Proto-Ruckus

Meet the Honda Motra, a JDM-only minibike produced in the early 1980's. Looks like some sort of Jurassic Ruckus ancestor, doesn't it? It's actually better than that, because it's got actual off-road capabilities, a proper 3-speed gearbox, and it's not made of plastic.

The gearbox has a second stage with a lower final ratio across the three speeds for hill climbing with a load, and the bike is capable of carrying substantial extra weight beyond just the rider. No spongy soft suspension like on the Ruckus.

This particular bike was restored by Sammie from TotalRuckus. Check out his thread HERE


He's done an exceptional job, as the bike was a rusty mess to begin with. I also really like the photography, as they remind me of Bow's illustrations.

See his full restoration gallery on Flickr HERE

Aftermarket exhaust in this shot. He says he's only going to use it while he refinishes the OEM one, but I rather like it. Why couldn't Honda make color-matched wheels an option on the Ruckus?