Vehicle knowledge, technical condition and maintenance of mopeds and light quadricycles
Vehicle knowledge, technical condition and maintenance tests the legal definitions of AM vehicles, the components that fail most often in service, and the checks you are expected to make before riding.
Definitions and legal condition
- Moped: engine up to 50 cm³ (or electric motor up to 4 kW) with a design speed not above 45 km/h, two or three wheels.
- Light quadricycle: unladen mass up to 425 kg excluding the battery on electric versions, engine up to 50 cm³ or 4 kW, maximum 45 km/h, four wheels, seat belts instead of a helmet.
- Both must be registered, insured for third-party liability and pass periodic technical inspections; the registration certificate and insurance evidence stay with the vehicle.
- Pre-ride check: both brakes, tyre pressure and tread (legal minimum 1 mm for two-wheelers), no cracks or embedded objects, chain tension and lubrication, lights, indicators, brake light, horn, mirrors, fuel and oil.
- Electric mopeds: battery charge, charger cables, brake function, tyre pressure - the extra mass makes under-inflation bite harder.
- Follow the manual for engine oil, spark plug, air filter, brake fluid and suspension.
Worked example
A rear tyre looks fine but loses about 0.2 bar a month. At 1.0 bar instead of 2.0 it squirms in corners, wears out on the shoulders, brakes unevenly and overheats. The fix is not the number moulded on the sidewall (that is a maximum) but the pressure in the manufacturer's table, measured cold, monthly and before any long ride.
Traps that cost marks
Checking a hot tyre, assuming a 45 km/h machine needs no working front brake, tightening a chain without checking rear-wheel alignment, and ignoring a spongy brake lever - that is air in the system.