Sitting at the donut shop today…
Dad to kid: "It's a moped"
Young woman: "How much for the moped?"
Another kid: "See the moped"
Arrrgh!
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Sitting at the donut shop today…
Dad to kid: "It's a moped" Young woman: "How much for the moped?" Another kid: "See the moped" Arrrgh! ![]()
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Molto Verboso
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I'd sell it too. People keep confusing it for a moped, and that sh*t gets old.
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When I had a 650 Burgman, kids (and even some teenagers) would occasionally refer to it as a moped. It made no difference that it weighed 625 pounds, with a wheelbase that compared to a Honda Goldwing...it was still a 'moped' in their eyes.
I used to politely correct their incorrect perception, and explain that a 'moped' had bicycle-like pedals that would start the (tiny) engine by pedaling it. Of course, it was futile, and something akin to pissing into the winds of the tsunami of misinformation concerning the 'new' definition steamrolling young minds where it concerned these bikes. Sigh!...modern problems! "IT'S NOT A MOPED!!!!".... ![]() ⚠️ Last edited by JBacklund on UTC; edited 3 times
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I bought a new BV400 after the 350 broke down in Michigan.
It's a bit discouraging when someone shows an interest in the BV350, then walks away when I tell them it's not a moped.
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JKJ-FZ6 wrote: It's a bit discouraging when someone shows an interest in the BV350, then walks away when I tell them it's not a moped. Don't ever disagree or correct a potential buyer on anything other than price or how well you cared for it. ![]()
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Madison Sully wrote: Amateur tip from a guy who sucks at selling things: Don't ever disagree or correct a potential buyer on anything other than price or how well you cared for it. ![]() I do always tell them they need a motorcycle license to ride a big scooter on public roads, though (at least in Texas). I did see a BV350 for sale in Dallas recently that had been titled as a moped (with a moped license plate), apparently to save money. Not sure how the guy got away with that.
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Reminds me of this clip. But Bruce Willis was wrong. That's not a chopper. It's a motorcycle. 😂
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JKJ-FZ6 wrote: It's a bit discouraging when someone shows an interest in the BV350, then walks away when I tell them it's not a moped. |
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![]() 2001 GTS Super (white), 2021 GTS Super (yellow), 1976 Bianchi Snark moped, 1980 General 5 Star moped
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As a long time moped enthusiast, I can tell you that mopedders are just as offended when you refer to their mopeds as scooters.
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giallo wrote: As a motorcycle owner I sometimes have called my motorcycles mopeds. It's all good.
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I just searched "Moped" on Amazon. Just about every scooter listed is also listed as a Moped. IDK
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Come to think of it, I get all butt-hurt offended when my neighbor, Harlan, calls my Sears riding mower a 'lawn tractor'...but I let it go because every year, he gives me a pile of tomatoes from the mini garden on his deck.
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What do you expect when we live in a world where the ignorant masses refer to bicycles without an electric motor as an "acoustic?"
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Do Scooter or scoot next
Bikers, as in colors wearing HD riding may refer to their motorcycles as scooters, partially originating from a Montrose song about "get on your bad motorscooter & ride" |
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People tend to confuse scooters with mopeds.
It can also work in your benefit. Here in the neighborhood there are connections between nice roads that you cannot use with a motorcycle, but mopeds are allowed. On my BV I use these connections, and I behave as a moped. Never anyone protesting about that.
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But if I'm defending myself in court over a speeding violation, I'll be the first to point out to the judge that it's a moped. "Are you sure the radar gun is still calibrated"?
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[quote="Mr. Thompson"]
What do you expect when we live in a world where the ignorant masses refer to bicycles without an electric motor as an "acoustic?" [/quote Seriously? I've never heard that one, but then, I live in relative 'Podunk USA', where a lot of the blossoming cultural trends are slow to arrive, if at all. Sometimes that's a curse, other times a blessing. Mostly the latter. ⚠️ Last edited by JBacklund on UTC; edited 1 time
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When people ask "How old are you, Johnny?"
I answer: "I'm SO old...that I know the technical difference between a moped and a scooter!" The baffled look on their faces is priceless.
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Cosmos wrote: But if I'm defending myself in court over a speeding violation, I'll be the first to point out to the judge that it's a moped. "Are you sure the radar gun is still calibrated"? |
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PeterCC wrote: People tend to confuse scooters with mopeds. It can also work in your benefit. Here in the neighborhood there are connections between nice roads that you cannot use with a motorcycle, but mopeds are allowed. On my BV I use these connections, and I behave as a moped. Never anyone protesting about that.
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JBacklund wrote: Come to think of it, I get all butt-hurt offended when my neighbor, Harlan, calls my Sears riding mower a 'lawn tractor'...but I let it go because every year, he gives me a pile of tomatoes from the mini garden on his deck.
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PeterCC wrote: People tend to confuse scooters with mopeds. It can also work in your benefit. Here in the neighborhood there are connections between nice roads that you cannot use with a motorcycle, but mopeds are allowed. On my BV I use these connections, and I behave as a moped. Never anyone protesting about that. ...and yep, here it really is legally 'a moped'. A moped is defined here as '2 or 3 wheeled, motorized vehicle that has top speed max 45 km/h...further restrictions are max. 50 cc ICE or max 4 kW electric motor. The history of the word moped is obviously similar. As mopeds dropped their pedals for the benefits of an ICE a long time ago and still remained popular, the term remained. We even have a term 'moped car', referrring to micro cars (ICE/electric) that can be driven with a moped license I assume these have no pedals either |
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This is a moped. 1979 Sears Free Spirit, made by Puch/Kromag. I bought it about 2 years ago. I've owned over a dozen actual pedal mopeds in my life, from several brands. This is what it looked like when I bought it, I have since done a complete teardown and rebuild, and cleaned it up quite a bit, and removed a lot of the junk the previous owner hung all over it. Moped meand MOtor+PEDals.
![]() 1979 Sears Free Spirit moped
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What's your definition of a moped state side? In England, ours used to mean motor+pedal = moped, but now under our licensing laws, anything under 50cc that tops out around 30mph is a moped.
So even the 50cc Primavera / Sprint count as "mopeds" over here. Mopeds aren't allowed on our motorways (highways), and can be ridden from 16 years old - whereas 125cc and cars are 17 years+ |
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but, but....is it a motorcycle?
See, term motorcycle comes from 'motor'...kind of obvious part, refers to the engine...but the 'cycle' comes from bicycle, which is a two-wheeled vehicle powered by pedals. I ain't got no pedals in my Triumph ![]() |
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JakeM wrote: What's your definition of a moped state side? In England, ours used to mean motor+pedal = moped, but now under our licensing laws, anything under 50cc that tops out around 30mph is a moped ⚠️ Last edited by Mopedlar on UTC; edited 2 times
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Minnesota moped law:
Mopeds are registered and plated as a moped; have a piston displacement of 50cc or less, a maximum of 2 horse power, and a maximum speed of 30 mph on a flat surface. [Some 50cc machines, including Vespa 50cc scooters, don't meet the 2hp requirement and thus are considered motorcycles. This definition says nothing about having pedals or not.] Moped operators are required to have a moped permit, moped operators license, or a valid class D drovers license. Moped operators and passengers under age 18 must wear a helmet. Bicycle helmets meeting ANSI Z90.4-1984 are allowed. Mopeds are not permitted on controlled-access highways. |
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Here's an old magazine ad by Vespa that pretty much says it all. I've also attached a pic of my '76 Bianchi Snark moped.
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IT LIVES!
Gotta be easier to push than the last time I saw it. I'd say, related it as a moped. It will sell tomorrow. ![]() |
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fledermaus wrote: I'd say, related it as a moped. It will sell tomorrow. ![]() [topic186467] |
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