Time Killer thread. Blog Style. "What is it about mopeds???"

[nelly17]

Someone recently questioned me with "what is so intriguing about mopeds?" I had to think about a reasonably short answer for them. I wonder about this answer because it is a good question. I post this to see what your reasons are for riding/ripping. I love it and I love the culture its surrounded by. You guys are awesome and unique. Everyone, even Sethlab. When Im pestered with questions about "why dont you ride a real bike" I answer them with "how unique is that...everyone has a "real bike"." I mean seriously, how often do you see a moped? A true moped... not a fruit-scoot. But I think about it sometimes I mean:
-mopeds are NOT fast like motorcycles.
-mopeds are NOT reliable like motorcycles (except for my Targa )
-mopeds are laughed at by most
-peds are not visibly attractive (unless its a JCams bike)
-no asthetic value
-expensive when you add it all up
-They only attract a certain type of woman (or man if youre gay)
BUT
-peds are initially cheap
-peds are fun
-peds keep you busy
-youre constantly learning things about them
-Fun to build
-they get awesome fuel economy until kitted
-theyre semi-respectable when true motorcycle enthusiasts realize what youve built.

So what is it? I want your opinions/reasons.

Sincerely,

The Black guy

[Steve Bean]

-Can fit in places where cars can't and where motorcycles would feel cumbersome. I've
ripped some cool bike paths and rode through an abandoned mill, etc.

-The enjoyment-per-dollar of modifying these things is a lot higher than, say, a car. I spend
$150 on an intake for my car, I might gain 4-5 hp, and I'll barely feel the difference driving it. I
spend $150 on a moped, I can take it from 25 mph to 40 or 45 mph, and that's definitely
noticeable.

-The riding itself is one of my favorite activities ever. Fast enough to get where you need
to be, slow enough to be connected with your surroundings. Everything is more accessible.
Riding my moped I'll be much more likely to stop at a yard sale, etc., because I can just hop up
on the sidewalk and be done. If I'm in my car, I have to turn around, park, yadda yadda. Mopeds
promote spontaneous behavior.

-Also appreciate the heritage of the bikes, in that many of the mopeds we ride were produced
by amazing motorcycle companies that needed to make something for grandma to ride, too. Some
mopeds retain more motorcycle heritage than others. Derbi Lagunas come to mind. I like the idea
of ripping around on a tiny bike with technology scaled down from great race bikes that I would
be too scared to ride.

[nelly17]

Thats what Im talking about. Good points. I feel on a motorcycle, I would die within a week because I, of course, would go as fast as possible... everywhere. Mopeds are fast enough to get around but very unlikely cause death if you fall. Good post steve. any others?

[Buk]

Doing 50mph on something that weighs a hundred pounds, has feeble brakes yet can be whipped from corner to corner with ease is exhilerating! Having put the damn thing together piece by piece makes it that much more satisfying...

You don't get the same vibes from a motorcycle...and you most certainly don't get to hang with the same lunatics either. Such is the way of the moped.

[fishsticks]

Surprising enough, I haven't yet been asked that question. Or maybe I have thought I tried to shoe it away with some quick answer, "why not?" though the real reason is complex. It all stems from my need to work with my hands, to get them dirty, to see how things work, why this does that, and so on. I once had a love for autos though I quickly realized my budget wouldn't allow me to do any more than look through articles and stare at photos of hopped up cars in magazines. I also came to realize that modern autos are dirty, picky and extremely complex, this turned me off fairly quickly. So I still had this need to get my hands dirty with something mechanical, but no outlet.
Shortly after we moved to our current location, I noticed the neighbors Kate and the now famous Rob Weddle working in their garage on small bikes. They weren't running, nor did I ever get to see them run, but the moment I laid eyes on them I knew I had to have one. The couple put me in contact with a man named Brentus, who quickly showed me the ropes of mopeds and eventually let me get on one. I can remember riding around in circles trying to get a feel for it, I hadn't ever ridden anything with a motor and two wheels before. Once I got comfortable I was going around the block and really enjoying myself. Soon enough I was riding with Brentus and Samphibian on nightly cruises around Orlando at the perfect pace of twenty-seven miles per hour. Nothing could have been better, it was like being on a sight seeing tour of the back sides of all the places I had already been. Everything was different, even though I had been down a street a million times, something about it was different. Shortly after I had my own bike through a fellow called JCams and have been hooked ever since. Now the bikes I have go faster than twenty-seven, though the reason why I ride hasn't. I still love to take only back roads, as well as cruise at a slow pace. So if I ever am asked the question, 'what's so intriguing about mopeds', my answer will simple be, because they're fun.

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