Hondas, Sachs, Vespas and Motobecanes, the truth is we can’t help but love custom mopeds. Traditionally, mopeds are built with a step-through frame and an engine that’s 50 cc or less. They also use bicycle pedals to get the engine running instead of a kicker, but we won’t roast you for calling it a scooter.
What was once a small niche of the motorcycle scene, custom mopeds have exploded in popularity in recent years, with builders worldwide dreaming up rad ways to make mopeds faster and more fun—and we’re here for it.
If there’s one custom shop that deserves a gold medal for tenacity, it’s ChillFab. The crew behind the Chiller motorized BMX developed their first prototype four years ago, while they were still based in Russia. Since then they’ve refined the Chiller to create production-ready electric- and petrol-powered versions, pushed the design further with a springer…
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If it’s small and it comes from Honda, you can bet your bottom Dollar Steady Garage will be all over it. The Californian outfit is best known for their wild Honda Ruckus and Grom customs, and stocks a staggering number of scooter and mini-moto parts. So it’s hardly surprising that the first custom Honda Motocompacto…
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They say that there’s no replacement for displacement. By that logic, the best way to improve a single-cylinder Puch moped is to turn it into a five-cylinder Puch moped. At least, that’s Uwe Oltmanns’ theory. Based in Northern Germany, Uwe is a moped enthusiast with an extensive resume. He’s a professional toolmaker who’s worked at…
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The perennial question facing all major motorcycle manufacturers is how to get young people into motorcycling. With the old-school biker class slowly aging out, nabbing the next generation is crucial—and everyone is scrambling for the answer. As for us, we’re putting money on crossover concepts like ‘Chiller,’ a bespoke BMX-inspired bike powered by either a…
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My gateway into motorcycling was a 50 cc moped that could barely manage 25 mph. But for the next generation, it’s more…
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If the design of most electric motorcycles leaves you cold, a pair of young engineers from Hamburg might just have the answer.…
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If you think that electric bikes aren’t ‘real’ motorcycles, avert your eyes now. But if you love vintage BMX bikes, and believe…
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We can’t get enough of custom Cubs around these parts: we’ve featured more than 20 of the step-throughs over the years. But…
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The world ahead of us is constantly changing with every passing moment and every decision made. The future is unpredictable, but that…
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The debate rages on whether electric motorcycles are better than petrol-powered ones. Meanwhile a group of mad scientists in Saint Petersburg have…
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Scooter customization has been a thing for years, but the movement is mostly underground. Recently the moped scene has started intersecting with…
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K-Speed have mastered the art of Honda Cub customization. It started when they got a call from Honda Thailand two years ago,…
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