This Small and Affordable Honda Truck-Moto Pair Proves Less Is More

This Honda kei truck comes with the best kind of Monkey on its back.

Red mini truck with a red and white motorcycle loaded in the truck bed, parked outdoors with greenery in the background.

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Pickups in the United States are now larger than they’ve ever been, and that’s having some unfortunate consequences for everything from cost to pedestrian (and parking lot) safety.

As a result, kei trucks, like kei vans, have only continued to make inroads as an alternative. With support, they’ve progressed beyond a niche movement to become not just increasingly popular but also more officially recognized.

Red Honda Acty mini truck with white wheels parked on pavement with a motorcycle in the bed. — This Acty really looks the part with its bull bar, lights and white wheels.

It’s not hard to see why when given pairings like the Honda truck-moto combo pictured here. It’s a match made in heaven, and it doubles down on its case for drivers to, erm, downsize.

A small but mighty pair

As if an imported Acty wasn’t cool enough on its own, this particular example comes with a Honda Monkey mini bike in the bed. It’s a true one-two punch that lands well above its weight.

Red mini truck with white wheels carrying a red and white Honda Monkey motorcycle in its bed. — The Monkey in the bed looks almost full-sized given the pickup’s diminutive footprint.

For starters, kei trucks are superior bike transport compared to larger American counterparts because of their low loading height. You likely still need a ramp to get your toys into the bed, but it’s not nearly as much of a climb as, say, something like a Ram 1500 RHO or a Ford Raptor.

Moreover, even though the Acty’s humble 656cc inline-three could very well power a motorcycle itself, it’s more capable than you’d expect. Plenty of owners have managed to fit full-size bikes in the bed, and some have even managed to accommodate a second.

Red pickup truck bed with black ribbed liner and a silver diamond-plate Weather Guard toolbox near the cab. — The bed comes lined with rubber and outfitted with a toolbox.

In any case, the Monkey located in the back gives you a lot more motorcycle than you’d expect. As it shares its 125cc underpinnings with the Honda Grom, it brings a true five-speed gearbox, tons of suspension travel and a top speed of around 60 mph (depending on the wind).

If you live in places where lane-splitting is legal, it can be ideal commuter material. The small size makes it easy to maneuver around cars, and the power is plenty to hang with a gridlock.

Even stock, it’s one of my all-time favorite bikes to ride, and the availability of upgrades like a Yoshimura exhaust and some Öhlins suspension only adds to the appeal.

Red mini truck with silver toolbox in bed parked on pavement next to red and white Honda Monkey motorcycle. — A bike always makes a truck better, and this Monkey is no exception.

Monkey see, monkey do

Ignoring the practicalities of the pairing, you have to appreciate the synergy that it brings.

After all, the bright red paint is unmistakably Honda, and the white in accents like the wheels, the stripes and the graphics provides a pop of color that really sets off the look. When matched with the Monkey, the Acty’s treatment almost seems factory.

Towards that end, even the seats have been re-upholstered for a more consistent look. In place of the stock saddle on the Monkey, there’s now a white leather unit with red piping that’s echoed throughout the interior of the Acty.

Interior of a red vehicle with two white seats outlined in red piping and a manual gear shift with a bronze knob. — The color coordination between the two vehicles makes the match all the more effective.

Rounded out by some choice fittings like a front bull bar and some auxiliary lights on the truck and a rear rack on the bike, the result is a duo that proves you don’t have to go full custom to have a rad project. In more ways than one, it proves less is more.

Availability and pricing

If you’re as enamored with this 1995 Honda Acty and 2021 Honda Monkey as we are, you’re in luck. They’re currently up for auction over on Bring a Trailer with no reserve, showing ~12,000 miles and 921 miles, respectively.

As of this writing, bidding is at $8,000, and there are still six days to go in the sale.

Red Honda Acty mini truck with a red and white Honda Monkey motorcycle secured in the truck bed, parked outdoors near green trees.

1995 Honda Acty Pickup and 2021 Honda Z125 Monkey

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About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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