They have dents, dings, scratches, and rust. They could be missing sidecovers, fenders, decals, reflectors, fairings or luggage racks. The tires might be worn out. Seats could be torn. Lights could be burnt out. Seals may leak. All of these things lower a moped's value and most vintage mopeds have at least some of these minor problems.
There are well over a hundred brands of mopeds available in North America, but a few stand out as particularly reliable, simple to work on, inexpensive to maintain, and easy to find outside help for. The rich and famous: Early scooters were expensive to produce and thus expensive to purchase. The ordinary, everyday person usually could not afford the luxury. Instead, motorized scooters were seen as a symbol of wealth or status. In , a print advertisement ran in a magazine featuring a character dubbed "Autoped girl.
Several iconic people of the time were photographed on scooters, including famed suffragette Lady Florence Norman — who used her scooter to commute to and from work — and even Amelia Earhart. Commercial scooter production slowed considerably during the war. Any scooters that were produced were used by soldiers.
After the war, however, soldiers returned home seeking an inexpensive way of transportation. Motorcycles existed, but were too expensive for the common soldier. Scooters were the perfect compromise for many. As demand increased in post-war societies, so did production. The Postal Service: One of the most iconic applications for motorized scooters was when the Postal Service used them to deliver mail in the early s.
Although scooters did not last long in the Postal Service, there have been some attempts to revive the notion. What Are the Different Types of Scooters? Moped vs. Motorized Scooter So, what is a moped, and how does it differ from a motorized scooter? The 50cc engine: Mopeds with a 50cc engine are ideal for short trips or recreational purposes. In many states, they are okay to drive on public roadways with proper licensing and registration.
The cc engine: cc mopeds are more powerful than 50cc models, and are suited for longer recreational ventures that require more engine power. The cc engine: A cc engine is one of the most powerful motorized scooters available. It is ideal for competitive sports and racing. What Are the Most Popular Scooters? Many of these mopeds are rare finds, making them all the more interesting: Cushman Auto Glide: The Cushman Auto Glide rolled onto the scene in , two years after Cushman began creating motor scooters.
These old school scooters had four horsepower Husky engines with an optional headlight. The scooter operated with 1. Only ten Moto Scoots are still in existence, making them one of the rarest scooters in the Volo Auto Museum collection.
Doodle Bugs were the first motorized adult transportation manufactured after World War II and were toted as an inexpensive way to get around in a post-war economy. But like the electric scooter, it surpassed initial expectations, and it did appeal to a wide range of users. Despite its characterization as a toy for the rich, the Autoped was ridden by delivery men, postal workers, and New York City traffic cops and captured in several photographs of the period.
The Autoped also arrived at a time of significant political reform and increasing mobility, literally and figuratively, for women.
British humor magazine Puck ran an advertisement with a speeding flapper on an Autoped. Suffragette and socialite Florence Priscilla was famously photographed on her Autoped.
The Unibus was promoted as the "car on two wheels. Some of these early scooter designs were unstable, uncomfortable to ride and difficult to handle. The decades leading up to World War II saw the gradual introduction of a range of refinements, including efficient lights and brakes, gears, suspension, enclosed bodies and leg shields. Ultimately, the Auto-Glide and its competitors were dogged by the same kinds of regulations that sent Peter Minton to traffic court in By the s, the framework of such a system had arrived.
Coren wrote for Quartz in But it remains unclear how the vehicles will fare as lawmakers once more play catch up to regulate the rides this go around. Jacqueline Mansky is a freelance writer and editor living in Los Angeles.
She was previously the assistant web editor, humanities, for Smithsonian magazine. NMAH Peter Minton was riding his motorized scooter on Rockaway Beach Boulevard when the patrolman served him with a summons to appear in traffic court. Postal Service try out new scooters in the mids. Amelia Earhart poses with a motorized scooter in
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