Honda Motocompos Making a Comeback

Introduced in the ’80s as ‘Trunk Bikes,’ Honda’s Mini-Motorcycles are Becoming a Common Sight in Japan and Australia

Honda’s Motocompo is a diminutive two-wheeler that was built in the early 1980s with a 2.5 horsepower air-cooled two-stroke single. The bike was designed from the outset to fit entirely in the trunk of a Honda City subcompact. In fact, it was also marketed as the “Trunk Bike.” The premise was that you could drive your Honda City until you found a parking space and then you could take your suitcase-shaped bike out of the trunk and ride it to your destination.

It may seem impractical to carry a miniature motorcycle with you to the office, but the clever folks at Honda thought it through: A Motocompo weighs in at around 80 pounds. They are still seen in Japanese city centers being used as sub-subcompact travel on a regular basis. Honda initially planned to sell about 10,000 Motocompos per month, but demand was far lower: only about 3,000 per month. Between 1981 and 1983, Honda sold 53,369 Trunk Bikes.

Like almost everything in Japan, it generally migrates to the Australian market over time due to demand and proximity. Three of these Motocompos ended up in the hooligan hands of the fellas at Mighty Car Mods. Of course the very first thing they do with them is take them racing.

After watching the clip of their adventures, racing a Motocompo at a go-kart track has quickly risen to the top of our bucket list. This bike is the epitome of ’80s retro cool, and we have no doubts it’s chunky aesthetic would make it the coolest pit-bike around. It’s an entertaining video that is definitely worth watching. Check it out above!

[Source: MightyCarMods on YouTube]