June 27th, 2008 by The Rider

what do you do after buying moped?

I want to buy a moped but I don’t know what the requirements are. I am 17 with a drivers license (not Intermediate). Do you have to get insurance on the bike and how much would that cost. What do i need to get from the seller? Is it a title or something completely different? Do you have to get license plates for it and how much do those normally cost. I live in Iowa and the bike is 49cc 2 stroke.

If you’re anything like most moped buyers the next step is crashing it and getting hurt.

Insurance will vary from state to state. Contact your insurance company or just call geico or progressive–they’re open 24 hours a day and will answer your questions for free.

A small moped like you’re describing will probably not have a title but you’ll still need registration and plates if you’re going to operate it on local streets. The cost varies from state to state but probably around $50 a year. Especially if there’s no title make sure you get a bill of sale from the seller and verify the information with his driver’s license. It just needs to say the date and the vehicle (including the VIN) and the selling price and both names of the buyer and the seller. This way you’ll have some proof he sold it to you if you need it for some legal reason in the future.

Bear in mind a 49cc bike will probably have a max speed between 30 – 40 mph and won’t be allowed on some roadways (all interstates and some highways).

X-Treme Scooters XM-3500 Hell!