Mopeds?

[bainbrig]

When did they start calling scooters “mopeds”?

Mopeds had pedals, except maybe the Honda 50; scooters were scooters.

Mods most definitely did NOT ride mopeds!

BB

[Old_Geezer]

Whose called them that ?

[cupid04]

I don't know but Jasper Carrott had a funky moped...

[bainbrig]

Google 'Moped Crime London'.

They're on SCOOTERS, not mopeds!

[Buenchico]

The Oxford English Dictionary cites the first known use of the word 'moped' as dating from 1954 but recognises the change of use from referring to a motorised pedal cycle to its current meaning (which is recognised in law):

http://www.upl.co/uploads/Moped1534769983.jpg

[bainbrig]

Thanks Chris. Do they still see 'scooters' as a separate category, then, which in my day (no idea of current situation) used to be about 125cc up to 175cc, and did far more than 30mph.

BB

[gingejbee]

...and mopeds without pedals were called nopeds...

[bainbrig]

I remember when Honda 50s first came in (early 60s was it?)

Poncey things, we thought, with automatic starters and auto gearbox. Brilliant bit of kit, though!

B

[Buenchico]

'Scooter' isn't a term currently used for driving licence categories. For most categories it's also no longer 'cc' that matters but the power of the vehicle measured in kilowatts:
https://www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped/bike-categories-ages-and-licence-requirements

[chelle7272]

Scooters have no clutch or gears:
https://www.drivingtestsuccess.com/blog/motorcycle-or-scooter-what-are-differences-and-which-best-me

[bainbrig]

Well, I suppose it doesn't matter that much, except that some prat at the DVLA has taken yet another nice distinction, this time between a scooter and a moped, and consigned it to the linguistic waste-bin.

Mo ped (motor pedal) described what it was. Moped doesn't describe what a scooter is!

I shake my head (I often do).

BillB

[baza]

In the early 60's my gran had an NSU moped it used to take her an hour and a half to go 15 miles , 49cc if my memory is correct.

[bainbrig]

That would have been the NSU Quickly, baza. Misnamed?

[ABSpareEditor]

I have moved this thread into the category "Motoring".

[New Judge]

"Scooters have no clutch or gears:"

My scooter most certainly did have a clutch and gears. It was a Lambretta SX200 which I bought new. It had a four speed gearbox operated from a twist grip on the left handlebar, the clutch was a lever on the same side. To get into first, clutch in, twist one notch upwards. Gears two three and four were downwards. (Neutral was between first and second).

Mopeds could be driven by the pedals alone (although the pedals were very low geared). My Dad had a 49cc "Mobylette" and to start that you had to pedal it until you reached a speed where the automatic clutch connected the wheels to the engine.

The Honda 50 was not a moped. They had no pedals and were simply small motor cycles. Their gearbox was not automatic (the rider had to change gear) but there was no manual clutch. They had strange front suspension consisting of a "leading link" where the front axle is suspended on a link in front of the forks. This made the front suspension rise up when the front brake was applied.