Tried searching this question but no answer really. It just seems like most of the crown jewels that are hidden in scrapyards or barns seem to be found in Ohio. It's like a huge asteroid of mopeds crashed there in 1977 and then the infection spread.
It also seems that there are more mopeds in that state than any other and that the price for complete running bikes is half because of the mass available.
Is this my imagination?
I don't think Ohio had any specific reason for moped proliferation, unlike the other Port cities that got huge lumps of them in.
That said, it's gonna take more than a cheap moped to get me into Ohio.
All of mine seemed to have came come from New Jersey
That’s because they came through Port Newark. Also, most of the big moped companies had their headquarters in NJ.
> Overpriced Parts Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> All of mine seemed to have came come from New Jersey
Less rust, more barns!
The North East had a ton of mopeds Back in the day but most rotted out from all the salt. Still a bunch of survivors out there
It’s ether California, Ohio, Massachusetts or ct
Everyone else buyers Cars
Handy Bikes, Akron Mopeds, and many other shops were in Ohio. We still didn't see many in SE ohio though.
Pacers were all out of New York, New Jersey area. I know Chad Burke from his podcast said he got a number of his bikes from Ohio.
The three factors are 1) did people there have disposable income in the late 70s. 2) winters for bikes to sit and gum up the carbs 3) garages/barns / sheds to accumulate and store them for 40 years
Any College town, many beach towns. There was quite the brat pack on Puchs around Ft. Lauderdale in the 80's...
there are a lot of people in ohio, and a lot of suburban areas without good public transit, and there was handybikes. and as graham points out, money and garages
sachs US HQ was Westlake OH but most importers were in NY/NJ or CA
Quite a few ended up in my basement, lol.
There was Akron Mopeds close to the University and Rick Case Honda 15 miles east of downtown Cleveland that I knew of, plus a mom and pop in Middlefield called Kochie's Honda, and I bought my Motron Medalist from Miller Lawn and Garden in Garrettsville, Ohio. The area is still pretty rural and at age 15 I knew 4 places to get mopeds, and I was/still am a dumb f**k.
> Benjamin The Wandering Pacer Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Pacers were all out of New York, New Jersey area. I know Chad Burke from
> his podcast said he got a number of his bikes from Ohio.
I met Chad at an Ike's Ride,I believe. Nice guy.
> Born to be WillD Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> there are a lot of people in ohio, and a lot of suburban areas without
> good public transit, and there was handybikes. and as graham points out,
> money and garages
>
> sachs US HQ was Westlake OH but most importers were in NY/NJ or CA
Having public transit growing up including a bus stop In front of house and light rail 1/4 mi away still had a moped as well as many teens did in my neighborhood in late 70s for it was more like a Fad and they sold them everywhere here including hardware stores, bike stores, motorcycle dealers (where I got mine, I saw dozens of them while picking up a part for my 175 kaw) Sears stores, JCPenney stores, Montgomery ward etc.
The 150 mpgs sold em easily. At the time the craze started,the gas `shortage' had happened. i was hauling gas for Marathon and Sohio a little later than the gas shortage days.
> Dirty30 Dillon Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think Ohio had any specific reason for moped proliferation,
> unlike the other Port cities that got huge lumps of them in.
You don’t think them being manufactured there is at all relevant?
Also isn’t that one of the states where you can get a moped permit at like 14? (edited)
> Ѭ ɞŦЯʚOluv Ѫѫ Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > Dirty30 Dillon Wrote:
>
> > -------------------------------------------------------
>
> > I don't think Ohio had any specific reason for moped proliferation,
>
> > unlike the other Port cities that got huge lumps of them in.
>
> You don’t think them being manufactured there is at all relevant?
>
> Also isn’t that one of the states where you can get a moped permit at
> like 14?
Yes Now but back in the day you didn’t need nothing and even if there was laws the cops or no one even knew what they were
I've seen at least three Vespa for sale here I N.E. Ohio in last couple weeks.
California used to have tons. I remember back in the mid-late 80's seeing them in the trash, abandoned in alleys, and big piles of them at pick a part junkyards.
But I'm pretty sure they sent all the amf roadmasters here. Probably the reason they're still around here is because even when moped were "cool" here, nobody wanted those slow, ugly pieces of shit.
It would be interesting to know if more moped sales were rural, urban, or what? I was 15 and tired of riding a bicycle everywhere. Maybe I would ride a bike 5 to 8 miles away from home, max.
With the moped, I was comfortable taking longer trips away from home, as many as 20 miles away on one particular trip to pick up the "latest" Paul McCartney album at the time, 1980's McCartney II.
I have that album....lol.
> Trent Anderson Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> It would be interesting to know if more moped sales were rural, urban,
> or what? I was 15 and tired of riding a bicycle everywhere. Maybe I
> would ride a bike 5 to 8 miles away from home, max.
>
> With the moped, I was comfortable taking longer trips away from home, as
> many as 20 miles away on one particular trip to pick up the "latest"
> Paul McCartney album at the time, 1980's McCartney II.
I'd say urban. Our little town had none. We only had mini bikes, go carts, and home made contraptions. 8) or I woulda one for sure.
Ohio is the kind of place where it’s depressing to live here because of cold winters and limited economic potential but cost of living is very low. So it’s easy to see how someone could buy an inexpensive toy to stave off boredom and sadness and then, when it stops working, leaving it in the back of your garage for 30 years.
Don’t forget Ohio law you can get a moped license at age 14 and toot toot to your job milking cows before you head to the one room school house where you pledge allegiance every day.
> derek from black pipes moped gang 🌧 Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Ohio is the kind of place where it’s depressing to live here because of
> cold winters and limited economic potential but cost of living is very
> low. So it’s easy to see how someone could buy an inexpensive toy to
> stave off boredom and sadness and then, when it stops working, leaving
> it in the back of your garage for 30 years.
Come to MN if you want real cold...lol.
> derek from black pipes moped gang 🌧 Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Ohio is the kind of place where it’s depressing to live here because of
> cold winters and limited economic potential but cost of living is very
> low. So it’s easy to see how someone could buy an inexpensive toy to
> stave off boredom and sadness and then, when it stops working, leaving
> it in the back of your garage for 30 years.
Ohio's not depressing at all, unless you're talking inner city Cincinnati or slums,which every city has AFAIK.
If you're depressed because of weather in Ohio, you haven't learned to enjoy snow skiing, trail riding, hiking the parks, and great hunting and fishing.
I've enjoyed everything I mentioned here, and I don't know the half of what is great in Ohio.
NOT TO MENTION, the moped-riding in Ohio is great, especially in Southern and Eastern Ohio. (edited)
> Don Ohio Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > derek from black pipes moped gang 🌧 Wrote:
>
> > -------------------------------------------------------
>
> > Ohio is the kind of place where it’s depressing to live here because
> of
>
> > cold winters and limited economic potential but cost of living is very
>
> > low. So it’s easy to see how someone could buy an inexpensive toy to
>
> > stave off boredom and sadness and then, when it stops working, leaving
>
> > it in the back of your garage for 30 years.
>
> Ohio's not depressing at all, unless you're talking inner city
> Cincinnati or slums,which every city has AFAIK.
>
> If you're depressed because of weather in Ohio, you haven't learned
> ned to enjoy snow skiing, trail riding, hiking the parks, and great
> hunting and fishing.
>
> I've enjoyed everything I mentioned here, and I don't know the half of
> of what is great in Ohio.
>
> NOT TO MENTION, the moped-riding in Ohio is great, especially in
> Southern and Eastern Ohio.
Right I must be thinking of some other place that is cold and grey and sundown before 5 pm half the year not to mention having to share it with normie soup headed morons like you
Theres a quite a few reasons why theres so many mopeds outta ohio today. Lets not forget, the industrial revolution, mass manufacturing, innovation of modern luxuries, etc. led to a population boom all happened at in ohio, this led to infrastructure and during the 70's good paying solid middle class jobs. Excess middle class money, established transportation routes, and infrastructure all added to the number of mopeds especially at its height in the late 70's, a confluence of two waves.
Buy why do they still exist? With the movment of production overseas, dwindling resources, and rise of drug use so went the jobs and eventually the people, which left lotsa space. Buildings, Barns, Garages, Basements, Houses, Sheds etc.
People in ohio actually store their mopeds indoors, its not outside like most rustbuckets in cali, it rains rivers, snows a bit (not so much anymore) and the suns pretty hot etc. Also, the economic downturn turned everything into something of value, keep it instead of throwing it away and theres plenty of space.
But most importantly, people also respect their posessions more, say those little things that come with something new should stay with it, a manual, paperwork, or they know whats wrong with it, or what it needs, its history, etc. Its this care for items that has kept the mopeds alive in ohio since it's heyday.
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