Mopeds Facts

During the 1950s in Europe, the first moped were introduced to the public. The early versions were built from a standard bicycle and had small motors mounted to various positions on the bike such as the top of the front wheel. These small motors were intended to keep the wheels turning once you were up to speed so you you could quit pedaling.

Mopeds became popular in the US during the 70s oil crises when gas prices spiked and there where long lines at the pumps. Most cars of that time got very poor mileage and the alternative moped which can get over 100 miles per gallon became a very attractive proposition.

France citizen Serge Seguin traveled all over the US during 1972 promoting mopeds. He even lobbied congress and was eventually able to get more than 30 states to create a new vehicle classification for mopeds so they could be legally ridden on the streets. This ended the Department of Transportation's lock on keeping them out of the country due to safety restrictions.

With the oil crisis and long lines at the pumps, mopeds quickly became popular and in 1977 a quarter million people owned one. Eventually, the gas prices came down and car companies started to develop vehicles that were more economical so the popularity of the moped began to fade.

Most mopeds have operating restrictions on them based on power output and their top speed.

Sometimes, people think you don't need a license to drive a moped and in most cases this is not true. A moped requires a drivers license just as a standard motorcycle does.

From a legal standpoint, mopeds can be classed differently than a standard motorcycle. Since most mopeds have a low power output, they are not allowed on the freeways in the US. Some states even have different restrictions as far as obtaining licenses so that younger people may use them more frequently.