While mopeds are mostly a novelty in the US, in many foreign countries they are an important part of the way of life. In Central and South America, rows of mopeds sit at street corners, all lined up in a row as owners sit on them looking cool, perhaps hoping to pick up a hot babe. But seriously, they are really more part of the social fabric of the populace; a way of getting around and a place to sit once arriving there. Many owners are willing to give a ride to a particular destination, if asked, and if paid a small sum.



I remember on one occasion, I needed to get to an airport and was running late. After taking a crowded bus along a dusty and dirty highway, I exited at a corner, only to find I was in the wrong area with my jet about to take off. Asking one of the scooter owners who was nearby, I was given a bumpy ride, all the while carrying in my backpack valuable ceramic (and breakable) artifacts of significant historical value that had been recently discovered. Twisting and turning to avoid the major pot holes in the road, the driver and I soon arrived at the airport. A small token payment was all that was needed to insure my safe (?) arrival. Although special clearance required time past the jet departure schedule, a phone call to the airline convinced them to hold all 100 passengers hostage on the ground while I commenced my carefree business, much to my amusement when I finally boarded the jet, very late. Needless to say, I was more than thankful for the services of the local and his moped.



Changing moped carburetors to custom models can result in better gas mileage or faster top speeds. Cleaning an old carburetor can result in getting performance back to factory specs. But when needle valves are turned or removed for cleaning, they need to be adjusted to get them correctly set. A manufacturer's service manual will provide the correct turning procedure for a carburetor, and it should be obtained before making any adjustment to a carburetor.