Where is the fun?

I remember being on 2 wheels as a kid, and what I remember is having fun.

Bicycles or motor bikes… I went out with no other purpose than to build the biggest grin that I could.

As I aged, bikes became as much of a tool as it was entertainment… then it became mostly transportation.

I lost the Fun.

It is almost understandable. What bikes today are sold as “Fun Bikes”?

We have racy sport bikes, “look at me” cruisers, touring bikes, learner bikes…

Where are the bikes made just to be fun?

When I first saw pictures and snippets about the Honda Grom a few months ago, my first reaction was “WTF is this… a glorified scooter?!”

But after letting it soak in, I get it.

It is a bike that is made to be… Fun.

Low powered, light weight, unassuming, unintimidating…

It isn’t made to take on a race track or twisting canyon road, load up and ride from coast to coast, park amid the chrome and loud exhaust at the local pub.

Its small and low powered, but it isn’t a scooter… hell, some scooters are 500-650cc now.

This bike was made just to be a Grin Factory.

Honda used to make bikes like this in the past, they know the blueprint for it… and have updated it for todays buyer.

Even if that person doesn’t know that they are a buyer yet.

This is the kind of bike that can lure people into the showroom and start them down the road of a 2 wheeled lifestyle.

Especially people who live in urban areas.

You live in town, work 5 miles or so away… and your commute is mostly on surface streets.

Maybe you take a cab, a bus, or the subway to work daily.

By bus or subway… you are spending what… $100+ monthly?

I could fill the fuel tank on that little bike for about $4.25, and from looking at the mileage reports on http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/grom you could run at LEAST 120 miles.

Many places have free bike parking, others have reduced rates.

You may be able to park it in your living room nightly… as art.

Now, this little thing is not for everybody… it isn’t even for me.

However, for a few people out there… this little thing could be just the thing.

The Grom is not a small bike pretending to be a full sized bike.

It still has small bike dimensions, but for a small bike… it is roomy.

I am 6’4” 250ish lbs… and while it was cozy, it wasn’t cramped.

I could spend more time in the saddle of it than many full sized bikes.

I am not a Honda fan, or a small bike fan… but how could I not be a fan of a Grin Machine?

Jim