5 Honda Grom Alternatives That Won't Break The Bank

Miniature motorcycles have grown increasingly popular in recent years, and it isn't hard to see why. They're easy to ride, have good gas economy–and above all, they're affordable. The Honda Grom is a particularly popular model that has been at the center of this mini bike uprising. Its 124cc engine gives it a top speed of 55 MPH. So while it probably won't be winning any races, it is powerful enough for most people's local commutes. It's also fuel-injected, lightweight, and gets up to 166.5 mpg. Add in the fact that it's one of the most affordable mini motorcycles currently available with a starting MSRP of just $3,599, and you'll start to see why people like it so much.

That said, those who are considering getting themselves a Grom might also want to take a look at what else is out there. The Grom is quite affordable, but there are plenty of other small form-factor street bikes on the market that you can get without breaking the bank. Some of them might offer a bit more power while others might have a different design aesthetic, or come with an even cheaper price tag. Here are a few of the other, more affordable Honda Grom alternatives worth considering.

When you start looking for Grom alternatives, one of the first bikes that you're likely to come across is the Kawasaki Z125 Pro. These bikes are so similar that it's impossible not to compare them. Many people have called this little bike a Grom-clone since it was first released just a few years after the Grom's initial spike in popularity, but that doesn't really do the Z125 Pro justice. While the design is certainly similar, Kawasaki went out of their way to make sure that this bike had the performance to stand on its own.

The Z125 Pro is powered by a 125cc, SOHC, four-stroke, one-cylinder, two-valve, air-cooled engine. This has a 56.0-millimeter bore, a 50.6-millimeter stroke, and a 9.8:1 compression ratio. It has a top speed of 64 mph and a 7.1 lb-ft max torque at 6,000 RPM. One of the more interesting additions that Kawasaki added to the Z125 Pro is its Smart Regulator, which monitors and maintains the voltage to the headlight and fuel pump. This allows the energy used to drive the generator to be saved at idling speeds that might otherwise be problematic on a small-displacement engine.

The Z125 Pro was going for just $3,399 in 2023, but the price has gone up a bit for the newer model. It now starts at $3,649 and goes up to $3,849 with extras. Even with the step-up in price, however, the Z125 Pro is still an incredibly affordable Kawasaki Motorcycle.

There aren't a lot of motorcycles that are substantially cheaper than the Grom, but Honda itself actually makes a mini street bike that comes at a fraction of the price. The Honda Navi has a similar outer design to the Grom, but it's powered by a significantly smaller 109cc, SOHC, single-cylinder, four-stroke engine. This has a 55.0-millimeter bore, a 55.6-millimeter stroke, and a 9.5:1 compression ratio. Even so, the bike has a reported top speed is 55 mph, making it a perfectly adequate little commuter. Reports state that it isn't easy to get to that top speed, however. So you probably shouldn't expect to take it on the highway.

The most appealing thing about the Navi is its low price. The bike starts at just $1,999, easily making it one of the most affordable street-legal motorcycles on the market. Economical buyers will also be happy to learn that it gets 110 mpg, so you'll save at the pump as well as the lot.

The Navi also has an electric starter and an automatic transmission, making it a great bike for new riders. The only major pitfall (aside from its small engine) is that it uses a 16-millimeter carburetor for induction rather than fuel injection. This isn't a deal-breaker for most people at this price point, but it does mean that there will probably be some additional maintenance requirements.

Those who are looking for a motorcycle that is similar in function to the Grom, but with a slightly more retro appearance might be interested in checking out the 2025 CFMOTO Papio SS. The original 2023 Papio was another small form factor street bike that aesthetically looked almost exactly like the Grom, but the new SS edition has a brand new, re-imagined look that has helped the brand to create an identity all its own. The Papio SS has a boxier fairing structure reminiscent of '80s sport bikes. This modern retro look adds a bit of flair that compliments the bike's small size. Additionally, the SS has a dual XO patterned LED headlamp in the front and wide handlebars that help give the rider a more relaxed posture.

At its core, the Papio SS is powered by a 126cc, EFI, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine with a 57-millimeter bore and a 49.4-millimeter stroke. It can produce up to 9.4 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 6.8 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. That's not bad at all for a bike this size. The SS also has an upside-down fork front suspension and ABS comes standard. The 2025 Papio SS currently starts at $3,299, making it one of the most affordable 126cc mini motorcycles out there.

Another option is the Italian-designed, Chinese-manufactured Benelli TNT135. This bike has a similar design to the Grom, but it's actually a tiny bit more powerful. The TNT135 is powered by a 134.7cc, SOHC, single-cylinder, four-stroke, oil-cooled engine. This has a 54.0-millimeter bore, a 58.5-millimeter stroke, and a 9.8:1 compression ratio. It can produce up to 11.3 horsepower at 8,500 RPM and up to 7.4 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 RPM. It's also a bit larger in the seat than most other miniature motorcycles, giving it more of a full-sized bike feel than most of its competition.

This bike's starting MSRP is $3,199 for the white, black, and red models, and it's $3,269 for the green. So not only is it more powerful than the 125cc bikes on this list, but it's also a little bit cheaper. 

That said, Benelli motorcycles have a bit of a mixed reputation when it comes to reliability. It's hard to say how much of the criticism for the brand is genuine and how much can be equated to prejudice against Chinese-manufactured machinery. Some report issues with the clutch and gearbox are the most prevalent when it comes to the TNT135, but the report also states that there is a large percentage of riders have not encountered any issues with the bike. It's also worth noting that several of the bike's reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

Those who are willing to pay a bit more for a bigger bike while still trying to keep their costs down might consider the BMW G 310 R. BMW isn't exactly known as a budget-oriented brand, but the G 310 R is definitely one of the company's more financially approachable vehicles. It has a similar street-oriented aesthetic to the Grom, but there is a lot more going on underneath the fairings.

The G 310 R is powered by a 313cc, water-cooled, single-cylinder four-stroke engine with two overhead camshafts and wet sump lubrication. It has a 3-inch bore, a 2.4-inch stroke, and a 10.9:1 compression ratio. It can produce up to 34 horsepower at 9,250 rpm and 20.6 lb-ft of torque at 7,500 rpm. This gives the bike a top speed of 88 mph, making it the most powerful mini motorcycle on this list by quite a wide margin.

It is a bit more expensive compared to most of its peers, but it's still on the more affordable side of the BMW spectrum. The standard model starts at $4,995 and goes up to $5,190 with extras.