Honda updates 2021 Grom with new name, removable panels

Honda updates Grom with customizable body panels

One motorcycle many Filipinos wished was offered locally is the Honda Grom. This fun, off-road oriented minibike is the spiritual successor to the Monkey, being small in form, but just as capable.

For 2021, Honda updates it again. Just like the Forza, it now has a new global name, MSX125. In markets familiar with the Grom name, like Southeast Asia, it will be called the MSX125 Grom.

New for 2021 is its radical look, fit for its quirky, distinctive personality. It comes with a new LED headlight, pared-down seat unit and subframe, and super-compact side panels and tank covers. It’s finished off with gold forks and brake calipers and yellow rear suspension. The best part is the easy-to-change bodywork, making it easy to customize or accessorize. Both the panels and even the bolts can be swapped out for another color, making for nearly limitless color combinations.

Powering the MSX125 is a 125 cc, single-cylinder air-cooled engine that produces 9.65 hp at 7,250 rpm and 10.5 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. It’s now paired to a five-speed gearbox with a chain final drive. The Grom also comes with a redesigned LCD meter panel with a rev-counter and gear position indicator.

It rides on 31mm upside down forks, 12-inch wheels and disc brakes front and rear. They’re both governed by ABS system through an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Seat height is a very accessible 761mm. It tips the scales at a very light 103 kg. Its fuel tank can hold 6-liters, and with just a 125cc engine, that should make for a long, long range.

For now the MSX125is not available locally, however, we do hope Honda reconsiders especially now that there’s a new model.