Ridden: Honda’s Motocompacto delivers function and fun

Walking up to a white suitcase sitting on the ground, it’s hard to imagine how it could possibly open up to become a rideable scooter. The concept makes sense, as the idea of a compact, easily carried means of last-mile transport is not new. In fact, Honda is best known for this particular type of vehicle, and as its vintage Motocompo models gain value thanks to their novelty and fun factor, the Japanese firm has revived the idea for the 21 century. The result is better than ever but comes with a few hard caveats.

The notion of a packable scooter is slightly comical in America, a country so focused on cars and communities that prioritize parking over other uses of space, but the idea is common in other parts of the world. This is the lens required to see the suitcase-sized, 41-pound Motocompacto as a useful thing you might actually need. It is so purely utilitarian, which is rare today, and it is also weird. Before we can really talk about that, lets address what the heck this thing is.

It’s not a scooter, a moped, or a motorcycle. It has no pedals, so the class system of E-bikes does not really apply. The Motocompacto has a throttle and brake both mounted on the handlebars, each controlling one of the small wheels hidden behind slick fenders. The throttle is a thumb switch moved vertically with your right hand that adjusts the power output from the wheel motor mounted up front. The brake is a simple lever-actuated drum brake tucked inside the rear wheel; said wheel slides out for riding and slips in for more compact storage. Honda calls the Motocompacto a first- or last-mile mobility solution. That makes it tough to put into context, so let’s instead look at the three ways nearly everyone thinks of cars: for their fun, for their usefulness, and for their value.

Fun

Plain and simple, the Motocompacto is quite fun to ride. The position of the controls and seat make it fit well, despite the narrow handlebars and super-short wheelbase (38″ long, ready to ride) that make the first few turns an adjustment period for most people.

Pressing the single button on the handlebars makes the bike “live” and ready to ride. It boots in the first of two rider modes, which needs a “kick start” that has nothing to do with the common use of the term. Instead it requires the rider to essentially push-start the bike with just one easy shove off until the speed sensor sees the scooter is moving. Then the throttle becomes functional, with a capped top speed of 12 mph. This prevents someone from accidentally taking off with a slip of their thumb on the throttle button. A double click of that single dash button switches to the second riding mode, which does not require the kick start and moves the top speed to 15 mph. Throttle take-up is quick, but acceleration is hardly mind bending, and it tapers off a bit as it pulls to the 4-minute-mile pace that is its top speed.

Usefulness

Riding the Motocompacto is fun, but it is a feeling that wears off quickly. In a small cone course setup by Honda I got the same feeling as when I would play around in a parking lot during the years I was a bicycle commuter. I rode about three miles per day, every day I wanted to go anywhere. Riding a bicycle was still fun, but it was also a task and one that made for at least semi-boring equipment. Utility drives decisions for long-wearing tires, durable grips, and heavy wheels. It all trades a little bit of playfulness for function. The Motocompacto is no different.

The design is sharply focused around mobility and that concept of first- and last-mile transportation. This means that the 250-watt motor is in the front wheel, and the only brake is on the rear wheel. The compact and lightweight nature necessitates a small battery that gives just 12 miles of range, but the bike’s overall design was massaged enough so that the cavity that holds the seat and handlebars when the Motocompacto is folded up also works as a convenient carrying space for a small bag, a laptop, or a slim water bottle.

The Motocompacto is designed to be part of your commute, not the whole thing. This is absurd for most of us to comprehend as evidenced by the number of comments that popped up right after they read the range was just 12 miles. That doesn’t sound like a lot, and it’s not, but the Motocompacto is meant to solve the lack of parking near your office, or to replace the clunky bicycle you ride to your bus stop every morning. It’s not meant to replace a car, but to supplement it in the right situation. It works great at that.

Value

The hard one. First, the price tag for the Motocompacto is $995, and you can order online or through your local Honda or Acura dealer. You cannot, however, get them through a Honda Powersports dealer. At under a thousand dollars and easily stored, it is hot hard to find uses for a scooter like this. A sports game where parking far is away; a campground runabout; a college campus crosser. As a person who drives sizable trucks with and without trailers on a regular basis, I immediately was overjoyed at the idea of having an easily packable option that allowed me to park the truck and trailer, sign off on my logbook, and then roll down the street a mile or two for dinner. Does that instance happen often enough to justify spending a grand? Over a few years, probably.

I can also see cruising a race paddock in the cool evening hours after the track goes cold, with a few drinks in the center cavity, which has drains and functions as a small cooler. That said, practically speaking, the real function of a paddock scooter is lost due to the nature of the Motocompacto’s throttle and brake; it can’t be ridden with one hand only, which makes it near impossible to use it as a hand transport for a freshly mounted tire and wheel or full fuel jug. Yeah, I’ve seen all kinds of rigged-up carriers and stuff, but the single rear drum brake on this thing has me nervous that the 265-pound weight limit isn’t so much about power or lack of suspension, but more about stopping effectively.

Of course, everyone has to decide value on thier own, and I am a man who has honed to a razor-sharp edge the ability to talk myself into buying something. I certainly don’t need a Motocompacto—few people do–but I also see how this is a goofy little idea that actually works for some specific scenarios. Embrace that usage and the value will come.

Pros: Easy to carry when folded; literal blank slate for a race livery or stickerbomb; simple to use and ride

Cons: Folding/unfolding can be clunky; no security; over-designed parts limit simple customization (grips, seat, pegs)