Anyone who's spent time on a Honda Reddit page has probably seen at least one mention of the 1980s Motocompo scooter. Despite never being sold in the U.S., the Motocompo is a fan favorite among Honda and JDM enthusiasts, and to this day rows of them can be found proudly displayed at JDM car meets. Recently, Honda announced the spirtual successor to the Motocompo, the electric Motocompacto and we are among the first to ride it.
It would be wise not to think of the Motocompacto as a complete transportation replacement. If anything, it's a transportation supplement, at best. The Motocompacto's 6.8-Ah battery offers just 12 miles of range max with a top speed of 15 mph . This isn't bad considering its size, but we wouldn't recommend replacing your commuter car with it. Don't be surprised if in the future you see Honda offer the Motocompacto as an add-on option for its upcoming EVs like the Prologue.
In case you're wondering why Honda decided to go with a single front motor rather than dual motors, there is a good reason for it. "We wanted to make sure we had a mechanical brake," said Nick Ziraldo, Motocompacto Project Lead. "If we would have had a motor in front and in back the whole package would have gotten bigger," added Ziraldo.
In the end it's good that Honda kept the Motocompacto, well, compact. One of the most impressive features is its weight. At just 41.3 pounds the Honda Motocompacto is much easier to transport than a traditional moped that weighs anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds—and it's less than half the weight of the original Motocompo. It even has a handle so that it can be carried like a briefcase when it's collapsed. At $995 its price is relatively low compared to something like a Super73 e-bike or an electric scooter from MiniMotors.
Since the Motocompacto will be sold at Honda dealerships, we asked Honda if there will be finance options and were told that will be up to the individual dealer. When purchasing a Motocompacto, buyers can choose to pick it up at the dealership or have it shipped to their home. There's also a line of Motocompacto-themed accessories like helmets and apparel coming as well, but sadly none of those items were available for us to check out during our ride.
You may have also noticed that the Motocompacto's simple shape and white plastic literally make it a blank canvas for customization. Ziraldo mentioned that element of the Motocompacto was inspired by seeing how people personalize their laptops by putting stickers all over them. Honda expects Motocompacto users to do the same. We asked if there will be any official wraps or skins available from Honda when the Motocompacto launches. "Not at launch," said Motocompacto Marketing Lead Ryo Yamada. He suggested that Honda will take a wait-and-see approach to gauge demand for factory skins.
We arrived at Honda's Torrance HQ on a warm California morning. The clouds were just starting to part and a Long Beach Blue Pearl NSX was glistening just a few spots away from us in the parking lot—a good omen. After taking a stroll through the newly opened American Honda Collection Hall and a presentation, we stepped outside and were greeted by several Honda Motocompacto e-scooters adorably lined up in a row.
The plan was a lead-follow ride across Honda's campus to a designated area with a cone course set up for a "lapping" session. We weren't given a lengthy operating tutorial other than how to switch between the two driving modes. Mode 1 limits speed to 10 mph while Mode 2 unlocks the Motocompacto's 15 mph top speed. Beyond that, every aspect of riding the Motocompacto is intuitive. There's a thumb operated throttle on the right side of the handle bars which sends power to the front wheel, and a lever on the left handle for the rear brake.
A small LCD screen in the middle of the handle bars tells you how much battery capacity is left, how fast you're going, what mode you're in, and if the headlight is on or off. That's it. Just like its white color and clean shape, the Honda Motocompacto manages to be minimalist without also being pretentious. It's not trying to be anything it isn't; instead, it's just an intuitive, no-fuss, breezy mode of transportation.
The rear wheel, handlebars, and seat all pop out and install in seconds. Once deployed, the space left behind—which Honda internally calls the "bathtub"—serves as a storage area for a laptop, the Motocompacto's charger, a lock, or other items. It's too narrow to stuff a backpack in there, but a small purse or cross-body bag may fit.
To keep things safe, there are sensors in the main folding mechanisms that make sure no power can go to the motor until the handle bars, seat, and wheels are fully deployed so there aren't any accidents while folding or unfolding it. Additionally, whenever the Motocompacto is turned on it defaults to the slower Mode 1. In Mode 1 no power is sent to the motor from the battery until the rider kicks off with their feet. This is to prevent unintentional acceleration should the rider accidentally hit the throttle button while the Motocompacto isn't moving.
Pressing the throttle doesn't induce the sudden jolt of torque that you may be familiar with in other e-bikes or e-scooters. Instead the Motocompacto propels itself predictably giving the rider plenty of time to get a handle on things and feel confident. Not once did we feel like the scooter was going to get away from us. The 0.49-kW motor is direct-drive, which means it is quiet, emitting only a low whir no louder than that of a common electric scooter.
Despite the wheels being small and narrow, the Motocompacto felt balanced at all times. It is easy to keep the Motocompacto headed in a straight line, and it's also easy to turn. Once we hit the asphalt around Honda's campus, however, the first flaw made itself known. The Motocompacto doesn't have much of a suspension to speak of, which means riding on uneven pavement causes the scooter to vibrate quite a bit. Also, its small seat isn't what we'd call comfortable. We wouldn't want to ride this thing through hectic and dense New York traffic for more than a few miles, tops. However, if you're in a dedicated bike lane that isn't torn to bits you may only need a quick stop half way through the Motocompacto's 12 miles of range to give your posterior a respite.
Once we got to the designated course area, the surface was much smoother, thus making the ride smoother and extremely enjoyable. The Motocompacto doesn't give you a chance to wonder if you look silly riding it because it's just that fun to ride. If the Motocompacto doesn't put a grin on your face after the first few moments then we'd recommend checking your pulse.
The most difficult part about riding the Motocompacto during the lapping sessions was stopping to make sure we got enough detail shots of it for this feature. Otherwise we would have kept going until the battery was dead and happily carried it back to Honda's HQ lobby ourselves. Mark our words, you're going to want a Motocompacto—and you're going to start seeing them everywhere.
| Price | $995 |
| Motor Type | Permanent magnet, direct drive |
| Peak Output | 0.49 kW |
| Torque | 11.8 lb.-ft. |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Max Speed | 15 mph |
| Battery Capacity | 6.8Ah |
| Charge Time | 3.5 hours (110v) |
| Range | Up to 12 miles |
| Wheelbase | 29.2 inches |
| Length (ready-to-ride / folded) | 38.1 inches / 29.2 inches |
| Height (ready-to-ride / folded) | 35.0 inches / 21.1 inches |
| Width (ready-to-ride / folded) | 17.2 inches / 3.7 inches |
| Seat Height | 24.5 inches |
| Weight | 41.3 lbs |
