Honda Motocompo

The Honda Motocompo is a folding scooter sold by Honda between 1981 and 1983 as a factory add-on only in Japan.[2] It was the smallest scooter ever produced by Honda and it folded into a rectangle for easy storage.

Honda NCZ 50 Motocompo
A Honda Motocompo in deployed (top) and stowed/folded (bottom) configurations.
ManufacturerHonda Motor Company
Also calledAB12, Trunk Bike
Production1981–1983
SuccessorHonda Motocompacto
EngineAB12E 49 cc (3.0 cu in), air-cooled, two-stroke, single[1]
Power2.5 hp @ 5,000 rpm[1]
Torque0.38 kg-m @ 4,500rpm[1]
Transmissionsingle-speed, automatic clutch
Tires2.50-8-4PR
DimensionsL: 1.185 m (46.7 in)[1]
W: 0.535 m (21.1 in)
H: 0.910 m (35.8 in)
Weight42 kg (93 lb)[1] (dry)
45 kg (99 lb) (wet)
Fuel capacity2.2 L (0.48 imp gal; 0.58 US gal)
Oil capacity1.0 L (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal)
Fuel consumption70.0 km/L @ 30km/h
Turning radius1.3 m

History

Released in Shetland White, Daisy Yellow and Caribbean Red variants, the Motocompo was introduced as a "trunk bike" (トランクバイク / トラバイ, toranku baiku / tora-bai) to fit inside subcompact cars like the Honda Today and the (then new) Honda City; it was inspired from the World War II-era British Welbike folding motorcycle.[1] The City's baggage compartment was specifically developed around the Motocompo, which was sold as a factory add-on and not sold separately.[3][4] The handlebars, seat, and foot-pegs fold into the scooter's rectangular plastic body to present a clean, box-shaped package of 1,185 mm × 240 mm × 540 mm (46.7 in × 9.4 in × 21.3 in). It is the smallest scooter ever built by Honda. The company's initial monthly sales projection for the domestic market was 8,000 City and 10,000 Motocompo.[5] The City surpassed its targets, but in all only 53,369 Motocompos were sold by the end of production in 1983 (no more than 3,000 per month).[6] The scooter was marketed in conjunction with the City in television ads featuring British ska/2-tone band Madness.[7]

Honda City and Motocompo display at Honda Collection Hall in Motegi

Although discontinued in 1983, Honda has revisited the idea since with several concept vehicles such as the 2001 e-Dax[8] and e-NSR,[9] and the 2011 Motor Compo electric scooter.[10]

On September 14, 2023, Honda announced the Motocompacto, an all-electric successor to the Motocompo, with a release date of November 2023 and an MSRP of $995 at Honda and Acura dealerships.[11]

In fiction

The Motocompo is used by Natsumi Tsujimoto in You're Under Arrest. It is tucked away at the back of her partner Miyuki Kobayakawa's Honda Today police car when not in use. It was released as a Bandai model kit.

A Motocompo is the inspiration for the character Sou in the Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World— anime and manga series.

See also

References
  1. "Motocompo (1981)". honda.co.jp (in Japanese). Honda Collection Hall, Honda. 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  2. "Years made". honda.co.jp (in Japanese). Honda. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  3. Kierstein, Alex (June 10, 2020). "The Honda City and Motocompo Are Supremely Tiny '80s Urban Besties". MotorTrend.
  4. Petroelje, Nathan (September 24, 2019). "The Honda Motocompo is (still) the coolest urban mobility scooter". Hagerty.
  5. "Initial sales projection". honda.co.jp (in Japanese). Honda. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  6. "Total sales". ne.jp. Yasu.Tanaka. Archived from the original on 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  7. CM Honda City (television) (in Japanese). Honda.
  8. "Honda City and Motocompo study in 2001: the Honda e-DAX". Banpei.net. 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  9. Cycle World Magazine. January 2002. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  10. "tokyo motor show honda motor compo foldable electric scooter". designboom magazine. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  11. Hawkins, Andrew J. (September 14, 2023). "Honda's Motocompacto scooter will satisfy your secret desire to ride an electric suitcase to work". The Verge.
  • Infobox specifications from these honda.co.jp pages on 2008-02-19:
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