The Czech Mopedix moped project was presented for the first time at the Motorcycle exhibition in March. And he caused a stir. It angered not only some traditional bikers who look down on anything electric, but also the older population who rode Babettes and have them fixed as a cheap machine for retirees and housewives. But Mopedix doesn’t want to be the new Babetta. We drove around.
Czech electric moped Mopedix | Video: Jakub Zuzánek
Typical shape, heels, yellow paint and a square box with a flashlight on the frame, which remotely resembles the engine hidden under the cover. A little is enough and some see the reincarnation of Babette in Mopedix.
“It really offends us. First of all, we never considered a Mopedix to resemble her, none of us ever owned a Babette even in our youth. And secondly, it’s like comparing a Trabant to a Range Rover. Not in terms of speed, but in terms of quality . We are different in terms of performance, comfort and driving characteristics, processing and also reliability,” believes Jindřich Melichar, one of the main trio behind the creation of the Czech moped project, which is assembled in the premises of the Benešov brewery.
Mopedix was initially a bit of a “punk idea”, after all, the first prototype had a battery hidden in a roaster on a goose attached to the frame, gradually it became a serious project and a six-member team began to devote itself fully to it. In addition to the first type of Electric, which, as the name suggests, runs on electricity, they have plans for a gasoline version hidden in a drawer.
The moped is sturdy, relatively heavy, with large 19″ wheels. Minimalistic, but tastefully retro. About 80 percent of the electric moped’s parts are Czech-made, especially the complete sheet metal and the vast majority of metal parts, including the frame, rear forks, cages, handlebars, fenders, and carrier.
The Czech saddle and electrical components, including a 60V battery, are also custom-made. The 4-kilowatt electric motor integrated in the rear wheel hub is from a Chinese manufacturer, as well as the front light, rear shock absorbers, front fork or brake assembly.
It drives well and is comfortable to sit on. The driver has to get used to the fact that the center of gravity is a little higher. Large wheels ensure comfort. Accelerates and brakes excellently.
Considering the high-quality production of the main components, including the battery, and the overall assembly in the Czech Republic, it is not cheap, it will cost 134,000 crowns. Asian electric scooters are undoubtedly cheaper. “But Mopedix’s competition is various electric modern projects, such as the American Onyx or in Western Europe Bonfire from Black Tea Motorbikes, Brekr or Vintage Scrambler, which are similar in price,” explains David Kasl from Mopedix.
He believes that the moped will appeal to people who want a machine that is easy to ride, that has the driving characteristics of a large motorcycle, is powerful and quiet at the same time. “And in case of an emergency, he will also take a wounded friend from the pub along with the driver,” Melichar jokingly recalls the fact that he can have a second seat instead of a carrier and can carry a total of 180 kg.
How the whole Mopedix project started, what it has to do with Manety Korado and the gang that opposed the Russian Night Wolves, read in the article published in Hospodářské noviny.
