Alright folks, let me tell you about the whole tire saga with my Honda Grom. Seriously, the stock rubber just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Felt like riding on butter anytime I hit a little damp spot or leaned over just a bit too much. Decided enough was enough, it was time to hunt down some proper tires.
The Starting Point: Stock Tires Ain’t It
Man, those original tires felt sketchy from day one, but you know how it is – you ride ’em till they’re toast. Lately, though? Cornering felt like the bike was gonna slide right out from under me, especially after rain. Got me white-knuckling the bars on roundabouts. Time to deep dive into options.
Started simple:
- Read forums like crazy: Scoured Grom-specific groups. Everyone’s got an opinion, right? Saw names like Michelin, Pirelli, Dunlop thrown around constantly.
- Checked prices online: Yeesh, some of ’em hurt the wallet. But safety over savings, I figured.
- Confused by sizes: Seriously, why are Grom tires so dang specific? 120/70-12 front, 130/70-12 rear? Took me a minute to make sure I wasn’t ordering bicycle tires by accident!
Choosing My Poison (& Getting Them On)
After way too much coffee-fueled research, pulled the trigger on a popular combo: a Michelin City Grip Pro for the front and a Pirelli Diablo Rosso Scooter for the rear. Heard good things about grip, especially in cooler weather we get here.
Got the tires delivered. Now the fun part begins:
- Wrestling the wheel off: Seriously, who designed these axle nuts? Needed muscles I didn’t know I had. Wobbled it off eventually.
- Tire lever nightmare: Breaking the bead? Forget it! That factory seal is glued solid. Ended up practically standing on the tire lever, sweating like crazy. Nearly threw the dang lever across the garage. Finally pop! Sweet relief.
- Mounting madness: Slapped on the new Michelin first. Lining up the little dot with the valve stem took more patience than I expected. Used a bit of soapy water – lifesaver! Got it seated eventually with a blast of air. Sweet.
- Rear wheel rematch: The Pirelli rear was a bit wider. Learned my lesson, used more soapy water. Still felt like I needed three arms. But hey, got ’em both on without pinching a tube! Small victories.
Getting Them Scuffed In (& The Real Test)
First ride out? Felt weird! Like wearing stiff new boots. Gotta scrub off that factory release coating, right? Took it easy for the first day.
Started testing properly:
- Dry runs around the twisties: Pushed it harder, leaned it over. Whoa! Night and day difference. Felt planted, stable. Like the bike actually wanted to corner. Leaned it over further than I ever dared before. Big ol’ grin under my helmet.
- The wet test (deliberate this time!): Found an empty, freshly rained-on parking lot. Took it slow at first, then pushed. Braking felt solid. Cornering felt predictable, not sketchy. Didn’t feel like the front was gonna vanish anymore. Major confidence boost.
- Commuting duty: Daily grind of stop-and-go. Smooth ride, good feel over bumps. Tires felt nice and compliant.
So, Was It Worth the Sweat?
Hands down, yes. Absolutely transformed the bike. Here’s the real deal after a few months:
- Grip: Way, way better. Especially on cool mornings or after rain. Lean with confidence now.
- Feel: Can actually feel what the tires are doing. Communicates much better than the old bricks.
- Wear so far: Looking pretty darn good! The Michelin front is wearing nice and even. Rear Pirelli? Yeah, it’s scrubbing off a bit quicker – I blame my newfound cornering enthusiasm. Still, miles better life than I was expecting. No weird flat spots either.
- The sweat equity: That mounting struggle? Brutal. But saving cash by doing it myself? Felt good. Plus, learned a lot wrestling those little wheels.
If you’re on the fence about swapping your Grom tires? Do it. Don’t cheap out. The difference in feel and safety is massive. Might curse the install, but you’ll love the ride. Ride safe!
