Italy Falling Out Of Love With Mopeds, Scooters Due To Changing Trends
Like France falling out of love with diesels, Italy is falling out of love with mopeds and scooters due to changing trends.
Data published by the National Association of Motorcycle, Bicycle and Accessories — ANCMA — shows moped sales crashing 97 percent, falling from the peak of 600,000 in 1980, to 26,727 units in 2014, Al Jazeera English writes. Sales of 125cc scooters aren’t doing so well, either, slowly declining from 173,343 units sold in 1955, to 37,388 in 2014.
The causes for the decline? According to ANCMA’s motorcycle chief Claudio Deviti, “the younger generation is just not as interested in mopeds as it used to be,” with technology the key reason. Deviti says the smartphone has taken the place of the moped in fostering friendships among young consumers.
Another factor is Italy’s ongoing economic downturn, weakening spending power as maintenance costs for mopeds rise. In the moped’s heyday, all one needed was the money buy such a vehicle. Over 50 years later, the average cost with licensing, stamp duty, and insurance comes to $2,250, $1,350 without. Cosenza, Italy moped mechanic Attilio Brisci explains:
Today mopeds are simply too expensive for the great majority of Italian households. People have two choices: renounce the use of the moped, or simply go without insurance at the risk of getting caught. I would say the average of those who do these is 50–50, with percentages getting higher the more one goes farther south.
[Source: Luca Sartoni/Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0]
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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I don't know if pricing is the same as the US, but... I recently decided I wanted a small motorcycle. I liked the Honda PCX150. The price is $3500. Out the door, the dealer wanted $5k. Instead, I bought a used Honda C70 Passport for $700. That's a huge price differential.
I believe that 50 cc mopeds and scooters are technically obsolete - Electric bicycle can serve the same purpose, is cheaper to run and without the hassle of insurance, registration, license etc
i still have my mopped (motorino) in the garage, it was status symbol when i was 14.... well not mine wich barelly reaches 30, but elaboration was very popular (and illegal). practical transport in smaller cities, 2 strokes, cheap, could go the whole week with 3L of gas. but then insurance increased, recently they introduced license and documents wich costs more than the mopped itself also 2 strokes are banned. nonsense, you wait 2 years and buy a 125cc or a 250cc real bike wich costs nothing to buy and maintain and lasts forever, is also more fun. in the nederlands you can ride the mopped on bicicle lanes with no helmet if you go slow. they are more civilized than us.
If there are no mopeds, how will the young thieves snatch a purse or camera bag from the tourists, when they are enjoying an espresso on a sidewalk cafe?