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Mopeds are a class of low-powered motorized vehicles, generally two-wheeled. Moped classification is designed to allow the use of small motorised vehicles, avoiding the safety restrictions and licensing charges required of larger motorcycles. more...

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Some motorized bicycles, small scooters, and small motorcycles fit the definition of a moped.

In legal literature, mopeds are normally defined by limits on engine displacement, speed, power output, transmissions, or the requirement of pedals. In some countries, the legal driving age for a moped is lower than for larger motorcycles, and consequently mopeds are popular among the youth. Typically, mopeds are restricted to 45-50 km/h (28-31 mph) and engines less than 50 cc. Some localities require pedals, thus making them a form of hybrid transport, using both human power and machine power. Because of their small size, many jurisdictions consider them "limited speed motorcycles."

History

The earliest mopeds, introduced in the early 1950s, were nothing but bicycles with a helper motor in various locations, for example on top of the front wheel. These were commonly called cyclemotors. An example of this type is the VéloSoleX brand, which simply had a rubber roller driving the front tire. 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 98 cc engine were known as autocycles. However, 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. Some jurisdictions, however, may categorize these as a type of moped, creating a certain amount of confusion.

Some mopeds have been designed with more than two wheels, similar to a microcar, or the three wheeled (two front, one back) transport moped.

Etymology

The word moped was coined by a Swedish journalist in 1952, as an abbreviation of motor and pedal.

Local definitions

United States

While the exact legal definition of a moped varies from state to state, a moped's speed generally may not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h)( even if it can go faster) on level ground (in a few states this number is 20 or 25 mph (32 or 40 km/h), and in most states, the maximum engine capacity is 50 cc, although a few states allow up to 85 or 130 cc. Some states require pedals, while others do not.

Read more at Wikipedia.org