|
A moped (/ˈmoʊpɛd/ MOH-ped) is a small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than motorcycles, or automobiles, because mopeds typically travel about the same speed as bicycles on public roadways. Strictly speaking, mopeds are driven by both an engine and by bicycle pedals, but in common usage and in many jurisdictions the term moped is used for similar vehicles including a scooter. Mopeds occasionally resemble powered bicycles, more commonly called a motorized bicycle. Some mopeds are of a step-through type design, while others are step-over designs, having a motorcycle-like frame, including a "backbone" and a raised fuel tank, mounted directly between the saddle, and the head tube. Most are similar to a regular motorcycle, only having the addition of pedals, in which the rider can both manually power the vehicle through a bicycle-like crankset in addition to a small displacement engine. Although mopeds usually have two wheels, some regions classify low-powered three- or (rarely) four-wheeled vehicles as a moped. ==Word origin== The word ''moped'' is a portmanteau of "motor" and "pedal", originally coined in Sweden. Like some of the earliest two wheeled motorcycles, mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle pedals. The name "moped" has now been applied by some regional governments to vehicles without pedals, based on criteria of restricted engine displacement, speed, and/or power output. This is a misnomer, as they are no longer "mopeds" at all, and might instead be called a "noped" if they appear to look exactly like a typical moped, but no longer include pedals. ==History== The term "moped" now only applies to low-power (often super-economy) vehicles, but pedals were fitted to some early motorcycles, such as the pictured 1912 Douglas. Pedalling away from stationary was a great improvement over "run and jump" and light pedal assistance (LPA) was valuable for climbing hills. Better transmissions with wider ranges, better clutches and much better engine performance made pedals obsolete on most motorcycles by 1918 but the pedals on mopeds remained valuable for their original purposes as late as the 1990s. The earliest mopeds were bicycles with a helper motor in various locations, for example on top of the front wheel; they were also called cyclemotors. An example of that type is the VéloSoleX brand, which simply has a roller driving the front tire. A more innovative design was known in the UK as the Cyclemaster. This had a complete powered rear wheel which was simply substituted for the bicycle rear wheel, which originated from a design by two DKW engineers in Germany. Slightly larger machines, commonly with a engine were known as autocycles. On the other hand, some mopeds, such as the Czech-made Jawa, were derived from motorcycles. A further category of low-powered two-wheelers exists today in some jurisdictions for bicycles with helper motors – these are often defined as power-assisted bicycles or motorized bicycles. Other jurisdictions may categorize the same machines as mopeds, creating a certain amount of confusion. In many countries three-wheelers and microcars are classified as mopeds or variations thereof. This practice is not restricted to the third world; France and Belgium classify microcars such as the Aixam similarly or as "light quadricycles". The Ariel 3, a motorised three-wheeler is classed as a moped. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Moped」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|