Nowadays, you can hop on a Bird or a Lime for your “last mile” transport needs. But Honda had a different idea for Japan in the early 80s. At the time, the company was selling a subcompact car called the City. But in a densely-packed city like Tokyo, it was difficult for even the drivers of tiny cars to find parking near their desired destination. Honda’s solution was the Motocompo, a scooter that was designed to fold up so that you could store it in the City’s trunk. Ride into town, park your car, and then get your scooter out for mobility among the masses!
Paul d’Orleans (of The Vintagent fame) has saved a old City ad that briefly features the adorable Motocompo:
The motor is a 49cc 2-stroke that was good for a blistering top speed of about 19 miles per hour (30 km/h). The slow speed just makes it easier for everyone to check you out. Wet weight is a pound short of 100, and the handlebars/seat would fold up almost flush with the bodywork for easier storage in the City’s trunk.
As the ‘compo was only offered for three years and only in Japan, they’re hard to find in the homeland, let alone here in the USA. 53,369 were built between 1981 and 1983. Riding one is an odd experience, but if you crave attention it’ll be hard to beat this.
Ride on a loud sportbike and you’ll get some nods from people in the know – you’ll also get plenty of disapproving stares from people who can’t appreciate that sound of internal combustion. But ride a Motocompo, and everyone will love you.
This example is VIN: AB121027500.
There is no odometer, true mileage is unknown.
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us replace the carburetor float valve and the battery. We also gave the bike a detail.
Alex did the work, he notes the following in his condition report:
Tire Year Front/ Rear: 1996/1996
Tire % Front/ Rear: 100/100
Brake % Front/ Rear :50+/50+
Oil: Ok
Low Beam: Ok
High Beam: Ok
Turn: Ok
Tail Light: Ok
Brake Light: Ok
Plate Light: Ok
Kill: Ok
Horn: Ok
Battery: Ok
Modifications: Please note: The bike arrived with a repainted side panel; the reds are not an exact match.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Dunlop K338 tires with date codes of 1196.
The sale includes one key.
Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Honda is offered on a Bill of Sale only. Have any Motocompo stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
Additional Information
Location
Santa Monica, California
Year
1983
Make
Honda
Model
Motocompo
Mileage
True Mileage Unknown
VIN
AB121027500
Title
Bill of Sale Only
Title State/Country
N/A
Private Party/Dealership
Private Party
Additional Charges
No
Total Bids Placed: 22
Auction has ended.
Highest bidder was: h****n
Bidder Name
Bidding Time
Bid
Auto
h****n
January 25, 2023 11:59 am PST
$3,900
d********5
January 25, 2023 11:59 am PST
$3,800
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
h****n
January 25, 2023 11:59 am PST
$3,750
d********5
January 25, 2023 11:58 am PST
$3,600
h****n
January 25, 2023 9:50 am PST
$3,500
Reserve
d********5
January 25, 2023 9:50 am PST
$3,200
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
d********5
January 25, 2023 9:44 am PST
$3,100
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
b********9
January 25, 2023 9:44 am PST
$3,000
d********5
January 25, 2023 9:25 am PST
$2,900
b********9
January 25, 2023 8:37 am PST
$2,800
m***********n
January 25, 2023 8:37 am PST
$2,750
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
m***********n
January 23, 2023 11:34 pm PST
$2,600
d********5
January 23, 2023 11:34 pm PST
$2,500
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
d********5
January 18, 2023 7:54 pm PST
$2,355
m***********n
January 18, 2023 7:54 pm PST
$2,255
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
m***********n
January 18, 2023 7:54 pm PST
$1,700
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
d********5
January 18, 2023 7:54 pm PST
$1,600
m***********n
January 18, 2023 6:06 pm PST
$1,100
d********5
January 18, 2023 6:06 pm PST
$1,000
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
d********5
January 18, 2023 10:26 am PST
$600
Auto This was automatically placed for a bidder with a higher proxy.
Continental US: Iconic has several private shipping partners that criss-cross the country for us. Please email transport@iconicmotorbikes.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this page to request a quote.
California/Nevada/Arizona We are located in Santa Monica, California 90405. On a case-by-case basis, we can transport motorcycles in our van. Please email transport@iconicmotorbikes.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this page to request a quote.
$2,000 for Los Angeles, CA to Canada is a ROUGH ballpark, please contact TFX for an exact quote including shipping and customs.
Europe and Asia: Please inquire though transport@iconicmotorbikes.com and we would love to put together a custom quote for you with our trusted transport / shipping partners.
