Modern Buddy

I have no idea what to make of this. At 125cc, is Honda trying to find a niche with people that need a scooter but want a sportbike? Looks like fun, but I simply can't see this selling well here in the States.



~SM

When I first saw a picture of it, I thought it looked REALLY cool. I thought, finally a small displacement bike like they sell in Europe. You can get almost anything in a 125cc over there. Then I saw the video of someone riding it and could see how small it is. Why would anyone buy this? Especially when you can get a Ninja or CBR 250 for not much more.

I think it will be the Ruckus pt II.

Mostly a toy for people who also have a Jeep, Hummer, boat, etc. i.e., more $ than brains.

if you can score a used one in a couple years, it might be a truly fun little thing. I wouldn't pay full MSRP for it.

I could see people using this bikes to do low speed stunts and what not. Give it time, and on a friday or saturday night, I bet you'll find some of these being used for sideshow purposes in random parking lots.

A little too sportbike looking for my tastes, but I could see this saving the lives of quite a few people who have no business on a 600cc bike -- if they use a tiny bit of common sense.

I see it as a Modern Moped. I'd love to own one.

I think it'd go well with my MB-5 1 Less gears and double and a half more displacement.

Hopefully they sell well and I'll be able to buy a cheap one in a few years.

There is definitely one somewhere in my future!

I think it is simply a scooter for riders that do not like the appearance of a scooter. I felt the same about the Madass.

Swordsman wrote:...people that need a scooter but want a sportbike?
~SM

People that need/could use a scooter but don't see them as being "cool", or who have no idea what a *real* scooter is and is capable of, versus a moped...

I'm fairly certain that I'm the only scooter rider in my town of 10,000+, & it sits right between the larger population centers of Myrtle Beach and Charleston, SC. On the MB Members map, in a 100 mile radius IIRC there are only 2 others members, both down in Chas. I have seen 3 or maybe 4 *moped* riders (or "liquorcycles") here in town, but not a single real live scooterist. To the uninitiated and/or uninformed - and that was me, 5-6 weeks ago - there is no difference between the two; they look just alike, from a car or truck. The reaction I get when I tell people that you have to have a Class M to ride a scooter is, without exception, genuine surprise. The also have no idea that you can go faster than 30 on a scooter, or for more distance than a few blocks. I think that basically the general population has no idea that on the street there is anything with 2 wheels between mopeds on one end and Harley/rice rockets on the other. Thank the displacement wars of the late 70's/80's for that, I guess...

So this "little bike" might just wind up selling surprisingly well, with the advertising gorilla of Honda behind it. It is not intimidating, and it does not look at all like those things the drunks have to drive after they get their DUI's... Sad but true.

What about my Sym Wolf Classic 150? It is *exactly* what I was looking for when I found my Buddy, but I did not know about the Wolf until ~4 weeks later. That was 4 weeks of (perhaps sadly ) near total immersion in reading about scooters and such. The only reason I did find out that there was such a thing as the Wolf was because I happened to read over on ADVRider.com about the "Underbones", a couple who rode their 100cc Symbas all over the world. So I went to the SYM/Alliance website to learn more about the Symba, and - there was the Wolf.

Maybe Alliance (& other scooter OEM's) could capitalize on the Honda Grom advertising push that is sure to come, because even if it doesn't become a huge success with lots of sales, it will at least show people that there are beginner/intro products available in the gap between drunkcycles and heavy 500cc bikes. Perhaps Alliance et al can get some notice as another alternative than Honda with scooters and small motorcycles, thereby educating the general public that there is a difference between these types of vehicles, despite the similarity in appearance.

Just some thoughts.

I like that Sym Wolf 150. I'd love to make a little cafe racer from it. It looks so much like a small Honda CB.
http://alliancepowersports.com/models/Wolf.html

wheelbender -

The way I've heard it told, SYM was the actual contractor which built small Hondas like the Cub and CB's under license since 1962. When Honda decided to quit marketing them a few years back, SYM inked a deal with Honda which allowed them to continue production of the design in their own name. So the Wolf *is* the CB 125, upgraded with a slightly larger cylinder to get it up to 149.x cc's, along with other improvements like CDI, front disk, etc...

funny looking but I'm sure it's fun. Not cheap of course... It is a Honda. R

They remind me of updated Trail 70's (which have a pretty big scene, apparently)
I ride with this guy who has built 2-
They both have bored and built 170cc (i think) engines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSImDP-jzMg

You can get these 125cc Hardknocks for a couple grand, but you have to assemble them. The wheels are a good bit larger than the Grom.

It is interesting in a nostalgic sort of way... I wonder how smooth the assembly would go? R

I have never assembled a Hardknock or knew somebody that assembled one.
I have added a two stroke motor kit to the frame of a bicycle. It was challenging because I was bolting a motor to something that wasn't designed for it. Getting the motor drive chain and sprockets all lined up was the biggest hurdle. It is difficult to design a motor kit that will fit all bicycle frames.
The Hardknock kit was designed to fit together. However, without some experience troubleshooting engines and wiring, it could be difficult. There is a forum dedicated to Hardknock assembly and repairs. I joined that forum when I was considering a Hardknock. The members want you to succeed and are very willing to help.
The main reason I decided against getting a Hardknock was that it had a hard tail rear (no rear suspension). The old concrete roads in my area get very bumpy.

I came theeeees close to ordering up a Kikker kit, but bailed after non-comfort with the Lifan motor.

skully93 wrote: Mostly a toy for people who also have a Jeep, Hummer, boat, etc. i.e., more $ than brains.

Sounds perfect. I'll take two, please.

Now I see there's a MadAss with POC Phil's exhaust up for sale locally at $1500. I hear it calling my name through the ether.....

It is a very cute bike, but my first thought was: What if you're in a panic stop? Wouldn't you just launch over the handlebars?

It's just that the seating looks like there's nothing really to brace against in a quick stop, and sitting so high up, almost over, the handlebars....

Maybe I'm missing something though.

michelle_7728 wrote:It is a very cute bike, but my first thought was: What if you're in a panic stop? Wouldn't you just launch over the handlebars?

It's just that the seating looks like there's nothing really to brace against in a quick stop, and sitting so high up, almost over, the handlebars....

Maybe I'm missing something though.

Mmm, that's a common layout for most sportbikes. And no, you don't usually go flying. Usually the rear tire lifts off the ground.... a "stoppie", the inverse of the wheelie. Unless you're good, that tends to be followed by a tumbling over the bars, or if it falls back on the wheel again, a dropping of the bike and broken bits. Fun stuff!

~SM

I want.

I took one for a test ride around the parking lot.

So much fun to ride.....Even at a slow speed.


Then they told me $4100 out the door price tag.

It looks like something a bear might buy to get a job with the circus.

Sassy Chassis wrote:

skully93 wrote: Mostly a toy for people who also have a Jeep, Hummer, boat, etc. i.e., more $ than brains.

Sounds perfect. I'll take two, please.

I am a self-fulfilling prophecy I guess because I now have TWO Groms in the garage!:P


Speed-wise it is alot like my Buddy. However it has a much better suspension for soaking up these awful streets around here.

And btw, the Groms are selling out the minute they hit the showroom floors. Most dealers have taken deposits and put people on waiting lists.

Sassy Chassis wrote:

Speed-wise it is alot like my Buddy. However it has a much better suspension for soaking up these awful streets around here.

How does it compare to the Buddy on going up hills?

dsmith65 wrote:

Sassy Chassis wrote:

Speed-wise it is alot like my Buddy. However it has a much better suspension for soaking up these awful streets around here.

How does it compare to the Buddy on going up hills?

If I find some hills I will let you know!

It's all flat land down here

Sassy Chassis wrote: And btw, the Groms are selling out the minute they hit the showroom floors. Most dealers have taken deposits and put people on waiting lists.

sweet! that means I can get a used one in a couple years with 200 miles on it in my hood .

skully93 wrote:

Sassy Chassis wrote: And btw, the Groms are selling out the minute they hit the showroom floors. Most dealers have taken deposits and put people on waiting lists.

sweet! that means I can get a used one in a couple years with 200 miles on it in my hood .

If you want more two-wheeled diversion, go here: hondagrom.net

I actually saw someone riding one at my school today! I was surprised because it looks REALLY small! But kinda cool looking, I could see what the appeal would be for some people, but not my thing. You could really just get a small motorcycle instead.