This brings back memories! My mom waaaaay back in the day in the 1960's had the italian-made version of these suitcase bikes when they were living as young adults mostly broke and carless in Germany where most young people could barely afford anything. They had to live 4 people in a small apartment in the big cities and had no access to cars! Even Vespa-like scooters where way too expensive so they relied on cheap imported Italian-made suitcase motorcycles to go at 16 kmh (10 mph which is still faster than walking!) to the grocery store or to their mostly menial McJob-like workplaces. I think these had a range of around 15 miles (24 km) . You could store these "bikes" outdoors in a bag on their very tiny patios. Most apartment buildings in the "big city" didn't have elevators so you had to climb up anywhere from 2 to 6 stories carrying this pretty-heavy bike to keep it safe on your super-tiny apartment patio. The factories where my mom and her roommates/friends worked, were usually 10 km away on the outskirts of "The City" so even in winter you had to ride, walk or bicycle because busses were non-existent and even the trains only went city-centre-to-city-centre about four times a day! When it got cold these "bikes" went down to less than 10 KMH (6 miles per hour). I would say probably around two million of these were sold in Germany alone over the ten years of the 1960's which is quite a lot! By the 1970's, they were pretty much gone taken over by Vespa-like scooters which dropped in price and were more powerful and had much longer range. There are very few left since they usually didn't last too long because they weren't built all that great and had problems in winters PLUS farmers tended to buy them and turn their guts into mechanical generators to power or drive home-made farm implements or other machinery. There are probably only maybe 3000 left in Germany! V
Great video guys! Skilled ride with the camera Alex. The shopping cart wheels are not easy to do one handed! Kase, tires, tune and gas tank seal for the new year. See if I can get 30mph out of it!
I should note that even in the 1960's, these "Compakti" which is what these were called back in the day, were STILL quite expensive and I think my great grandparents were the ones who bought one for my mom in her early 20's. She had to get help bringing it up to her apartment because it was quite heavy but for larger cities, these mostly-italian-made "Compakti" could be somewhat easily afforded by the mostly farmer parents of the young-adults who had to move to the "big city" to find work. Based upon photos I have seen from relatives, I am sure they had the suitcase bike for at least 6 years before some farmer bought after my mom and dad met and moved to Canada to seek a better life! You mostly rode these on the less travelled back alleys because these were quite slow and rickety. Seating was typically an added pillow you used to protect yourself from the shaking engine and the very uncomfortable hard seat. You could fit a bucket to carry a small set of groceries or you used a duffel-bag like pack string across your back to carry workclothes or groceries. It was crude, noisy, smelly and slow BUT it worked for many young people! Especially since MOST young people had to use much-cheaper bicycles to get around. Only the very rich had cars or even Vespa-like scooters! It was kinda-upper-middle-class or saved-every-penny farmer parents who could afford a suitcase bike for their young adult children in the 1960's! These ones shown in the video are quite boxy and well-designed while the "Compakti" were more like mini-motorized-bicycles with some cheap side panels put on them over the very small motor, a long thin and hard seat, a collapsible handlebar plus small hard wheels -- I think there was even only ONE rear brake which used a simple handle to stop or slow down! V
The brotherly togetherness Is strong. Well done also the thumbnail of Alex. So magnificent. The fact that kase and Alex shared the bike so wholesome just magnificent You both are incredible Ultra talented kindhearted. My favorite thing is when you guys do adventures on the road together it’s always funny
LHT Performance in Florida have been experimenting with customizing the Motocompacto with laser cut "Honda" letters in different colors. They built a Super Compacto with increased power/speed. LHT Performance is replacing the drum brakes (in the front) with disc brakes to provide twice the braking. LHT Performance is also replacing the solid front and rear tires with air filled tires to improve the ride quality. With the larger air filled tires it increases the ground clearance and the larger rear tire won't retract into the body, but the bike will have a much smoother ride. There is more caster in the Supercompacto so it handles better on rough surfaces. The Supercompacto will run 25mph+ to 30mph+ with a 20+ mile range on full charge.
Love that little red one, looks like an 80's vacuum cleaner on wheels!😄 But, I also wonder if Kase still has the Honda Interceptor bike? Were all the problems from this summer fixed? Would love an update on that one! 80's cool. Anyway, have a great christmas time guys!👍
Mine lives in my living room patiently waiting for a car show to be rode again. I usually park a bike in the living room and hang gifts from the bars for Christmas.
Pretty sure the older one is at the very least more cushy. But idk between the Look & seeing Alex's smiles even if a little unnerved at times. & Candor I like the white one more. If working at Googleplex or 1000 Cherry in San Bruno, much easier than walking 😂
Wish i had the motocompo instead of the compacto. The harshness of the compacto makes me dread riding it.
This brings back memories! My mom waaaaay back in the day in the 1960's had the italian-made version of these suitcase bikes when they were living as young adults mostly broke and carless in Germany where most young people could barely afford anything. They had to live 4 people in a small apartment in the big cities and had no access to cars!
Even Vespa-like scooters where way too expensive so they relied on cheap imported Italian-made suitcase motorcycles to go at 16 kmh (10 mph which is still faster than walking!) to the grocery store or to their mostly menial McJob-like workplaces. I think these had a range of around 15 miles (24 km) .
You could store these "bikes" outdoors in a bag on their very tiny patios. Most apartment buildings in the "big city" didn't have elevators so you had to climb up anywhere from 2 to 6 stories carrying this pretty-heavy bike to keep it safe on your super-tiny apartment patio. The factories where my mom and her roommates/friends worked, were usually 10 km away on the outskirts of "The City" so even in winter you had to ride, walk or bicycle because busses were non-existent and even the trains only went city-centre-to-city-centre about four times a day! When it got cold these "bikes" went down to less than 10 KMH (6 miles per hour).
I would say probably around two million of these were sold in Germany alone over the ten years of the 1960's which is quite a lot! By the 1970's, they were pretty much gone taken over by Vespa-like scooters which dropped in price and were more powerful and had much longer range. There are very few left since they usually didn't last too long because they weren't built all that great and had problems in winters PLUS farmers tended to buy them and turn their guts into mechanical generators to power or drive home-made farm implements or other machinery. There are probably only maybe 3000 left in Germany!
V
Great video guys! Skilled ride with the camera Alex. The shopping cart wheels are not easy to do one handed!
Kase, tires, tune and gas tank seal for the new year. See if I can get 30mph out of it!
I should note that even in the 1960's, these "Compakti" which is what these were called back in the day, were STILL quite expensive and I think my great grandparents were the ones who bought one for my mom in her early 20's. She had to get help bringing it up to her apartment because it was quite heavy but for larger cities, these mostly-italian-made "Compakti" could be somewhat easily afforded by the mostly farmer parents of the young-adults who had to move to the "big city" to find work. Based upon photos I have seen from relatives, I am sure they had the suitcase bike for at least 6 years before some farmer bought after my mom and dad met and moved to Canada to seek a better life! You mostly rode these on the less travelled back alleys because these were quite slow and rickety.
Seating was typically an added pillow you used to protect yourself from the shaking engine and the very uncomfortable hard seat. You could fit a bucket to carry a small set of groceries or you used a duffel-bag like pack string across your back to carry workclothes or groceries. It was crude, noisy, smelly and slow BUT it worked for many young people! Especially since MOST young people had to use much-cheaper bicycles to get around.
Only the very rich had cars or even Vespa-like scooters! It was kinda-upper-middle-class or saved-every-penny farmer parents who could afford a suitcase bike for their young adult children in the 1960's! These ones shown in the video are quite boxy and well-designed while the "Compakti" were more like mini-motorized-bicycles with some cheap side panels put on them over the very small motor, a long thin and hard seat, a collapsible handlebar plus small hard wheels -- I think there was even only ONE rear brake which used a simple handle to stop or slow down!
V
Thanks for bringing it to the 2024 Colorado Vintage Motorcycle Show! It was a hit!
The fiat 500e, and new motocompacto are such and excellent pair! ❤
The brotherly togetherness Is strong. Well done also the thumbnail of Alex. So magnificent. The fact that kase and Alex shared the bike so wholesome just magnificent You both are incredible Ultra talented kindhearted. My favorite thing is when you guys do adventures on the road together it’s always funny
LHT Performance in Florida have been experimenting with customizing the Motocompacto with laser cut "Honda" letters in different colors. They built a Super Compacto with increased power/speed. LHT Performance is replacing the drum brakes (in the front) with disc brakes to provide twice the braking. LHT Performance is also replacing the solid front and rear tires with air filled tires to improve the ride quality. With the larger air filled tires it increases the ground clearance and the larger rear tire won't retract into the body, but the bike will have a much smoother ride. There is more caster in the Supercompacto so it handles better on rough surfaces. The Supercompacto will run 25mph+ to 30mph+ with a 20+ mile range on full charge.
Great day, never been first to a video ever. Love you guys at TFL. Been a fan for a long time. Happy holidays y'all.
Interesting to see more of the office, it's bigger than I thought. They all must be out having fun, I mean working.
Love that little red one, looks like an 80's vacuum cleaner on wheels!😄 But, I also wonder if Kase still has the Honda Interceptor bike? Were all the problems from this summer fixed? Would love an update on that one! 80's cool.
Anyway, have a great christmas time guys!👍
Mine lives in my living room patiently waiting for a car show to be rode again. I usually park a bike in the living room and hang gifts from the bars for Christmas.
Pretty sure the older one is at the very least more cushy. But idk between the Look & seeing Alex's smiles even if a little unnerved at times. & Candor I like the white one more. If working at Googleplex or 1000 Cherry in San Bruno, much easier than walking 😂
Motocomps are so cool!! Off topic. Did you ever track your Ohvale ???
Scott, thanks for your support. And - with all due respect - I hope I never need to meet you.
I can't help but notice your broken garage door behind your Fiat.
Check out Motograziella from the 70s.
Yeah if I was gonna buy a pit bike today, I'd just pick up a used Navi, maybe strip it down and put tiny handlebars on it
❤❤❤