10 Best Mopeds 2024 in the United States

The idea of putting pedals on a gas-powered motorcycle has been around since 1912. Since the word “moped” is a contraction of “motor” and “pedal”, you’d think that every moped has to be motorized and be equipped with pedals. That certainly was the case until recently. But you’ll see gas-powered light bicycles that are considered “mopeds”, even though they don’t have any option to pedal them.

We’ll see that a moped can be either gas- or battery-powered. It’s usually good for commuting within the city, or on various types of terrain when outdoors. They are equipped with wide wheels that are capable of handling dirt roads, snow, sand, gravel, and mountain roads. Some are similar to an electric bike, in that they give you the choice of pedaling as on a typical bike or using the motor to assist you when going uphill. Other mopeds have more powerful motors and are comparable to scooters in terms of speed and performance.

We’ll go through some of the offerings on the Best Reviews Guide list of mopeds. Depending on the model you choose, a moped can help you maneuver through traffic when commuting, provide another way of exercising, or allow you to enjoy the great outdoors!

Looking at the different products in the Best Reviews Guide list of mopeds, we see that they fall into two main categories:

• Gas-powered mopeds: As we mentioned in the FAQ section, the size of the moped’s gasoline engine will determine how fast the moped can go. If they’re equipped with a 50cc motor, they’re usually limited to a speed of around 30 mph. Nowadays, gas-powered mopeds usually will have a step-through frame and no pedals. An example is the X-Pro Tahiti 150-cc Moped. Its maximum speed is around 55 mph.

X-Pro Tahiti 150-cc Moped

• Battery-powered mopeds: Some prefer a battery-powered moped as an option to reduce pollution. It typically takes 6 hours to fully charge the moped’s battery, and you can get around 50 miles out of a single charge (with pedal assist, you may be able to go as far as 75 miles). An example is the BFI Sport Electric Bike for Adults. It has a 750 Watt engine and runs on a 48 Volt, 15-A-h removable lithium-ion battery.

BFI Sport Electric Bike for Adults

Here are some customers’ impressions of the moped that they bought:

• Assembly: Take note that some of these mopeds will require some assembly. This may mean having to attach the handlebars, wheels, brakes, trunk, odometer, and battery. One customer who bought the X-PRO 150cc Moped Street Gas Moped said that his horn stopped working after a couple of days, so it could be a loose wire from the construction. But other customers said that the construction took about an hour, and went flawlessly.

• LCD screen: Some of the electric mopeds come with an LCD display that tells you your battery level, as well as mileage, speed, your pedal assist level, and more.

Here are some features that are worth looking for when selecting a moped:

• Transmission: You’ll see mopeds that have a CVT, or continuously variable transmission, that changes gears automatically. It’s a particular type of automatic transmission that uses pulleys between the engine and the wheels, instead of gears. A CVT is usually lighter than a conventional automatic transmission that uses gears because a CVT has fewer internal parts. But, this lightweight construction means that it may not be as durable. The SmartDealsNow Powersports TAO Adult Street Gas-Powered Moped uses a CVT transmission. Other mopeds use a fully-automatic transmission that works on the principle of “twist-throttle-and-go”, where you twist the control on your handlebars to control the transmission.

• Ignition: You’ll notice that some of these mopeds have an ignition that uses a key. Some allow you to kick-start the motor as well.

• Legal issues: Mopeds typically will require insurance, a license, and registration. But the regulations will vary from one state to another. These include requiring a helmet, eye protection, headlights, and regular inspections. There is a website that presents the regulations in each state.

Final Verdict

We went through some of the features and options in a moped. Some of them are a nice upgrade from a typical bicycle and can allow you to visit places outdoors or in a big city with greater mobility than you’d have driving your car. They can also be a more ecologically-friendly option, using less gas, or no gas at all, in the battery-powered options. Look over the Best Reviews Guide list, and see what suits your needs!