There’s more to this Grom than meets the eye.
It’s hard not to have a sweet spot for one of Honda’s tiniest bike, the Grom.
Tiny, affordable, and easy to fiddle with, the Grom is a favorite of
professional tinkerers who have given the tiny model different new
personalities. One of the most recent (and probably coolest) mods is the
work of MSC Performance. Introducing, the Electrom.
Grom Grom Grom:
As the name suggests, the team at MSC Performance swapped the Grom’s
small 125cc petrol single for a little something cleaner, quieter, and
torquier. The team grafted an Alta Motors Redshift electric motor and
battery to the tiny frame. A bit of tweaking work had to be done to
ensure the Alta’s powertain train fitted on the considerably smaller
Grom.
California-native electric motorcycle manufacturer Alta Motors
fell off the radar eight months ago amidst rumors of financial
difficulties. While some of us were optimistic that the company would
pull through, the recent purchase of some of Alta’s patents and intellectual property by Bombardier owner BRP hinted at a an inevitable end.
The
electric engine of the Redshift produces a healthy 50 horsepower and 42
lb-ft of torque, which is a little more than five times the output of a
stock Grom. To help efficiently deliver all the power to the real
wheel, the MSC Performance team designed a gigantic sproket the size of
the wheel. For testing, the setup serves its purpose, however the team
is already looking at swapping the the tire for a bigger one which
should improve the Grom’s handling.
The video shows the guys at ElectroBraap
put the Electrom through its paces, testing the speed, the handling on a
canyon road and even indulging in a burn out. Hey, Honda! The Grom
looks like a prime candidate for electrification. I bet you the Electrom
is a riot to ride on—the standard Grom already is.
