Honda are producing an electric homage/update of their cult Motocompo scooter. Extra points to them if they go all in and make an EV version of the Honda City to go with it.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23872334/honda-motocompacto-electric-scooter-photo-specs-price
From the Spinneyworld blog-
It’s been a while since the last instalment of this build report. Mostly because I’ve been neglecting it.
Painting the tank took more masking than I’d ever done before. I’m happy with the lotus flowers that resulted, though I am showing you the side where a section of paint didn’t lift off with the tape and require bodging with a brush.
Also shown in the last photo are the Croc Jaw foot pegs. Future builds will likely use a higher proportion of Spinneyworld products, but this one only features the pegs and the Ape Hanger handlebars.
The bike started to go together, in short bursts. I didn’t get the engine in the right place, though, and that had a bunch of knock on effects. Such as problems lining up the chain. Which were compounded when I glued it to the side of the engine block.
The foot pegs look good, though.
After a certain amount of faff, the exhausts went on. The kit shares parts with another model, so there were actually two exhaust options available to me. I went with the non-standard ones, but had to do some bodging, filing and cutting to get them working. The left hand pipes are a mashup of the chrome ones intended for the kit, and the longer alternative ones I wanted to use. Check out the gallery for a longer explanation.
The handlebars have finally been ordered from the printer, and the bike should be finished soon after they arrive. Check back soon to see.
From the blog at the Spinneyworld shop.
This is the first build I’m going to be doing that will utilise Spinneyworld products. I’ve been so busy developing them, that I’ve neglected the workbench, and haven’t built as much as I’d like.
It’s also my first bike model, and, being me, I’m building it custom. Bosozoku are Japanese biker gangs (the most common translation I’ve seen of the name is “running tribe”), who have developed their own style of customising for cars and bikes. On bikes, it manifests as chopper style handlebars, exaggerated seat backs, and aero fairings lifted up so far they’re more likely to detract from the bike’s dynamics. Intricate paint jobs are common as well.
I’m going to be copying the seat and handlebars for this build, and trying out some new paints and techniques. The fairing may be beyond me, unless I get lucky on eBay. The handlebars will be designed by me for 3D printing (not started yet, need to get that done), and I’ll also be using some of the foot pegs I designed recently.
The model I’m working on is Aoshima’s 1978 Honda CB400T Hawk II, which I ordered from Hiroboy.
The first thing I did was glue the frame together, and the main parts of the engine block.
Whilst the frame went together nice and true. the connection pins for the lower half of the engine block were vague, and, no matter how I lined them up, there was a very obvious seam, which I later had to file down before fitting other components. The two carburettors were similarly tricky to align.
Boring black wouldn’t do, so the frame got a coat of gold paint. Wilko own brand rattle can, in fact.
The engine block, and the wheels, got a coat of Citadel Iron Hands Steel, and I learnt that my airbrush doesn’t work very well with a rotted seal on the air hose, on one of the most humid days of the year. Luckily, the paint’s just there to enhance the colour the plastic was supplied in. Those seams I mentioned were filed down, the chrome covers were attached, and the gaps between the fins were enhanced with a little Citadel Nuln Oil.
The next job is to get the chrome off the footpegs and their mountings. I’ve already tested oven cleaner on a bit of sprue.
Then the pegs will be replaced with these. The ‘Croc Jaw’ pegs, from my very own range.
I had a moment of inspiration whilst sorting through the mess on the workbench. I’ve bought a number of nail file sets from the pound shop, to use as cheap sanding sticks. They may turn out to be too coarse, but some of them are the exact shape I need to build the seat back. Even better, there are three different sizes of them. I cut out a plastic card back, then glued three of the sticks to it, using a combination of superglue and PVA. The next step is to use filler to build up a smoother cushioned shape, and then fit it onto the back of the kit seat.
The fuel tank is in the spray booth (which is a plastic crate on its side on top of the fridge, for the time being). I shall do a grand reveal of the paint scheme it’s getting in the next build report.
In Pickers, one of the characters gets a two wheel drive electric motorbike, that she puts to good use all the way through the story. It seems the US military, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is going one better, challenging manufacturers to come up with hybrid versions, with generators that can run on almost any liquid fuel to recharge the batteries.
If this sort of technology trickles down to the civilian market, I might start thinking about taking motorbike lessons.
The U.S. military has been talking about “stealth motorcycles” for years. As of this month, two tech outfits have what seem to be viable prototypes that will both be funded for another revision.
Source: The U.S. Military Is Getting Serious About ‘Stealth’ Motorcycles
Early in part one of Pickers, Maxine finds a two wheel drive electric motorcycle, and claims it as her own. I wrote it in knowing it was a possible vehicle, but not knowing whether any existed yet.
Well, it appears that Yamaha have developed a range of prototype electric bikes, including at least one which is two wheel drive. Their two wheel drive bike is built for the street, whilst their electric off-roader is only rear wheel drive. I’m sure that could be fixed, of course.
I spotted this across the road whilst wandering around town, and just had to have a picture. How cool is this rat rod style scooter?
When I stop living in the sky and find somewhere with a garage (which won’t be for a while), I’d love to have something like this for the occasional cool buzz around town. Of course, I’ve heard that older scooter engines can be very polluting for their size, so it would have to have a newer motor fitted instead or, for the ultimate mod (but not Mod), it could go electric.
I also spotted this cool chopper. The riding position looks close to that of a recumbent, so it mightn’t be as hard to pedal as you’d first think. Steering could be tricky, though.
That back tyre is actually three mountain bike tyres fitted to some sort of custom rim, which is an interesting way of doing things.
Psy-Bawg and Barnstormer, a pair of custom motorbikes that are more sculptural than functional, have been stolen from a service area on the A1. There’s a £10,000 reward for their safe return.