Getting around New Jersey in a moped is a fun ride and can save you a lot of gas money. Just make sure you know the New Jersey moped laws and buy yourself a moped in good condition. There are many makes and models, from used to vintage to new. I personally prefer vintage and I ride a 1980 Puch Maxi. A new moped, such as a Tomos can cost over 1500.
The Laws
If you live in New Jersey there is a ridiculous law that your moped must have pedals. This in fact is what a moped is supposed to have. However, these days there are comparable scooters less than 50cc(the limit) with no pedals but basically are the same as a moped. Other states allow these to be considered mopeds, but not in NJ. In New Jersey mopeds must be titled,registered and you must have insurance. In order to ride you have to be at least 15 and in that case you need a moped license. If you are old enough to have a drivers license than that’s all you need. These laws are very annoying but don’t let that deter you. Insurance only costs about 90 a year and the only company I know of in NJ that provides moped insurance is Rider. They also provide road side assistance for free.
You MUST wear a motorcycle grade helmet when riding your moped.
You may not carry any other passenger on the moped- so don’t buy a big seat thinking you can ride with someone on the back.
Where to Buy a Used Moped in New Jersey
There are several options, Craigslist, Ebay, local news rag. I bought mine off of Craigslist, this beats Ebay because you don’t pay until you see the moped. When shopping for a used moped you must test ride, check for rust and cracks, check for leaks, make sure the brakes work well, the wheels are not bent, the choke works as it should. And most importantly the moped must have a title, don’t bother with any moped without a title or with a story about how the seller will get you a title from Virginia or wherever.
Buying a New Moped
You can buy a new or nearly new moped on Craigslist or Ebay but if you are going to spend a lot of money then go to a dealership. This is not as easy as it sounds since mopeds are more of a specialty vehicle. A quick search of the on line yellow pages for your area of New Jersey will point you in the right direction. The new mopeds are mostly Tomos but there are others, and there are different options. I live in Bergen County so I only know sellers in my area which are Steve’s Mopeds in Dumont, and Moped Warehouse in Saddle Brook. Both sell new and used mopeds, Steve’s sells more new mopeds and Moped Warehouse sells more used mopeds. Both also sell any moped part you will ever need and they both do repairs. I personally prefer Moped Warehouse because they are more knowledgeable and seem to live for mopeds. If you go there you’ll be amazed by their huge inventory.
Disclaimer: I have provided a synopsis of the laws in regard to mopeds in NJ. For more information on the laws of moped riding in NJ, go to http://www.moped2.org/laws/New-Jersey.htm and call the Department of Motor Vehicles to verify the laws or if you have questions.
