Sundiro Honda x Muji MS01 Test Ride ($700): Stylish but underpowered

Muji has already produced cars: Mooji Car 1000 since 2001 has been the product of a collaboration with Nissan. Limited edition of 1000 without badges nissan marches was sparsely equipped, offered exclusively in “white marble” and only available online as an exercise to test the company’s web marketing systems.

Muji has a history of building simple two-wheelers – its 1982 H-Type motorcycle has a stripped-down design aesthetic that inspired this MS01. In a way, this new moped takes Honda back to its roots, creating simple mobility solutions for the masses to try and bring back some of the Super Cub magic.

Raw aesthetic = raw experience

When the bike arrived at my house, there were no instructions or instructions on how to use it. That’s where the cleanliness shines: by getting rid of the technology and sometimes the tedium of tying apps to other mopeds, you can just climb in and start moving. That is exactly what I did as I scurried through the streets near my home in Shanghai.

Carved from a single piece of aluminum alloy, the simple handlebars, devoid of decorations or wire tentacles typical of its competitors, feel solid and, above all, instill confidence in the moped’s driving performance. In the center of the steering wheel is a simple, small LCD display that shows battery level, ride information, and drive mode. However, when I pulled up to the first turn from my house, I noticed that there were no turn signals or side mirrors. Without them, the ride will be as easy as possible, but a morning drive into a city of 24 million people is a little unsettling.

Photo: Mooji

Photo: Mooji

Most electric mopeds like NIU have small wheels, but the MS01 comes with large 17″ tubeless wheels with disc brakes front and rear. Push off the footrest, turn the handle, and you’re off – fast at first thanks to the 400W motor, and then the power drops rapidly after about 15 kilometers per hour until its top speed exceeds 25 kilometers. per hour (assuming the pedestrian is 15 miles per hour). I easily overtook other mopeds from the line, but the puff soon ended. All this is done to save battery – a removable 48V/20Ah lithium battery with a range of up to 65 kilometers (40 miles) and easily enough for a week in a simple city trip.

I didn’t notice the rattling or shaking of the plastic trim, which is common with other cheaper competitor mopeds. But most of all, everyone looked at me. The clean black frame against the pure white bodywork really stood out against a sea of ​​flashy cheap plastic and lead-acid powered mopeds.

Tucked under the seat is its single shock absorber, which helps soften the bumps from bumpy roads. Every time I smoothly accelerated above 15 kilometers per hour, every five seconds there was an incessant beep, which probably reminded me to stay at cruising speed. It only annoyed and somewhat spoiled the driving experience.