One of the easiest, cheapest and most fun ways to get to work or school is by riding a small motorcycle, such as a 50cc moped. These are just a few of the reasons why I think they are so good for all kinds of people, whether it’s going to work or school.

The main advantages of riding a moped:

• Mopeds are cheap to buy. These little bikes are really cheap to buy. You can often get a used one for just a couple of hundred dollars if you look around. If you’d rather get a new one because you want reliability and the certainty of a warranty, you can still get a new one for almost $1000, depending on the make and model you choose. However, be careful when shopping not to get one that is too cheap because some of the imported ones from places like China have yet to gain a reputation for reliability. Replacement parts for these can also be hard to find. Therefore, it is often better to choose a solid European or Japanese brand such as Piaggio or Honda.
• Mopeds are cheap to run: Mopeds generally seem to run on just the smell of an oil rag. Their little engines buzz and burn very little fuel. I found that by commuting to work every day I only spend a few dollars filling up the tank once a week. That’s party because the tank is very small. Mine holds only a few liters of petrol (Petrol for UK people) and goes all week between refills. They are also cheap to maintain. This is because their motors are really simple, so it doesn’t take much work to open them up for maintenance or repair. There isn’t much that can go wrong either. And because they’re so small, you spend less on parts compared to a large car or bike. They only have two wheels, so replacing tires doesn’t cost too much. They only have one spark plug, so it’s also cheap and quick to change.
• Mopeds are easy to handle: The other big advantage of mopeds is that they are usually very light and easy to handle. Most are “twist-and-go” bikes, meaning you just twist the throttle to go and don’t have to worry about changing gears. This makes them perfectly suitable for beginners. In many places, such as Europe, you don’t need to take a special test to ride one. If you are allowed to drive a car, you generally also have the right to drive a moped. In some places the only formality is that you have to do a compulsory one-day basic training course which aims to keep you safe on the road.

The cons of riding a moped

• Safety: Motorcycles are not all fun and games. Mopeds are generally safe and fun to ride, but you’re still more exposed to danger on a bike than in a car. In a car, you have a seat belt, crash protection, and airbags that come into play if you have a collision. On a bike, you’ll usually just have a helmet and some protective gear, like gloves, a jacket, and pants.
• Weather: Driving in a car means you can turn on the heat when it’s cold or you can turn on the air conditioning when it’s too hot. On a motorcycle you are exposed to the elements. That means that in winter you will be cold, even if you have warm gloves and clothes. It’s also hard to stay dry when it rains a lot. And on a hot, sunny day, you’ll soon feel quite warm, even with the cooling breeze generated as you go.