Scooters & Mopeds

Mopeds are a class of low powered motorized vehicles in legal literature normally defined by limits on speed, power output, or the requirement of pedals. more...

Moped classification is designed to allow the use of small motorised vehicles avoiding safety restrictions and licensing charges of larger motorcycles. Motorized bicycles and small scooters and motorcycles generally fit the definition of a moped.

Typically, mopeds are restricted to 30–35 mph (about 50–55 km/h). Some localities require pedals, thus making them hybrid transport, using both human power and machine power. Many jurisdictions consider them as "limited speed motorcycles." The earliest mopeds, introduced in the early 1950s, were nothing but bicycles with a helper motor on top of the front wheel. These were commonly called cyclemotors. An example of this early type is the Velosolex brand. Slightly larger machines, commonly with a 98cc engine were known as autocycles.

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. Some jurisdictions, however, may categorize these as a type of moped, creating a certain amount of confusion.

Some mopeds are designed like cars, similar to microcar, for instance the french Aixam. Another type is the three wheeled (two front, one back) transport moped.

Etymology

The word moped is a Swedish short form of the word motorvelociped. Velociped is an older Swedish word for bicycle, imported from the French word vélocipède formed from the Latin velocispedis meaning "fast foot". However, it is also likely that the term is merely an abbreviated combination of the two key elements of a moped—a motor and pedals.

Local definitions

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