Grom versus Monkey (price difference)

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

I agree it isn't cheap. But I figured with any new motor, you'd be seating rings, and breaking in a cam and bearings, and an extra oil and filter change couldn't hurt. Spent half the day welding up a stock Monkey muffler and pipe for my YX 140 powered CT70. Should look sweet with the chrome heat shield. I noticed the cat is smaller on the '22 Monkey, than on the earlier years. Paint on my CT70 is done, gonna let it dry for a week, then color sand, cut, and buff.

 

[Deoodles]

It’s cheap and it can’t hurt do it if it makes you feel good.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

What oil should I use. I've seen youtube videos where guys are using motul 4T synthetic, 10w30 and 10w40.

 

[Deoodles]

I use Honda GN4. I’m pretty sure it calls for 10-30 but I would check. I use what Honda recommends. Oil changes aren’t that often that I should try to out guess their engineer’s.
I’m still sitting on 15 miles. How’s the bike? Living up to expectations?

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

HIgh of 64 degrees today. Went on a 40 mile canyon ride and then to lunch with my son on his '21 Monkey. Had a blast, didn't race since I'm still not broken in. He's got the Tegawa catalyst bypass exhaust so his bike is a bit louder. Got lots of looks and questions from onlookers. Gonna do the bypass myself this week some time.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

Did some research and calculating last night and came to some conclusions. I know the gear ratios of the monkey 4 speed and the 15/37 sprocket arrangement. I also know that guys with their 4 speeds dropped to a 14 tooth countershaft to increase the top speed because they said 4th gear was too tall. I also know the gear ratios of the 5 speed monkey and the 14/34 sprocket arrangement. My bike's at the point I can do some full throttle from time to time and it'll do 55 on level ground in 5th maybe a bit more. Now, if I swapped in a 15 tooth countershaft in place of the 14, my 4th gear becomes very close to the 4th gear of the 4 speed monkey with the 14 tooth countershaft. Then my 5th gear becomes an even taller overdrive. So that's what I did this morning. I took it for a 30 mile ride and found it'll do 55 in 4th and maybe more, but it'll only do 50 in 5th. However at normal 40-45 cruising, the engine is more relaxed and smoother. A quick downshift will get me up to speed or zip me up a hill. 1st gear is taller than before, but still shorter than the 4 speed monkey and has no issues off the line. In normal riding, I get an extra 5 mph in each gear before shifting, seems more natural. Minimum speed in 5th used to be about 30, now it's 35. I really like, it, thought I might pass it on.

 

[Deoodles]

That’s interesting but for accuracy the 2022 monkey is 15/37 stock. Not verified but will. Going to 14/37 would throw the speedometer off. Also, that difference imo is enough to produce an ABS fault code. To play with gears you would need a speedometer healer from 12 O’clock labs. The 2022 Grom is 15/38 stock and is perfect for me. I have done 64 on a nice stretch of road. Still no riding time on the monkey. One last thought the monkey tune has slightly more torque, I was thinking that’s how they got from 38 to 37 on the rear. I’d like to hear more from your perspective when you’ve had some more saddle time. Thanks for sharing

 

[Deoodles]

Some mort thoughts. My 2020 monkey stock 15/34 was terrible. I ran 15/36. I could hit the rev limiter in 3rd (9.250 rpms) and was able to go 57 mph (with a calibrated speedometer healer installed). 4th gear could only top out at 62 mph. Again no idea yet about the 22 monkey but the lousy 15 miles I have on it have been impressive. Low cruising rpms and good off the line torque in 1st. Do a calculation on 15/38 for the monkey just thinking out loud.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

You are correct, the bigger countershaft messed up my speedometer, I verified it with a gps. so I changed it back. However my '22 came with 14/37. I had added and removed a 15. Anyway, that being a wash, I modified my exhaust today and bypassed the cat. I made it in two sections like the oe and was able to hide one of the welds behind the front heat shield. It's a little louder and the tone is deeper, but far from being loud. Probably the only mechanical modification I'll ever do on this bike.

 

[Deoodles]

I see what you did with the pipe. Nice. Does it have the same seat of the pants torque with the shortened pipe? What’s the gain?

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

Don't know, but I'll find out tomorrow. It's Tuesday lunch ride day, might even race my son on his '21 Monkey. My neighbor on his CT110 may have trouble keeping up. Should have 300 miles on it by the end of the day.

 

[Deoodles]

Finally got a chance to verify stock Monkey gearing and you have it correct stock is 14/37. The 22 Grom is 15/38. So the Monkey is shorter. That tells me leave it alone. The Grom is perfect for me and the slightly shorter ratio of the monkey with similar but more torque would lead me to believe if I bump up close to the rev limiter in 4th I’m getting close to 55 mph for any short bursts that I may need. I will end up installing my Takegawa Tach/Temp gauge that will give me comfort when I need to push it in the future. I just hope with my weight the motor can pull to 9k in 4th. 😁

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

Let me know if I'm wrong, but I still think the Monkey is geared taller than the Grom. The Grom's 15 tooth countershaft is about 7% taller than the Monkey's 14 tooth. However the the Monkey's 130/90-12 rear tire is about 10% taller than the Grom's 130/70-12 rear tire. So overall, the Monkey gearing is about 3% taller. Anyway, did a 30 mile ride today, my son wimped out, but my Monkey seemed a little torquier on a roll on. In any case, it saved a few pounds and the exhaust note is more muscular without being intrusive. 283 miles and counting...

 

[Deoodles]

I didn’t look at tire size. But yes. The difference in diameter is 2.05” (9.7%). And revolutions per mile difference is 101.56 (10.7%). The Monkey has shorter sprocket gearing so the larger tire compensates and moves it taller. Don’t forget about the 37 vs 38 rear sprocket. I’d have to see the math to know by how much but my guess is they are pretty close in the end.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

No matter, won't get a chance to ride again til Friday. I finished painting my CT70 and started putting it back together. Hopefully it'll be done tomorrow, and won't be an embarrassment being parked next to the Monkey.

 

[Deoodles]

Finally got a chance to go for a ride. I have to say the bike is almost the same as previous years. Same sounds and feel when on the road. The difference in the transmission is obvious. Cruising at 45 is easier on the rider because it isn’t as buzzy as the earlier years. It’s quieter and the suspension is improved. Glad I made the switch. Nice bike from Honda.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

Glad you got to finally take it out. I have A 12 in metal lathe in my garage. If I can somehow mount the Monkey rims on it, I'd like to polish out the lips on the rims. I did this on my Suzuki GX'r a few years back with black rims and they came out sweet. And I did those by hand. I'd even consider replacing the tires with sport bike type tires, but they're not available anywhere in those sizes. I can feel the tread blocks when I ride the Monkey, not a big deal, but my CT has sport bike patterns and they're smoother and quieter.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

325 miles on the odo. Got to take it out for a nice run today, temps in the low seventies. Surprisingly found that above 50 mph in 5th gear, the engine really smooths out and most all the vibration goes away. Top speed for me on level ground was about 58 mph in 5th, but was still pulling at 50 in 4th. Nice and stable on the long sweepers. My CT is faster, but a heck of a lot scarier.

 

[Deoodles]

That sounds about right. I’ve got just over 50 miles on it now and it does 50 effortlessly I know there’s more I just want to put more miles on it before I see where it will go. Around here the highest speed limit I ride is 55 and it can do that. The Grom holds 55 in 4th so I’m betting the Monkey will also.

 

[Old Guy Too Many Bikes]

Me too, I rarely exceed 50, and have ridden bikes that'll do 50, but hold up traffic getting there. The Monkey has no trouble keeping up. Damn thing's just a joy to ride, even got a thumbs up from a Harley rider today.