January 9, 2002

3:46 PM

Pity the poor moped. Not really a scooter, nor a motorcycle, yet more than a bike. The Moped Army (motto: "2-Stroke Power. Swarm and Destroy") attempts to bring some respect, or at least, geeky cult-like fanatacism, to this underappreciated mode of transportation.
posted by 40 Watt (10 comments total)

These silly things stopped being cool when The English Beat broke up.
posted by aacheson at 3:49 PM on January 9, 2002

Only the Velo Solex is cool.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:01 PM on January 9, 2002

When I was 16 I knew there was no way my parents would allow me to have a car. So, I settled for a Moped.

I was looking at all sorts of models. I mentioned this to the 72 year old owner of the local bank (who was also a car collector). He mentioned that he had two identical mopeds for sale - my pick, $250.

So, I ventured out to his house in the country. It turns out these were 1965 Daimler-Styer-Puch mopeds in brand new condition - one had 125 miles on it, one with 25 miles on it. Started with pedals, but had a real oil-bath clutch and two gears (with a handlebar shifter).

It still runs today, and while it is only 50cc it has a top end of nearly 50mph.

Now I wish I had bought both of them.
posted by hadashi at 5:22 PM on January 9, 2002

that is so cool, hadashi!
I love my scooter and haven't even looked at my car in months...
I say any mode of trasportation that gets you from points A to B is valid...especially when you can fill up on gas for $2!
posted by black8 at 5:33 PM on January 9, 2002

Please, anyone thinking about the wonders of a mass of 2-stroke engines clogging the roads: come to Taiwan and observe for yourself the environmental devastation wrought by the world's densest concentration of these things.
posted by Poagao at 6:50 PM on January 9, 2002

i had a moped when i was unemployed. it was a life saver. Honda C50 Club
posted by quarsan at 12:22 AM on January 10, 2002

To quote:

"Mopeds are like fat chicks, they are great fun to ride, but you don't want your friends to see you on one."
posted by Frasermoo at 12:48 AM on January 10, 2002

My scooter's broken he moped.
posted by Spoon at 1:10 AM on January 10, 2002

These guys are on the campus of WMU. The first time I saw them, I wondered what was going on. During summer nights, I would hear the buzz of groups of 5 or 6 mopeds going up and down the streets of my neighborhood. I wanted one so bad, until I realized that the skinny emo kids riding them weighed significantly less than I do.

Fat guy + Moped = Scary Sight.
posted by bryanzera at 5:20 AM on January 10, 2002

These kids are the nicest! Poagao, good point, but the newer scooters (my Vespa, at least) have excellent emission control. During rush hours, I'd rather see a sea of scooters and mopeds than the current mass of SUVs (usually with one passenger, too).
posted by acornface at 7:37 AM on January 10, 2002