General considerations

• 1

  Get any necessary training, depending on where you live. Different countries take different approaches to how they allow you to ride mopeds/scooters on the street.

• 2

  Keep in mind that it is very similar to riding a bicycle. It is not as lightweight, of course, but it isn’t very heavy, either, and once you get moving, your body and the forward motion of the moped/scooter will help you keep balanced.

• 3

  Check the laws for the state in which you live, as they vary widely. In some states, you only need an automobile license, while in others you must have a motorcycle license in order to ride a moped/scooter.

• 4

  Be centered. Your body controls the direction of the moped as much as your steering does, so you have to think of a “whole body” approach to driving. This, you notice, is quite different from driving a car, where your body position doesn’t much affect anything that the car may do.

• 5

  Ride alone. A moped/scooter isn’t built with the power that a motorcycle has, so it can be extremely dangerous to you and others if you carry someone with you. unless you get a moped/scooter built for two

• 6

  Read–carefully and completely–all laws and rules governing your use of your moped. There are very specific requirements regarding the types of roadways you may and may not ride on, and here, as in everything else, “ignorance of the law is no excuse,” and will not get you out of trouble with law enforcement officials.

Specific concerns

• 7

  Start the moped/scooter with a key ignition, as you would a motorcycle or a car. Nowadays, mopeds/scooter comes with automatic transmission and a start switch, making it simple to start and stop.

• 8

  Use the throttle as with a motorcycle. Rolling back will increase your speed, while rolling it forward will decrease your speed. Be careful to keep your knuckles more or less pointed upwards when cruising; this will help you to not inadvertently roll back too far on the throttle.

• 9

  Use both brakes evenly whenever you need to come to a stop. If you just use the front brake, and if you have enough velocity, you risk having the back end of the moped pop up on you and you could lose control.

• 10

  Turn by leaning into your turn so that the process is a full-body process more than a simple turning of the handlebars. At slow speeds, you can use the handlebars to change direction. At the higher velocities, lean into the turn, adding forward pressure to the handlebar on the side in the direction of your turn.