The Grom was, to a degree, pushing styling limits in regards to proportions (small wheels, short wheelbase, but still retaining "full-size" ergos) - but somehow managed to pull it off without looking terribly silly. This Z125 doesn't, IMHO. The seat is way too tall and the bike's visual center too "massive" in relation to it's tiny wheels and ultra-short swingarm... the profile just looks all out of whack and chopped-off/rear heavy, to me. At the least, it needs a much longer swingarm and bigger wheels. What I don't get is that Kawasaki has had an existing model in production overseas for years - the D-tracker 125/150 - that would be a vastly superior motorcycle for this class, in almost every way (with it's 14" wheels, 6 speed transmission). Coulda' saved themselves the development and tooling costs... http://www.kawasakileisurebikes.ph/gallery.php?id=37 Not "Transformer-ey" enough, I suppose. A shame! Bob
I stopped into my local Kawasaki dealer today to ask about the Z125. He said they will be ordering them about the first of April. I have no interest in the Grom but last night when I first saw a blurb about the Z I25 I became very interested. Carries 35% more fuel, the dash is much nicer than the Grom, I like the muffler being under the motor and it's $200 cheaper. Plus I just like the overall look much better.
Yep spot on that's the plan. I've tried a few scoots, Roughouse, Cabo etc in the dirt but it was, ehh.... I'm going to swap out the tires and see where we end up cheap, cheap , cheap project. Only problem is a big Rukus has turned up for sale....... AMAC
That sounds good to carry more fuel but the question is can it's MPG match the Grom? With real world reports of 100MPG on the Grom the K125 needs at least 90+ MPG to make up the 2 gallon fuel tank otherwise they would meet at the gas station around the same time with the K125 needed to add more gas.
I was just thinking about this the other day when comparing these bikes in my head. I can get 115 MPG on my Grom if ridden conservatively however 105 to 107 is more common. The old school long stroke single in the Grom really is a marvel at being economic. In my unscientific observation Honda seems to beat all the other manufactures when it comes to fuel economy. Sometimes by a considerable margin. I am almost willing to bet real money that the Z125 will end up burning a bit more fuel then the Grom does. If so the extra fuel the Z125 carries might end up being a mute point. On the other hand I would not be surprised if the Z125 ends up out performing the Grom by a small margin even if the specs sheets are similar. It will be interesting reading the reviews comparing them when they come out.
From a up close look at the Grom, and looking at pictures and video of the Z125 and K125, The K125just doesn't seem as robust. Look at the swing arm and rear axle adjusters compared to the Grom and Z125. Don't look very beefy. The Z125 looks very similar to the Grom. It's MSRP may be lower, But I can get a new 2015 Grom for close to $1000 less OTD than a Z125, so that would seal it for me. I have been quoted $3267.74 OTD for a new red 2015 Grom from an honest Honda dealer. By the time the ripoff Kawasaki dealer gets through adding all the fees to the Z125, it would cost hundreds more. Might run into that problem with Kymco as well. Kymco dealers used to sell at fair prices, but that has changed. They now want Japanese prices for their bikes, and have acquired the habit of adding on all kinds of fees. And they won't deal. Even though the price on the GTi300 has dropped several hundred, dealers still want the old MSRP plus fees. They learn fast.
Depends on the dealer. I can still get deep discounts and low if not no fees from my Kymco, SYM, Genuine dealer on all but the Genuines. If a dealer is moving product they will make deals. Kind of chicken and egg lol AMAC
Looking at the specs; the Z125 has a seat 1 1/2 inches higher than the Grom. For those of us who are taller than average this is not a problem; but a gift. In Canada, the Grom is actually cheaper ($300 off) but I would take 31.7 " over 30.1" seat height anyday.
I'm looking at a black 2015 for ~$3400 OTD before negotiating. Not bad at all, and tempting enough that I'll probably pick it up.
I would go for that deal without even trying to talk them down anymore. That's already close to $1000 below what OTD cost used to be. My local Honda only dealer said that Groms are simply not selling like they were to begin with. Probably everybody that wants one already has one. I noticed a lot of them on Craigslist for more than what you can get a new one for. Probably those who bought them when they first came out, and paid full MSRP plus fees, and now they are getting bored with them. Honda should put a 170cc motor in them, that would open up a whole new market. If they were as fast as the SYM HD200, they would be freeway legal and freeway capable. But then of course you have the CB300F for just about $400 more.
Well now the biggest question. How much did you pay for it and why do you want it over the Grom? Also does it have a push to pass button?
$3600 otd. it's snappier off the line than the grom, has better suspension and a stiffer chassis out of the box, plus a pretty premium dash. pass? on THIS bike???
At night it comes in handy for if a car attempts to turn into my lane if they don't see me I flash the lights instead of waking other people up with the horn.
I saw one at Boston Motorsports a couple of weeks ago. Noticeably taller than the Grom. Ergos felt almost like a full sized motorcycle. I think it would be fun.
I like the Z125 better than the Grom, by a little bit. Those horrible rear fenders on both would have to go. I don't know what the seat height is on either, but I have a hard time getting on the 32" seat on my XT. I would likely have a very difficult time getting on all of my scooters if they were not step through. When you get close to 100 mph mileage means nothing to me. The difference between 70 mpg and 100 mpg is so insignificant it doesn't matter. What does matter is range. None of my scooters have what I would consider adequate range, here in the AZ desert where gas stations can be over 100 miles apart.
