In-compo-tent
Buying a bizarre, unregistered import comes with its own set of challenges…
MY FIRST HONDA MOTOCOMPO was rough, so when a mint version of the same moped/suitcase/jetwasher-style comedy device came on the market I bought without viewing and sold my original. Compos are rare which makes wing mirrors, stickers and the plastics hard and expensive to replace, but my new bike looked perfect. Anything mechanical would be easy to fix, it’s only a 50cc Honda scooter that’s been around years. Right? A broken throttle cable, leaking fuel tank and dirty carburettor were just the start of it. A pre-mot test run saw both headlight and brake light bulbs blow when the engine was revved. After numerous replacement bulbs went the same way I delivered the Compo to Bike contributor Rupert Paul (rupesrewires.com). Every wire, earth and connector was sanded, greased and reconnected, but the 6-volt system still insisted on pumping out 14 volts. Rupert reckons the problem was the sealed, lead acid replacement battery I had to buy from a hobby shop – originals are impossible to find. The Compo doesn’t have a reg rectifier as standard, instead Honda use some kind of magic to control the volts. Rupert fitted a small reg rectifier into the system and got it all working. Well, hopefully. I then took it to the MOT Centre (Motorcycle Works: 01733 578883) on the back seat of my car. Nerves on edge and sweating like an expectant father the labour, sorry MOT, only lasted 20 minutes and a certificate was handed to me like a bouncing baby. Good news. However, this was not the end of things, I still needed to fill out my V55/5 form for UK registration. On first inspection the V55/5’s 57 sections look daunting, but in actual fact you have to fill in less than half of these (sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 27, 29,30, 31, 32, 33, 46, 48, 49, 50, 54), plus address, sign and date it. Oh and hand over the £55 registration fee and £18 tax. And send two forms of ID (a copy of your driving licence, bill or passport). Finally, the Compo needed a letter from Honda confirming its date of import – I used the frame and engine number for reference. Two weeks later my new numberplate was being fitted. The easiest part of the whole operation was the insurance. Carole Nash (carolenash.com) added it to my existing policy, although they had to refer it to their underwriters as the Motocompo isn’t on their system. No surprise there…