Gear:
First depending on where you live will depend on what you have to wear, but here is the gear I recommend.
Helmet:
Wear A Helmet. Need I say more, they save lives, even if you are only driving at 30mph. Get a motorcycle approved helmet, and as it gets older look for signs of wear and cracks. If there is a crack, get a new one.
Mental:
Don’t drive when you are angry, too sad it clouds your thoughts and may cause you to make mistakes you normally would not. Don’t use drugs or alcohol either I think everyone knows that this will impair you.
Gloves:
If you have ever fallen off your bike you know that your hands are the first thing to get cut up and with a moped skin doesn’t take to well to road rash.
Eyes:
rain, bugs, sand and rocks will be heading your and some of that can hurt.
Pants:
no shorts, no nylon, wear jeans or leather. Cotton is better than nylon you can at least peel back cotton nylon fuses to your skin in a crash. The road is much harder at any speed other than walking.
Shirt:
Wear a denim or leather jacket, ya I know but it will protect you upper body from road rash better than you favourite adidas shirt, and again no nylon.
Feet:
wear boots, work, steel bottom, steel toe, it will work better than runners.
Pads:
Elbow, knee, wrist pads they are up to you know what these will do for you.
Bike:
Keep it running at its best condition, don’t put off fixing that problem, fix it now.
Motor-cross armour:
This is an option you might want.
The Bike:
Cables:
make sure all cables can move freely and are not seized, or sticky of they are check out the caring for your moped at my site. Also make sure that the cables work like the kill swich, breaks.
Seat:
Is your seat propely fastened on?
Works?:
Dose everything on your bike work, if not fix it
Lights:
let you see and be seen, even in the day, make sure they work. If a moped is driven at night, it must have a headlight visible from at least 500 ft. A moped must also have a red reflector on the rear visible from at least 100 to 600 ft.
Horn:
Yes even you annoying buzzer horn for the bike should be working, I’ve read that some people put air horns on their bike, go right a head if you want to.
Safe Driving Tips:
Weather:
Weather has a large effect on you and your bike, rain try not to drive in the rain, its hard for you to see and drivers to see you. The roads are also slippery, so slow down driving and especially on turns. Oils on the road just became like ice, and debris now moves, so take extra caution. Have you rights on.
Make Yourself Seen:
Wear brightly coloured clothing, put reflective tape on your bike, on you, put one f those flags on the back of your bike, Leave your light on.
Checking Around You
Mopeds have "blind spots" that you need to check by turning your head. When changing lanes, always look over your shoulder at the traffic behind you. Personally I wear a ½ helmet to keep my visibility at its max. As a moped operator, its your job to know what’s going on around you because you know you cannot trust the drivers.
Make Yourself Heard:
Make sure your horn works, and if you really want to put an air horn on.
Know the Laws:
Be one up on the police and know what you are doing, because I am sure not many cops know fully what to do with a moped.
Mirrors:
use them, if you don’t put some on, one for each side, the more you see the better it if for you.
Braking
Flashing your brake light to warn others your breaking is a good idea, by squeezing the brake lever before slowing down.
If you squeeze the brake lever too hard, you may lock the front wheel and tip your moped over, particularly on wet or loose surfaces. And that is no fun
Apply both brakes at the same time, equally. Brake before entering a curve or turn.
If you must stop quickly, keep the front wheel straight (do not slide). Apply the rear brake firmly and the front brake gently. Then, quickly increase the pressure on the front brake.
Tips For Turning
As you approach the turn make your self aware of the cars around you and where you want to get to. Hand signal into the turn lane (if there is one) or pull over to the Left side of the Lane. To get over to this side make sure the way is clear, this may mean that you have to wait back, by slowing speed. Once the way is clear of cars move to the right side of the lane or into the turn lane. Be sure to signal you intentions as you move to the other side of these lanes. Once ready to turn from either a stop or from a moving position make sure it is clear of pedestrians and cars. Lean into the turn, (remember the sharper the turn the more you must lean) Signal before the turn and while in the turn keep both hands on the handles. If you have signals, turn them off now because you are now going straight. If you are using your hands to signal make sure it is clear and defined because drivers usually don’t know what the hand signal means.
Expect:
Expect the unexpected, expect drivers not to see you, keep an eye out for animals, pedestrians, cars, holes and spills. Ride Defensively Always.
The Ground
Watch for holes, oil, spills, loose gravel, sand, wet, mud, or even dirt. Drive slower and use more caution.
The Sides:
Watch for bushes, car doors, as you approach a parked car, slow down and watch more movement inside the car, make that shoulder check and make sure it is clear to go around the car
Impairment:
Remember ... Never drink alcohol or use other drugs before riding a moped, its not only the lay its not safe.
Parking
When Parking you can lock you bike to a pole or tree, avoid fire exits and make sure it will not be in anyone’s way and you should have no problems
Night Riding
-Reduce your speed. Use your headlight if you must ride a moped at nigh, it’s the law and safer.
-Leave more room between you and others to allow more time to react in a dangerous situation.
-Speeds from other cars are very hard to judge at night
-Check for rough spots in the road by watching the tail lights of vehicles in front of you.
-Limit night riding and wear reflective clothing. It is difficult to see you and your moped in the dark.
-Keeping Your Distance and avoid the busier streets
-watch for pedestrians and animals
In Front
-Remain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of you when coming to a stop.
-make sure you are a comfortable stopping distance behind and around cars
-Keep at least a two-second travelling distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to allow time to react if the driver ahead suddenly stops. It gives you time to see potholes, slippery spots and debris.
Behind
Monitor traffic behind you. By both mirrors and shoulder checks. If another vehicle follows you too closely, allow the vehicle to pass. Brake or signal early to communicate that you are turning, slowing down or stopping.
Intersections
-A lot of moped/car crashes occur at intersections, so enter them slowly and assume others do not see you. Watch everything, If you turn right, watch for approaching vehicles turning left in front of you. If turning just make sure its safe and clear to go and always signal, Drivers seem to turn one way but look the other way to see if its clear before its clear in front of them.
Emergencies
Blowouts (rare but...)
If you have a blowout, keep your hands on the handles and let off the throttle or even use the kill swich to shut off the motor and concentrate on the steering, don’t use the brakes. If your front tire blows shift your weight as far back as you safely can. If you back blows shift to the front. Pull over to the side of the road and as you walk your moped stay on the opposite side of the bike as the cars.
Mechanical Breakdown
If you have a mechanical breakdown kill the engine, pull over. If you are peddling the bike follow the same rules as a bike, but you cannot ride it at night.
Cells:
I always carry a cell phone, just to be safe.
Other Drivers:
Do not ride in another driver’s blind spot. Stay behind and to the right of the vehicle in front of you so you can see the vehicles’s turn signals. Most drivers signal and turn all in one motion, so be ready and stay back, Mopeds get NO respect on the roads, remember that and don’t expected drivers to be very nice. Drives drivers very seldom know what to do around you so drive consistently and make sure your staying alert to your surroundings.
Temper Temper:
Yo drive a Moped, that’s different drivers don’t like change and your slower than them so angers flair. Don’t get mad back, ignore them! If a driver persists just turn off that road and wait, no use getting mad or letting it bother you. Car vs moped, my money’s on the car. I find most people are just wondering what you are drive and have an interest in it.