need answers

smoky /
Apr 15, 2001 02:18PM

hey guys first off i would like to say im impressed with the moped culture i owned a ninja 500 last summer but after a fatal accident leaving me *****ed up i cant handle all that i have to admit real depressing till i saw a tomos moped cruise by at my school following the moped in my mothers minivan, asking the man some questions i learned not only are they good for gas but you dont need a motorcycle license to ride one and insurance is extremely cheap compared to what i paid on my ninja , so i made the decision of driving up to toronto and purchasing a tomos

targa lx, now im quite confused cause the tomos moped i saw at school had pedals and it was a bullet the lx looks a bit cooler i guess but what i want to know is why the pedals and will it take off on gas alone or do you always have to pedal when taking off????? please guys answer as soon as posssible i am going to toronot on tuesday to get my moped

newbie in the moped army, smoky the mercenary :)

p.s is 2600 canadian dollars alot for a brand new tomos targa lx?

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Re: need answers

moby /
Apr 15, 2001 03:05PM

Hey, I'm in Oshawa, Ontario, just 45 minutes from Toronto. The pedals are there for a couple of reasons. If you run out of gas you can pedal the bike and not have to push it, although it's not that fun pedalling a moped. In Ontario, a moped must have pedals to be considered a moped. It will take off just fine without the pedals, acceleration on peds isn't great but you don't need to pedal everytime you take off. The tomos is good because there are a lot of mods you can do. 2600 will seem like a little much, but that seems to be the going rate in Canada. In the states they sell for half of that. If I were you, first I'd look around and try and find a nice classic ped in excellent condition. Good Luck....

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Re: need answers

Carrie /
Apr 15, 2001 03:22PM

Newer bikes have the advantage of readily available parts (as opposed to searching for new/old/refurbished parts) but they do cost more - a clasic will go for probably $400-500 canadian (maybe more? It's been a while since I lived there.). Plus, a lot of new bikes have plastic all over them, and even though it's heavy, I really like the metal frames. So if you're mechanically inclined, go for classic.

good luck! And be sure to get pedals!

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Re: need answers

Miguel /
Apr 15, 2001 05:27PM

I think $2600 (Candian or otherwise) is a bit too much for a Tomos. I'd get a moped w/ pedals, just because they are simpler and more reliable in general. You don't have to worry about CDI ignitions and such w/ a pedal start. A good pedal moped (a true "moPED") will start on a single kick on the kickstand.

Tomos does make mopeds w/ pedals, and they are cheaper. You can also see if you can find a Puch or something else. Avanti also makes a new moped and has pedal starts.

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Re: need answers

Chris Robertson /
Apr 15, 2001 06:45PM

In Ontario, a moped is considered a motorcycle by the MTO unless ALL of the following apply:

1. The engine displacement is 50cc or less.

2. The moped has pedals.

3. The pedals can be used at any time to propel the vehicle.

4. The moped weighs under 120lbs.

5. The moped can not go faster than 50km/h on level ground.

6. The moped must be automatic.

You need a regular (class G) driver's license to ride a moped in Ontario and you have to wear a helmet. Check out here for more info: http://torontomopedclub.hypermart.net/Moped_Info/Ontario_Laws/ontario_laws.html

The pedals are only used to start the vehicle (they don't have starters). The engine does not stop running unless you turn it off so you don't have to pedal everytime you want to start moving. Although, in emergencies, you can get around by pedaling, I wouldn't recommend it for more than a kilometer as mopeds do not make very good bicycles! If you are going up a very steep hill you can assist the engine by pedaling but you don't have to.

If you're going to get a moped I'd strongly recommend you get an older one from the seventies or early eighties (they stopped importing mopeds into Canada in 1982 because of stricter emission laws but there are plenty around). Search around on the internet and you can probably pick one up for between CDN$500 and CDN$1000. I've found many mopeds through the classifieds at www.moped.org. The "classic" mopeds are easier to fix and look cooler; but finding parts can sometimes be a pain. If you could find an old Puch or a Honda PA-50 you'd be set.

Personally I don't like the look of the newer plastic [Tomos] mopeds. It looks like they're pretending to be motorcycles. Of course that's just an aesthetic complaint --I understand they are very good machines.

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Re: need answers

Miguel /
Apr 15, 2001 08:21PM

chris is dead right on his recommendation ... except i'd recommend an italian bike. first, because i'm an italian chauvenist. second, because the minarelli engine is very reliable, strong, and easy enough to fix. it's also easy to find parts for. puch, of course, has those same qualities. but i think italian mopeds have more of the "classic" look to them.

if you look around, you may even find some mopeds much cheaper. sometimes you can even get one for less than US$100 ... though it might need a bit of work to get it running nice.

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Re: need answers

Reeperette /
Apr 17, 2001 03:58PM

$2600 Canadian for a Tomos is Robbery.

I just paid $599 US recently for one, which is about right, pricewise, fer a used Targa.

If yer difficulties riding a motorcycle stem from less-than-full leg function, not to worry with a Moped, especially Tomos....I have a prosthetic and get by just fine, and in a pinch I've yanked the pedal with my hand to start the thing.

Seen one guy rig up a pull-starter like a mower, as well.

Go fer it, but don't let em rob ya on the price.

-Ree

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