We love Honda Groms and we love sidecars, so this brilliant little rig from Industrial Moto is a double-shot of perfection for us.
It was built as a present for a disabled lad, and comes from Tyler Haynes of Industrial Moto in Virginia, USA. Tyler is an accomplished custom bike builder, but he has history in the sidecar world too.
A few weeks ago, Tyler hit the headlines with his Project GUS (‘Grom Utility Sidecar’), a very clever $1,600 bolt-on kit with adjustable independent suspension.
“After GUS was released, a motovlogger called iamsouless contacted me,” Tyler reveals. “His real name is Chris, and he rides a Grom. He wanted to know if we could build a sidecar for his little brother Nick, who has Angelman Syndrome, so Nick could experience the joy of riding.”
Angelman Syndrome is a nervous system disorder that prevents normal activity and movement, and Chris takes care of Nick full time. So Tyler, being a good sort, decided to do the Grom build ‘at cost’—as well as covering the vehicle shipping costs.
Chris’s YouTube followers got wind of this, and started a GoFundMe campaign that met the build cost in just three days. Win.
Although there’s a wait list for Industrial Moto’s cargo-carrying Grom sidecar, Tyler got to work. He adapted the cart design to accommodate an auto-racing seat, complete with five-point harness.
Plus custom paneling in orange to match the brand colors of Chris’ YouTube channel.
“We designed the cart to accommodate Nick safely, because of his syndrome,” says Tyler. Underneath, there’s independent suspension with a shock to cushion Nick’s weight (the spring is color coded orange too).
There’s also a safety bar next to the sidecar wheel, and an adjustable grab bar in front of the seat—like you’d find on an old-school fairground ride.
The quality of the workmanship is impressive: “It’s crazy good welding,” enthuses Chris. And the deep, lustrous powder coat on the sidecar frame is top-notch too.
Tyler added a few custom stickers and then new rubber to finish off the Grom: orange-and-black Scott grips, and a fresh set of chunky Kenda K761 dual sport tires.
Chris was stunned by result, and so was his little brother Nick—even though getting the lad into the sidecar is a laborious and time-consuming business. Chris also has to tie Nick’s hands to the grab bar, to prevent them going anywhere they shouldn’t.
But the process is worth it. Just check the priceless video below.
Industrial Moto | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Mark Long