Welcome -
This web site is dedicated to the wonderful Moped, it's long
history has seen an evolution in design that has made the moped one of the most
numerous and successful vehicles on the planet. The moped's design evolution was
born out of necessity during the resource starved years post World War 2. The
war had inflicted severe devastation upon the countries of Europe and Asia. The
basic transport infrastructure of roads, bridges and railway lines had been
destroyed and often the only form of mass transport left was the bicycle. It
didn't take long for enterprising businesses and individuals to figure out that
selling a small engine to power the millions of bicycles would cater to a
largely unsatisfied market. For obvious reasons these earliest Mopeds were
called Cycle-Motors. The cycle-motors worked well but had some design flaws,
they needed a stronger chassis to handle the extra weight and power of the small
two stroke engine that was usually employed to power them, and skinny bicycle
wheels and tires didn't last long under the extra wear of the engine which often
utilized a simple friction driven transmission. Manufacturers looked for ways to
offer a better product, and the result is what we know today as the moped, a
hybrid vehicle purpose designed to be powered by both human and motorized power.
The moped arrived at a time when the nations of the world were recovering from
World War II, when simple, cheap, and economical motorized transport was needed
to mobilize workers and to help rebuild the recovering economies of Europe and
Asia. The moped found a waiting market, and during this era many millions of
Mopeds were sold. During the US oil crisis of the 1970's the moped again
provided a cheap and very economical form of motorized transport. The moped had
been popular in Europe and Asia for many years, but safety restrictions had held
it out of the US. By 1974 the OPEC oil embargo was having a major affect on the
US economy, and it was during this time that many states relaxed their safety
rules and recognized the moped legal definition in law.
Moped Shop
Four Stroke Moped Scooters
In many ways the moped boom that
began over 50 years ago is still happening today, the design of the
moped has evolved, and advances in engine and transmission design have
brought an increase in power and performance. One of the most important
developments to affect the design of Mopeds since their inception is the
C.V.T automatic transmission, or Constantly Variable Transmission. On
C.V.T equipped Mopeds the pedals have become superfluous, enabling
better weather protection and more secure storage to be incorporated
into the design. Another important development in recent times has been
the gradual acceptance of the four stroke engine over the two stroke
engine. Four stroke engines are generally more environmentally friendly
because they recover their own lubrication, unlike two strokes which use
a total loss lubrication system where the oil is mixed with the fuel and
burnt during combustion.
Pedal
powered bicycles have been around for nearly 150 years, and it is logical to
assume bicycles will be around for as long as we have legs to power them.
The moped hybrid concept of utilizing human and motorized power is probably going to be around for a while too given that people are always
going to want some kind of motorized bicycle product, and we see this now
with the growing popularity of electric bicycles. The moped hybrid concept
offers some tangible and measurable benefits to society as a whole,
especially with the growing world population, and the need to ease traffic
congestion in urban communities. The moped's renown fuel economy offers a
future benefit as oil resources are depleted and the price of fuel
inevitably increases. Mopeds have always offered economical transport to the
masses, and will continue to do so as long as authorities allow them a place
in the market, and its worth noting that on every previous occasion oil has
been in short supply, the moped has boomed. Another problem facing the world
is an increasingly sedentary population and lack of exercise. The moped
offers its user the opportunity to get an elected level of exercise without
having to supply the total effort as with a bicycle, think of it as a kind
of mobile exercise bike. These three benefits are tied up in an exciting new
moped product under development byHonda.
The NC I features a four stroke engine for low emissions and good fuel
efficiency, a good ergonomically correct riding position for cycling
fitness, and the light weight and slim lines of a bicycle for easy urban
commuting and use on bicycle lanes. Products like these are the future of
the moped, and will find wide appeal once the exercise benefit is
recognized by the wider population, oh, there's one more benefit Mopeds
have always offered....FUN!
