[Ajarjay]

Can anybody tell me if the size difference between the Grom and CRF250L is very substantial? I am six feet tall and like the idea of a Grom, but the 250L is only $1,000 more or so. The 250 can also do some trail riding. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Stray Dog]

Yes, height, weight, length.
It's an apples and oranges choice.
They are totally different bikes.
I think you need to decide what you want the bike for,
then go from there.

Dog

 

[Miweber929]

Yup, you're asking which car should I buy, a Jeep Wrangler or a Mini Cooper; two totally different vehicles.

Decide what you want to do with it, then decide on the bike. Can't go wrong with either.

Mike

 

[whitedevilws6]

I considered this as well. The reason I didn't go with the dual sport is that I like to be able to ride hard, without fear of breaking expensive equipment if I lay it down. I've relented to the fact that to ride in the dirt, I need a dedicated dirt bike (also given their lighter weight and optimal gearing.) If you would rather just tool around rather than get a little jiggy in the dirt, I'd say get the CRF250L.

 

[mad8vskillz]

I considered this as well. The reason I didn't go with the dual sport is that I like to be able to ride hard, without fear of breaking expensive equipment if I lay it down. I've relented to the fact that to ride in the dirt, I need a dedicated dirt bike (also given their lighter weight and optimal gearing.) If you would rather just tool around rather than get a little jiggy in the dirt, I'd say get the CRF250L.

but on the 250l you can ride on park roads, etc. places that require a license plate ( a lot harder to get a plated dirt bike than a dual sport)

 

[GromGuy]

Yup, you're asking which car should I buy, a Jeep Wrangler or a Mini Cooper; two totally different vehicles.

Decide what you want to do with it, then decide on the bike. Can't go wrong with either.

Mike

Yup, it's more like Wrangler or Durango or Patriot or Mini Cooper Countryman, etc.

I'd go with Wrangler

 

[gpd211]

Get both they are totally different.

 

[chye]

different kinds of motorcycles for different kinds of fun

 

[whitedevilws6]

but on the 250l you can ride on park roads, etc. places that require a license plate ( a lot harder to get a plated dirt bike than a dual sport)

This is true for most people. I'm just spoiled and used to being way, way out there. I do miss Oregon

 

[JWDenver]

I would think that with your larger size the 250 would be more comfortable.

 

[floppyzebra]

If you plan on riding some wild dirt trails, I'd take the 250. If you plan on riding more street and wanting more people to ride with and some hard dirt trails every now and then the grom all day.

 

[yugi]

Try Sym Wolf Classic 150, an improved Honda CB125 clone.
Sym Wolf Classic 150 - Motorcyclist Magazine

 

[Averian]

It's a tough decision if you can only have one. They really are very different bikes. I had a Grom and perhaps unsurprisingly it couldn't quite pull off a one bike solution for me.

I picked up a used Yamaha wr250r with both dirt wheels and street 17's for practically the same price I sold my Grom for. Much better value at this point and it truly can do everything. From embarrassing superbikes on tight back roads, swapping to 17's for some kart track time and then to full on dirt for adventure riding (I recently spent a week up in the Mendocino National Forest riding with 45 lbs of camping gear).

The same bad condition back roads I took the Grom on are a ton more fun on the dual sport. It eats up all the road imperfections and even huge pot holes. The water cooled 250 puts out about triple the hp after a pipe and programmer and with six gears, I can easily cruise on the highway at 70mph when I need to. Check out the specs on the Yamaha before you go the 250l route. The yammy has more power, it's lighter and it has fully adjustable suspension.

It will be awhile, but I am waiting for enough Groms to be produced that there becomes a good used supply of bikes and a critical mass to create a race series in Nor Cal. It really should make for a perfect cheap and fun kart track bike once there is enough supply and interest.

 

[ihop23947]

It's really not fair to compare a 250r to a grom, a $7900 bike (new) to a $3200 bike. New vs used they can't compare either. Even a Yamaha tw200 is $1500 more. A new 250L is also way more and a completely different bike to ride just on height and stability alone. For the price the Grom is a tremendous value and add some Maxxis dual sport tires and I think you will have a pretty good trail bike for what it cost. You can go buy a used dual sport and get more utility, but you know nothing about it vs a brand new grom. As others have said its apples and oranges. There really is nothing out there that compete with the grom. It's in a class of one.