Steady Garage Takes on the Honda Motocompacto
If it’s small and it comes from Honda, you can bet your bottom dollar that Steady Garage will be all over it. The Californian outfit, renowned for their wild Honda Ruckus and Grom customs, stocks an extensive array of scooter and mini-moto parts. So, it’s no surprise that the first custom Honda Motocompacto we’ve seen comes from the Steady crew.
The Honda Motocompacto Reimagined
Recently released by Honda, the Motocompacto is an all-electric reissue of the adorable, legendary, and short-lived Honda Motocompo. Originally produced between 1981 and 1983 and sold only in Japan, the Motocompo was a 50 cc moped designed to fold up and fit inside a car trunk. It was intended as a ‘last mile’ solution for commuters, but it never caught on. The new Motocompacto brings this concept into the modern age with an electric drivetrain that offers a top speed of 24 km/h (15 mph) and a maximum range of 19 kilometers (12 miles). Early reviews are positive, and the battery-powered moped is reportedly selling like hotcakes.
Steady Garage’s Custom Touches
The Honda Motocompacto’s small, appliance-like build perfectly suits its intended usage, but that didn’t stop Steady Garage from tinkering with it. “Everyone here at the shop loves to play and tinker with new toys, especially ones from Honda,” says Steady co-founder Kevin Dunn. “Since it has two wheels, is small, and looks cool out of the box, we knew we had to build a few of these and design some parts together with Chimera Engineering [Steady’s go-to parts fabricator].”
The Moto Distracto Transformation
Steady Garage dubbed their custom Motocompacto ‘Moto Distracto’ because the project captivated the technical team, distracting them from their daily tasks. The team had numerous ideas for the Motocompacto, but at the top of their list was fitting a fat rear tire. Big rear wheels are a central piece of Steady’s history, dating back to their work with the Honda Ruckus. “Back in 2007, having a fat rear wheel on the Ruckus was unheard of in America. We saw that Tokyo Parts were doing them in Japan, but no one in the States had successfully completed one at the time,” Kevin explains.
Engineering Challenges and Solutions
The Steady team and Chimera Engineering collaborated to design and machine a robust new swingarm to accommodate the wide rear wheel, which comes from a racing go-kart and is made of magnesium. Chimera also machined a new rear hub to match the kart wheel to the custom swingarm, integrating a cable-actuated disc brake for enhanced stopping power compared to the OEM drum brake.
Custom Features and Future Plans
Another standout modification is the Motocompacto’s new side panels, made from scratch by Chimera. Modeled after the MOLLE webbing systems used by the military, they provide a versatile way to carry extra items on your commute. Steady also replaced the Motocompacto’s headlight with an ultra-bright LED unit from Baja Designs, encased in a custom-made nacelle. Finishing touches include leather trim on the grips and seat, CNC-machined bar ends, and a motorsports-inspired graphics kit. Kevin assures us that this is only the beginning of the Moto Distracto’s transformation. Steady Garage has a busy summer ahead with various events and activities, but the next phase of the project is already planned for when the dust settles.
Stay tuned to see how the Moto Distracto evolves as Steady Garage continues to innovate and push the boundaries of custom mini-motos.
