2025 Honda Grom – First Ride and Race Review

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. I’m a big man. The Honda Grom is a small bike. Insert any variation of the “bear intimately mounting a rabbit” anecdote as you see fit. And with that, hopefully, out of our system, it’s safe to state that is where the jokes will end. Because what the 2025 Honda Grom lacks in size, it more than makes up for in pure, raw, unadulterated joy.

The Grom exudes so much joy that the good folks at Honda hosted the press introduction for the 2025 Honda Grom at the famed Barber Motorsports Park over the Barber Small Bore Festival Weekend, where I would test the grit of the Honda Grom’s power-to-weight ratio in a three-man, five-team, three-hour endurance race on Barber’s Proving Grounds – the Inaugural Grom Prix. 

The Honda Grom debuted in 2014 and received considerable updates in 2017. Followed by another update in 2022. Since it hit the streets, the Grom leads in sales for the Honda’s mini moto U.S. market. It’s not hard to understand why. It’s all of the things “motorcycle” in bite-size format. The 2025 version of the Honda Grom continues to bring forth the fun with new styling and accessories that offer greater functionality across the rider bandwidth. 

The $3,599 standard 2025 Grom is available in Candy Blue, Pearl White, and Cherry Red. The $3,699 SP model is offered in a chic Matte Black Metallic, and the $3,799 ABS model arrives in a Pearl White. 

Still powered by the stable-ready 125cc two-valve air-cooled engine with five speeds, the angled and edgy 2025 Grom has a new headlight, tank, and side covers. The optional engine shroud (standard on the SP) gives the Grom a grown look and also takes note from the mini moto racing community, where an underbelly is almost mandatory. It’s a great addition that improves the overall aggressive look of the bike. At the same time, Honda understands that the Grom community likes to make their bikes their own by way of customization so the main body parts detach and reattach with ease. Additionally, Honda also offers packages to enhance the usability of the 2025 Grom further and cater to the specific needs of many riders that include Knuckle Visors, Meter Visor, an Undercowl, Cloth Seat Bag, Rear Carrier, and Cloth Saddlebags.

Then, there are the Honda Grom options compiled by MNNTHBX. MNNTHBX are passionate, wild, mad men on mini motorcycles whose sole purpose is to spread the gospel of the small bore. And their congregation is mighty. The Small Bore Festival is their brainchild and is the ultimate mini-moto event, which includes everything mini-moto. You’ll find it at the Small Bore Festival, from drag racing, stunt shows, hill climbs, off-roading, and track sessions to vendors, music, food, and general mayhem. Could there be a more fitting venue for this press launch? 

Showcasing the potential fortitude of the Honda Grom, MNNTHBX outfitted a small fleet in race trim for the three-hour endurance race. This race was a spec-class competition, as all the Groms were fitted with MNNTHBX race clip-ons, Woodcraft Rearsets, Yoshimura exhaust, and Ohlins suspension components. 

The race rules were simple: Five teams of three riders compete in a three-hour relay endurance race with a Le Mans race start and a mandatory pit stop for fuel. Each team rider had to put in at least 45 minutes of seat time. The team with the most laps completed with the three hours wins. The Universe smiled at me when teams were selected the evening before the race. We drew numbers from a hat, and I was paired with Bradley Adams and Johnny McDonald. We called ourselves Team Old Testament. 

Saturday’s practice session went very well. The 2025 Honda Grom weaponized in race trim is ridiculously fun. Because of my size, there are two things that I sorted out straight away: moving back on the saddle and the importance of roll speed.  While the seat height of the Grom is only 30 inches high, the MNNNTHBX race clip-ons lower your top half considerably, so scooting back to where your backend is pretty much over the rear tire is necessary. Power to weight is a thing! The more imbalance in the ratio, the less speed will be produced. The remedy? Roll speed and gravity. Using less braking and working with a different set of lines allowed me to make some progress. I wasn’t the fastest, but I wasn’t necessarily the slowest. 

For the Grom Prix, the team strategy was simple. I’d go out first and get my first block of time in, knowing that my teammates were faster than I and would make up any shortages of laps that we needed. 

Did I mention that this was my first competitive race? No? Well, it was, and it was everything I hoped it would be (Editorial note: This is the second time Honda introduced me to a “first.” My introduction to off-road ADV riding was on the press intro for the Transalp 750).  

A Le Mans start meant a quick jog across the track to the bikes, firing them up, then sending it. After my first set of laps, I pitted, and my teammate jumped on the Grom and was off. The essence of competition was palpable. Only a few short hours before, we were all journalists enjoying the features of the Barber Small Bore Fest, laughing and sharing jokes, relishing the camaraderie. That all changed when the flag dropped. There are no friends in the pits. It was Old Testament against the world. Our team was in a solid third place as we approached the three-hour mark. That meant a podium, and for my first race, I was thrilled. I headed out for my final laps to put a button on it, and then it happened. 

With 8 minutes left in the race, I approached the left-hander before the banked section of the course. Just before the apex, I felt an impact on the back of my right side, like a good-sized rock hit me. That was immediately followed by the sound of an impact and screeching metal against asphalt. I stayed the course until I saw the marshall waving the red flag, so I pitted. I looked around to see who had not returned to the pits when I saw the EMS heading out to the section of track where the incident occurred. I realized that it was my fellow journalist Andy Greaser who attempted to pass me on the inside line and collided with me — no damage to me or the Grom. Ultimately, Andy checked out ok. However, Andy’s team was in second place up until the incident. With about five minutes left before the red flag, the race ended, and Old Testament ascended to the number two spot on the podium.  Second place, baby!

A special shout goes to my teammates, MNNTHBX, SportBike Track Time, and, of course, Honda for making it all possible. The Honda Grom proved to be a formidable steed. 

The next day, I took a stock Honda Grom and toured the Barber Small Fest before the parade lap on the more notable Barber track. After riding two versions of the bike in different scenarios, I came to several conclusions about the need, want, and functionality of a small bore machine, namely the 2025 Honda Grom.

The 2025 Honda Grom checks many boxes. Is it going to replace your daily ride? No. But what it is going to do is re-energize your love of riding. It’s a great training tool for new riders who need to learn the fundamentals of riding, dipping their foot into the bike world without emptying the bank account. The Grom is a great investment that holds its own, pound for pound, and will not take up much space in the garage. It’s fun. It is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face when riding it.

And to some extent, joy is the reason that we all ride. And even though traversing uphill was a bit of a struggle for me (power to weight, gravity, etc.), flat lands and downgrades were nothing but sheer joy. 

Get a Grom. Experience joy. Thank me, later.

Sidebar – I just remembered that someone shouted to me, “Hey, look… It’s Biggie Smalls!”  And for that moment, I was. If you don’t know, now you know. 

Images: Drew Ruiz

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