Known as the MSX125 in other parts of the world, the Grom is a small bike with a 125-cc engine. Compact, easy to ride, and super fun, this fellow is much to the liking of Chaz Senato, the founder of Riderzblok.
The San Diego-based shop can modify the Grom like there’s no tomorrow, and Senato’s Grom is one of the craziest builds out there. The engine, for example, is a CBR300R with an 84-millimeter big bore kit, oversized valves and dual valve springs, titanium retainers, and performance cams. The list of mods further includes a side-mounted intake manifold, the Ohlins rear damper, custom wheels, and slick rubber. Originally dyno’d at 7 horsepower, the one-of-one bike in the following clip now makes 40 ponies.
On the other lane of the runway, a sorry-looking Bronco waits patiently to start up its 521 stroker based on the venerable 460 block. A leviathan of a powerplant, the 8.5-liter engine is further improved by Trick Flow cylinder heads, a roller camshaft, Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection, flipped headers, an exhaust pipe that exits behind the front passenger’s tire, and a 150-horsepower shot of nitrous. Make no mistake; this thing rips!
A no-nonsense fuel cell and a couple of 340 LPH fuel pumps also need to be mentioned, along with front and rear lockers and a lift kit. The question is, can Goliath prove itself against David in a straight-line showdown?
The peeps at Hoonigan are much obliged to answer that question with a series of three races. Round one is a 500-foot race that sees the Grom accelerate better off the line, but alas, the Carmageddon-styled Bronco wins. The second run is a repeat of the first as far as the conclusion is concerned, which is why the Grom received a car’s length advantage at the start of the final race. Obviously, the bike got revenge on this occasion.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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