Anyone here own a moped?

[Warpnow]

So, I can get one for $599 brand new from this store in Dallas, the insurance is less than $100 a year, and it gets over 100 mpg. Now, there are alot of downsides. Speed tops out at 40mph, which means I have to stick to smaller roads, but given I live in a large city, it shouldn't be a problem. I can get basically 99% of places without getting on a highway.

Anyone here have one? Any advice? Ideas? Experiences?

[gOLdenHaWK3D]

Quite cheap a ride & nice mileage! Good luck :D

[Muppeteer]

I used to have one years ago...Only advice i can give is, watch out for ice, bugs in your helmet and get a good lock!

[Nevon]

I used to have one when I was in my mid-teens. Never really used it though, as I lived too far away from the city for it to be a viable means of transportation. Here mopeds aren't allowed to go any faster than ~30mph (rough km/h → mph calculation) though, and that's only if you have a license. For regular mopeds I think the speed limit is something like ~15mph.

[Whiffle]

Make sure to get a 4 stroke. The 2 stroke ones ( which you add oil to the gas to lube the engine), are smelly and nasty and I hate being behind them on the road.

[Swagman]

When I was 16 I used to own one of These (http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/suzuki-ap50.php)

In Blue.

Great fun. Along with my Kawasaki KH250 I wish I'd just left them sitting in the shed rather than sell them for the pittance I got.

Oh well... As the saying goes... "Young & stupid" as I was back then.

[HermanAB]

Howdy,

I had a moped as a teenager and upgraded to a Vespa Scooter and later a 4 cilinder Honda, so I think I can comment meaningfully:
For low speed neighborhood/small town riding, smaller cycles are more dangerous than larger ones. Their suspension is bad (or non-existent), they slide easily and don't brake properly.

I fell twice with my moped, once with the scooter and never with the larger bike. With the moped, I came down at a rainy stop street and slid right in front of an 18 wheeler, which managed to stop, since he just pulled away, but damn.

With the Honda, I slid once or twice and recovered. With mopeds and scooters, it is impossible to recover from a slide - you simply go down, no second chance.

Note that you don't need much to slide on. The tiniest bit of oil, road sign paint, water or sand combined with inferior suspension is all it takes.

Sooooooo, given the choice today, I would rather buy a second hand 400 to 500cc bike, instead of a new moped or scooter. Note that this is also a sentiment I have heard echoed by other bikers that upgraded the way I did, to the point that some fathers would let their children illegally ride larger bikes (some would even re-badge larger 125cc bikes to make them look like 50cc models to try to fool the cops), rather than letting them ride mopeds, scooters or 50cc deathtraps.

Hope that helps!

[Blacklightbulb]

All I can say is $599 is way overpriced. Here you get a decent motorcycle 250cc for half that price. You'd probably be able to buy a second hand motorcycle for less than that (model 1970-1990) in good condition.

[Blacklightbulb]

Howdy,

I had a moped as a teenager and upgraded to a Vespa Scooter and later a 4 cilinder Honda, so I think I can comment meaningfully:
For low speed neighborhood/small town riding, smaller cycles are more dangerous than larger ones. Their suspension is bad (or non-existent), they slide easily and don't brake properly.

I fell twice with my moped, once with the scooter and never with the larger bike. With the moped, I came down at a rainy stop street and slid right in front of an 18 wheeler, which managed to stop, since he just pulled away, but damn.

With the Honda, I slid once or twice and recovered. With mopeds and scooters, it is impossible to recover from a slide - you simply go down, no second chance.

Note that you don't need much to slide on. The tiniest bit of oil, road sign paint, water or sand combined with inferior suspension is all it takes.

Sooooooo, given the choice today, I would rather buy a second hand 400 to 500cc bike, instead of a new moped or scooter. Note that this is also a sentiment I have heard echoed by other bikers that upgraded the way I did, to the point that some fathers would let their children illegally ride larger bikes (some would even re-badge larger 125cc bikes to make them look like 50cc models to try to fool the cops), rather than letting them ride mopeds, scooters or 50cc deathtraps.

Hope that helps!

Exactly though I think for a beginner a 500cc is a bit to large (and of bad millage in a small town). A 250cc would be better.

[bodyharvester]

@Blacklightbulb, your location is hilarious:lolflag:

[Nick_Jinn]

I own a Motorcycle and a Moped....sometimes I actually prefer riding the moped:guitar:

I have a Honda Shadow 650. Its fun and its fast. I love that it looks cool and it just takes off like nothing. Its exhilarating....Still, its heavy, slightly dangerous, and I still get stuck in traffic if I dont violate the law.



I also have a 4 stroke moped....the only 4stroke sold in the US right now. Its a Laser made by JJ motorsports, 50cc...However, I due to it being light weight it reaches 45mph easily, but not very well uphill....but I am going to 'hack it' and install a 100cc big boar kit, adjust the fuel injection and gears, and I should be able to get 60mph out of this thing if not more. Whats more, if I dont ride too fast I can ride in the bike lane (it has pedals), I dont need insurance (though its a good idea and cheap), and it doesnt look so bad for a moped.

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/103292/4b1d6cfa01946_103292b.jpg


Its not that bad looking. For a moped.



Its not as cool as the Shadow though.


http://www.mallorca-motorrad.de/pics/honda_shadow_wo_windshield_big.jpg



I sometimes let my girlfriend ride the moped and I ride the Shadow.....but sometimes for just running errands I take the Moped. With 120 mpg its hard not to love it.