my msx125

Well looks like I am the first poster, although I am in the UK, this is my white msx125, has cnc mirrors, cnc airbox cover, tyga carbon frnt mudguard and carbon tank cover, new tyres, side grills, waiting for delivery of my tail tidy and a nice exhaust system!

It looks like a lot of fun.

How much fun you been havin with that MSX125 Dezzie?

WRR43: Riding the Honda Grom! - YouTube Grom review.

Been looking at the Honda MSX125, the reviews are impressive, I dig the Honda factory EFI 125. If you think about it, the Honda carburated 110 Nice is around $1500.00, just for the engine... so yeah it makes ya think.

2016 Models are coming out, nice and modern form Honda. A real cool mid-Life crisis purchase, I like the yellow one..:4:

If you think that it's cheaper to just buy the new model than to custom-assemble/redesign your own based on a CT70, you're fooling yourself. Apples-to-apples, fielding a comfortable, competent, road machine has a minimum price of admission, regardless of model...and that gap between the MSX & CT, taken to a comparable standard, is small. Then there's the dealership/finance and insurance industries to deal with, all of whom want to bend you over. Nope, only good reason to buy a Grom is because it's what you want.

racerx said:

If you think that it's cheaper to just buy the new model than to custom-assemble/redesign your own based on a CT70, you're fooling yourself. Apples-to-apples, fielding a comfortable, competent, road machine has a minimum price of admission, regardless of model...and that gap between the MSX & CT, taken to a comparable standard, is small. Then there's the dealership/finance and insurance industries to deal with, all of whom want to bend you over. Nope, only good reason to buy a Grom is because it's what you want.

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I say buy a used Grom as there are hundreds of low mileage examples available. I've seen some great deals on these bikes that are still like new. Modified CT70's to the point of a grom have no real value to anyone but the owner. Once you start investing that much into a Honda CT70 you start seeing a hell of a lot better value in most any other form of transportation. Now fun value is measured on a completely different scale.

My son drives a big ass Chevy truck. 06 I think, 1/2 ton Z71 that he's completely customized. Tires wheels, lifted, lights, grill, bumpers, new bigass motor trans, paint, the works. To me, its just this side of monster truck, and NICE. All of his buddies drive big diesels. He keeps considering selling his beast and buying a big new diesel off the lot. I tell him not to do it. 60 grand, and he'll have the same truck as anyone with some money could buy. I said, you'll have a nice truck but there will be a old man right next to you with the same thing. Plus 1000 more. He'd end up spending another 15G trying to make it his...different...better somehow.

That's kinda how I feel about the Grom. I like it. Would be cool to have one. But the, off-the-shelf bike is just that. One of many, and more to come.
Maybe I'll have one some day. Then I'll start working on making it mine. But it could not replace a CT70, because they're 2 different things.

JustPlanoTexas said:

I say buy a used Grom as there are hundreds of low mileage examples available. I've seen some great deals on these bikes that are still like new. Modified CT70's to the point of a grom have no real value to anyone but the owner. Once you start investing that much into a Honda CT70 you start seeing a hell of a lot better value in most any other form of transportation. Now fun value is measured on a completely different scale.

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That there are so many recent model, low-mileage, examples available speaks volumes. Modified vehicles are NEVER worth much to anyone but their owners...one of the few constants in an ever-changing world. Your closing sentence, above, nicely restates what I said in my last post...the wise person chooses to suit his/her preferences.

When the MSX first hit the market, many months before it reached North America, I thought "oh boy, a new mini for over-aged kids. No more importing parts, upgrading shortfalls, etc". I also thought that it'd never be brought here and that the only way to get one was as a gray market import...back to the old conundrum of nothing under 450cc counting as a "real bike". That resulted in instantaneous overload of yet another bullshit detector, then back to square one...set a goal, then work toward its realization.

By the time the Grom reached the US of A and you could actually get one without waiting for months to pay a $1000-1500 "premium", the aftermarket parts set had begun catching-up. That left me cold. The Grom forums are populated mainly by younger guys who all "build" the same thing, cookie-cutter fashion. I'm kinda disappointed with the MSX engine and especially the alpha-n fuel injection. This is a cost-reduced engine, compared to the Wave/Nice series, never saw a big-bore Nice with a rod failure. There's still too little expertise with EFI for my liking and I've been through the "roll-your-own EFI solutions" thing, years ago...on the automotive side. (There are carburetor retrofit kits sold for the Grom...why is this if the EFI is ready for primetime?) It's about like asking to see the wine list at McDonalds, imo. That's okay, my generation was young, once, also. Still, I figured "okay, leave the driveline basically alone, go after the functional stuff...lame suspension, ball-buster seat". I could live with a similar power level, at lower rpm; it's still an OEM Honda motor and I loathe carburetors almost as much as breaker points. IOW, a more pedestrian version of what I'd already built.

The deal-breaker(s)...it'd cost me the same amount of money to bring a Grom up to the standard of my daily rider CT (well, ST70 frame actually) and this grumpy old man is old-school, not wild about the lines. Then, there's the versatility side or, more accurately lack thereof. The clincher, as if one was needed, was the insurance aspect. If my daily-rider CT custom is stolen, meteorite hits the garage, etc, the insurance company hands me $8K...agreed value coverage. That is not available for a new vehicle, period. After sciencing-out the process of upgrading the classic, the financial side actually favors it, over the newb model...somewhat of a letdown, not to mention surprise. That was shortsightedness, on my part; the Grom market is a much younger demographic and there are parallel comparisons to me made...used Hyabusa anyone? Ultimately, I discovered that I had already "out-Grommed the Grom". What's my motivation for going through the process of re-engineering the newer model?

Now, after all of that, you may think that I'm staunchly "two-thumbs-down" on the Grom. That would be an incorrect assumption. I am a bare-knuckled pragmatist. NEITHER machine is a one-size-fits-all solution to anything. Do this with your eyes wide open and sober-minded. Go in as well-informed as you can and don't expect to ever get your money back.

So, it ultimately boils down to building what you prefer. Either way, it costs what it costs.

If I were to get one, I’d get it brand new. I think they are roughly $3000.00. These days in 2015, that’s not much. It’s not an outrageous amount, for instance my parents are shopping for a new mid-sized sports SUV. I’m thinking they will shell out $40K for their new purchase. To me that’s outrageous.:33:
The other reasoning is, what are you saving it for? Life is short, then you find your too old for riding and have regrets later on?

Now as far as the MSX125 goes you have to accept it for what it is. It’s a 250lb small bike good for cruising to about 60mph. I heard the handling characteristics are great and from the vids I watched it looks like a blast to drive.

I would not modify a thing on the bike, maybe a better breathing KLM air filter like a lot of them do. If 60-65 is not fast enough then maybe you should be looking at a bigger bike. Naw I’d keep it stock and except it for what it is. The thought of having a turn key push button, fun cruising lil machine is cool. Am surprised Honda is offering it to the US with all their government regs & BS.

If I were to get one it would be later in 2016 and I’d rather wait then pay a premium price for it. if they offered the bike in green, it would be irresistible and my check would be wrote.

I'd add a luggage rack with a milk crate for that old school CT90 look and probably call it done. And get a red bike or maybe yellow.

Rick

b52bombardier1 said:

I'd add a luggage rack with a milk crate for that old school CT90 look and probably call it done. And get a red bike or maybe yellow.

Rick

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Milk crate? Lol! Yep, red or yellow are my choices too.

Hope I'm not Hijacking this thread:3: but I'd flip a CT70 for the cash and I'd only finance a third of it using my bank and my interest rate of zero or 2% for 12 months.

Never use the dealership finance plan, learned that the hard way on my purchase of my Turbo Merc Cougar through FMCC in 86. Ford motor credit did bend me over but I was a young dude with no credit and wanted that turbo coupe w/T-5 Borg Warner Trans & fully loaded. Loved the car, hated the finance company, will never make that mistake again. :31:

Shop around and find a dealership that's looking to move product, rather than as-rape the unsuspecting and you might get one for closer to $4k. 2 years ago, MSRP started out at $3K, exclusive of taxes, fees, etc. Honda has since bumped the MSRP and there's sales/use tax, registration and prep fees.

Top speed & cruising speed are what they are...anywhere from mid-50s to 70mph depending upon who's telling the tale. I reckon low-to-mid 50s is quite adequate. Like I've always said, it's not about mph...that's just a headline number that gets waay too much attention, like purchase price. What will those miles be like? The stock suspension is weak and the forks, especially, bottom-out far too easily. Price a pair of first-rate fork legs or an Ohlins monoshock lately? You won't find `em at wallyworld, or Harbor Freight. How about that neuropathy-inducing seat, midway through a long day in the saddle. Know any good custom upholsterers willing to work for McWages? Then there's the seemingly insoluble "under warranty" problems that sometimes arise. A few guys have had running problems that the highly credentialled...umm I mean skilled...parts replacers...errrmm...I mean mechanics... no...I meant technicians...at the dealerships couldn't or wouldn't fix. Now take a close look at some of the build details, cheeeZeee. Okay, maybe a billet swingarm isn't the end of the word, perhaps you buy some extra plastics and have them painted a custom color. Now try to obtain adequate insurance coverage....rotsa ruts! To the insurance industry, it's a not just a cheap throwaway, it's a rapidly-depreciating asset. Get it stolen or wrecked and be happy with a "settlement" check for $1900.

Now, show me where all of that can be done for $3K, or even $4K and I'll sign up or one. Hell, I'll even overlook the cheezy plastic cladding, rapid depreciation and bloated 250lb curb weight. Otherwise the 100-lb weight penalty (compared to a CT) makes it a pig and transporting it (an essential quality for a non-freeway-worthy machine, imo) virtually impossible, bye-bye versatlity...hello bigger bike. Yeah, if we're making apples-to-oranges comparisons, for $6500 I can buy a late-model Sportster with less than 500 original, documented, miles and ride it anywhere. At that point, may as well go whole hog :flypig:

IMO, kirrbby pretty nailed it. And I'm sticking with what I posted previously. The only reason to buy a Grom is because it's your passion. It has lots of potential. If you're looking for cheap...http://www.taotao.us/

You makes some good points racer, Gonna put it on the back burner for now, see what 2016 models cost and if any changes made. In no hurry.

I flipped my HKO for a new Grom. It is a toy right? I don't need to worry about added weight, insurance value, or top speed. With over 1K trouble free miles I have never bottomed out the shock or forks, have hit 60 mph and taken it for a 260 mile ride without complaining about the seat. It is just one of several toys in my garage. I like them all for what they are and have been happy with my Grom, with no mods or any planned. Just my 2cents

I have been reading about this machine and seriously can't find anybody complaining about it. The motorcycle-USA.com called it motorcycle of the year 2014. Here's a link, they say speed increases after about 800 miles & 60mph isn't unreasonable.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2014/12/article/motorcycle-of-the-year-2014-honda-grom/

Good for you Deoodles, flippin a HK0 for a new Honda Grom is up to the one doing the flipin. Plus if you have a few CT's and you want a brand new bike from Honda, why not? There's room for lots of toys in the toy box.