Look to the Grom and you'll see despite the ethos that Americans are supposed to think bigger is better, people are still buying them.
There is a huge segment of the American market that buys scooters. Offer them something that is nostalgic, has Honda reliability, and also offers the benefit of selectable gears without the hassle of a clutch (controls laid out like the scooters they are used to) and it's a win.
And if you;ve never slammed through gears on a Honda Semi-auto you won't really comprehend why it's so much fun.