Mopeds are all the rage in the millennial scene and it’s easy to see why. No, it’s not just because of the street cred it gives you when you roll up to grab your oatmilk latte from your local coffee shop. Or zip into a sweet parking spot by your favorite artisanal pizza. Or take a sweet selfie with (while parked, obviously). No, there are so many reasons (I’m serving 5 here) why you NEED a scooter.
1. Location, Location, Location
I’m talking about parking! I work in downtown Portsmouth which is notorious for expensive and hard to find parking. Sure, there is always space in the new Foundry Place Garage, but that is $1.00 per hour (Hanover/High Garage is even more). I’m not down with spending $40-50 a week just to have a close, reliable parking place. Mopeds can park wherever they want–on the sidewalk if needed! This isn’t just handy for work, but for going to events at Prescott Park, visiting our beautiful Seacoast beaches, and anywhere else that parking tends to be problematic.
Side note: if you work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (like my husband and almost 4,000 others) a moped can be an amazing solution to the myriad traffic and parking issues that exist in lovely Kittery.
2. Mopeds get Super High Gas Milage
With a tank capacity of less than 1.5 gallons, you better believe that mopeds have amazing gas mileage or you’d be spending your free time filling up. While individual experience determines actual miles per gallon, mopeds claim to get upwards of 100+ mpg. For someone like me and my husband who work approximately two miles from home, our moped has definitely cut down on our gasoline consumption. Check out this article from Popular Mechanics for moped specific mpg information.
3. Very, Very Low Emissions
The verdict is in: our reliance on fossil fuels is damaging the planet and is unsustainable for our future. Electric mopeds are an environmentally friendly solution if you are replacing your car, SUV or minivan with an electric, battery-powered moped. If you are already driving a Tesla or riding a bike the majority of the time, the swap won’t make a difference, but trading in your 8-passenger swagger wagon for a zippy moped will definitely reduce your carbon footprint.
4. It is so MUCH fun
I’m not lying when I say I love to drive my moped. If you see me cruising, right after you notice my DOT certified motorcycle helmet, you’ll notice my huge grin. Honestly, riding around on my moped is super fun. A lot of the roads in Portsmouth and surrounding towns are less than 40 MPH, which is perfect; mopeds generally max out at around 45 MPH unless they are modified, which is way outside my scope of scooter knowledge.
5. It’s Not Suitable for Children
You might think this would be a reason not to get a moped, but give me a minute to explain. My family consists of two full-time working adults and two school-aged kids, so we spend a good amount of time driving to and from activities. But, one of the many beautiful aspects of our situation is the school bus. The door to door service relieves us of the tedious but necessary job of transporting our children to and from school and frees me up to enjoy my moped. It also is the instant answer for “can I come with you to the store?” because mopeds are not generally considered safe for kids. Sorry kiddo, mama gets to go shopping solo.
Have I convinced you? Check out these local businesses or search the Facebook Marketplace for a good deal on a used moped.
Port City Mopeds in Portsmouth
EZ Bikes and Scooters in Exeter
Harbor Village Scooters in Kennebunk
Seacoast Powersports in Hampton
Rochester Motorsports in Rochester
