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The new Honda Motocompacto is a fun and affordable way to get from point A to point B. It’s a sort of e-bike that folds up quickly and easily. It can also be partly folded and walked. For example, if you were going to take it on a bus or train. It is light enough that most folks could lug it up a flight of stairs.
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Honda Motocompacto - How Does It Drive?
We drove the Honda Motocompacto at our annual New England Motor Press Association holiday shindig. Our friend Chris Naughton, from Honda’s PR group, brought a pair of the Motocompactos for attendees to try out. The bottom line is this thing is super fun to drive. It may look as if it would not handle well, but that is not the case. It handles great and it is very peppy.
The Motocompacto has a comfortable saddle of what looks to be faux leather. You sit on it, and there are footpegs. You steer it with handlebars, and there is a simple right-hand throttle. The brake is on the left, and it was very effective in our testing, giving one confidence to go around quickly. There are two speed settings. We used the lower setting (1). In this setting, you nudge the Motocompacto forward to get it moving, and then the throttle will let you accelerate. This is intentional so that you can move it around without the throttle accidentally pulling it away from you. In setting 2, the Motocompacto will accelerate briskly as soon as the throttle is touched.
Our test was over a smooth garage floor that was cracked here and there. The Motocompacto’s relatively small hard wheels love this surface. It seemed as if it was not ideal for grass, gravel, or cobblestones. This is not a winter-weather vehicle.
Our takeaway from a long test ride was that the Motoompactoc is fun, responsive, and feels well-built. Chris demonstrated how it folds up into suitcase mode and also showed us how it can be walked.
If you are thinking top speed, it’s around 15 MPH. As the owner of an e-bike I can tell you that I spend about 90% if my time below that speed on city streets and rail trails. It does not feel slow.
Motocompacto - How and Where Would One Use It?
The Motocompacto would be perfect in any urban area that has bike lanes, rail trails, and carriage paths. Anywhere you can find a strip of paved bike-friendly pavement. It also struck me as ideal for a college campus. It would be a fun thing to take out for a ride just for fun. The real allure seems to be for commuters who live close enough that they can bike or walk but would prefer another option. There are more and more foldable e-bikes servicing commuters, and the Motocompacto would be a great commuter vehicle. My opinion is that the Motocompacto would work best in fair weather. I cannot see a person slogging though slushy salted roadways on it, just as e-bikes are not right for that task.
Motocompacto Smart Features
The Motocompacto has a tiny but effective kickstand, so you need not fold it up all the time. It also has a steel security loop, which will allow an owner to secure it to a post or bike rack. We feel this would be wise where theft and vandalism are unlikely. A helmet can also be securely attached to the Motocompacto.
We were impressed by the Motocompacto’s super-bright front headlight and rear red safety light. The handgrips also felt of very high quality in our hands. As with all Hondas, the ergonomics and touch points are superb.
Motompacto Range and Charging
The Motocompacto has a charging cord that can be stowed inside of its body. The range when fully charged is roughly 12 miles. That would be perfect for commuters who take a train or bus to work and live within a mile or two of the stop. The term for this is “Last mile solution.” Expect to hear that term more as cities become less and less car-centric.
Price and Place of Purchase For Motocompacto
Honda makes fun, reliable, and affordable transportation, and the Motocompacto fits right in with that mission. Its MSRP is $995. The price seems just right to this entry-level e-bike owner. The Motocompacto went on sale on November first. Early adopters have already gotten theirs, and deliveries are ongoing. Contact your local Honda or Acura dealer for availability.
Images by John Goreham.
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.
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