The word moped was coined by Swedish journalist Harald Nielsen in 1952.
The earliest mopeds, introduced in the early 1950s, were standard bicycles with a helper motor in various locations, for example on top of the front wheel; they were also called cyclemotors.
Mopeds are restricted to 30-75 mph (48-121 km/h) and may not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) in the UK. Also in the UK a provisional licence, full motorcycle or car licence is needed to operate a moped. A "Compulsory Basic Training" (CBT) certificate is also required to ride a moped on public roads.
Many mopeds are equipped with reflectors and other accessories that makes them more visible in the street especially in the dark.
Some mopeds are restricted by simple means, such as plates or washers which some remove to increase speed, some dealerships will de-restrict a moped for free or at a small charge. The speed gained by such modifications depends on the specific engine and also the combination of modifications performed.
The problem with riding tuned mopeds by teens in countries where their top speed and/or engine capacity has to be limited can make riding one punishable as driving without a license, so be warned, police have now increased the number of surprise checks in schools and teenager hot spots to help cut down on the problem.
A moped is usually powered by small 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines ranging from 50 cc to 125 cc.
In most countries mopeds are subject to all of the same traffic laws as other vehicles, and all riders must wear helmets.
Some advantages of owning a moped are low purchase costs with some models costing only a few hundred dollars. Road tax is much cheaper than a motorcar, gas/fuel consumption is very much lower than a motorcar with some models running up to 220 miles (350 km) on one tank of fuel.
With many mopeds now styled to look like motorcycles this may encourage inexperienced riders to act as if they were operating such a machine, sometimes bringing it into situations or expecting performance it is not capable of negotiating such as attempting to ride a moped at a high speed. This can increases the risk from automobile drivers who may think a moped is a motorcycle and misjudge its speed.
I hope you enjoyed this short article on mopeds