MOPED ARMY

I feel like if you don't drive like a stupid nut, even a small lower cc bike would be safer...

In a word using general Physics yes a moped is safer because a moped will not crush your bones up against the car you will bounce off a car instead of denting it mass times velocity Eagles the force and also distance and spin there are so many things that go into an accident but honestly you're better off without seven or eight hundred pounds of metal behind you

As a seasoned rider on both I can honestly say both are safe its everyone and everything thing else you have to look out for. I mean you need some type of discipline as a rider as well but pple act like they dont see you on both

I believe it's very much up to the rider. I think a smart,aware rider on a moped can avoid injury better than a smart,aware rider on a MC,just because like Slew said...Physics (speed and weight).

Getting in the habit of checking mirrors(plural) often and `covering your brakes' in congested areas is the best defense. Wear the brain bucket!

This happened out in Berkeley today. Yamaha R6 vs a small/micro car. The rider didn't survive. Even with a small car you are not going to have enough mass to overwhelm the physics.

It's quite probable that the rider was going much faster than a moped could go, and same for the car. Again more time, less mass, and velocity will contribute to your chances of survival.

I don't think Mass has anything to do with it. Your mass is the same no matter what you're riding, so the force is only increased by the acceleration. Sure, you can do 60 easily on a moto, but they also stop very well from that speed, whereas most mopeds I see folks riding barely can stop from 30 mpn to make a light.

I spend a lot of time riding through Manhattan, all traffic travels at 30 mph, very heavy and very unruly.

On the stock moped, it's all about rhythm and getting through traffic at the best speed you can so that you aren't a speed bump. This can get dicey. I've had handlebars squeezed between cars on the bridge. Straight horror.

On the Moto you can get out of the way faster, from a stop or rolling. And also, even 160mm+ drum brakes can lock up the tires of a 220lb enduro faster than a moped can.

I will agree, if you are not a very proficient rider, stock mopeds are best. You can't get yourself into the same trouble if you lose control at 25 vs. 55. That said, I think equipment quality and advantages give motos definite advantage, and that's not even considering newer bike with disk brakes and ABS, etc.

m/c are not safer at the speed they can attain...

...than the speed a ''mildly'' modded moped can attain.

mopeds do have front disc brakes as a common mod.

i can leap off or ditch a moped better then a crotch rocket/stunt pickle...or a highway pegger.

Good points,Ken. It seems I remember that speed increases the force of impact much more than twice if comparing 30 mph versus 60mph crashes, so HOW can a MC be considered safer to the rider at stock moped speed versus MC speeds of more than 60 mph?

Reaction time is less, inertia in that direction is much more.

You need to upgrade your lights and pay more attention to traffic approaching at twice your speed from behind in YOUR lane. Get a flasher to mount on your seatpost. Battery powered.

I have to say that in my opinion motorcycles are 10times more dangerous. The speeds that they go instantly can kill you on sight. Most mopeds go bicycle speeds. It would have to be freak accident or negligence of a driver which can happen walking on foot.

If you compared mishaps per mile, impossible to do since the majority of peds aren't insured for the road and aren't statistically tracked by insurers, motorcycles are far safer, even with the large speed handicap of peds. Mishaps per hour in the saddle? It gets worse yet.

Leave out for argument's sake the different riders/personalities peds and MCs attract, and their contrasted uses.. mostly joy riding vs mostly commuting, and the averaged likelihood that a ped rider has less road experience than a MC'er. Even leave out the mechanical superiority of motorcycles generally. Then you are comparing two wheeled vehicles. The motorcycle spends 99 percent of its time in sync with all other traffic. Average ped spends about 50 percent of its time in sync with the rest of trsffic. The other 50 percent of the time he's an anomaly, out of step with the flow. Doesn't take an insurance actuary to tell you that's a recipe for accidents to happen.

I'm mostly defensive in my car. 90 percent defensive on my motorcycle. 110 percent defensive on my little Puch. I'm still waay more vulnerable on the Puch. (edited)

battery operated lights like DON suggested is a great idea...i haven't done it yet, but i think i will before i go out again, it's easy to clip a flasher to the seat post.

the back of my 3/4 helmet has an integral light w/off,on slow,flasher style.

years ago i had of a honda goldwing rider getting killed at the light from a cager rear ending him.

w/lane splitting/filtering he would have prolly stayed in the target zone because baggers act like cars.

a skinny moped would maybe have been in front of that hot mess?

LOL! Simple and HIT THE NAIL on the head.LOL!

Mopeds are safer in a special way, for example if you feel thatyour bike is going to fall down you can use your foot to bounce off the ground and thus keep balance.

Or if a heavy motorcycle fell down it would hurt your leg much more than a light moped, etc.

You can die just as easily at 25 as at 50, they key to staying alive on 2 wheels is situational awareness, when riding don't think about anything else, once you get a bike running you will understand how generally weak stock moped brakes are, being able to stop quick is critical. Acceleration is critical too, most people have no idea the difference between a moped and a motorcycle, and expect you to be able to take off quickly, this is where my stock bikes are failing me, almost been run down from behind by people who don't know I can't take off like a sport bike.