The Barber Smallbore is a three-day celebration of small-displacement motorcycles, held annually at the renowned Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama. The spectacle draws together an eclectic array of minimotos, each boasting its own unique blend of style, whether vintage or modern, personalized or accessorized, to participate in a thrilling three-day extravaganza featuring stunt displays, high-speed drag racing, precision GP racing, challenging hill climbs, and adrenaline-fueled off-road racing, culminating in a showcase of customised motorcycles. We received an invitation to attend this year’s pageant with the unique opportunity to test ride and experience the innovative 2025 Honda Grom. Miss this spring’s occasion? Discover why attending the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum’s Barber Classic bike pageant this autumn is a must for any motorcycle enthusiast – from witnessing stunning two-wheeled masterpieces to celebrating the rich history of motorcycling. What are the finest minibikes we spotted at the 2024 Barber Small Bore? Let’s take a look at the top ten models that caught our attention, from manufacturers like Honda, Yamaha, and KTM, each offering unique features and performance capabilities that make them stand out in their respective classes.
We revisit the origins of Honda’s Grom, having previously piloted an early iteration of this diminutive motorcycle. Honda’s 2022 Grom ABS MC Commute: A Compact Cruiser for City Streets and 2022 Honda Grom ABS Evaluate. What’s the original text you’d like me to improve? 2019 Honda Super Cub C125 MC: A Commuter’s Delight?, The Adventure Begins: 2021 Honda PCX 125 ABS Review, and The 2019 Honda Monkey: A Blast of Freedom and Fun?
The Honda Monkey’s latest incarnation is a joyride for the senses, with its retro-styled design and peppy engine delivering an unparalleled sense of adventure.
The Monkey’s 125cc engine is a marvel of compact engineering, producing 9 horsepower at 8,600 rpm and 9.7 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. Its fuel injection system ensures efficient combustion, resulting in an estimated 128 mpg on the highway.
This diminutive bike may be small in stature, but it’s big on personality – its upright riding position and low seat height making it a breeze to handle for riders of all skill levels.
The Monkey’s list price is $4,000, making it an affordable entry point into the world of motorcycling. And with Honda’s reputation for reliability, you can ride off into the sunset knowing your new best friend will be by your side.
So why wait? Take the plunge and experience the thrill of the open road on the 2019 Honda Monkey – a journey that’ll leave you grinning from ear to ear. for extra Mini Bike content material.
2025 Honda Grom
The Honda CBR600RR is American Honda’s best-selling streetbike. The 2025 Grom received a comprehensive styling overhaul, featuring a fresh new headlight cowling, a revamped entrance cowl, redesigned shrouds, a sleeker gas tank cowl, an updated tank cap cowl, and stylish side panels. The existing chassis and powertrain remain unaltered in the 2024 model. Powered by a 124cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine, the Honda Grom features a five-speed manual transmission. The motorcycle’s chassis features an inverted 31mm fork, adjustable-preload suspension, 12-inch wheels, dual disk brakes, a 1.6-gallon fuel tank, and a seat height of 30 inches.
Honda introduces the 2025 Grom in a trio of trims, priced from $3,599 for the base model, $3,699 for the sport-oriented SP, and $3,799 for the ABS-equipped variant. The SP Mannequin comes equipped with distinctive graphics and a sleek stomach fairing, also available as a standalone Honda accessory for riders seeking to upgrade their base-model Grom with this feature.
The Occasion: Day 1
Our proficiency in the Barber Small Bore pageant commenced with the Honda Grom Prix.
For our three-hour workforce endurance race, we rode 2025 Honda Groms, expertly modified into track-ready machines by Man in the Field, a leading supplier of aftermarket mini-moto components. The Grom’s exceptional setup featured MNNTHBX rearsets, clip-on handlebars, custom controls, a potent Yoshimura exhaust system, Öhlins suspension providing optimal handling, and Kenda KD2 Kwick tires that delivered unrelenting grip.
Randomized groups were assigned a crucial hour to familiarize themselves with the go-kart model, gaining insights and developing a deep understanding of the upcoming 2025 Grom. Following our meeting, we took some time to visit the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum before the racing event got underway. Join us on an immersive journey through the world’s largest motorbike museum, where a thoughtfully curated guided tour offers a captivating preview of its vast and impressive collection of motorcycles, automobiles, and nostalgic treasures.
Racing started at 5 p.m. As the sun dipped below the horizon at precisely 7:57 pm, The Grom Reapers’ workforce strategically planned for each rider to complete a 30-minute segment before rotating out. Given the diverse backgrounds and expertise of our speakers, we faced a significant challenge in preparing the program. As I take to the track an hour into the competition, I quickly settle into race tempo on my initial lap attempts, achieving a strong rhythm within just a few circuits. After finding my groove, I was able to stay competitive and pursue four different rivals on the track.
With a lap time of 39.112 seconds, ranking as the third quickest in the race, our chances of securing a podium position had notably increased. As I pushed the limits of speed, the engine roaring in protest as I repeatedly hit the rev limiter, I found myself mere inches from disaster: a misjudged curb that could have spelled catastrophe. As I hurtled towards the approaching apex, I instinctively added too much rider input, which led to a collision with the curb, subsequently taking me on an unscheduled detour off the track and culminating in a low-side crash.
Despite momentarily stopping to retrieve the damaged bike and re-mounting after a brief assessment of the situation, our exceptional rider Grom, with its mangled footpeg missing nearly six inches, continued in the race. As the race persisted, our team’s workers steadily gained ground to challenge for a podium spot, having fallen seven laps behind the leader initially.
As the chequered flag dropped, the Grom Reapers had managed to stay neck-and-neck with the third-place team by lap three; however, closing in on a Grom remained a challenging game of attrition. As the final lap came to a close, the Grom Prix podium was officially unveiled. The inaugural day at the Barber Small Bore pageant wrapped up with a lively toast to champagne and triumphant podium orations. Will we be mere onlookers tomorrow, witnessing the thrill of competition unfold as drag racers, mini Grand Prix enthusiasts, hill climb aficionados, and pit bike speedsters put their skills to the test?
The Occasion: Day 2
Foggy grey skies and relentless rain showers greeted us on the second day of the Barber Small Bore pageant, yet nothing could dampen the spirits as we revelled in the unadulterated chaos of the minimoto mayhem. We were fortunate to have been granted a 2025 Honda Grom to test drive around the compound and use for the day’s events. Venturing beyond the compound’s confines, we seized the opportunity to indulge in a few impromptu stunts before converging with the crowd to enthusiastically cheer on the pitbike racing spectacle. The wet track brought an extra layer of excitement to the racing action as competitors went all out in pursuit of the fastest times.
Following the event, we attended the high-octane drag races expertly organized by Yoshimura. From inventory Groms and pitbikes to heavily modified, stretched, and nitrous-fed mini-motors, all lined up to set the quickest time. As the starting lights flashed, riders revved their engines and executed precision burnouts, simultaneously slotting into gear in a bid to outmaneuver their rivals. Meanwhile, the racing enthusiasts simultaneously took to the adjacent track to put their karts through their paces in the MiniGP series.
Following their mid-day meal, many of the gathering’s participants made their way to the grounds’ winding trail network, drawn by the excitement surrounding the highly anticipated Mini-Moto Hillclimb event. The principles had been easy. Whoever crosses the finish line first on this treacherous hill climb, navigating a terrain of mud, grease, and obstacles, will claim victory. Only a handful of riders successfully completed the grueling hill climb, with a select few tackling the challenge with notable finesse. As the remnants of the formation exited, they executed a smooth loop, sliding smoothly into the descent before crashing down just short of reaching their zenith?
As the dust settled on the Mini-Moto Hillclimb, attention turned to the eagerly anticipated Creek Backside Basic. Spectators and rivals converged to witness the thrilling enduro-style racing event. As the day’s celebrations unfolded, the excitement stemmed from the thrilling antics of both skilled and unrefined motorcyclists tearing up the muddy terrain.
Riders gathered at the starting line in a tightly packed formation, awaiting permission to take a guided tour of Barber Motorsports Park’s iconic circuit. Racing alongside 100 other minimotos was an exhilarating yet utterly terrifying experience. Completing the parade lap without a single mishap was a triumph of its own accord. The day has been accomplished and tidied away. We took our strategy to the Classic Bike Show to cast our votes and enjoy a pizza dinner before heading home. Across the desk, vibrant stories of the weekend’s celebrations unfolded, liberating a cascade of laughter and radiant grins.
The quote on the official T-shirt of the Barber Small Bore sums up the weekend’s greatest: “In my protection, I was left unsupervised.” If I wasn’t convinced, minimotos are essentially the most enjoyable you can have on two wheels, now I am. Attending the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum’s annual Barber Small Bore Racing Classic is a must-do experience for every motorcycle enthusiast.
What’s under the hood of the 2025 Honda Grom?
Engine: 124.6cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder SOHC 4-stroke
Power: 9.8 horsepower at 8,500 rpm
Torque: 7.3 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Seat Height: 28.5 inches (72 cm)
Weight: 229 pounds (104 kg)
Length: 61.4 inches (156 cm)
Width: 24.1 inches (61 cm)
Height: 41.3 inches (105 cm)
Fuel Capacity: 1.45 gallons (5.5 liters)
Fuel Economy: 82 mpg
Suspension: Telescopic fork, Pro-Link rear suspension
Brakes: 31 mm hydraulic disc brake in front, drum brake at the back
| MSRP: | $3,599 – $3,799: Grom Models and Prices |
|---|---|
| Engine: | SOHC, air-cooled single; 2 valves/cyl. |
| Displacement: | 124cc |
| Bore x Stroke: | 50.0 x 63.1mm |
| Compression Ratio: | 10.0:1 |
| Transmission/Closing Drive: | 5-speed/chain |
| Claimed Horsepower: | 9.7 hp @ 7,000 rpm |
| Claimed Torque: | 7.7 lb.-ft. @ 5,500 rpm |
| Gas System: | PGM-FI w/ 24mm throttle physique |
| Clutch: | Moist |
| Engine Administration/Ignition: | Digital |
| Body: | Metal mono-backbone |
| Entrance Suspension: | Thirty-one millimeter inverted telescopic fork; three point nine inches. journey |
| Rear Suspension: | Preload-adjustable fork with a travel length of 4.1 inches. journey |
| Entrance Brake: | Two-piston caliper; 220-millimeter disc with elective anti-lock braking system (ABS). |
| Rear Brake: | 1-piston caliper, 190mm disc |
| Wheels, Entrance/Rear: | 10-spoke forged; 12 in. |
| Tires, Entrance/Rear: | 120/70-12 / 130/70-12 |
| Rake/Path: | 25.0°/3.3 in. |
| Wheelbase: | 47.2 in. |
| Floor Clearance: | 7.0 in. |
| Seat Peak: | 30.0 in. |
| Gas Capability: | 1.6 gal. |
| Claimed Moist Weight: | 224 lb. / 227 lb. (ABS) |
| Availability: | Now |
| Contact: | powersports.honda.com |
