Moped

Honda Hobbit PA 50/Camino moped (European market)

Mopeds are a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements. Mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle-like pedals (the source of the term, motor-pedal), but moped has been increasingly applied by governments to vehicles without pedals, based on their restricted engine displacement, speed, and/or power output. Mopeds occasionally resemble powered bicycles, but most are now step-through designs (of both kinds, having either large or small wheels) and step-over designs similar to a regular motorcycle. Although mopeds usually have two wheels, in some jurisdictions low-powered three or four wheeled vehicles are also classified as mopeds.

In most countries, the legal driving age for a moped is lower than for regular motorcycles and cars. Mopeds are typically restricted to Template:Convert from a maximum engine displacement of Template:Convert, though there are a few variations.

History

This 1912 Douglas has modern chain-drive but still benefits from pedals

The term "moped" now only applies to low power (often super-economy) vehicles, but pedals were a sign of sophistication when first fitted to the early motorcycles, such as the 1912 Douglas in the photograph. Pedalling away from stationary was a great improvement over "run and jump" and LPA (light pedal assistance) was valuable for climbing hills. Better transmissions with wider ranges, better clutches and much better engine performance made pedals obsolete on all serious motorcycles by 1918 but the pedals on mopeds remained valuable for their original purposes as late as the 1960s.

The earliest mopeds were bicycles with a helper motor in various locations, for example on top of the front wheel; they were also called cyclemotors. An example of that type is the VéloSoleX brand, which simply has a roller driving the front tire. (See picture, below left.)

A French VéloSoleX moped

A more innovative design was known in the UK as the Cyclemaster. This had a complete powered rear wheel which was simply substituted for the bicycle rear wheel, which originated from a design by two DKW engineers in Germany. Slightly larger machines, commonly with a Template:Convert engine were known as autocycles. On the other hand some mopeds, such as the Czech-made Jawa, were derived from motorcycles.

A further category of low-powered two-wheelers exists today in some jurisdictions for bicycles with helper motors – these are often defined as power-assisted bicycles or motorized bicycles; see full article there. Other jurisdictions may categorize the same machines as mopeds, creating a certain amount of confusion. In many countries three wheelers and microcars are classified as mopeds or variations thereof. This practise is not restricted to the third-world, France and Belgium classify microcars such as the Aixam similarily or as "light quadricycles".

Etymology

The original moped – a bike equipped with a motor

The word moped was coined by Swedish journalist Harald Nielsen in 1952, as a portmanteau of motor and pedal. It is however often claimed to be derived from "motorvelociped", as Velocipede is an obsolete term for bicycle that is still being used in some languages such as Russian. According to Douglas Harper, the Swedish terms originated from "(trampcykel med) mo(tor och) ped(aler)", which means "pedal cycle with engine and pedals" (the earliest versions had auxiliary pedals).

Other terms used for low-powered cycles include motorbicycle, motorized bicycle, motor-driven cycle, and goped (motorized inline skateboard with T-bar). In German, the terms Mofa (from Motor-Fahrrad, "motor-bicycle") and Mokick (equipped with kick-start) are also used. In Finnish, the common term is mopo (from moottoripolkupyörä, "motor-powered bicycle"). The term noped is sometimes used for mopeds that do not have pedals.

Derestriction and performance tuning

Template:Refimprove By the 1980s, it was obviousTemplate:Weasel-inline that the pedals on mopeds were no longer performing any useful function, in fact the performance of the Template:Convert engines available was delivering speeds in excess of Template:Convert,Template:Citation needed a common model in the UK being the Yamaha FS1E.Template:Citation needed Due to emerging safety concerns that resulted from the considerably greater speeds that newer mopeds were capable of reaching, western jurisdictions introduced new regulations (eg UK in 1977)Yamaha FS1E Classic Bike PicturesTemplate:Citation broken, limiting the speed of these "mopeds" to Template:Convert (and abolishing the requirement for pedals).Template:Citation needed In some cases, the power restrictions (such as perforated plates in the inlet tract) were primitive and easy to bypass,Template:Opinion but the larger manufacturers such as those from Japan restricted engine breathing with smaller carburettors (eg Template:Convert replaced with Template:Convert) and modifications to cylinder ports and exhausts.Template:Citation needed Then they fitted CDI ignition systems tuned to limit maximum engine revolutions; the Honda MT/MB50 was built to run to 10,000 rpm, but the combined restrictions cause it to run out at around 6,500 rpm.Template:Citation needed Illegal de-restriction of such models is extremely difficult, requiring replacement of piston, barrel, carburetor and CDI electrics, and possibly the crankshaft and the exhaust as well.

Moped safety

Safely riding a moped mostly requires the same considerations as safely riding a motorcycle but the lower speeds, while reducing some dangers, increases others. The biggest danger is that other traffic may not notice the presence of a moped - bright clothes and reflective fittings help. Drivers may even see the moped, recognize it as harmless to them and simply forget it's there, pulling out of side-turnings into its path. Similarly, a car approaching a moped from behind will approach it more quickly than the driver expects, and the driver's attention may be more attuned to other automobile traffic rather than the moped, increasing the likelihood of an accident. This is a particular problem for mopeds used on high-speed roads where they may not be intended to travel.

Moped racing

The wide availability of previously-used but still functional small motorcycles in western societies enables and encourages cheap forms of racing, wrongly called moped racing. Dirt-racing forms of this sport is sometimes staged in the stadiums of agricultural shows, where, unlike football and athletic grounds, the surface is not too important. One popular series uses chicanes consisting of stacked large-diameter tractor tyres and requires a team of riders, each doing ten laps and then pulling into the middle of the ring for change-over. Two heats and a final, each lasting 25 minutes, can be held in one day interspersed with speedway racing and other displays. Another series once held on full-size race-tracks, including Le Mans, ran for 25 hours (typically 3.00pm one day until 4.00pm the next) and was billed as "the longest race in the world". also the polini cup

Moped collecting

Even as mopeds themselves have become scarcer in the West, a certain nostalgia has grown around them (as with classic scooters). Enthusiasts have formed a considerable number of organizations Template:Which? devoted to moped collecting, repair, and lifestyle.

Individual countries/regions

Country / Region	Regulations and variations, overlap with scooters, underbones etc.
Australia	In the state of Queensland, small Scooters of less than Template:Convert are able to be ridden with a car license, and are restricted to Template:Convert. Mopeds that do not meet Australian design specifications are not allowed on public roads, with the exception of bicycles equipped with a meagre electrical power-source (combustion engines cannot be used) of just Template:Convert. So called "monkey-bikes" were quickly made illegal as they gained huge popularity. Anything resembling an EU moped will need registration and an adult driver with a motorcycle license. Mopeds in Australia have to be ADR approved in order to be ridden on Australian roads. All requirements are listed in the consumer affairs website.
Brazil	In Brazil, the definition of moped ("ciclomotor" in Portuguese, but also known as either "mobylette", "vespa", "lambreta" or still "motoneta") and the regulations regarding its use has been varying throughout the years. From 1985 to 1997, a moped was defined as human propulsion vehicle aided by an engine displacing less than Template:Convert, no more than Template:Convert, having a maximum speed of no more than Template:Convert and having pedals similar to those found in a bicycle. No license was required. From 1997 onwards, the legal definition of moped changed to "a two or three wheeled vehicle having an internal combustion engine with displacement inferior to Template:Convert and maximum factory speed of less than Template:Convert. The 1997 New Code of Transit also stated that any person aged 14 or older could ride a moped provided that person could read and be physically able. However, in 1998 the minimum age limit was changed to 18 years, since Brazilian Law does not allow minors to be criminally responsible, which contradicts the 1997 New Code of Transit, that states that being a criminally responsible is a requirement to be able to get a license.
Canada	In Canada the Moped has been repealed from the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. Nevertheless the vehicle itself is still legislated within various provinces. In Alberta, Canada, mopeds up to Template:Convert and over Template:Convert used to require a class 6 motorcycle licence. If they are between Template:Convert and 55 kg, a class 7 is required. In addition to this, they must not have a driver-operated transmission. They are allowed to carry more than one person. Mopeds are subject to all of the same traffic laws as other vehicles, and all riders must wear helmets. Regulations have changed as of July 1, 2009, no longer a weight restriction and speed has increased to 70 km/h. In British Columbia, Canada mopeds (limited-speed motorcycles) and motor assisted cycles (MAC) have separate and distinct classifications and requirements. The following criteria apply to a moped (limited speed motorcycle): Definition of a limited-speed motorcycle: no more than Template:Convert engine displacement or Template:Convert motor rating does not require clutching or shifting after the drive system is engaged has a maximum speed on level ground of Template:Convert weighs no more than Template:Convert excluding fuel and batteries wheels must be Template:Convert in diameter or more Requirements for operation of a moped (limited speed motorcycle): the vehicle must be registered, licensed and insured for road use the operator must have a driver's licence (any class) the operator must wear a helmet In Ontario, Canada, "a moped is a motor-assisted bicycle fitted with pedals that can be operated at all times and has a maximum speed of Template:Convert". A motor assisted bicycle is a bicycle: (a) that is fitted with pedals that are operable at all times to propel the bicycle, (b) that weighs not more than Template:Convert, (c) that has no hand or foot operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor and transferring power to the driven wheel, (d) that has an attached motor driven by electricity or having a piston displacement of not more than Template:Convert, and (e) that does not have sufficient power to enable the bicycle to attain a speed greater than Template:Convert on level ground within a distance of Template:Convert from a standing start; ("cyclomoteur") Since 28 November 2005, moped drivers are required to have either a full M licence or a restricted class M licence to legally ride on roads in Ontario. Prior to that date riders only required a G licence. The G licence is a "general" licence for automobile drivers such as cars, small vans and trucks.
Denmark	Mopeds in Denmark are divided into "small mopeds" and "big mopeds", 'small' mopeds have a speed limit of Template:Convert, and 'big' mopeds have one on Template:Convert. Between 16 and 18 years of age, a moped driving license is required to drive the small moped. A car driver's or motorcycle license is needed and the driver must be at least 18 years old to drive a big one. All new mopeds (both types) bought after 1 June 2006 must be registered with a license plate, and have insurance. The older models are not required to have a license plate. All mopeds must now have insurance in Denmark.
European Union	The drivers license category for mopeds across the E.U. now is the AM driver's license. This license is for scooters and mopeds with no more than Template:Convert, and a maximum speed of Template:Convert. E.U. member countries that have not fully implemented the E.U. directive that refers to the moped and other drivers license categories must do so in the next few years, 2013 at the latest. Many member states have already done so. The "E.U. moped", scooter, moped, or any other type of vehicle that fits into this category, two, three or four wheels, a maximum speed of Template:Convert and obligatory licence plate as proof of insurance. Many E.U. countries only require special insurer issued plates, not state issued plates.
Finland	Mopeds can be driven with an M-class driving license, which can be obtained at the age of 15. People born before 1985 can drive a moped without a license. The power of an internal combustion engine moped is not limited, but the speed limit is Template:Convert, and engine capacity can be a maximum of Template:Convert (with electric motor, maximum power is restricted to Template:Convert). Mopeds are allowed to carry one passenger with the driver if the moped is registered as having two seats. Both driver and passenger are required to wear helmets. After Finland joined the European Union, EU regulations increased the maximum weight of moped and speed limit was increased from Template:Convert to Template:Convert. In Finland, like in all EU countries, it is illegal to drive a moped without a homologated safety helmet.
Germany	German law has two categories for mopeds. The first and slower category is the so called Mofa, with a maximum design speed of no more than Template:Convert and only the driver is allowed on the bike, no passenger. Minimum age is 15 and no license is required, but a written test has to be completed. The second category is the Moped, with a maximum design speed of Template:Convert, mimimum age is 16, a drivers license is required, one passenger is allowed if the moped or scooter is certified for a passenger. Both types need an insurer issued license plate, which is much smaller than regular state issued plates, which have to be renewed every 12 months, changing the color of the plates every year. Since a 16-year-old can now drive a Template:Convert (Template:Convert) bike, and scooters in the "moped" category allow for transporting a passenger comfortably, mopeds, since they have less power, appeal, and space, have almost disappeared as a result of the new E.U. laws. Most teens that don't have the money for the costly A1 driver's license (1st step towards the full motorcycle license), which allows them to drive a Template:Convert (Template:Convert) scooter or motorcycle, go for the less expensive AM driver's license, which allows them to drive a moped or scooter with a maximum speed of Template:Convert, but less than 1% chose a moped over a scooter based bike. Modern scooter design and amenities have effectively changed how teens chose their first set of wheels in Germany.
Greece	In Greek slang mopeds are referred to as "papakia" (Greek: παπάκια) - meaning "ducklings". They are usually powered by small two- or four-stroke engines, ranging from Template:Convert. They are very popular among young people due to their low price and maintenance cost, and are widely used by all age groups, usually 13 and up. The most known "duckling" was the 1980s Honda 50 cc moped, which is still in use today. (Use of these mopeds requires a licence [A1 category] and exams passed before attaining the licence.)
Hungary	In Hungary mopeds are called "segédmotoros kerékpár". For a vehicle to fit within this category it has to be powered with a Template:Convert motor, and can only have a maximum designed speed of Template:Convert. It can have 2, 3 or 4 wheels, if the vehicle has a covered passenger area such as a moped car, e.g.: (The Aixam micro car) wearing a motorcycle helmet is optional, otherwise it is mandatory, and the failure to wear one can be fined by the police. To drive a moped one needs to obtain a M ("moped") type European license, which one can get if you they are over the age of 14. Because mopeds are inexpensive compared to other forms of motorized transport, and the running expenses are low (the third-party insurance is only 2000 Ft-12 $- 8 €), and since they can be driven after obtaining any form of license, they have become quite popular in larger cities. Vehicles registered as mopeds cannot carry passengers (even if they have space for one) and they cannot use highways (however they can use bicycle roads at a limited speed of Template:Convert). Their maximum allowed speed on any road is Template:Convert.
Indonesia	Mopeds are not allowed to be used on Indonesian tollways.
Italy	Mopeds aren't allowed on highways. Required age is 14, but a specific license ("patentino") is required. Owners of car or bike licenses may drive them freely. Registration (with plate) and insurance are mandatory. The law dictates all mopeds be restricted to Template:Convert, but this is largely ignored and it's common for dealerships to sell them unrestricted if asked beforehand; this is generally tolerated by the authorities. Helmets are mandatory. Since 2006, a passenger may be carried on suitably built (dual seat) and registered mopeds. Mopeds registered before this date that satisfy the technical and legal requirements may be re-registered (a new plate is issued) and used to carry a passenger.
Japan	Motorcycles with up to Template:Convert petrol engines or Template:Convert power generators are classified "gendoukitsuki-jitensha" (Motorized bicycle). The drivers must be older than 16, get the driving license, register the vehicles and wear helmets. Car driving license holders also can drive them. The legally maximum speed is Template:Convert.
Malaysia	In Malaysia and some other Southeast Asian countries, small motorcycles are classified differently, most of the machines known as mopeds in the West (eg Honda Super Cub) are known as underbones (kapchai in Malaysia). These are the machines elsewhere known as scooters or sometimes "step-throughs". Kapchais have engines up to Template:Convert, can reach speeds of Template:Convert, and are used on public roads and expressways.
New Zealand	New Zealand - Mopeds can be driven with any class of driver licence. Mopeds are classified as having an engine capacity not exceeding Template:Convert and a maximum speed not exceeding Template:Convert. Electric mopeds must have a motor between Template:Convert. Mopeds do not require safety testing (known as a Warrant of Fitness in NZ) and are subject to lower licensing costs than motorcycles, though one still needs the right equipment (Helmet etc). But the rider must licence the moped (get plates etc).
Norway	All motorcycles having less than Template:Convert (and some "Mopedcars") are limited to Template:Convert in Norway. All two-wheeled vehicles with more than 50 cc are considered motorcycles.
Philippines	File:Honda Bravo.jpg Honda Bravo of the Philippines Many underbones, especially the Honda XRM and Honda Bravo, are modified, some are "pimped out" with stereo systems and neon lights, while others are tuned, even stripped to their frames, for illegal street racing. Others, however, are modified for aesthetics (ranging from only the bodywork to extensive modification, often to resemble a full superbike), or sometimes for usage as a transport capable vehicle (usually by the addition of a custom made side wagon). A moped (as any light motorcycle) is free to use without a drivers license. However, mopeds and light motorcycles are not allowed to be used on the Manila highway or skyway system.
Portugal	In Portugal Moped is a two or three wheel motor vehicle with an engine of Template:Convert or less, or having an engine with more than 50 cc but with a maximum speed of no more than Template:Convert. Class M (moped) license is required to drive such vehicles. This license can be obtained with a minimum age of 14.
Russia	180px The moped is legally defined as a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with engine displacement of no more than Template:Convert and maximum speed of no more than Template:Convert. Such vehicles require no licensing. Pillion passengers are not allowed. Photograph shows a Russian moped ZiD-50 "Pilot"
Spain	In Spain a moped is defined as a two or three wheeled motor vehicle with an engine of Template:Convert or less with a maximum speed of no more than Template:Convert. The license needed for driving a moped is the 'LCC' or Licencia de Conducción para Ciclomotor, which can be obtained at the age of 16 years. The driver is not allowed to transport passengers on the rear seat until 18 years of age.
Sweden	Mopeds are available in two classes. Class 1 mopeds - also known as EU mopeds, as they were introduced to comply with European Union rules - are designed for a maximum speed of Template:Convert powered by an engine of Template:Convert or, if it has an electric motor, has a maximum power of Template:Convert. A driver's licence type A (motorcycle) or B (car), a driving licence for tractor or a class 1 moped licence (type AM, minimum age 15) is required to ride a class 1 moped. In traffic class 1 mopeds are regarded as motorcycles - but may not be driven on motorways or expressways - and has to be registered and have a licence plate. They are however tax free. Class 2 mopeds are designed for a top speed of Template:Convert and has an engine with maximum Template:Convert. No licence is required, but the driver has to be at least 15 years old, have passed a theory test and wear a helmet. In traffic they are regarded as bicycles, and are allowed in the same places, unless signs explicitly forbid them. Mopeds registered before 17 June 2003, are called legacy mopeds, and are subject to the same rules as class 2 mopeds, but may have a top speed of Template:Convert.
Switzerland	A moped is considered to be a two wheeled vehicle that has pedals, a motor which is less than Template:Convert and a top speed of Template:Convert. The moped must be registered, and must have a number plate with a sticker for that year indicating that the vehicle is road taxed and insured. Insurance is handled by the government. These vehicle are regarded bicycles in traffic and are therefore not allowed on motorways. To drive this vehicle, one must have a Category M licence (which comes with every car and motorbike licence) as well as a motorcycle helmet. A Category M licence is obtainable at the age of 14. At the age of 16, one can obtain a A1 licence to drive a 50 cc motorcycle which does not conform to the Template:Convert limit and therefore is not regarded as a bicycle anymore.
Thailand	The regulation of motorcycles in the city is different from the regulation for home use. Motorcycles in the city require payment of road tax and must have a valid license plate number. However, for home use, a motorcycle might not need to register and the motorcycle will only be able to be used in farms or a small town. Wearing a helmet is a must when riding on a major road and in the city. There is a maximum limit of one pillion riders on the bikes.
United Kingdom	The term moped describes any low-powered motor driven cycle with an engine capacity of less than Template:Convert and a maximum design speed of no more than Template:Convert. Machines registered prior to 1 September 1977 mopeds had to have pedals, but engine power was unrestricted, and many could top Template:Convert (most famously the Yamaha FS1-E or "Fizzy"). A provisional licence, full motorcycle or car licence is needed to operate a moped. An additional Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) certificate is also required to ride a moped on public roads, except for anyone who obtained their full car driving licence or motorcycle licence before 1 February 2001. A provisional moped licence may be obtained at the age of 16, whereas standard car and motorcycles licences are only available at the age of 17. Provisional licences require learner plates and expire after two years if the licence holder has not passed a test, however it can be extended another two years by retaking the CBT. Mopeds are subject to all of the same traffic laws as other vehicles. All motorised cycles, motorcycles and mopeds under 50 cc are excluded from using UK motorways.
United States	File:Motobecane Moby.jpg The French Motobécane "Moby" was a popular moped sold in the United States during the 1970s Prior to the 1970s, use of mopeds in the United States was relatively rare due to legal restrictions on the devices in many states. In 1972, Serge Seguin, after writing a masters thesis on the European moped, received two mopeds and a small amount of money from the French company Motobécane to promote the vehicle. After lobbying Congress on its fuel efficiency benefits, Seguin was able to get more than 30 states to devise a specific vehicle classification for mopeds. Produced by U.S. manufacturers such as AMF, mopeds had very small engines and often could not exceed Template:Convert. What they could do, however, was run for up to Template:Convert on one tank of fuel. Because of the problems caused by the 1970s energy crisis, mopeds quickly became popular, with more than 250,000 people in the United States owning one in 1977. However, as gasoline prices eventually moved down and automobile companies devised more efficient cars, the moped's popularity and usefulness began to fade. Legal terms and definitions of low-powered cycles vary from state to state and may or may not include "Moped", "Motorcycle", "Motorized Bicycle", "Motorscooter", "scooter", "Goped", "Motor-Driven Cycle", and or others. A moped's speed generally may not exceed Template:Convert on level ground, even if it is capable of going faster. In a few states this number is Template:Convert, and in most states, the maximum engine capacity is Template:Convert. However, Kansas ("Motorized Bicycle" K.S.A. 8-126, 8-1439a) allows up to Template:Convert. Some states, like California, require pedals, while others do not. Virginia allows mopeds to operate at up to Template:Convert. Some states, like North Carolina, require there to be no external gear-shifting mechanism.Template:Citation needed
Vietnam	Parts of Vietnam (eg the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) are amongst the last places in the world where two-wheeled personal transport is more important than four-wheeled transport. Mopeds, underbones/scooters and motorcycles are everywhere, partly due to the narrow nature of many of the sidestreets and alleys.

See also

• Category:Mopeds
• Category:Moped manufacturers
• Electric motorcycles and scooters
• Motorized bicycle
• Motorcycle
• Scooter
• Underbone
• Moped Army