Preparing for the first moped ride

The Lakeville Journal has begun a multipart exploration of what it’s like to explore the landscape on a motorized two-wheel vehicle, such as a moped, motorbike or scooter. Technically, mopeds are vehicles with 49cc motors and achievable speeds of 20-30 mph. As motor size and achievable speed increase, state regulations (which are different in every state) classify the vehicle as a motorcycle or scooter. But for this series, written and illustrated by Sharon artist and writer Carl Chaiet, we’ll use the word moped most of the time. The moped is sleek, she’s lithe and she’s fast. All of these elements must be in the forefront of your consciousness when you take your first ride. They will stay there as you become one with your machineThere are two essentials of mopedding: going and stopping. One would assume stopping is pretty straightforward (it’s almost impossible “straight backward”). But once again one would be wrong. Brakes on a moped tend to be in the reverse order of those on a bike. The rear brake is on the right; the front brake is on the left. Consequently, applying the brakes in the wrong order would have a head-over-heels effect that has nothing to do with love. Rear brakes first! Then the front brakes. The rear brakes are always applied first, so it’s a good idea not to use your front (left) brake until you’ve logged a few preliminary rides in order to develop muscle memory. (You shouldn’t be going that fast on your early rides anyway.)Going is a lot more complicated then stopping. The moped is fast. Even though the engine is only 50cc, she can take off like the proverbial bat out of hell. Initially you should have your wrist in a broken position so you are hampered when you turn the throttle. Over time you will develop a feel for your machine and you can relax the angle of your wrist.The first forays on the road will require the development of skills in:The 10 Rules of the Road1. Learn the use of the brakes. (Notice you learn about the stop first, not the go. Think horse and barn door.)2. Master the use of the throttle (break that wrist).3. Balance the machine. Sense the weight of the machine and sense what is required to balance it. There is no “learning” of balance; you must feel balance. (Think Louis Armstrong: “Man, if you gotta ask, you’ll never know.”)4. Go forward, never go straight5. Make turns. It’s your choice as to left leanings and right leanings but make sure you practice leaning (and consequent turns) in both directions.6. U-turns either way are u-turns.7. Practice sudden stops. Make a conscious effort to use both brakes with the mantra: “Rear brake front brake.” 8.Hug the side of the road. Imagine every road has a bicycle lane, except when the edge of the road is crumbling. Then you drive anywhere you want.9. Learn to look for imperfections in the road (see second half of rule 8).10. Learn to look at the side of the road, especially in deer-laden areas where deer will jump out in front of you at any excuse. And where there is one, there are two. (Think Woody Allen: “They always travel in pairs.”)Usually these 10 rules will take a few weeks to become embedded in your consciousness; after that, you will be ready to ride and to take a driver’s test. Fortunately there is no driver’s test for mopeds. In the state of Connecticut you need no special license, registration or insurance as they are considered in the same class as bicycles. (Disclaimer: Other states may have different rules, but aren’t all state vehicle laws reciprocal? That’s what you tell the state trooper as he writes out your ticket.)