Mod Dam 1199 R: Honda Grom / MSX125 with Ducati 1199 Engine
In 2016, Thai motorcycle builder and designer Mario Kleff created the Mod Dam 1199 R, a one-off motorcycle that transformed the compact Honda MSX125/Grom into a machine powered by a 1,198 cc Ducati 1199 Panigale-derived 90-degree L-twin. Reported output was approximately 202 hp, more than twenty times the power of the original Honda MSX125’s roughly 9 hp engine.
The Mod Dam 1199 R is widely documented as the earliest known Honda MSX125/Grom fitted with a Ducati 1199 Panigale R engine, with contemporary coverage dating to February 2016.
From Honda MSX125 to Ducati 1199: The Mod Dam Story
The Mod Dam 1199 R is one of the most unusual custom motorcycles to emerge from Thailand’s modern custom-bike scene. Built by Mario Kleff, the project began with the compact Honda MSX125/Grom platform and replaced its small single-cylinder engine with a Ducati 1199 Panigale R-derived 1,198 cc desmodromic L-twin.
The conversion required much more than an engine transplant. Kleff developed a custom trellis structure, adapted the suspension and braking systems, moved the radiator beneath the seat and fabricated a new exhaust system. Published accounts put output at roughly 202–205 hp—an extraordinary figure for a motorcycle derived from a 125-class mini-bike.
— Mario Kleff
The motorcycle is also known online as the Honda MSX 1199 or Honda Grom 1199. These names should not be mistaken for official Honda model designations; they describe the custom Ducati-powered MSX/Grom.
The project’s first life was short. Reports state that a fuel-line failure caused the motorcycle to catch fire and become a total loss after early testing. Even so, the Mod Dam remains a notable example of extreme motorcycle packaging, structural engineering and custom fabrication by Mario Kleff.
Honda Grom / MSX125 Background
Honda introduced the Grom in 2013; the model is known as the MSX125 in several markets. The Mod Dam project is notable because it retained the compact visual language and packaging concept of this 125-class mini-bike while replacing its small single-cylinder powertrain with a superbike engine. Contemporary sources describe the stock Grom/MSX125 at approximately 9 hp and around 102 kg before the conversion.
Mod Dam 1199 R – Reported Technical Specification
| Builder | Mario Kleff |
|---|---|
| Production / Build Year | 2016 |
| Base Platform | Honda MSX125 / Honda Grom |
| Engine | Ducati 1199 Panigale R-derived liquid-cooled 90° L-twin |
| Displacement | 1,198 cc |
| Valve Train | Desmodromic, 4 valves per cylinder |
| Bore × Stroke | 112 × 60.8 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 12.5:1 |
| Reported Power | 151 kW / 202 hp at 10,700 rpm (HandWiki); contemporary media also reported approximately 205 hp. |
| Reported Torque | 140 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed constant-mesh sequential manual |
| Frame | Custom titanium trellis structure; contemporary coverage reports the engine being used as a stressed structural member. |
| Front Suspension | Custom 30 mm inverted fork |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock with preload and rebound adjustment |
| Front Brakes | Brembo radial monobloc calipers; 2 × 220 mm discs |
| Rear Brake | 190 mm disc; ABS reported |
| Tyres | 120/70-12 front; 130/70-12 rear |
| Wheelbase | 1,230 mm |
| Seat Height | 775 mm |
| Fuel Capacity | 4.5 L |
| Reported Wet Weight | Builder reported 137 kg. Weight should therefore be treated as source-dependent rather than a settled specification. |
| Top Speed | 320 km/h / 200 mph reported. Not independently verified. |
Engineering & Modifications Honda MSX 125 / Grom 1199 R
The Mod Dam 1199 R required extensive engineering to accommodate the Ducati superbike powerplant within the compact Honda MSX125/Grom platform. The result was far more than a conventional engine swap.
- Ducati Powerplant
The original Honda engine was removed and replaced by a Ducati 1199-based engine.
- Custom Trellis Structure
A purpose-built trellis structure was required because the stock Grom/MSX125 chassis could not simply accommodate the superbike powerplant. Contemporary reporting states that the engine was incorporated as a stressed structural member, following Ducati's design approach.
- Revised Cooling System
The radiator was relocated beneath the seat because of the limited available space. An oil cooler remained positioned at the front of the motorcycle.
- Custom Exhaust System
A completely custom exhaust and collector system was fabricated around the Ducati 90-degree L-twin engine.
- Upgraded Braking Hardware
The project retained very small 12-inch wheels while receiving substantially upgraded braking hardware, including Brembo radial monobloc calipers.
- One-Off Engineering Project
The Mod Dam 1199 R should be described as a heavily engineered, one-off custom motorcycle rather than a conventional engine-swap kit installation.
Performance Claims & Fact-Checking
Published figures vary. HandWiki gives 202 hp, 140 Nm, 173 kg wet and 320 km/h; Autoevolution reported approximately 205 hp, 137 kg and 320 km/h. Engine Swap Depot described the engine as a 202 hp 1,198 cc Ducati Panigale R unit. Because the motorcycle was destroyed before a complete performance validation, the 320 km/h figure should be presented on a webpage as a reported or claimed figure, not as a verified measured top speed.
Fire & Destruction Honda MSX 1199 R
Contemporary reports state that after successful initial test runs, a fuel-line leak/rupture caused the Mod Dam to catch fire and the motorcycle was destroyed. Autoevolution and Engine Swap Depot both report the incident. Contemporary reporting also said Kleff intended to obtain another MSX125 and another Panigale R for a further build. The sources reviewed here do not establish that a second completed Mod Dam 1199 R was subsequently finished.
Research Sources
The following sources were consulted for the technical specifications, history, engineering details, imagery and background of the Mod Dam 1199 R.
- HandWiki Engineering: Mod Dam 1199 R
- Autoevolution Ducati 1199 Panigale-Powered Honda Grom
- Engine Swap Depot Honda Grom with Ducati 1199 Panigale R Engine
- 6SpeedOnline Behold the Ducati-Powered Honda Bike
- Wikimedia Commons Mario Kleff
- Wikimedia Commons Mod Dam 1199 R in progress
- Motomagazin Honda MSX/Grom with Ducati Panigale reference
- Otorider Honda Grom with Ducati 1199 Panigale R
“He taught me that design and architecture were one and the same thing and that mathematical formulas were a very important part of being a designer.”
The Freedom to Stand Apart
Individuality is often celebrated as the freedom to develop one’s own style, ideas, and identity. But standing apart from the mainstream can also create friction, particularly when personal choices become visible to a wider audience. Individualism After the Age of Admiration? examines this tension through the world of radical custom motorcycles, exploring what happens when individual expression moves beyond admiration and becomes a subject of public evaluation and criticism.
Mod Dam 1199 R FAQ
What does the name Mod Dam refer to?
Mod Dam means Black Ant in Thai. The name reflects the motorcycle’s compact, distinctive appearance and became the name of Mario Kleff’s custom-built project.
Why did Mario Kleff build the Mod Dam 1199 R?
The Mod Dam 1199 R was created as an experimental custom motorcycle, combining a compact Honda platform with the engineering and performance of a Ducati superbike.
Why was the Mod Dam 1199 R built with the original Honda MSX 125 look?
Mario Kleff wanted to show Honda MSX and Ducati enthusiasts in Thailand that combining the two could be done, while keeping the familiar MSX 125 appearance.