The all-new Seiko 5 Sports Limited Edition Honda MOTOCOMPO satisfies an itch that I think many collectors are feeling these days. We want our watches to be fun, expressive, and, quite frankly, not break the bank.
That’s not to say we won’t lean towards watches in the higher price points: the Zenith Defy in ultraviolet, or even Vacheron Constantin’s smaller scarlet Overseas, are both standout releases.
But, of course, we want our pieces to have an inherent versatility. And whilst a bright purple watch might be one of the coolest expressions on the market, it’s not exactly a daily wearer. It’s special, which is why we love it. That’s why Seiko X Honda’s latest collaboration timepiece, set to deliver in September this year (with pre-orders now open), is our Watch of the Week.
It’s genuinely fun, rocking a bright yellow dial against black numerals and a black case, a Honda strip running from the 9 to the 6, and an “AUTOMATIC” label in the same font as the Honda Motocompo bike from which it draws its inspiration. And the best part, it’s just north of 500 bucks.
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To understand why Seiko chose the Motocompo as its vintage muse for its 5 Sports collection, let me take you back to 1981, when Honda released one of the strangest and equally charming two-wheelers in its catalogue.
The Motocompo was a 49cc, 2.5-horsepower two-stroke scooter built from 1981-83 as a Japan-only factory accessory. Originally, Honda engineered the Motocompo to fit in the boot of the Honda “CITY” (which was supposedly built around the bike’s dimensions), and folded down into a neat 42kg rectangular parcel that would slot straight into the back.
Honda pitched it as a "six-wheeled lifestyle": the comfort of four wheels for the commute, the manoeuvrability of two for the last mile, aimed squarely at trend-conscious young buyers after something different from the usual runabout. It came in three colourways – Shetland White, Caribbean Red, and the Daisy Yellow that Seiko has borrowed for the dial here.
Its cult following didn’t exactly appear through its production, however. Honda projected 10,000 units a month; the real number came at just shy of 3,000 in a single month, and closer to 53,000 across the entire production run.
In the years, since, this plucky little runner has been a mainstay in Japanese pop culture such as anime (it turns up as a police runabout in You're Under Arrest, and lent its silhouette to a character in Kino's Journey), a face of some genuinely odd Madness-soundtracked TV ads, and a favourite of JDM collectors who'll pay well over the original list price for a clean example today.
Honda clearly agrees there's still juice in the idea, having revived the concept in 2023 as the electric Motocompacto, priced at US$995. And now, it takes on a new life as Seiko’s latest collaborative collection.
Limited to just 8,000 pieces worldwide, the Seiko 5 Sports HDB010K takes the short history of its cult icon and translates it into something you can wear every day.
Aside from its vibrant aesthetic across the dial, Seiko has gone deep on the details with "TURN" engraved on the pull-out crown after the scooter's fuel cock, and the nylon strap carries "CARRYING POINT" and "INSERTION POINT" markings, a direct reference to how the Motocompo was strapped down for transport.
Each piece is individually numbered. Randomly, of course, so you won’t be able to pick your own reference. But I almost feel like the deliberate lucky dip only adds to this model’s appeal and overall collectability.
Under all that personality is still a proper Seiko 5 Sports watch, the brand’s hugely popular collection that represents more of a budget entry point for those looking to add some high-quality mechanical pieces to their collection.
It’s powered by the Japanese brand’s 4R36 automatic movement, delivering a more-than-respectable 41-hour power reserve with a stop-seconds function and day/date display, all inside a 36.4mm stainless steel case. At 12.5mm thick, it wears small and light, more field watch than tool watch, which suits the brief.
Of course, watches are, by nature, an expensive habit – and most of us aren't exactly adding a new reference every week; we're sitting with a handful in rotation, reaching for our favourite piece that fits the day.
After seeing the Motocompo earlier this year in Sydney (alongside a host of Seiko’s 2026 offerings), I was immediately struck by everything this wonderful little reference offers; a genuinely fun, mechanical, limited-edition Seiko with buckets of personality attached to a brand that can hold its own within the horological conversation, for roughly what you'd drop on a night out in Sydney. Okay, maybe a big night out in Sydney. Either way, it’s confidently staked its claim for BH’s Watch of the Week. We’re placing our orders as we speak.