We’ve seen a few of these unusual Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Honda Motocompo folding motorcycles here on Barn Finds over the last few years. Maybe not as many as Corvettes, Mustangs, or other muscle cars, but those seem to be able to be repeated without too many negative comments for some reason. The seller has this 1983 Honda listed here on eBay in Bell, California and they’re asking $6,590 or you can make an offer.
The NCZ50 Motocompo wasn’t just a new small motorcycle for the Japanese market, it was an accessory for the new 1981 Honda City, a small car that was designed to hold the Motocompo. The idea was that commuters could drive the Honda City to the outskirts of a big Japanese city, lift out the 90-pound Motocompo, unfold the handlebars, foot pegs, and seat, and then ride it into the city to save money on parking. There is a tiny, thin cable that pulls out of the left front of the black strip along the side and can be used to lock this beast around a tree, sign, or other immovable object. While it was probably adequate anti-theft protection in 1980s Japan, it probably wouldn’t last 17 minutes in any big city here in the U.S.
Honda beancounters assumed that there would be 10,000 of these bikes sold per month (!), but between 1981 and 1983, just under 54,300 of them were sold and the dream was over. If you can find one for a reasonable price now, buy it. I know, it isn’t a manly V-twin, but for folks who could care less what anyone else thinks about their rides (me), they are fun to ride, at around 15-20 mph. Guess which bike will have a crowd around it at a cars & coffee event, a Motocompo or a black Harley? These things came in white, yellow, and red, that’s it. Honda just came out with a somewhat similar EV version, the Motocompacto. With a top speed of just under 19 mph, the two-stroke Motocompo would come out ahead of the Motocompacto EV with its 15 mph top speed. Neither is ideal for commuting in U.S. traffic, but they were never meant for that, of course.
The red knobs are for folding the handlebars down into the body of this thing. You turn those dials counterclockwise, as you’d imagine, and the handlebars fold down onto each side of the body cladding. Every few months, I put a few drops of lube on the speedometer cable so it doesn’t sound like a hornet’s nest in there. These things are kick-start only, that yellow button on the left side is a single-note horn. The switch above that is the headlight on/off switch, there is no low/high beam, just on or off. Below the horn button is a turn signal switch.
The engine is tucked down between the body panels. It doesn’t take more than five minutes to take the sides off, so it would have been nice to see it. It’s Honda’s AB12E, a 49-cc two-stroke single and this one runs great. The automatic clutch gives it a twist-and-go experience. That’s the oil tank at the bottom of the pic above, and the gas filler cap is the silver one in the middle, with the ignition switch at the top and a yellow choke lever to the left of that. With just 2.5 horsepower and 2.75 lb-ft of torque, 300-pound riders may have a bit of trouble, but unless you were a sumo wrestler, there weren’t many folks that big in Japan in the early 1980s. Despite being tiny and slow, they really are fun to ride, just not on city streets. Have any of you tried a Motocompo on for size?
What an interesting and fun find, and an informative write-up! It’s refreshing to see something with 2.5 horsepower featured now and then, some pretty expensive HP if you divide the cost by the power, but I’d love to have one of these unusual miniatures sitting in a corner of my garage!
Thanks, Mike! The bad part of having one sitting at a vintage motorcycle show or cars & coffee-type event is that you can literally lift it up and run off with it.
Imagine this being used on Sons of Anarchy
Ha, just one time for both bike and rider.
Ride On 🏍 Gilbertson 🏁
I debated adding a pic of me riding mine but there are usually enough clown comments on small bikes, even without clown-looking people riding them.
This is why I visit BF daily. I’m not into scooters so that could explain my amazement but I’ve never seen one of these before. What a oddly cool machine. It’d definitely make an interesting conversation piece.
Thanks, Mike76! I agree, give me something unusual every time.
Yea, it’s neat! I love the Japanese stuff that shows up on Barn Find’s! 👍🏻🙂
alright guys, no LS1 suggestions
“… drop a CBX in it…”
Miles not listed? Not that hard to find these, and asking too much.
There’s no odometer, Howie, so no listing of the miles/kilometers it’s traveled. I agree on the price, although some have sold for $10,000 or more. I got my red Motocompo about seven years ago for $3,500 + $500 in shipping from San Diego. It’ll never be worth less than that, but $7k may be pushing it these days.
Thanks Scotty, can you post a photo of your red one?
Howie, here it is in front of an even oddball’ier thing, a rare first-year 1973 Auranthetic Charger EV minibike.
Thanks, way better in re-sale red!!
Honda reproducing new ones now. they send me email notifications @ $999.00 but I think is electric.
Yes, sir, I mentioned that in the third paragraph. I’m almost forced to buy one of those, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
where’s the “drop a hyabusta in” comments?
“…an accessory for the new 1981 Honda City, a small car that was designed to hold the Motocompo. …”
I’d rather the car. It’s (this POJ) supposed to B in there (in back). Only reason to buy? if U were going for the car later. Way over priced (in my mind) for what it is (comfort, performance, pollution, etc).
But…
I got all 3 tops, 2 kindza seats (bench/buckets), a PTO, etc, etc for my ‘60s Bronco.
Gotta love Honda!!
eBay update: the seller “lowered” their asking price to $5,800!