So I got proned out by Bham PD today.

I'll tell ya about it. Started my journey to Bham from Pell City on the Honda Grom. Yeh its basically a monkey bike with some cool features but street legal. Tops out at 60-65 mph, so I took backroads to Bham. Really wanted to see what kind of commute time I was looking at for the 30 miles. Normally in my car is about 30 minutes on the interstate. I figured about an hour on the Grom gassing through the backroads.

I tear out from the house this morning. 30 degrees. Hands numb at about the halfway point. Oh well push through it.

Make it about 20 miles into it and am finally starting to hit the downtown traffic. Which means I have some time at redlights to warm my hands. I pass by a couple of cops sitting in a parking lot chatting, or checking facebook, eating donuts, or whatever they do.

No prob. Scoot along. I'm accelerating from red lights so fast I'm smoking the unsuspecting Accord to the next red light. Green light, all gas. Red light, gas gas... ok all brake. You get the pic.

Got my earbuds in blairing some Black Francis. Cutting up traffic like I have something to prove on this monster monkey bike. Full throttle over the hill as I pass a Camry while in a deep lean through a curve.

Sirens! Hmmm. I don't see any amber lamps. Back to the fun.... Sirens again. I hear it vaguely but still see nothing. Ok whatever, back to blasting down this sweet two lane just thinking of how cool it is to pull on a Chevy pickup. Yeahhh. Gas gas gas....

Oh here is a Bham Cop rolling up beside me with his lights on. He's pointing at me and signaling me over. Ok fair enough. No tag yet so I understand. I pop a blinker his direction and get over in front of him and then pull off at the turn lane in the median. Dont know why I did that but it seemed like the safest option at that point.

I come slamming to a stop (thing has awesome brakes). I'm figuring yeh show him my bill of sale and insurance and I'll be on my way. No prob.

Trying to find neutral as I fiddle around clicking from 1st to 2nd and back to 1st. Not sure why it was such a problem as I routinely managed to upshift neutral while trying to look like a boss in front of a soccer mom.

Click.. click.. shit. Click.. cli....
Somebody has my hand. No I need to hold that clutch in bro. (Bike stalls and walks about 2 feet) Ok now I'm in cuffs. I step off asking what is going on as if I could actually hear what they're saying with my earbuds still plugged in and blairing.

Face shoved into a Ford Edge hood. These things aren't even like real cop cars and I know what a Crown Vic's headlights look like a mile away, but this thing? Nahhh thats like cheating or hunting over bait or something.

After the nice officer pulls my helmet off, I hear "why didn't you pull over?" I tell him "what are you talking about? I did pull over" as he replies, "No we thought you were trying to run. We've been behind you for 3 miles"

Well damn. "I pulled over as soon as I saw you. And while you're checking my pockets I have a Glock 19 at 6 o clock"

He dives in straight for that as my hands were pretty much resting on it. At this time there is about 6 other Bham PD cars pull up and blocking the whole left lane of a 2 lane highway over a glorified pit bike stop.

He hands the pistol to his blonde woman partner, as I tell him I also have a knife in the front right pocket, knife on my back pack, and a spare mag in my chest pocket. She clears the weapon as he searches for more weapons. She points to the serial number engraved on the barrel and asked if this is where the serial number on "these is" while looking at her partner and me. Partner is busy, so I say "yes, it's also under the rail" as she has gotten bored with it at that point and starts unloading the mag. I guess she thought bullets would stay put on a Ford Edge 35 degree hood as my precious Speer Gold Dots roll off into the ground.

She picks the gun back up and asks "is this a 9" I just kinda roll my eyes. Again she exclaimed "Is this a NINE?" I politely say "yes ma'am and it is also printed on the slide" Not like she would notice that all the rounds she unloaded also have a thing called headstamps which tell you the caliber and manufacturer usually.

Another cop says "damn boy you are armed to the teeth" Thinking to myself "I totally forgot my 30 round mags, I meant to throw those in my backpack" but instead I say "Well when you've had somebody try to kill you before..." They all kinda stop and smirk and glance down at their belts and nod.

After I was cleared of any outstanding warrants. The #copchick hands me back my 19 with the slide locked open. Puts the empty mag and loose rounds in my jacket pocket, and hands me back my other full mag. I was like yall either trust me or are stupid. Either way I was glad to be back as a regular citizen and not a detainee.

Shortly after that they all hauled ass and basically thought I was running from them on the monkey bike lol.

Today was a good day.

Quoted:
There is a guy or gal that parks one on base. They are pretty small when you are right next to them.

Quoted:
At 6' 220 I'd be like Monkey/football

But I'd love to have one just cause.

Quoted:
Have you ever driven like a DR-Z? It reminded me a lot of a supermotard when I spent some quality time with this one:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1375112_829775880399656_8504775088238262672_n.jpg?oh=d84fe0c8a90792c433142d61edfe688b&oe=552F451F&__gda__=1429365124_8d162a92025b593edbae712d3498f5eb


Frankly, if it appeals to you at all, you should buy it. If I lived closer to work (i.e. didn't have to take an interstate to get there) I'd have one no question.

Quoted:
Buy a GROM. You know you need one.

Quoted:
I've got one. It kicks ass.

You will invent reasons to "just go get" burger buns, hardware, meet a friend....

5000+ happy miles on it now.

Quoted:

http://youtu.be/6SVKlG9Iiak

Quoted:
Everyone who rides them says they're fun as shit, but I would look like a bear on a circus bike, plus I feel a lot more "secure" on a 600ish-sized bike.




Knowing the relative sizes involved, you might actually be able to pull it off, Pistol

Quoted:
I had one of the first ones in my state, rode it for a year ended up selling because I moved to a smaller town and wanted something highway worthy. I absolutely loved it, probably couldn't be cheaper to own unless it was a bicycle. So were clear I am 6'2" and weight in around 275-280 range depending on what was for lunch that day, so for all the guys saying monkey fucking a football or gorilla on a roller skate that was me. I lived in the Kansas City suburbs when I had mine and it was fantastic for running around on surface streets with, it will get up to the 55-60 mph range with me on it depending on head winds and it gets up there quick so it easy to get out in front of traffic. the thing is and absolute blast to ride, the only thing I had to change was the mirrors. I put cheap bar end mirrors on it because I couldn't see anything but my shoulders in the stock ones.

I will get another one at some point, but when I moved to a smaller city it was less practical because its limited to city streets really. I did take it on some light single track hiking trails and it did ok, its so small I could ride it through the side door of my garage and at 200lbs I never worried about dropping it.

if you've got any specific questions I can try to answer them.

Quoted:
Its important to keep this in mind if you intend on riding it on the street.  The smaller the bike you are riding, the more people will ignore your right of way, turn left in front of you etc.

I ride a big bike, 1800cc, other drivers are much more alert to a big bike than a small one, like almost everyone I started out on a small bike and worked my way up.  With smaller bikes other drivers pretty much ignore you, they don't think anything about turning left in front of you, you should consider yourself INVISIBLE.

Big bikes get a lot more respect, people will still turn left in front of you, ignore your right of way etc, but its nothing like riding a little bike which they ignore.  I also own a classic 1978 Yamaha DT175, that is about the smallest bike I would consider riding on the street.

I've been riding bikes for 54 years, I wouldn't ride that small a bike on the street, its just too dangerous.

Quoted:
I'm not sure if the world is ready for pistol on a bike.

Quoted:
Wheel size makes a LOT of difference.

If you were comfy on that YZ 125 you will be happier on a 4 stroke 250 than a grom.

A grom is much more like a scooter than a motorcycle.

Even if you go supermoto, you are still talking a much bigger wheel. 17" supermoto vs 12" grom.

Taller wheels = more stable at speed. This makes a lot of difference in how a bike "feels" in traffic.

If you intend to compete on the road with cars you will want a motorcycle over a scooter.

If you intend to race parking lots or ride neighborhoods, then who cares.

There is a reason you encounter fewer scooters than motorcycles in traffic

Quoted:
I have one. We met at CW4, Pistol. We are about the same size (iirc). 5'9 190lb.

I personally find it to be a blast and decent commuter bike around town. The EFI is perfect. 4th gear is pretty much useless. Top speed with my weight at FULL tuck is 64mph gps vefied. 55mph is about all you get in upright riding position on flat roads. The speedo is accurate in stock gear. Many drop a tooth which changes ratio and displayed speed.

Previous bikes (*still have)

2001 SV650
RM250
TTR 125
*2013 Honda Ruckus
*2014 Grom

Opinions:

On twisty roads, its plenty of bike and can be as technical as you can ride. It covers a ton of bases from newb riders to very experienced. Its super light to toss around but dont forget you are on a tiny bike, ground clearance runs out quick on full lean. A buddy found this out on my Grom in TN on us129 (the dragon). He caught peg, got squirrelly and high sided while in full lean.

Parts are silly cheap. Thanks honda/taiwan! If it falls over, you wont cry, all new OEM plastics are about $20-50ea at the dealer.

After owning for a year, Id like a slight bit more power. The 180cc big bore kit is a future upgrade.

Its a very good scale for a small bike. I adjust stock bars more upright and its real comfortable. However after abotu an hour on the bike, cruising flat straight roads gets old at 55mph.

If you were about 5'4-5'6 and <160, the bike is a riot. i have a smaller friend with mild modded grom. He does 70mph all day. He pulls on me like im sitting still.

If you have $2900 to burn, do it. Or, find a used one for about $2200 (dont mess with overly modded ones/hack jobs)

I dont plan on selling mine but I wouldnt really miss the Ruckus. Its probably about to go away.

edit:
The Grom IS NOTHING LIKE A SCOOTER. You clearly havent ridden one. Its quick to turn in and qucik to get to 40. Its much more a "real" bike than a dirt bike. No, its not as twitchy as a super moto/motard. I ride my uncles 570 husaberg motard it I want a twitchy monstrous wheelie machine.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/l/t1.0-9/10628026_10101062839139120_3077549475978551803_n.jpg?oh=1d86d13b40d547183404210bd6219a58&oe=556E1B39
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1538792_10100976670811140_6734806411536505752_n.jpg?oh=c04e815ac6b45e4f30afe54d31e0fecc&oe=5563F3E0&__gda__=1432813785_85ced12727bd7267665f73f31de8f508
 

Quoted:
What's the weight limit on that thing?  I can't wait to come over.  

Quoted:
I have one. We met at CW4, Pistol. We are about the same size (iirc). 5'9 190lb.

I personally find it to be a blast and decent commuter bike around town. The EFI is perfect. 4th gear is pretty much useless. Top speed with my weight at FULL tuck is 64mph gps vefied. 55mph is about all you get in upright riding position on flat roads. The speedo is accurate in stock gear. Many drop a tooth which changes ratio and displayed speed.

Previous bikes (*still have)

2001 SV650
RM250
TTR 125
*2013 Honda Ruckus
*2014 Grom

Opinions:

On twisty roads, its plenty of bike and can be as technical as you can ride. It covers a ton of bases from newb riders to very experienced. Its super light to toss around but dont forget you are on a tiny bike, ground clearance runs out quick on full lean. A buddy found this out on my Grom in TN on us129 (the dragon). He caught peg, got squirrelly and high sided while in full lean.

Parts are silly cheap. Thanks honda/taiwan! If it falls over, you wont cry, all new OEM plastics are about $20-50ea at the dealer.

After owning for a year, Id like a slight bit more power. The 180cc big bore kit is a future upgrade.

Its a very good scale for a small bike. I adjust stock bars more upright and its real comfortable. However after abotu an hour on the bike, cruising flat straight roads gets old at 55mph.

If you were about 5'4-5'6 and <160, the bike is a riot. i have a smaller friend with mild modded grom. He does 70mph all day. He pulls on me like im sitting still.

If you have $2900 to burn, do it. Or, find a used one for about $2200 (dont mess with overly modded ones/hack jobs)

I dont plan on selling mine but I wouldnt really miss the Ruckus. Its probably about to go away.

edit:
The Grom IS NOTHING LIKE A SCOOTER. You clearly havent ridden one. Its quick to turn in and qucik to get to 40. Its much more a "real" bike than a dirt bike. No, its not as twitchy as a super moto/motard. I ride my uncles 570 husaberg motard it I want a twitchy monstrous wheelie machine.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/l/t1.0-9/10628026_10101062839139120_3077549475978551803_n.jpg?oh=1d86d13b40d547183404210bd6219a58&oe=556E1B39
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1538792_10100976670811140_6734806411536505752_n.jpg?oh=c04e815ac6b45e4f30afe54d31e0fecc&oe=5563F3E0&__gda__=1432813785_85ced12727bd7267665f73f31de8f508