Scooter & Moped Articles
Guides, comparisons and riding tips for two wheels. Written by a rider in Berlin.
July 27, 2026
Scooter navigation: the complete guide for riders
The definitive guide to navigating on two wheels: what scooter navigation actually is, why a car sat nav fails a moped, what to look for in an app, the road rules that shape your route in the UK, Netherlands and Germany, and how to set it up on the bike.
July 27, 2026
I tested the Google Maps alternatives for my scooter, and this is the one I kept
Apple Maps, Waze, Organic Maps, OsmAnd, Magic Earth, HERE WeGo, Komoot: I tested the popular Google Maps alternatives as a scooter rider. Most are genuinely good, but only one is built for the vehicle I ride. An honest verdict.
July 26, 2026
Scooter camping: an adventure on a 45 km/h scooter, and where you can wild camp
You do not need a big bike or a car. A humble 50cc scooter and a tent, on the back roads, is one of the cheapest and most romantic trips there is. Where you can legally wild camp in Europe, and how to plan a backroad scooter trip.
July 18, 2026
Scooter, Moped, Mofa, Vespa: what's the actual difference?
The same small two-wheeler is a moped in the US, a Mofa or Kleinkraftrad in Germany, and a snorfiets or bromfiets in the Netherlands. A clear guide to the terms, the legal classes behind them, and why Vespa and Puch get used as if they were vehicle types.
July 13, 2026
Why navigation apps ignore scooters and mopeds
Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze grew up around cars and bikes, so scooters and mopeds fall through the gap and get routed onto highways at car speeds. Why that happens, and what to use instead.
July 12, 2026
Does your scooter have built-in GPS navigation? Which ones do, and why your phone beats it
Which scooters actually have built-in GPS navigation, why most just mirror your phone, and why a phone with a scooter-aware app beats an in-dash display on any scooter.
July 5, 2026
Renting a scooter or moped abroad: a tourist's country-by-country guide
A guide for tourists renting a scooter or moped in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Thailand, Vietnam and Bali: the licence you really need, helmet rules, and how to navigate a rented scooter map apps route like a car.
July 5, 2026
Use your moped, scooter or bike for work? Urban Rider now logs it for tax
Urban Rider's new Logbook Mode is a mileage logbook for riders: log the business trips you make by moped, scooter, motorcycle or bike and export a tax-office-ready CSV in your own language.
July 5, 2026
Why your route drains your e-scooter battery, and how the right one extends your range
Car navigation apps route an electric scooter like a car, onto fast, hilly roads that drain the battery. How vehicle-aware routing that matches your real speed extends your range.
July 2, 2026
The all-in-one scooter navigation app: charging, speed cameras and weather in one place
Urban Rider is an all-in-one scooter navigation app with charging stations, speed camera warnings and weather built in, so you carry one app, not four.
July 2, 2026
A moped route planner that avoids highways, freeways and interstates
A scooter and moped route planner that avoids highways, freeways and interstates. Set your top speed, skip limited-access roads, and get real scooter-speed ETAs. Free on iOS and Android.
June 30, 2026
Lambretta navigation: the best GPS app for a Lambretta
Lambretta navigation is tricky: car map apps misroute a classic scooter and give wrong ETAs. Here is what to look for in a Lambretta GPS app, plus mount tips.
June 30, 2026
Microcar navigation: the best GPS app for a Citroen Ami or Twizy
Microcar navigation is a special case: car map apps route a 45 km/h Ami or Twizy onto motorways it cannot use. Here is what a microcar GPS app really needs.
June 30, 2026
Vespa navigation: the best GPS app for a Vespa
Vespa navigation is harder than it looks: car map apps misroute a Vespa and give wrong ETAs. Here is what to look for in a Vespa GPS app, plus phone mount tips.
June 28, 2026
Cargo bike navigation: routing a cargo bike in the city
A practical 2026 guide to cargo bike navigation: route a wide, long, heavy bakfiets or longtail around bollards, tight turns and stairs, and plan calmer streets.
June 28, 2026
Speed pedelec rules by country: 45 km/h e-bikes explained
In most of Europe a 45 km/h speed pedelec is a moped, not a bike. A country-by-country guide to the licence, helmet, plate and cycle-path rules for 2026.
June 28, 2026
E-bike range and charging: how far can you really go in 2026
A practical 2026 guide to e-bike range and charging: what battery capacity really means, what drains range, how to estimate yours, charge times and battery care.
June 28, 2026
The best e-bike and bike navigation apps in 2026
An honest, rider-tested guide to the best e-bike and bike navigation apps in 2026: Google Maps, Komoot, Strava, Bikemap, Cyclers and Urban Rider compared.
June 28, 2026
A free e-bike and bike route planner
Urban Rider is a free e-bike and bike route planner and navigation app. Pick the bike profile and your speed (25 km/h or 45 km/h speed pedelec) for safe bike routes.
June 28, 2026
Riding a scooter in Berlin: lanes, parking, and rules in 2026
A rider's guide to riding a scooter or moped in Berlin: vehicle classes, the insurance plate, helmet law, bus and cycle lanes, the Umweltzone, parking and how to navigate.
June 27, 2026
How to use Google Maps on a 50cc scooter (and why it still gets you stuck)
How to make Google Maps avoid highways on a 50cc scooter, the exact steps on iOS and Android, and why scooter friendly routes still send you onto fast roads.
June 26, 2026
A free scooter and moped route planner
Urban Rider is a free scooter and moped route planner and navigation app. Pick your speed class (45 km/h, 50cc, 125cc) and get routes that avoid highways. No account.
June 22, 2026
ScootRoute alternative: what happened to the app, and what to use
Looking for ScootRoute or cannot download it? Here is what happened to the app, where it still exists, and the best maintained alternative.
June 19, 2026
Google Maps vs Apple Maps in 2026: an honest comparison
Google Maps vs Apple Maps in 2026, compared on accuracy, traffic, offline, transit, CarPlay and Android Auto, privacy and platform, plus why neither fits two-wheelers.
June 17, 2026
Urban navigation: the 2026 guide to navigating the city
What urban navigation is, why cities are hard to navigate, how it differs from car GPS, and how to pick an urban navigation app built for how people move.
June 17, 2026
What is micromobility? The 2026 guide for city riders
What micromobility is, why e-scooters and e-bikes are booming, the operators and rules in the US and UK in 2026, and the navigation apps built for it.
June 4, 2026
The best scooter and moped navigation apps in 2026
We tested the navigation apps scooter, moped and motorcycle riders can actually use in 2026, from Google Maps and Waze to Calimoto, Scenic and Urban Rider.
May 20, 2026
Can you ride a moped or scooter on the motorway?
Can you ride a moped or scooter on the motorway or highway? A clear US and UK guide to which fast roads are banned, the licence and engine limits, and fines.
May 6, 2026
Do you need a licence for a moped or scooter?
A plain-language guide to moped and scooter licence requirements in the UK and US: minimum age, CBT, the AM and A1 categories, state-by-state rules and costs.
April 15, 2026
50cc vs 125cc scooter: which should you buy?
50cc vs 125cc scooter compared for the US and UK: top speed, the licence each needs, where you can ride, plus purchase, insurance and running costs.
March 25, 2026
Electric vs petrol scooters: what to know before buying in 2026
An honest 2026 guide to electric vs petrol scooters for US and UK riders: real prices, running costs, range, charging, licensing, incentives and city zones.
March 4, 2026
How to use your phone for navigation on a scooter or motorcycle
How to use your phone for navigation on a scooter or motorcycle: handlebar mounts, vibration damping to protect your camera, glare, glove use, audio, charging and the law.
February 18, 2026
How to beat range anxiety on an electric scooter
A practical 2026 guide to electric scooter range and charging in the US and UK: what really drains the battery, honest range, and planning routes around chargers.
February 4, 2026
How to plan a scenic ride that avoids motorways and traffic
A rider's guide to planning a scenic scooter or motorcycle route that avoids motorways and traffic in the US and UK, using avoid-highway settings and quiet backroads.
January 21, 2026
Riding a scooter in London: lanes, parking and rules
A rider's guide to riding a scooter or moped in London: bus and cycle lanes, ULEZ and Congestion Charge, where to park, costs, theft and how to navigate.
January 7, 2026
Urban scooter and moped safety: habits that keep city riders safe
Practical scooter and moped safety tips for US and UK city riders: helmet law, blind spots, the left-turn crash, wet roads, junctions and calm navigation.