Roketa MC-10 Maui 50ST Moped Scooter

What's a Moped?

If you're an American over 40 then you probably know what a moped is. You might have once owned a Puch, Motobecane, Peugeot, etc. 1/2 million were sold in the US from '76 to '79 after the gas shortage. By 1985 the moped boom was over, and scooters became popular. A scooter has a floor, small tires, no pedals, and can have various sizes of engines from 49cc to 600+. The smallest scooters are like mopeds in that they are both 49cc automatics that go 30 - 35 mph. A moped means MOtor with PEDals, a hybrid vehicle half way between a small motorcycle and a bicycle. Since 2000, China has flooded the US with scooters that they call mopeds, causing confusion. In some states these vehicles don't need pedals to be considered a moped, like Hawaii.

In California, a "moped", or motorized bicycle must have pedals, a motor with under 2 hp, an automatic transmission, and go under 30 mph. A "scooter" has a floor to put your feet on, an enclosed body, rear engine and small tires. A "noped" is a moped without pedals. In some states scooters & nopeds are classified as mopeds.

Lately "moped" has meant any kind of small motorbike.