Everything you need to know about mopeds and moped insurance
The very first mopeds were equipped with bicycle-like pedals,giving them the coined name of mo-peds. This meant that to get your moped started you would have to peddle it until the little motor engine started. As time has gone by, pedals have been gradually phased out so that today's mopeds slightly resemble tiny motorbikes and can be started easily and effortlessly.
Since most mopeds cannot go much faster than thirty miles per hour the laws for riding mopeds are slightly less strict than for those riding a true motorbike. For this reason, cheap moped insurance deals are easily obtainable, even for young riders.
The direct.gov website defines a moped as being a motor bike that has:
a maximum speed that is no greater than thirty one miles per hour
an engine that is no greater than fifty cc
a small motorbike which may be powered by pedals, if it's a model that has been produced before 1977.
Mopeds are a particularly attractive option for young people. This is because, in the UK you can legally ride a moped with a provisional licence – provided you put L-plates on your moped and do not carry passengers.
There are a few other conditions attached to those fairly laid back rules. They are as follows:
You must be aged seventeen or over to drive a moped
You must have a DL 196 certificate. This usually involves a day of basic training, carried out by an approved moped training centre.
You need to have a valid moped insurance policy in place.
Those of you who already have a car licence and who passed before February 2001 can ride displaying without L-plates.
Mopeds are used by people of all ages because they are a lot of fun to ride and they are inexpensive to operate. And are very light weight making it easy for smaller people to ride safely, unlike normal sized motorbikes that are heavy and require a person to be larger to safely remain in control. Since mopeds cannot obtain high speeds a general rule of thumb is that if you can ride a normal bike then you should have no problems with learning how to ride a moped.
If your moped should ever need to be repaired, you would not have to pay a ton of money for parts to fix it. Everything that you could need or want for a moped can be purchased very inexpensively. Just like a motorbike, you are able to buy items for the moped that will make it look and perform in the way that will fit your own personality. There are many items that you can purchase that will keep you safe and visible while you enjoy using your moped.
With the price of petrol now coming in at over £1.30 per gallon, it is no wonder that more and more people are turning to the use of mopeds. Not only are they great inexpensive transportation, but they are extremely fun to ride.
