A moped originally could be defined as a motorized bicycle that can be pedaled by the rider as well as driven using a gasoline engine.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/moped However, modern mopeds often have no pedal. They sometimes resemble bicycles but can as look similar to a motorcycle depending on how it is built.http://www.stevesmoped.com/ Mopeds generally have two wheels. Mopeds can offer a cost-efficient way to travel from place to place.

Moped and motor scooters are often thought to be the same thing. In some ways they are. However, some differences are:

• Cycles with engines below 50cc of power are mopeds. Engines over that are considered motor scooters.
• Mopeds often have a pedaling system while motor scooters do not. Motor scooters have foot wells.
• The origins of the two machines are different.
• The motors are different.http://www.mopeds.net/mopedsvsmotorscootersthegreatdebate.html

Shortly after bicycles were invented, Gottleib Daimler built the first motorized bicycle in 1885. These early models were called cyclemotors. This first moped had a single cylinder Otto-cycle engine mounted on the bike. It had four wheels with one in the front and back and two side wheels for added stability.

In 1894, Hildebrand and Wolfmueller built the first successful two-wheeler. From there mopeds took two directions. To this day, mopeds continue to be built but those early cyclemotors were also the forerunners for motorcycles.http://auto.howstuffworks.com/motorcycle6.htm

Mopeds continue to be popular in the United States. There are currently 123 moped companies in the U.S.http://www.manta.com/mb_35_B123B7N3_000/mopeds