The Motoped is powered by a Honda petrol engine with up to 150 cubic centimetres. Everything else on the vehicle are conventional mountain bike parts, mostly from the downhill sector. The highlight of the vehicle: It can be ridden completely without a motor and can be driven entirely by a conventional chain drive like a mountain bike. This is why the vehicle is classified as a motor-assisted bicycle in the USA and not as a motorcycle. The only requirement is the speed limit of 30 miles per hour (approx. 48 kilometers per hour).

In Switzerland, motorized bicycles with a motor over 250 watts are prohibited on the trails. And this is where Motoped offers the solution: they ask users not to switch on the motor on the trail, but to use the bike like a conventional mountain bike. Once the road is reached to tackle the ascent again, the motor can be switched on and ridden up the mountain to save energy.

The motoped could further fuel the heated debate about access for motorized bikes on single trails. Many fear that the new technologies could lead to a new level of gossip on single trails. And Motoped is only the most obvious forerunner: all major mountain bike manufacturers are beginning to motorize their off-road fleets. Although the sales figures are still rather marginal compared to the overall market, the manufacturers' strong focus on this segment indicates that they see a great future here. The future has probably only just begun.

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