[HondaGromNub]

Hello Everyone,

I have been stalking around on these forums for a few weeks now and well...here's my story. So I have been riding bikes for close to 10 years now (currently 29 years young) and I came across the Gizmodo review for the Grom...and I fell in love instantly.....I want one....now let me give you some information about myself. I am 6'3" tall, I weight around 285 pounds. I currently own a 1980 Yamaha XS400 Special Cafe Custom (Built myself) and have owned bigger bikes (1992 Katana 750, Ninja 500R) I love my Cafe and wont ever give her up, but currently shes in for engine work (something blew so I am having the engine rebuilt to start fresh) and I finally decided to pull the trigger on a Grom. Before anyone says anything yes I realize how small this bike is...and how big i am lol. I do not plan on having another rider on this, and really I only want this for city commuting/country riding/messing around. I have been reading that people of all weights and sizes have been buying Grom's and loving them and I have no seen 1 bad review on this thing...

I do understand that this bike's top speed is 73 with a smaller lighter rider topped out, but I do not plan on topping this or am I expecting too. Considering my size and weight I would assume that this bike would be around 45-55 range depending on the road/wind/etc...but again I am aware of this as I have been researching them for awhile. So.....what do you guys think? Besides me looking like a circus bear riding a pocket bike, should I get a Grom? I did sit on one and it feels fine, havent gotten to ride one yet as I was only able to look. I have put a deposit on a red 2014 Grom at a local shop, I just wanted to talk to some other Grom riders and see what they all think. After floating around on these forums I have seen riders as tall as 6'9" and close to 300 pounds riding these things without any trouble. I just want something fun to mess around with.....thoughts?

BTW my name is Adam and its great to be here.

 

[dlakerguy]

Get one! Where are you from?


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[PAgrom]

Welcome Adam,
You obviously know what the grom is and what it can and can't do so if its something that sounds like what your looking for you will love it.. As long as you know it's limitation and don't buy it for highway commutes ect.. Just my two cents


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[HondaGromNub]

I live in NEPA (Northeastern PA) and while I understand that hill's will cut into the Grom's speed and such, I just think this will be fantastic to bust around in the city. I live 6 miles away from work, all through city streets.....the gas mileage alone has me hooked plus I think it would be nice to just rocket around on this thing.

 

[HondaGromNub]

Welcome Adam,
You obviously know what the grom is and what it can and can't do so if its something that sounds like what your looking for you will love it.. As long as you know it's limitation and don't buy it for highway commutes ect.. Just my two cents


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Oh yes I DO NOT plan on taking this on the highway (although I did check and PA doesnt have any laws saying I cant take it on the highway) but I will be using this for city commutes/and going for nice rides in the country.

 

[PAgrom]

Central pa here... I'm finding country roads I never knew before great bike for that kinda stuff..


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[HondaGromNub]

Central pa here... I'm finding country roads I never knew before great bike for that kinda stuff..


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oh very cool. Have you had any issues with big hills? I dont have many that I would be hitting on my daily drive but there is one right by my office that might be an issue with my weight/size. I mean im sure ill still be able to cook around at 40-45 np up the hill (the roads speed limit is 35 anyways) but figured I would see if anyone else had any hill issues.

 

[PAgrom]

6ft 180 here and while it does slow some I usually build some speed going into any inclines..


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[HondaGromNub]

6ft 180 here and while it does slow some I usually build some speed going into any inclines..


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Yea thats what I figured. I would def be giving it all shes got when hitting the hills lol

well so far you all have got me really wanting this bike even more....I may even go pick it up tomorrow.....

 

[PAgrom]

Cool keep us posted.. Lots of great info and friendly helpful people here..


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[HondaGromNub]

Cool keep us posted.. Lots of great info and friendly helpful people here..


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indeed I shall, I will try and get some pictures of it up. Not sure about what kind of custom mods I want to do to it. I wanted to break it in for a few days/weeks. I have a feeling that the day I get this I will be wanting to drive it for an entire day...lol

 

[Kacz]

SE PA here. (Philly burbs) Also a heavyweight at around 275 myself - doesn't stop the Grom - it rips and it's a blast. If you found one then get it 100%!!!

Side note: I though there was a PennDOT requirement of 150ccs or more for interstate and highway use - but I could be FOS.

 

[HondaGromNub]

SE PA here. (Philly burbs) Also a heavyweight at around 275 myself - doesn't stop the Grom - it rips and it's a blast. If you found one then get it 100%!!!

Side note: I though there was a PennDOT requirement of 150ccs or more for interstate and highway use - but I could be FOS.

I wasnt able to find anything on CC size, I know in Cali it isnt highway/interstate legal because they have a 150cc or more law...I dont know even the Honda deal was like "well......it doesnt show that you cant have it on them....so..?"

 

[Kacz]

Yeah I did some digging and couldn't find anything in the motor vehicle code... Don't know why but I've had that in my head for a long time about 150ccs... Glad you pointed that out, guess I'll start hoping on I-95 on my way home from work now...

 

[CiscoSanJose]

Welcome onboard Adam, don't worry what you might/will look like on the Grom, Just enjoy life, we only live once on earth. People will say this and that about the Grom but all in all more people love the Grom than they will admit. So for me coming from a Hayabusa to a Grom was EZ. Once you get the hang of riding the little bike you will smile from ear to ear. For me I had to get a corbin seat because I wanted one.

Here I am at 225 lbs before I diet down to 210 lbs and continue till I get to my goal of around 187-193, cut.


Grom friends in the car port


As it sits today with luggage rack


people don't mess around with guys that wear a KILT, just a date and not my kid, Bolivian chicks dig motorcycles

 

[hicksy712]

I've done quite a bit of passenger riding that had around ~300lbs on mine. Did just fine for the 45-55mph range you're expecting. I'd invest in a smaller front sprocket and some heavier rated fork springs.

 

[GromGrom]

Is that a Untili-Kilt? lol My family is Scottish

 

[CiscoSanJose]

Is that a Untili-Kilt? lol My family is Scottish

yep it is utili-kilt, I have about 8 of them some for working and some for going out on dates with chicks.

My mom is Hawaiian Scottish/Irish and we are part of the Macomber clan, second or third wave of immigrants to America after the Mayflower to Boston and onto the Hawaiian islands in the 1770's time frame to spread Christianity. One of our family member would have been hung by the British for treason against mother England for uprising against the British rule.

We traced our family tree back to the England AD 1100-1200 which is Earl of Fife-shaw McDuff; Ad 1450-1500 Chattan Clan-Evan Dhu Maccombish, Scion of clan; Macintosh Clan; McCombie Clan or Saw Clan also known as McCoombe, McCumber, Macomber, McOMish, McCombie, Mcthomas

Then three brothers came to America 1600-1650; William Macomber at Duxbury in 1643; Thomas Macomber at Plymouth in 1643, John Macomber at Taunton in 1643.

My family comes from Luther R Macomber seventh generation and I'm related to Edwin Dean Macomber in Kau Hawaii. My great great grandfather Luther Macomber came to Hawaii as a crew member on a sailing ship and he was a carpenter.

The ships that came to Hawaii were the Yankee with Captain J Macomber; Francis Palmer with Captain Benjamin Macomber and Vaguero with Captain J. A. Macomber

So my family on the Scottish side has a lot of History and on the Hawaiian side we were warriors and help train King Kamehameha men to fight and take over most of the Hawaiian islands

 

[HondaGromNub]

Yeah I did some digging and couldn't find anything in the motor vehicle code... Don't know why but I've had that in my head for a long time about 150ccs... Glad you pointed that out, guess I'll start hoping on I-95 on my way home from work now...

Yea I dug for awhile because there are times when I might need/want to jump on the highway. While granted not a great idea with the Grom but regardless its nice to know that if i do I wont get arrested...lol

I did a lot of research on this bike.,.....IM GETTING HER SATURDAY just paid it off today. I dont care how I look riding it, If anything I want people to look at me......BRING ON THE ATTENTION......

Now I need to start looking up mods.....muhahahahaha

Stupid question but im sure there arent many mods to get any kind of top speed increase out of this thing are there? Just curious

 

[MOBSTER]

with your weight top speed increase would be tough without a big bore kit. I would up the gearing and get a chimera intake. gearing = -1 in the front or +2 in the rear. I would do the rear so the speedo is not off; also the smaller front will cause the chain to have more contact with the swingarm.