hour adventure ride up to Big Bear and had a blast on the trails. I commute to work on it. I enjoy riding on pch next to the ocean. Every where I go, I get smiles, thumbs ups, and have many conversations with folks interested in the Monkey. Plus you meet the nicest people on a Honda. I love my bike!
 
#58 ·
I’m 61 & wanted to get back on it when I saw the new monkey. This is bike #5. Aquarius Blue SL70, followed by 74 XL125 (like Paul McCartney had 😛), Carabela 250 mx, ,78 CR250R, then 30 years without. I’ve modded out this Nebula blue for the woods / dirt.Chimera intake, Supertrapp header, TB cam & ecu reflash, TB shocks with knobbies. I just love riding again.
 
#59 ·
I rode my first minibike in 1968. I rode friend’s bikes until 1970 when I got my first minibike, a new Honda 50 minitrail — for $296. It was followed less than two years later by a CT70, then an XR75.

My closest childhood friend skipped the CT70 but otherwise followed me up the line for Honda 50 to bigger motocross bikes and, eventually, full-size street bikes of various makes and sizes. many of my best childhood memories were of riding our bikes all over the countryside. It was a great way to grow up.

I’ve spent most of the last twenty years riding BMW and KTM adventure bikes. These days I’m riding a 2018 BMW R1200GSA most of the time, but I have a couple of old CT70s too; one is restored, and the other is almost fully disassembled to prepared for paint and restoration.

When I saw the 2019 monkeys I immediately wanted a pair, so I sold a Husky 710 I wasn’t riding much and bought two monkeys — one red and one blue. I I ride them around our rural area one country roads and logging loads, usually at speeds between 20 and 30 mph. They are a blast. We allso take them when we travel by RV, so my wife, my brother, or a buddy can join me to wander around parks, small towns, and logging roads. They’re fantastic little mini bikes, though I don’t understand why Honda skipped ABS on the blue ones?

I‘m a big fan of the monkeys, obviously, but they‘re still mini bikes. Although they’re capable of 50mph-ish, they are not particularly comfortable or stable at that speed. Their small size makes them easy to lose in traffic, and their minibike-handling characteristics and lack of power mean they’re poorly suited to abrupt evasive maneuvers. You’re at the mercy of the larger vehicle traffic around you. For these reasons and others I keep my monkeys away from roads with speed limits of 40 or higher unless there is no traffic and I can put along and their speed. If I need to cover distance and manage traffic I armor-up and ride the GS, a bike which Is still comfortable for 500 mile days, even in my old age! ☺
 
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