From the Villa.Fi flickr collection (see title link) comes this shot of a moped, the likes of which I’ve never seen. Three wheels, full front fairing, windshield with wiper, roof. Looks like it could have actually been a production model. Here’s another shot (-) it’s blurrier (+) but you can see more detail.
Oh… and I can’t really see any pedals, so it may not be an actual moPED… more of a cub I suppose.
21. July 2008 at 7:00 pm
The moped you show in the picture looks like it would be a little heavier than I would want to pedal. That being said, I won’t be at all surprised if this type of “all weather” moped and/or motor scooter starts showing up really soon in North America.
Best Scooters Mileage
21. July 2008 at 10:33 pm
I am all for three wheeled scooters, ie. MP3 design, where the dual wheels in front offers greater stability and handling versus two in the back.
Just too bad the C1 is not offered in the U.S..
Phil
22. August 2008 at 10:44 pm
It is "Erkkola Invamopo".
It was originallly designed specially for handicapped people, but in nowadays its getting somehow cooler than life, maybe becouse you can drive these without helmet (in Finland).
It got usually no pedals, 'couse it's designed mostly for leg-invalids, but there's both automatic and hand-shifted versions. There's also 125cc version of this serious "grandmother killer"..
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=erkkola+mopo&btnG=Search+Images
http://www.nettimoto.com/simpleSearch.php?show=inline&status=F&id_bike_type=&id_sub_type=&id_make=428&id_model=&id_engine_model=&pfrom=&pto=&yfrom=&yto=&efrom=&eto=&eng_type=&mileageFrom=&mileageTo=&id_domicile=&search=Hae+%3E%3E
26. August 2008 at 5:40 pm
Linda! You may be right! An all-weather commuter scooter/moped is due for America once again… hopefully one that’s better than those nasty Adiva clones we used to see from China. I guess the roof was good for that model so you’d be protected from rain/sun while you sat stranded on the side of the road.
Phil! I think the two-in-the-front variety is here to stay. There are definite benefits. Throw a roof on the MP3-500 and you’ve got one hell of an all weather commuter!
Anon! Thanks for solving the mystery! Those things are ingenious. I just saw one for sale back in 2007 for EU$700.
http://www.findit.fi/fin/search/14022.htm
Kiitos!
-steve