6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
By Jesse Kiser (/authors/jesse-kiser) - June 26, 2014
Category: News (/categories/news) Like 44 Share Tweet 2
It's a bicycle. It's a dirt bike. it's a moped. It's fast. It does wheelies. It doesn't need tags or a licenses. Do we really need to say anything else? All we know is we want one. Utilizing a mixture of down-hill bicycle and Honda 50cc parts, this creation, called the Motoped, (//motopeds.com)has exceeded their Kickstarter (//www.kickstarter.com/projects/2097071998/motopeds)campaign target of $80,000 to cut their retail costs in half.
What does it cost?
It looks like a total blast. A nimble and skinny bike with a screaming small-cc engine. No clutch, elaborate drivetrain or extra weight, it's definitely not like your friend's scooter. Right now a kit costs anywhere from $3,500 to $4,800. The teams'Kickstarter (//www.kickstarter.com/projects/2097071998/motopeds) program was implemented to allow Motoped tomake large 500-1000 run of parts in order to bring the cost down to an estimated $1,500 for a complete bike minus motor and $599 for the kit. That's insanely cheap for a engine-powered bike. Using heavy-duty, down-hill bicycle frame, wheels, and suspension with a 50cc engine.The campaign will also allow them to use newly designed parts, like a beefier frame that will accept larger engines and more aggressive riding.
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 1/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
How it all Works
The most technologically advanced piece of the bike is possibly the swing arm. Also hand-tig welded, the swing-arm uses a single, high mounted Marzocchi shock for a clean look with plenty of travel. What makes it cool is the ability to either ride hard with the screaming 50cc engine or seamlessly switch to a pedal for riding around on sidewalks and parks. The team has been through different designs with their latest using a steel shaft with sealed bearings and an aluminum bicycle sprocket. It's all integrated through the swim-arm shaft making three total short chains.
The kits are sold as complete bikes minus a motor, complete kit, or frame kit. The frame kit includes all of the custom stuff like the chrom-moly and hand tig-weldedframe, swing arm, jack shaft, bottom bracket, rear hub, sprockets and exhaust. That allows guys like you and I to mix and match the other parts, which are commonly found, like the 50cc engine and down-hill bike parts.
The Motoped guys are smart to use, tried and true parts for the project. So if something breaks or needs maintenance, it's easy to get it worked on. Starting with the overhead-valve 50cc engine like you'd find in any kid's dirt bike and some of the Honda scooters. Based on the line of engines that range from 50cc to 190cc, so you can easily perform upgrades.The team offers a variety of options like larger- engines and foot pegs, dropping the bicycle pedals. cc
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 2/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
Legal
The cool thing is 49cc and under with no clutch is most states don't require a license or registration to operate on the open road. No extra red tape or weird legations. Every state is different as some require headlights and taillights no matter the size.
PLAY
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 3/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 4/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
Forget a cup of tea, reunite over a glass of The owner of these cars is the richest Are You An Introvert Who Hate Selling? This wine in Margaret River. Malaysian you never heard about, and his Business Is Best For You justanotherday way to fortune is Ace Profits Academy Finance Watch 365 (http://justanotherday.westernaustralia.com/feature/margaret- (http://cpvaff.com/base.php? river-local-life-and-loves-in-10- (http://www.financewatch365.com/en/my/hcax/index.html? c=1028&key=95cf596b8b7f6013909b88437307e3e8&keyword=out- photos?cid=nat::vfr:out::::::may17) trkid=364763426133615F3246446F735F3344&utm_medium=x1&q2=Mystery+Kuala+Lumpur+Gold+Supercar+Owner+Revealed+%E2%8 UIPKL-M5&cam=out-UIPKL-M5)
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 5/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart
Lee Kuan Yew family feud deepens: Men, You Don't Need the Blue Pill If You Do Experts shocked, as new trick saves grandsons weigh in as Singapore PMs This Once Daily online shoppers thousands in Malaysia brother questions his pledge life.mensnewsnow.com MegaBargain 24 South China Morning Post (http://6tbk9.voluumtrk.com/a6665c6f- (http://dsct2.com/path/lp.php? (http://www.scmp.com/week- e49d-4c5b-8b11-06b805aed960? trvid=10403&trvx=7bb790d9&KW=DSPOTB&CAMP=A01A&) asia/politics/article/2098436/lee- ad=ad9&pub=00a0885bfd27eb4da34beee1a037144923&cmp=MY) kuan-yew-family-feud-brother- questions-singapore-pms-pledge? utm_source=outbrain&utm_campaign=GME- I-Alwayson- jun17&utm_medium=ctwia_sea&cx_source=outbrain&cx_medium=ctwia_sea&cx_campaign=GME- I)
Single Mom Earns US$2.527 Daily Working Do This Before Bed to Regrow Your Hair All The Skin Tightener Every Man Should Own, From Home Part Time Night Long Period. Consumer Guide en.dailyhealthclub.co The Modern Man Today
https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 6/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart Name
Guest 3 years ago
didn't HFL post this 4 years ago? 6 Reply Share
Tiberiuswise 3 years ago
When I was a kid, all the cool working class kids had mopeds. Mostly clapped out Puchs. Here in New Jersey you need a license and registration but you can get it at 15 instead of 17. This looks like a rather attractive proposition if you factor in a decent resale value. Much more so than any other motorcycle wannabe moped. 3 Reply Share
LS650 3 years ago
Like most other compromises, this seems like a halfway measure that tries to be all things to all people, and fails miserably.
If you want a bicycle, get a bicycle; if you want a motorcycle, get a motorcycle. 3 Reply Share
Gonalo > LS650 3 years ago
I know after 15 minutes of riding a bicycle i start thinking "damn i wish this thing had a motor, yep, a motor would make this so much more fun" 6 Reply Share
JohnnyWaes > Gonalo 3 years ago
Then you'd last 30 seconds pedaling this 40lb bicycle. 2 Reply Share
snacks > JohnnyWafes 3 years ago
then the engine would blast you to the moon. 3 Reply Share
Stuki > LS650 3 years ago
I kinda like the idea of bicycles with a bit of motive help. Personally, I'd prefer electrics hidden well away, so you can easier get away with the kind of red light running, sidewalk jumping, bring up to your desk or into stores and on buses-trains-and-ferries, that bicycles tend to get excused for easier than motorcycles.
When I'm in Los Angeles, I'm still faster house to desk on my bicycle (7 miles, 1000 feet drop) than on my 150hp KTM, due to the moto sitting at red lights, putting gear on/o and parking mostly. Back up hill..... not so much. In SF, I don't even bother with the MC. Parking 500lb bikes on steep hills in a town where the crackheads don't even get arrested for stealing police bikes, just ain't worth it. 3 Reply Share
Comments continue after advertisement
Sponsored
32%
23%
Report ad Neil Sr 3 years ago California does require a drivers license and a $20 lifetime plate for motorized bicycles. 2 Reply Share
DL_in_DEN 3 years ago
Sorry to nitpick, but it's "pedal", not "peddle". 2 Reply Share
IRS4 > DL_in_DEN 3 years ago
They are hoping to peddle these pedal bikes ;) 3 Reply Share
jlxn 3 years ago
"$1,500 for a complete bike minus motor and $599 for the kit." $1,500.00 for what? And $599.00 for what? Not sure what you're talking about. 3 Reply Share https://rideapart.com/articles/shut-take-money-motoped 7/8 6/28/2017 Shut Up and Take My Money: The Motoped | RideApart 3 Reply Share
eddi_the_Bad_Hombre > jlxn 3 years ago
I think for $1,500 you get a fully assembled machine minus the engine. $599 gets you the Christmas Eve Special; some assembly required. Still no engine. Reply Share
Adam > eddi_the_Bad_Hombre 3 years ago
I would guess it is $599 for the frame and motorcycle specic parts. $1,500 gets you the mountain bike parts (wheels, suspension, brakes). Neither come with the engine. Reply Share
Sportbike Mike 3 years ago
Here in az, powered bikes are everywhere we call them spooky tooths, because there was a company here that used to build them by that name. They cost like $600. People build them and sell them in Craigslist now. Buy one of those instead or buy 5. 1 Reply Share
JohnnyWaes 3 years ago
Seems like fun. Not sure about sourcing and installing my own engine. 1 Reply Share
Bruce Monighan 3 years ago
Very cool but note that in California a moped must have less than 2 gross brake hp. Seems to me the 50 cc engines have about 4 1/2 hp. This is not a moped in California by my reading. Too bad Reply Share
Neil Sr > Bruce Monighan 3 years ago
50 cc on a Motoped has about 2 1/2 hp but the new CA law in jan 2015 will be 4 HP or less thanks to a new bill passing. 1 Reply Share
Comments continue after advertisement
Sponsored
23%
Report ad notshing 3 years ago Good Idea, with $10,000 scooters and people needing something to get around in that gets more than 40 mpg - it does make sense. Headlight/tail light is a rechargeable Nite Rider.
As to cost decent mountain bike run close to $3,000.
Every try a hilly commute 35 miles / day on a bicycle? It's not for the faint of heart. This is a good idea for those who can't ride 250's up for various reasons (like mom would crucify dad if junior rode a motorcycle) or chubby people wanting a little help in the commute. Reply Share
Aaron 3 years ago
I would love to have one, but it is waaay too expensive for something "cool" but not practical in any way. I got my Triumph Street Triple for 5500, for 4800 I could have gotten a 50cc bike...... Reply Share
Justin McClintock 3 years ago
Certainly a cool concept. Not sure I'm in a hurry to go buy one, but it looks like it'd be fun to bomb around on. A 190 cc version with pegs instead of pedals could make for one helluva play bike.
I do wonder what it's like to pedal though. Looks like it'd be weird give how wide the pedals would be spaced. Reply Share
Artecier 3 years ago
In the same spirit, a french company named SEV is making electric mopeds and bicycles : http://www.sev-world.com/en/ Reply Share
Subscribe d Add Disqus to your siteAdd DisqusAdd Privacy
