Look at this ‘lil guy! Doesn’t it just make you want to pinch its cheeks? This cute little sub-Grom Honda scoot is the thing I’ll be testing on Wednesday afternoon, and I’m so freakin’ excited about it. Not only is this thing smaller and lighter than a Grom, but it’s WAY cheaper, too! Launching at just $1,807 you might be able to afford one.
Groms are incredibly fun bikes, but have been thin on the ground lately and dealers have been marking them up over MSRP lately. Heck, you can’t even get a four year old Grom for under MSRP. Maybe adding this pint-sized punk underneath that bike will help level the market for people looking for an easy-to-ride but still fun pocket rocket.
Should you get one of these as a beginner bike? Hell yeah you should. I mean, I haven’t ridden it yet, but if it’s anything like the rest of Honda’s mini-moto lineup, it’s going to be a really good one. It probably won’t be quite as much fun as a Grom, given that it runs a CVT and a slightly smaller 110cc engine, but the Trail 125 and Cub are both CVT and they’re still super fun. Admittedly this one only has 9 horsepower, and I’m not a small guy, so uphills will be a battle.
If you’re using the new Navi as a commuter, you’ll get bonkers good fuel mileage. Apparently the Honda Enhanced Smart Power four-stroke engine delivers 110.3 miles per gallon of fuel. If you’re worried about 5-dollars-a-gallon fuel, this is a heck of a way to save a few bucks. Hell, if you ride it enough, the bike is probably going to pay itself off within just a few months.
This isn’t a typical Mini Moto, however. It doesn’t share any of its architecture with the Grom or Cub. It’s far more of a scooter with an aggressive urban style to it. The engine is slung out back with the transmission, where you might find it on a Ruckus or Metropolitan. You do ride it like a motorcycle, however, as there isn’t a step-through cutout in the middle of the bike for your feet to sit on a floor. It’s unorthodox, but I think I like it. We’ll see.
How is this little bike so cheap? Well for one thing it’s still carbureted in 2021! It also has drum brakes front and rear, which… well, I’ll hold judgement until I’ve been on it. If it keeps the bike cheap, I’m interested. Here’s the other thing that keeps it cheap; The Navi isn’t a new design. This bike was designed a handful of years ago by Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and has been sold there ever since.
This could be the perfect bike to introduce right now. The U.S. and the rest of the world are still reeling from the global Coronavirus pandemic, and the ensuing economic catastrophe that has been happening since. If the global supply chain can keep up with demand for these inexpensive bikes, they could be a huge hit. They look cool and they’re stupid cheap. What more could you want?
The Grom, Ruckus, Monkey, Trail 125, and Cub have been incredibly successful for the brand, selling just about as quickly as they can be imported. The Navi should build on that success, and I truly hope it does. Will this be the next Ruckus-like success?
So anyway, now is your opportunity to ask questions about this rad motor scooter. What do you want to know about it? What information do you wish you had at your disposal?
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