A moped is typically a two-wheeled vehicle that resembles a motorcycle. The differences between a motorcycle and a moped are difficult to quantify, but will generally include some of the following factors.

Modern mopeds will often have a stepper design rather than a motorcycle stepper mounting system. Most mopeds are also equipped with an automatic transmission as opposed to the manual transmission on most motorcycles. Perhaps one of the main draws of mopeds is the simplistic twist throttle control, which, coupled with the lack of gears, makes the shifting process simply a matter of twisting the right handlebar throttle.

Although most mopeds fall between the 50CC and 125CC range, there are also many 150CC mopeds that go as high as 500CC.

Until the 1980s, many mopeds had push bike pedals, to allow the rider to pedal the bike for a certain distance.

These days most mopeds do not have pedals, and the term is a generic phrase used to describe smaller motorcycles, usually under 125cc. However, there are mopeds that have much higher cubic capacity than this, and the line between high-end mopeds and a motorcycle can seem blurry.

Most mopeds have an automatic transmission and the vast majority are of a step-through design.

In the UK, anyone over the age of 16 can get a provisional driving licence. However, at this age only mopeds under 50 CC can be legally licensed. The provisional license is issued only to those who pass a CBT.

CBT stands for “Mandatory Basic Training” Many times you will hear it refer to mandatory bike training, the latter is incorrect.

From the age of 17, the CBT entitles the cyclist to ride a bike up to 125CC. And the 30 mph speed restriction is lifted.

Moped safety requires all riders to wear a motorcycle helmet, it is also recommended that riders wear brightly colored clothing and scuff- and impact-proof armor. Most modern lightweight motorcycle clothing includes this armor in the form of shoulder pads, knee pads, and elbow pads.

Modern mopeds have fantastic fuel economy, often capable of close to 120 km per gallon. In addition to fuel savings, this also substantially reduces carbon dioxide emissions per mile.

With rising fuel prices, the demand for mopeds has increased steadily over the last four years. They offer a practical and economical solution for many applications where only one person is required to travel without a large amount of luggage. It has become quite common for car owners to have a moped as a second vehicle to reduce the costs of many local trips.