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Trunk Bike: 1983 Honda Motocompo

As you know, we at BarnFinds appreciate the weird aspects of the vehicle world. This tiny two-stroke Japanese motorcycle fits that category, and it’s for sale here on eBay out of Centreville, Virginia. Join us as we take a closer look!

 

The Honda Motocompo was designed and sold in Japan from 1981 to 1983 as an accessory option for the Japan-spec City and Today compact car models. Honda designed the cargo compartment of the cars specifically to be able to fit these in there. About 53,000 Motocompo were made, however neither those cars nor this cycle were ever offered in the States. It’s likely that more of these bikes have survived than any of the passenger cars.

Motocompo were fully street legal with all required lights, including turn signals, and are powered by a 49cc two-stroke air-cooled gasoline engine, putting out 2.5 horsepower and weighing just under 100 pounds. They’re single-speed and kick-start, and they have a speedometer with low-oil-warning light! They fold down, too, and measure 46″ long by 21″tall by 9″ wide when closed. The idea was that you’d drive the car to a convenient parking place on the edge of the population center, then ride the Motocompo around to your destination. Rather than have to park a car in Japan’s notoriously compact urban thoroughfares, you just rode this up to the front door and either carried it inside with you, or lock it to a street sign with the built-in cable lock. The two handlebars, and the seat, unlock and fold into the body.

This particular example looks to be in excellent condition. We’re not given many pictures, but the seller tells us that it only has a few scratches and that it’s in perfect working order.

I personally really want one of these, and there’s a good chance that by the time this article gets published, this one will already be gone. In recent years, there has been a huge surge in popularity of and desire for this kind of niche-market transportation device, driven largely by the younger crowd who either cannot afford traditional vintage vehicles or don’t want to have the same thing as everyone else. I didn’t know they existed until I saw one featured on YouTube in this video from the Mighty Car Mods guys out of Sydney, Australia. To quote Marty from that channel: “…there’s only one thing that I love more than something that has wheels, and that’s something with wheels that goes into another thing with wheels, because motorbike into car is like the best thing, I reckon.” So, what do YOU think? Do you agree with Marty? Let me know in the comments!

Comments

  1. Avatar dirtyharry

    Interesting yes, like so many other failed experiments. If my only choice is 50cc or my feet, I am staying with my feet. For all you Gen-X and climate people, you can’t really ride this, because a two-stroke motor isn’t clean burning and you should look for the hydrogen or electric version.

    Like 3
    • Avatar grant

      You know that the Gen X’ers are in our 40’s now, right?

      Like 4
  2. Avatar AirBoss

    The perfect race pit bike!

    Like 2
  3. Avatar glen

    Wow, that’s ugly.

    Like 1
  4. Avatar 433jeff

    As far as the climate people its too late, Its human nature,platic bags, talking on cell phones in a car, small batteries, freon. Anyway hats off for this rig, a suitcase mode of transportation! We can build anything , although you may need to use your feet also, i can see myself wide open on a hill, helping to get my fat ass up

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Roy L

    I also want one.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Del

    I went out and asked my Caprice Classic Landau if it wanted this for its Trunk.

    The reply was a firm NO.

    Like 8
  7. Avatar Wayne

    AirBoss, that was my first thought also. It will fit right behind the race car in the trailer.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Andy

    I saw this decades ago in a road test of the Honda City, and I thought it was pretty cool, but later I saw the Welbike/Corgi/Indian Papoose and the Italjet Pack 2, basically the same idea, but one originating in World War II and the Italjet (you can see it in the Museum of Modern Art) popping up in the ’70s. I still think they’re cool, but they’d be a lot cooler with at least four speeds.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar PRA4SNW

    Sold for $4,500.

    Hard to believe that it’s worth that much, considering they made 53,000 of them.

    Like 1

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