Yes, that's me on that little red Honda Grom but No, I did not trade The Ninja in for a Honda Grom. Allow me to explain whats going on.
The Ninja is currently at Race Tech getting the suspension rebuilt. After having the amazing Dave Moss (from the Dave Moss Tuning channel) examine and tune The Ninja's suspension last month, he recommended I get softer springs for the forks. He noticed that it took more effort to compress the front of the bike and that the most likely problem was that the springs were too firm. So I took the bike to Race Tech to get it looked at. Turns out the springs were not the issue; it was the forks themselves. The forks were creating too much friction and the metal was not sliding smoothly and effortlessly. Race Tech's solution was to anodize the aluminum so that the metal is smoother and this will create less friction and allow the forks to compress much easier.
The only problem was that the work would not be done in time for this Gymkhana event. Fortunately, my amazing boss, Lawrence, allowed me to borrow one of my motorcycle school's bikes for the event. I chose the Grom because it is easy to transport, it's the most fun bike you could ever ride and it's also perfect for Gymkhana. The way it delivers power and handles is a little too perfect, actually; It almost felt like I was cheating. This specific bike is really beat up and BONE-STOCK with old OEM tires and I was still able to effortlessly go through the course. I can only imagine how quick one of these things must be with proper modifications, parts and setup. There could be one of these things in my future because I enjoyed riding it THAT MUCH.
My fastest time at this event was 1:125
DISCLAIMER: Motorcycle riding is inherently dangerous. These videos were filmed in a controlled environment with riders who have years of riding and teaching experience. Lexco Moto Gymkhana and all related personnel are not to be held responsible for any injury resulting from attempting these techniques. Please wear safety gear, know your limits, know your motorcycle's limits, have fun, and always practice in a safe and controlled environment.