How Fast Does 49cc Scooter Go? On average, a 49cc scooter will have a top speed of 30 mph. As said, the figure is average. Thus, some companies, like Vespas, can push to 40 mph, while Hondas are an inch above the norm at 35 mph.
On average, however, you wouldn’t expect to push over 30 mph.
The Difference Between A Scooter And A Moped
Colloquially, mopeds and scooters are terms used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the two.
A moped is a motorized bicycle. They are slow due to their small engine size, which means they aren’t allowed on highways.
Mopeds are perfect for zipping around cities, and they often get better gas mileage than their scooter counterparts.
Mopeds also have a maximum speed of 30 mph.
Scooters, on the other hand, have larger engines. These extra mechanisms make the scooter larger than a moped. It also makes it more powerful. A typical scooter engine would range from 50cc (see also: How Fast Does A 50cc Scooter Go?)to 250cc.
This additional power can double the scooter’s speed reaching highs of 70 mph.
CC stands for Cubic Capacity. It refers to the size of a car’s engine and the amount of fuel and air that can be pushed through the cylinders. The size of the cylinders will directly affect the amount of fuel the vehicle can go through.
Larger cylinders need more fuel per usage or stroke.
The larger the cylinder, the higher the cc, and the more powerful the vehicle is.
However, large cylinders also take from the engine’s power. To get the fuel moving more effectively, some bikes will have multiple cylinders to keep the cc the same but reduce the excess power.
This is why a moped is more fuel efficient than a scooter. It has a smaller cc which means less fuel is needed to reach top speeds. The drawback is that it cannot go higher than 30 mph.
Scooters, however, will guzzle through more fuel regardless of whether it reaches 70 mph or not.
The Difference Between 49cc And 50cc
The difference between 49cc and 50cc is minuscule. When discussing cubic capacity, vehicle manufacturers work in whole numbers. They don’t advertise in decimal points.
This means their bike could be 49.6 cc, instead of a whole 50. To make the vehicle seem more impressive, they will increase the number to a whole figure.
Because the decimal is greater than 5 they can get away with rounding up and not down.
You could be looking at two scooters, one labeled 49cc and the other labeled 50cc. Despite their numbers suggesting they are completely different, the paperwork could show that the figures are 49.4cc and 49.6cc.
These tiny changes might feel important, but remember a scooter can have 250cc. At 250cc, the scooter’s speed only increases to 70 mph – just over double the moped speed of 30 mph.
Although the cc has quadrupled, the speed only doubled. This means that the bikes need a large cc change to create a real difference in power.
Basically, 49cc and 50cc are the same. If you’re torn between two bikes and these figures have entered into the pros and cons list, remove them. They are too similar to add any value to your considerations.
The Difference Between 4-Stroke And 2 -Stroke
We have mentioned strokes briefly already, but now let’s go into detail. The stroke of an engine is a phase of its cycle. It’s when the pistons travel from the bottom to the top or vice versa.
A 4-stroke engine is considered fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. This is because the engine has a 4-stroke or 4-phase system.
It intakes the fuel, compresses it, releases the compression to create power, and then opens the exhaust to release the fumes.
A 2-stroke engine has fewer moving parts which makes it easier to repair and maintain. However, it loses more fuel power due as the power and exhaust steps are completed at the same time.
A 2-stroke engine simply has an upstroke and a downstroke. On the up, the pistons take in the fuel and compress it at the same time.
On the down stroke, the compressed fuel is ignited to create power at the same time that the exhaust is opened.
Scooters with a high cc will likely use a 4-stroke engine. Mopeds or any vehicle with a 50cc or lower will likely use a 2-stroke engine.
The Benefits Of Speed Limitations
The main benefits of speed limitations are the lack of restrictions, cheaper price tags, cheaper fuel, and cheaper repairs.
Depending on which state you live in, there might not be a license requirement for vehicles that go less than 30 mph.
This ruling is usually aimed at mobility scooters for the elderly and disabled, but it also counts mopeds.
Ideally, you should still learn the motorcycle safety rules of your state. This can help you understand the road and vehicle expectations.
However, you might not have to take a test and could travel around the city at a young age.
Mopeds are normally cheaper than scooters because their engines are less complex, and their bodies are lighter and smaller.
This is because 49cc scooters and mopeds don’t need the same equipment – they aren’t going fast (see also: How Fast Does A 150cc Scooter Go?)enough to require it.
These slower bikes will go through fuel less frequently because they don’t have a large number of cylinders. Admittedly a 2-stroke engine will not be as efficient as a 4-stroke, however, the amount you lose will be minimal.
Lastly, because a 2-stroke engine doesn’t have many parts, it will be cheap and quick to repair.
Final Thoughts
A 49cc scooter will have a maximum speed of 30 mph. However, you’re probably driving a moped instead of an actual scooter.
This is because scooters normally have a cc of 50 to 250. 49cc is a low number for a scooter.
Hi! My name is Johnathan, and I am the creator of ScooterAdvice360.com. Having been riding motor scooters and bikes for over 20 years, I have picked up a few things! I ran my own scooter store in Florida, selling all manner of motor scooters, mobility scooters, hoverboards, e-scooters and accessories, from Forzas to Vipers, Hellcats to Vespas.
Here, at ScooterAdvice360.com, I want to ensure everyone has access to the information that they need to enjoy their bikes and scooters for longer.
