I've been looking at Moped Utubes

GoldenMotor.com

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I never cared much for mopeds, but since becoming addicted to motorized bicycles, my interest has increased a little. I've been watching a lot of vids on youtube of mopeds the last few days.

What I seem to be learning is there's not much performance difference between mopeds, and motor bicycles from what I see. Of course there's always people that will find ways to improve the performance of any motor to go way beyond the design limitations of a stock motor, but talking about stock, and lightly modified motors there doesn't seem to be much difference.

The main difference seems to be the way they move off the line. Mopeds all seem to have centrifugal clutches, that allow the motor to rev a little at walking speeds, which helps get it moving a little faster off the line. China Girls seem to take a little longer to get going, but once above 15 of so there doesn't seem much difference in acceleration. Actually I think because the China Girls are lighter weight, they seem to have a slight advantage on the top end.

One thing that really drives me wild about the mopeds are the rallys they have where hundreds of moped riders show up. motorized bicycles can't seem to even get 50 people to show up. 50 seems like would be a huge crowd. We've got to change that don't we?
 

Scootmeister

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Mar 15, 2011
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I'm with you, Biknut. A friend turned me on to a Youtube video showing the Buddfab 50cc Streamliner break the world speed record at Bonneville at 150MPH and I was hooked!! I started researching Kriedler and Sachs engines and learned that you can kit them to easily reach 60+. When I saw a Sachs Prima G3 on Craigslist I snatched it up and have been rebuilding it for the past month. Top tank Sachs and Puchs are built like small motorcycles and have cast mag wheels that are super strong and will easily handle 3" headenau racing tires. Peds also have built-in lighting coils, full suspension, and robust brakes making them safe. Like motorized bicycles, mopeds are easy to customize. As you pointed out, one of the most exciting things is Ped owners view themselves as members of a community. Moped Army, for example, has chapters all over the country that sponsor races, rallys, and adventure rides. The "community culture" came from Europe where mopeds are much more common as a primary source of transportation. Good luck if you decide to "diversify".
 

biknut

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Funny thing about moped styling. You mentioned the tank top style mopeds. One thing I never really dug about mopeds is the step through style frames. But after looking at what people do to customize their bikes, it's the step threw's that catch my imagination the most. They look ugly stock, but after removing the fenders, and changing the seat, and handle bars, they start having possibilitys.

Full suspension, and lights does have appeal, but there's a price to pay in weight. In Texas mopeds are considered motor vehicles, so there's all the registration, and inspection mess included, but it's not really a deal breaker. Since I've had a motorcycle license all my life that's not a consideration for me.

I could see myself delving into mopeds possibily someday, but my love of china girls is nowhere near sated yet. I mainly wish I could just find some mopeds to ride with. So far I've only run across a couple of Ruckus at large. I thought no motorized bicycle could ever beat any other motored bike on the street, but I actually out ran a stock 50cc Ruckus. The other one had a 150 kit and was faster than my bike.
 
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biknut

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I forgot about a vintage 70s moped I ran across one day about a year ago on one of my crosstown rides. I stopped to talk to the owner. It was a nice unrestored stock Italian moped with a step threw frame. Some guy about 20 years old was riding it. He said he'd just bought it from someone in Austin. I remember now, thinking how big and massive it looked in comparision to the Atomic BB. Of course it was all stock, and old. It didn't seem like it was very peppy, but what do you expect being that old?

Seems like motorized bicycles would fare well riding with most common mopeds on the street.
 

biknut

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Mopeds are great for Italian's.......living in Italy. They used to be illegal in California......I think that has changed.

dnut
Yeah that must be changed now. There's youtubes of big moped rallys out there now. Seems like on the east coast they're more popular though.
 

biknut

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Another commonality I find I have between mopeds, and motorized bicycles is I'm only interested in the 2 strokes. 4 stroke mopeds don't seem to have any appeal to me at all.
 

biknut

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Another big distinction between mopeds and motorized bicycles is where you can ride one. Let's assume group of motorized bicycle riders (assuming there were more than 2 in the whole world) went on a ride, and a guy on a moped tagged along. Where I normally ride when I go accross town typically includes bike trails, sidewalks, and streets. A moped will be out of it's element in 2 out of 3 of those places.
 

MotorBicycleRacing

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Originally Posted by 16v4nrbrgr
Mopeds haven't ever been illegal in CA, they were sold here back in the 1960's and 70's.
That's interesting. motorized bicycles are legal, but not mopeds?
He said Mopeds are LEGAL if you read it sober? :D

Mopeds and motorized bicycles are in the same category in California
and are registered with the same license plate.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg230.pdf

Brand new mopeds are still sold in CA.
 

Bikeguy Joe

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Jan 8, 2008
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I will add that while a moped is heavier, it has full lighting, suspension, really good brakes, horn, ect and you can ride a moped wide open all day long.

You can do that with a motorized bike.

Most mopeds don't require building either. ;)
 

MotorBicycleRacing

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I never cared much for mopeds, but since becoming addicted to motorized bicycles, my interest has increased a little. I've been watching a lot of vids on youtube of mopeds the last few days.

What I seem to be learning is there's not much performance difference between mopeds, and motor bicycles from what I see. Of course there's always people that will find ways to improve the performance of any motor to go way beyond the design limitations of a stock motor, but talking about stock, and lightly modified motors there doesn't seem to be much difference.
top end.
Chris of Tomahawk Tuning has been coming to our races for quite
a while along with a Moped crew.
http://www.facebook.com/tomahawk.mopeds

Chris beat scotto at the last race on a moped that makes about the same HP
in the so called 11 hp class.



Chris is #174
 
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16v4nrbrgr

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Mar 17, 2012
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They're wayyy heavier though, what detracts from their appeal to me, like 200 lbs, so you need 11hp + and the fancy racing stuff. Mopeds are really popular around here and the rare top tank ones pop up all the time. I'd love a Puch Magnum MKII someday, they're tanks meant to last forever.
 

biknut

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Comparing moped 16" wheels to bicycle 26" wheels, I find I like the look of my 24" wheels the best. The 16s look a little too small. The 26s look a little too big. The 24s look just about right to me for street riding.