Review: Honda’s Grom is small, slow and tons of…

Honda outfitted the Grom's diminuitive frame with 12-inch wheels, a large, aggressive-looking headlamp and a sporty nakeness that beckons a rider to hop on and tear up the roads. Only thing is, you top out at about 55 mph; 62 mph if you're small like me (5'2", 120 lbs) and pinning the throttle, or 70 if a truck happens to pass and you get pulled into its draft. But no matter. It's a perfect commuter for the city, on campus and even on twisty backroads. The light weight makes it super easy to flick around and builds confidence in riders at every skill level.

With its speed limitations, this fuel sipper is not recommended on highways. In fact, the engine's 125cc size makes it too small and illegal on freeways in some states. But it easily kept up with traffic in Baltimore City, threading through congested areas. It's also small enough to park just about anywhere.

Single disc brakes on the front and rear give the little guy good stopping power, but if you're accustomed to the braking of sport bikes, then this will feel a bit soft.

The tank holds just under 1.5 gallons of fuel, but it'll go a long way. I got 95 miles with the first fuel-up; the next tank got close to 120 miles.

Surprisingly, the little Grom will fit taller riders fairly comfortably. I asked a 6-foot tall rider to take it for a spin. Because of the seat length, there was plenty of room for him to stretch his legs. However, the seat angle appears to slope forward a bit, making the seat feel somewhat awkward at first and making longer rides uncomfortable.

Even more surprising is that the Grom is built to handle two adult passengers. The only problem is the lack of torque means you really have to give it some throttle to make it take off from a stop. Once it gets rolling, it will accelerate to speed with ease, even two-up. Well, until you reach an incline.

A few other drawbacks:

It looks like a toy. The Grom is so small, cars have driven into the shoulder to pass me, even though I was moving at speed wit! h traffic. I can only assume the size of the bike made them think it was more of a toy than a "real" motorcycle. Twice, police cars followed me a while to run the tag, presumably, to make sure the bike is legit for the road. One officer shook his head at me before speeding off.

Easy to steal. When parking the bike in the city, I feel I chain and lock it to the lamppost. I didn't like having it out of sight for too long, fearing some able-bodied, malicious-minded person would lift it up, drop it in a pickup and take off. Yes, it's really that light.

No cargo space. If you are considering this bike as an economy commuter over a scooter, one thing to keep in mind is storage. Most scooters have ample space under the seat. The Grom has none. So if you want to do some quick grocery shopping, bring a backpack. However, from a pure riding perspective, the Grom will feel much more stable at speed and it will take corners better.

If you want a commuter for longer trips on high-speed roads, you'll need to look at something with a bigger engine. It's a great bike to learn on and at around $3,000 new, it's not likely to break your bank. American Honda says it chose the name Grom because it means a young surfer and fit the lifestyle and intent of the bike. The Grom is offered in red and black, and several after-market parts are already available.

Honda outfits the Grom with 12-inch wheels and a seat long enough for two.(Photo: USA TODAY)