2016 Honda Grom (MSX125) Detailed Review
The 2016 Honda Grom (badged MSX125 in many listings) is best understood as a street-legal go-kart on two wheels. It isn’t trying to be a mini superbike or a serious performance machine — it’s built to make everyday riding absurdly fun. At 50 to 80 km/h, where most bikes feel restrained, the Grom feels alive. Every roundabout becomes an opportunity, every shortcut feels intentional, and every ride turns into a lesson on slow speed manoeuvres.
On Australian streets, the Grom works because it’s light, upright, unintimidating, and laugh-out-loud easy to ride. It has real motorcycle hardware — fuel injection, inverted forks, disc brakes, and proper 12-inch wheels — but wrapped in a tiny, tough package that encourages play rather than restraint. It’s especially approachable for learners and shorter riders, practical enough to live with daily, and a fun addition to any garage.
That mix is exactly why the Grom developed a cult following. It’s a bike you buy for sensible reasons, then keep because nothing else makes you grin at such sensible speeds.
- Best for: city commuting, learner-friendly riding, tight backroads, and learning to stunt.
- Not for: highway touring or anyone expecting big-bike acceleration.
- Why people love it: light weight, easy handling, and the way it turns ordinary streets into a playground.
Gear match: The Grom is built for daily riding, so start with comfortable, protective kit in street commuting motorcycle gear and finish your setup with essentials from motorcycle riding accessories.
Performance & Engine
Let’s talk numbers honestly, because the Grom is more impressive when you understand its mission. The 2016 Grom uses an air-cooled, four-stroke, two-valve single-cylinder engine displacing 124.9cc, fed by Honda’s PGM-FI fuel injection. Claimed output is 7.2 kW at 7000 rpm with 10.9 Nm at 5500 rpm. That is not “fast” in the litre-bike sense, but it is perfectly tuned for what the Grom actually does: quick jumps off the lights, playful corner exits, and enough punch to keep momentum in urban traffic without feeling stressed.
The engine’s character comes from simple, durable engineering. Bore and stroke are 52.4 mm x 57.9 mm with a 9.3:1 compression ratio. That longer stroke relative to bore helps produce usable torque early, which is exactly what you want on a small-capacity bike that lives at suburban speeds. The mapping is clean and consistent, and because it is fuel injected it tends to start easily and behave predictably in changing temperatures. In Australian riding, that matters because your “daily” can include cold mornings, hot afternoons, and stop-start traffic.
Transmission is a four-speed with chain final drive and a wet multiplate clutch. Four gears might sound basic, but in practice it suits the Grom’s job: it keeps shifting simple, keeps the bike lightweight, and keeps you engaged without turning the ride into constant clutch work. It also contributes to the Grom’s signature feel: you ride it more like a momentum bike. You pick a clean line, keep it flowing, and suddenly you are laughing at how fast “not fast” can feel.
Helmet and comfort tip: The Grom encourages riding more often, and comfort becomes safety. Start with a quality lid from motorcycle helmets and day-to-day comfort pieces from casual apparel.
Chassis, Geometry & Why It Feels So Easy
The 2016 Grom’s handling is the main event. Honda built it around a steel backbone / mono-backbone style frame with compact proportions that make it feel instantly manageable. Seat height is low by “real motorcycle” standards at around 760 to 765 mm depending on source. Wheelbase is a short 1200 mm, rake is 25 degrees, trail is 81 mm, and ground clearance is around 160 mm. These numbers matter because they explain why the bike feels so intuitive. It turns quickly without being twitchy, it feels stable at the speeds it is designed to run, and it gives you confidence to throw it around.
Weight is also a huge part of the story. Kerb weight is quoted around 101.7 kg and wet/operational weight is commonly listed around 104 kg. That means you can manoeuvre it with one hand in a garage, U-turn it without stress, and flick it through tight corners like a mountain bike with an engine. The Grom becomes a confidence machine because the consequences of a small mistake are lower. You are not wrestling inertia, you are guiding it.
One of the most underrated “real world” features is how easy it is to live with in limited space. It is tiny enough to store easily, and small enough that it becomes a genuine travel companion. If you are the type who camps, caravans, or likes taking a bike away for weekends, the Grom fits into that lifestyle in a way larger bikes cannot.
Suspension & Brakes (Small Bike, Proper Hardware)
Honda did not cheap out where it counts. Up front you get a 31 mm upside-down fork that looks and feels like “real sportbike” hardware, even if it is non-adjustable. The rear runs a monoshock on a steel swingarm. This setup is simple and durable, and it suits the bike’s mission. The suspension is there to keep the tyres in contact, keep the chassis stable, and give you predictable feedback. On city streets it works well, and on rougher backroads it is still composed as long as you ride within the bike’s envelope. Taking a Grom off the beaten track is certainly not heard of, and often acts as a gateway drug to more adventure-type exploration.
Braking is handled by a 220 mm front disc with a dual-piston caliper, and a 190 mm rear disc with a single-piston caliper. There is no ABS listed on common AU spec sheets for this model year, which is also the reason that the Honda Grom is no longer imported into Australia. The important part is feel: the Grom’s brakes are easy to modulate, which helps newer riders learn technique and helps experienced riders play with corner entry speed. On a lightweight bike, “adequate” brakes become “strong” brakes quickly, and the Grom is a great example of that.
Wheels are 12-inch front and rear (2.5 x 12 rims) with 120/70-12 front and 130/70-12 rear tyres. Those small tyres are a big reason the bike feels so nimble, and also why it feels so entertaining at suburban speeds. You can lean it, change direction fast, and ride it like a miniature supermoto, except it is stable and friendly.
Care tip: Because the Grom gets ridden often, keep it clean and maintained so it stays tight and reliable. Grab supplies from motorcycle cleaning products and essentials in bike care & maintenance.
Electronics & Dash (Simple, Useful, and Easy to Read)
The Grom keeps electronics simple, but it still gives you what matters. The LCD dash includes speedo, odometer, twin trip meters, fuel gauge, and a clock. It is exactly the right approach for this bike: quick-glance information with no distraction. Lighting is also modern for the class, with LED headlight and taillight on the 2016 update, which helps visibility and gives the bike that sharp “mini streetfighter” face at night.
There is one funny, very Honda quirk that owners mention a lot: the indicator and horn switch placement can feel reversed compared to many other bikes, so you may hit the wrong button early on. You will adapt, but it is part of the Grom’s charm and a little reminder that this bike is designed to be ridden casually, not obsessed over.
Commuting upgrade: If you are using the Grom as a city tool, secure phone mounting matters. Set it up properly with Quad Lock and keep your pockets lighter with motorcycle bags & luggage.
Comfort & Practicality (The Grom Surprise)
Despite looking tiny, the Grom can be surprisingly roomy. The seat is relatively flat and the riding position is upright, so you do not feel folded into a racetrack crouch. For many riders, the main discomfort over longer rides is the seat itself rather than cramped ergonomics. This is typical of mini bikes, the posture is friendly, but the seat foam and small chassis can make long stints less comfortable than you expect. The win is that for short to medium rides, it is almost effortless. You hop on, you ride, you park. No drama.
The practical upside is huge for Australian riding. The Grom is perfect for quick errands, inner-city commuting, learning road craft, and taking the long way home without committing to a big, heavy machine. Fuel capacity is about 5.5 litres, and because the bike is small and light, you are not constantly feeding it premium like a high-output sportbike. What this means in practical terms, is getting weeks of daily use out of it before topping it up with about $7 of petrol. It is a low-stress ownership experience, which is why so many riders keep one even after upgrading to bigger bikes.
All-weather setup: Winter mornings and wet commutes are where good gear turns “annoying” into “easy.” Layer up with winter motorcycle gear, stay dry with waterproof motorcycle gear, and when summer hits, go breathable with summer motorcycle gear. For cold hands, start at men’s motorcycle gloves or women’s motorcycle gloves.
Ownership Tips (What to Check on a Used 2016 Grom)
- Confirm service history and chain condition: a neglected chain can make a small bike feel rough and noisy very quickly.
- Inspect wheels and tyres: small wheels hit potholes harder, so check for bends and uneven tyre wear.
- Look for crash marks: Groms get dropped, it is part of life. Check bar ends, levers, footpegs, and cases.
- Check dash, lights, and indicators: the LCD and LED lighting are generally reliable, but always confirm everything works.
- Expect modifications: exhausts, bars, mirrors, and cosmetics are common. Prefer tidy wiring and quality fitment.
Warranty is commonly quoted as 24 months with unlimited kilometres from first registration on AU listing data, which gives you context for how Honda positioned it when new. Today, buying used, condition matters more than paperwork. A clean, well-kept Grom feels tight, smooth, and surprisingly premium for its size.
Security and accessories: A Grom is easy to move, so lock it well. Add security with Onguard locks, plus daily convenience in motorcycle accessories.
Final Verdict
The 2016 Honda Grom (MSX125) is a masterclass in making a small motorcycle feel like a big deal. It is simple, durable, and unintimidating, but it is also genuinely engineered: fuel injection, inverted forks, disc brakes, and a chassis that makes you want to ride it everywhere. It is the bike you buy for practical reasons, then keep because it makes you smile. If you want maximum fun at sensible speeds, and you want a machine that fits easily into Australian city life, the Grom is still one of the smartest “second bike” or “first bike” choices out there.
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