The pros and cons of riding a 50cc moped

One of the most comfortable, cheapest, and fun ways to get to work or school is by riding a small motorcycle, such as a 50cc moped. These are just some of the reasons why I think they’re so great for all kinds of people, whether it’s commuting to work or school.

The main advantages of riding a moped:

• Mopeds are cheap to buy. These little bikes are really cheap to buy. Often you can get a used one for just a couple hundred dollars if you look around. If you’d rather get a new one because you want reliability and the certainty of a warranty, you can still get a new one for almost $1000, depending on the make and model you choose. However, be careful when shopping that you don’t get one that is too cheap because some of the ones imported from places like China have yet to gain a reputation for reliability. Replacement parts for these can also be hard to find. Therefore, it is often better to choose a solid European or Japanese brand like Piaggio or Honda.
• Mopeds are cheap to ride – mopeds usually seem to run on just the smell of a rag of oil. Their little engines hum and burn very little fuel. I have found that by commuting to work every day I spend only a few dollars filling up the tank once a week. That’s a party because the tank is very small. Mine holds only a few liters of petrol (petrol for UK people) and goes all week between refills. They are also cheap to maintain. This is because their engines are really simple, so it doesn’t take a lot of work to open them up for maintenance or repair. There isn’t much that can go wrong either. And because they’re so small, you spend less on parts compared to a big car or bike. They have only two wheels, so replacing the tires doesn’t cost too much. They only have one spark plug so it’s also cheap and quick to change.
• Mopeds are easy to ride – the other big advantage of them is that they are usually very light and easy to ride. Most are “twist-and-go” bikes, meaning you just twist the throttle to go and don’t have to worry about changing gears. This makes them perfectly suitable for beginners. In many places, such as Europe, you don’t need to take a special test to ride one. If you are allowed to drive a car, you generally also have the right to drive a moped. In some places the only formality is that you have to take a one-day compulsory basic training course that is intended to keep you safe on the road.

The cons of riding a moped

• Safety: Motorcycles aren’t all fun and games. Mopeds are generally safe and fun to ride, but you’re still more exposed to danger on a bike than you are in a car. In a car, you have a seat belt, crash protection, and airbags that come into play if you are in a collision. On a bike, you’ll usually just have a helmet and some protective gear, like gloves, a jacket, and pants.
• Weather: Driving in a car means you can turn on the heat when it’s cold, or you can turn on the air conditioning when it’s too hot. On a motorcycle you are exposed to the elements. That means that in winter you will be cold, even if you have warm gloves and clothes. It is also difficult to stay dry when it rains a lot. And on a hot sunny day, you’ll soon feel quite hot, even with the cooling breeze that is generated as you go.