Moped

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Mopeds are a class of motorized vehicles in legal literature normally defined by limits on engine displacement, speed, power output, transmissions, or the requirement of pedals. The Moped Army generally recognizes only motor-driven cycles with pedals as being the de facto definition of a moped, however, some enthusiasts work on bikes without pedals or with pedals removed.

History

The earliest mopeds, introduced in the early 1950s, were nothing but bicycles with a helper motor in various locations. An example of this type is the Velosolex brand, which simply had a rubber roller driving the front tire. A more innovative design was known in the UK as the Cyclemaster, which had a complete powered rear wheel which was simply substituted for the bicycle rear wheel—a design which originated from a design by two DKW engineers in Germany. Slightly larger machines, commonly with a 98cc engine were known as autocycles. Link title

Etymology

The word moped was coined by a Swedish journalist in 1952, as an abbreviation of motor and pedal.[1] In 1953 the german motorbike producers association organized , along with the IFMA exhibition a name contest for a new category of bycicles with engines matching the criterias: 33kgs max, 26 inch wheels, 50cc engine, Pedals. The engine manufacturer ILO / Pinneberg won the contest with the name moped. Soon after a mass production of the mopeds started.

Local definitions

Main article: Moped laws

Typically, mopeds are restricted to 45-50 km/h (28-31 mph) and engines less than 50 cc.

Moped culture

Enthusiasts have formed at least several organizations devoted to moped collecting, repair, and lifestyle.

  • The Moped Army is a moped gang comprised of local branches, and is the central hub in the recent Moped movement. It is truly more than a list of names on a webpage with real world interaction throughout the year, and 8+ official moped rallies throughout the riding season. The Moped Army is featured in national publications on a regular basis, and sets all of the major trends in mopeding today. The Moped Army will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary this spring with the largest moped rally in North America at the Decepticon BBQ 13.

A number of unaffiliated local and regional organizations also exist, such as the RCMP from the Greater Toronto Area, Rocket Ship Tomos from Japan, the MOFOs from New Jersey, and The Variators, which were formerly a branch of the Moped Army, from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Moped safety

Main article: Moped safety

External links

Main article: Category:Moped links