Comparing the Honda Grom to the Honda “Trail” CT125.
- Randy Reek, The Great Out There
- Apr 24
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Top Ten Reasons WHY the Honda Grom is the BEST All-Road Scrambler Motorcycle when compared to the Honda “Trail” CT125.
Do you remember the original sales pitch? "You meet the nicest people on a Honda."
Now go to Google or the Honda CT125 Facebook groups at look at all the NEGATIVE comments.
Next, search Facebook Marketplace. Why does it seem like HALF of CT125 owners want to sell - including some cycles with less than 100 miles? If the CT125 motorcycle is the pinnacle of versatility, what are owners (and prospective owners) complaining about?
WHY is the Honda Trail 125 the motorcycle its owners love to HATE?
In contrast, WHY is the Honda Grom the model that most owners (who often have several cycles) swear this is the ONE motorcycle that they will NEVER sell?
The Grom is a BETTER trail cycle than the #CT125 "Trail". I'm sorry if you bought the uncomfortable, underpowered, annoying, and OVERPRICED CT125 for nostalgia! The Grom leaves the "Trail" in the dust on the highway, too!
Here are the BIGGEST complaints from Honda CT125 owners:
1. The HIGH purchase price of the CT125. The current 2024 MSRP is now $4,099.00, plus $300 for incoming freight, plus several hundred dollars more for set up and paperwork fees. The “out the door” price ends up totaling close to $5,000, NOT including taxes and license! $5,000 is "serious" money and that cuts into the “fun factor” of this quirky, little motorcycle.
2. Lack of power. This complaint amazes me since all CT125 owners KNEW that this cycle has ONLY EIGHT horsepower! For comparison, my Honda walk-behind LAWNMOWER has a 170cc motor. And yet these owners are dismayed that the 125cc motorcycle won't top 45 miles per hour? (See the MAIN reason next…)
3. Unnatural transmission and weird shifting pattern. Honda designed the “Trail” CT125 (and the street Super Cub) without a clutch lever to appeal to non-motorcycle riders. Great marketing, but the transmission shifting is not intuitive, especially for experienced riders. The 4-speed shift pattern and the odd heel/toe lever adds to the awkwardness. What is WORSE is that you never seem to be in the right gear – you are either lugging the tiny engine or it is screaming like a banshee at max RPMs.
4. Uncomfortable seating position. Owners complain about the saddle on the CT125, but it isn't the seat. The seating position is upright, like sitting in a chair with your legs out in front. ALL the weight is on your butt. No saddle can absorb all the bumps and cracks in the pavement or trail.
5. Uncomfortable riding position. On a conventional motorcycle, your legs help support your weight. Your back is relaxed because you lean slightly forward. But on the CT125, you sit straight and invite pain in your back, neck and arms after just a short ride.
6. Poor ergonomics. It seems that the compact CT125 was just not designed with larger Americans in mind. Anyone over 5'6" knocks their knees on the handlebars. You can't slide back because of the small saddle - and the painful raised bar at the front of the rear rack.
7. Poor availability. Most Honda dealers typically stock ONE CT125 - or NONE. It’s obvious that dealers prefer to sell Honda 500’s and 1800cc Goldwings with much higher profit margins. Many dealers have a waiting list for the CT125 (so they can justify added markups), with delivery that can take months.
8. No color choices. It’s a small thing, but not everyone wants a yellow motorcycle (or green, or red – or whatever the single “color of the year” isfor the CT125).
9. Lack of accessories. The Honda website lists only 2 (TWO) accessories for the CT125. Because the CT125 (Hunter Cub) is manufactured in Thailand and sold around the world, many North American owners are forced to order accessories directly from Asian sources. Because of the unique design, there are few generic parts available for the CT125.
10. Dealer service departments. This is not a complaint that is exclusive to Honda owners or the CT125. MOST motorcycle owners dread taking their bike into the dealership. They hate the high hourly rates, shoddy workmanship, and overpriced branded parts.
Summary: Honda marketing overpromises and under-delivers. At any given moment, there are THOUSANDS of #CT125 owners who suffer from Buyer's Remorse.
After CT125 owners have waited months or traveled to another state to make the purchase, then paid a premium to buy the Trail 125, they are soon disappointed. The little Honda stirs nostalgic FEELINGS. But the high turnover (possibly the highest among all motorcycle models) confirms the dissatisfaction with the riding experience.
The SOLUTION? Buy the "All Road" Honda Grom instead of the "Trail" CT125!
No matter if you want an economical commuter or dependable trail bike, the Honda Grom is the BETTER choice.
Reasons Why the Honda Grom is a BETTER Scrambler than the “Trail” CT125
Number 1: 5-speed transmission with clutch! Experienced riders hate the semi-auto 4-speed transmission on the Trail (and the Cub). It is easier and more efficient to match the manual transmission to the travel speed, especially under loads and on hills. Downshifting the “clutchless” semi-auto transmission on the Trail 125 is also annoying, with the rear wheel often “chirping” on pavement.
Number 2: Slightly lighter weight. Paired with the superior transmission, you have a much more responsive motorcycle. (The CT125 Trail is like riding a scooter.) The Grom isn’t fast, but it will get to top speed faster than the Trail – which simply doesn’t belong on any highway.
Number 3: TUBELESS tires! When – not IF – you pick up a nail in your tire, you will appreciate the EASE of repair with tubeless tires. In most cases, you don’t need to remove the wheel from the motorcycle to plug the hole! You can also add sealant that will automatically plug minor leaks. This is huge when commuting across town – but invaluable if riding off the pavement, especially out West in thorn country!
Number 4: Meatier tires. The Grom has smaller 12-inch wheels compared to the 17-inch wheels on the trail. But the Grom has much larger cross-section tires:120/70 front and 130/70 rear compared to 80/90 tires on the Trail. On paved roads, you have much more tread on the road for control on corners, especially wet roads. The stock tires on the “Trail” 125 are nearly worthless offroad. If you want to ride offroad, you MUST swap the tires on the CT125. If you upgrade the Grom to knobby tires for offroad riding, you have twice as much tread and double the size of the “knobbies” for far superior traction. With knobbies, the Grom actually has more ground clearance than the “Trail”! In addition, because the Grom tires are tubeless, you can also easily “air down” in sand and mud for even greater traction.
Number 5: Larger gas tank for slightly longer riding range. Both cycles get exceptional gas mileage. The added 0.2 gallons of gas in the Grom adds at least 30 miles of range. (On both cycles, you are going to need to carry an auxiliary gas can for any route with widely spaced gas stations.) Plus, the conventional gas tank on the Grom allows the use of a tank bag around town or on trips.
Number 6: Better suspension. Both the Grom and Trail are sold with non-adjustable suspensions. These are perfectly adequate for most street riders. But if you want to ride more aggressively, especially offroad, the Grom is easier to upgrade with the rear Uni-shock. Aftermarket suppliers can furnish a far superior coil-over shock than the old-fashioned double rear shocks on the Trail. Like the CT125, the front suspension on the Grom can be easily upgraded with aftermarket fork oil – or completely new springs and valves.
Number 7: Better luggage capability. Despite the Trail being supplied with a rear rack as standard equipment, the high exhaust and double rear shocks get in the way of panniers. The Grom has upswept exhaust and a center Uni-shock – just like all the other dual sports and adventure bikes. There are also many aftermarket suppliers of rear racks and pannier supports.
Number 8: Better seating position for comfort on long rides. The rear rack on the Trail is literally a pain in the ass. The upright, scooter seating position pounds every rut and bump up your spine. The Grom has the traditional seating position of a motorcycle where your legs act as shocks to absorb bumps and jolts. Plus, the Grom saddle is far superior.
Number 9: Better weight distribution. The Trail is overweight on the rear wheel. The Grom is better at centering the weight of the rider centered on the foot pegs. Riders that add cargo to the large rack on the #CT125 further upset the balance. The narrower tires on the Trail mean less stability in the corners while the Grom is a cornering beast.
Number 10: The Grom costs at least $500 LESS than the quirky Trail 125. It’s no wonder that the Grom outsells the CT125. Consequently, dealers keep the Grom in stock - which means that you can get BETTER deals! There are plenty of accessories available for the Trail – but nothing compared to the aftermarket support for the Grom. $500 buys a ton of upgrades and options to personalize your Grom.
The Honda Grom has MANY design features which make it the SUPERIOR motorcycle!
The “inconvenient truth” is that I can ride further and faster on the Grom (on AND offroad) that the Trail 125 – and enjoy the ride MORE, and be more comfortable 100% of the time.
Bonus Number 11: Look at Facebook Marketplace and other ad venues and you will see TEN times the #CT125 Trail models for sale. People buy them because they are cute and nostalgic – then discover that they aren’t fun to ride and are painful beyond short trips. While there are more Groms sold, there are fewer used ones for sale. That should tell you something!
In contrast, the Grom online community is VERY active and VERY supportive of all riders - from street, to stunt, to offroad!
Coming next: Creating the “Adventure Grom” for MotorbikePacking!
How I set-up my Honda Grom as the PERFECT commuter motorcycle – that is ALSO ready for gravel riding AND overnight adventures! Learn why the Honda Grom might be the ADV motorcycle you should be riding!
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