The traffic rules in force in the Russian Federation clearly define the differences between mopeds and motorcycles, since to drive a motorcycle the driver must have an appropriate driver's license, while a license is not required to ride a moped. Mopeds unite a whole class of low-power vehicles of different designs, which includes classic mopeds, motorized bicycles, mokicks, scooters and scooters.
Are moped and scooter licenses required in 2021?
A moped is a type of vehicle that is so popular among teenagers and active youth. Its main difference from motorcycles is the engine capacity. A moped's internal combustion engine volume does not exceed 50 cm³. As a rule, its speed is limited to 50 km/h.
Are moped and scooter licenses required in 2021?
A scooter is a type of city motorcycle. They are designed for movement on high-quality road surfaces. Among the technical features, the outboard engine is located directly under the rider’s seat.
Both types of transport have found their target audience. Basically, these are young people who want to quickly move around the city, but cannot afford a car, and teenagers. The latter, when scooters and Japanese mopeds appeared on the market, were immediately noted in the summary of accidents and accidents.
Lack of driving experience, courage and poor knowledge of traffic rules have led to the fact that the statistics of accidents involving minors has risen sharply. Often these road accidents result in serious injury and death, which is why a number of changes were made to the law in 2013.
Back in 2013, mopeds and scooters were included in the list of vehicles that require a driver's license to drive. Moreover, the engine displacement did not matter. This requirement even applied to owners of vehicles with an internal combustion engine volume of less than 50 cubic meters, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h or equipped with an electric motor with a power of up to 4 kW.
This requirement was enshrined in law on November 5, 2013. But it was implemented in practice only a year later (November 5, 2014). The fact is that during this year new rules for issuing driver’s licenses were developed and adopted. Therefore, it was in 2014 that riders were able to begin undergoing training and passing an exam, after which they received the long-awaited license to drive a moped.
Changes were also made to the traffic rules. Firstly, the very concept of a moped as a mechanical vehicle was enshrined in the set of rules. Secondly, quadricycles were equated to the same category, the drivers of which were also required to have a category “M” driver’s license.
When riding a moped or scooter, it is important to remember safety
Now, according to the new rules, the driver of a moped or scooter, when stopped by a traffic police inspector, was required to present his scooter license or a temporary permit to drive a mechanical vehicle. That is, having a license for a moped in 2021 is a clear requirement, failure to comply with which may result in fines.
Moreover, the traffic rules clearly state that even if the bicycle is equipped with an internal combustion engine, its owner will have to obtain a license, like for an electric scooter.
Historical summary
Today, the motorcycle we are familiar with has evolved along different paths. Many people worked on the design that is familiar today. It all started with a bicycle. At a certain stage, they tried to modify the bicycle, first installing a steam engine on it, and then an internal combustion engine. The first mopeds and motorcycles most closely resembled a typical bicycle with an engine installed on it. Having followed different branches of development, the moped and motorcycle acquired properties that meet the needs of citizens. An example of such returns would be the Honda company.
In the post-war period, Japan was going through difficult times; movement around the city was difficult due to bombed streets. Conventional transport had great difficulty moving along routes destroyed by the war. From these inconveniences came the first mopeds, and later motorcycles developed by Soichiro Honda.
Soichiro Honda
This man was a brilliant engineer. Having installed a small internal combustion engine on his personal bicycle, he soon began selling them on an industrial scale. The moped of that time ideally met the requirements of society. Cheap, compact and mobile compared to other street vehicles. These qualities distinguish a moped from a motorcycle even today.
Do you need a license for a 50cc moped?
It would seem that vehicles with an internal combustion engine displacement of less than 50 cm³ are characterized by low power, so there is no need to register them, and even more so to obtain a driving license for them. However, in practice it turned out that even with such modest indicators, drivers successfully create emergency situations, the reasons for which are often simple ignorance of traffic rules.
Obtaining a license for a scooter and moped is always accompanied by passing an exam on the theoretical part, which includes not only traffic rules, but also the provision of first aid. That's why legislators included scooters and mopeds with an engine capacity of up to 50 cubic meters in the list of vehicles that require a driver's license of a certain category to drive. In this case, this is the license for a scooter or moped of category “M”.
But there are more benefits
After all, traveling on a motorcycle is colored by a more diverse palette of impressions, rewarding you with the opportunity to feel the smells and sounds of the surrounding world, and to travel where a car cannot. Many two-wheeled vehicles have a fuel consumption rate of 5 liters/100 km, while more economical options can travel more than 40 km on 1 liter (2.5 liters/100 km). This is a very important point that you need to pay attention to when visiting a dealership. True, at first it will not be easy to physically adapt to driving a bike.
Yamaha motorcycle parking
What category of license allows you to drive a moped (scooter)?
As mentioned earlier, to drive a moped or scooter, you need a category “M” license. However, they are not the only ones suitable. According to the law, drivers with licenses of any open category can drive these types of vehicles. That is, if the owner of a moped has a category “B” driver’s license, then the “M” category in his license opens automatically. This means there is no need to take additional exams for category “M”.
What category of license allows you to drive a moped (scooter)?
It is worth mentioning separately. In some cases, it appears on the driver’s license directly opposite the “M” category. This is not a special permit, but quite the opposite, a ban on driving a moped and scooter for medical reasons.
Thus, drivers who have received a driver’s license of category “M” or any other category: A, B, C, D and even Tm and Tb (tram and trolleybus) have the right to drive mopeds and scooters.
Definition
A moped is a popular vehicle equipped with two or three wheels and a low-power engine. The speed of the moped is relatively low. Among the types of such equipment are the classic moped, mokick, and scooter.
Moped
A motorcycle is a two-wheeled (three-wheeled) vehicle that has a fairly powerful engine and reaches a speed greater than that of a moped; presented in types: classic, sports, cruiser, chopper and others.
Motorbike
Fine for driving a moped without a license
Riding a moped or scooter without a driver's license is a violation and is punishable by a fine of 5 to 15 thousand rubles. Also, a driver who does not have proof of vehicle registration with him may be removed from driving and the moped taken to the impound lot.
The only “vehicle” with an internal combustion engine that can be driven without a license is a pit bike. However, it belongs to the category of sports equipment and is therefore not allowed for use on public roads.
Pros and cons of technology
Let us now consider separately what opportunities scooters and motorcycles provide and how they differ, especially for those starting to master this technique.
Scooter
Advantages, benefits:
- Automatic transmission;
- lack of clutch is convenient when driving in traffic jams;
- when landing, you do not need to throw your leg over the body;
- comfortable for any driver height;
- protects the driver’s feet from rain, tree branches, grass;
- protects the driver and passenger better in cold weather thanks to the large front shield;
- compactness and solid plastic construction reduce fragility when dropped;
- low speeds increase safety;
- It’s easy to find a parking spot;
- efficiency due to small cubic capacity;
- it is not necessary to undergo maintenance or obtain insurance;
- there is a platform for transporting goods;
- the ability to ride in any clothes;
- comfortable seat for the passenger;
- A large trunk, allowing you to take everything you need, is the main advantage of this technology.
Disadvantages compared to a motorcycle:
- small wheels that react to uneven roads;
- not recommended for off-road use;
- problematic maintenance, repairs due to the need to remove many parts;
- instability;
- the driver does not support himself with his legs and does not regulate the vehicle with them;
- impacts from the rear wheel are painfully felt on the driver’s spine;
- poor handling due to short-travel suspension;
- limited possibilities for speed, maneuverability, and lane changes.
How to get a license for a moped?
In order to obtain a license for a moped or scooter, you must submit an application, undergo a medical and psychiatric examination, pay a fee and pass an exam.
The first thing you need to do is choose a driving school that has a driving training program. As a rule, it consists of 72 hours of theory and 30 hours of practice, with 18 hours allocated directly to driving.
Training takes place on a paid basis. When choosing a driving school, you should pay attention to whether it has a state license and reviews online.
A person who meets the following requirements can obtain a license for a scooter or moped:
- age over 16 years;
- availability of Russian citizenship or residence permit in the Russian Federation;
- absence of medical contraindications;
- successful completion of the final exam.
A medical examination is necessary to identify possible contraindications and restrictions on driving a moped. A license for a scooter will not be issued subject to a number of restrictions. These include:
- diseases of the endocrine system;
- epilepsy;
- motor dysfunctions;
- mental disorders;
- serious hearing and vision impairment;
- alcoholism and drug addiction.
At the initial stage of obtaining a license for a moped with an internal combustion engine volume of no more than 50 cubic meters, the candidate must collect the following documents:
- Application on a special traffic police form (filled out according to the sample).
- Identity card (passport).
- Certificate from a psychiatric and drug treatment clinic.
- Medical examination with a positive conclusion.
- Two 3x4 photos.
- Receipt for payment of state duty.
The exam itself is taken at the traffic police department. The first part is a test of theoretical material (traffic rules, assistance, design features of the vehicle, conflicts on the road). The verification is carried out in the form of testing.
Exam
The second is an assessment of driving skills. It includes two stages: a training ground and a populated area. Failure at any stage generally leads to failure to pass the license. As for retaking the test, this right can be exercised 7 days after the first failure. After passing all stages, the candidate can receive a license for a moped in paper or plastic form.
Peculiarities
Despite the fact that it was almost impossible to somehow tune the unit, its ease of maintenance and the ability to independently repair absolutely all units certainly played a key role in its popularity. Original spare parts for the Karpaty moped were made of high-quality metal, although the equipment of that time often broke down due to design and technical flaws.
The trunk of the vehicle in question could withstand more than one hundredweight of cargo. The tires had a high tread, which made it possible to operate the equipment in winter. Drum brakes were quite enough for the weight and dynamics of the small motorcycle. The power unit itself is a regular two-stroke engine. Almost every owner of this representative of motorcycle equipment can replace the rings or piston.
Nuances of repair work
Almost every owner could repair the Karpaty moped independently. Quite often it was necessary to rebuild the engine. No matter how difficult this work may seem, thanks to the simple design of the motor of the unit in question, everything could be done quickly and efficiently.
If the cause of the breakdown is the failure of the bearings, crankshaft, rings, the engine will need to be split. This is a relatively simple procedure, much more difficult to put everything back together correctly. Although, if you pay close attention to the process and recommendations in the instructions, everything is very real.
Gaskets for the muffler can be cut out of thick cardboard and lubricated with grease. Important: when tightening the nuts, it is necessary to maintain the optimal force, avoiding insufficient fastening or stripping the threads. The Karpaty moped runs on a mixture of gasoline and oil; there is no special oil receiver. The optimal fuel is AI-80.
