How Much Does a Moped Cost? 2026 Scooter Prices by Engine Size
- on September 09, 2026
- Categories: Articles
A new gas moped or scooter costs between $699 and $5,599. The 49cc moped class runs $699 to $1,799, 150cc commuter scooters run $899 to $2,499, and 168–200cc machines run $1,149 to $2,399. Those are live listed prices from the Motobuys catalog on September 9, 2026, not estimates.
What a moped or scooter costs right now
There are 92 scooters, mopeds and trikes listed on our site today. Fifty-six of them are under $1,300. Here is the whole shelf, sorted by engine class.
| Engine class | Models listed | Price range today | What the class is |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49–50cc (moped class) | 30 | $699 – $1,799 | Air-cooled four-stroke, CVT automatic, electric and kick start |
| 149–150cc | 31 | $899 – $2,499 | Same layout, larger engine, front disc brake on most |
| 168–200cc | 19 | $1,149 – $2,399 | Where fuel injection starts appearing |
| 276cc | 1 | $4,799 | One machine, digital dash, adjustable suspension |
| Three-wheel trikes, 49–300cc | 10 | $2,199 – $5,599 | Two rear wheels, reverse on the largest |
| Electric trike | 1 | $1,349 | Battery, no engine |
Prices read from the live Motobuys catalog on September 9, 2026 and rounded to the listed dollar. Engine displacement is taken from each listing’s own title and spec sheet, never from the model name — see below for why that distinction matters.
Two things jump out of that table. The first is that the bottom of the market is far lower than most buyers expect. The second is that engine size stops driving price somewhere around 150cc: a 150cc scooter and a 200cc scooter overlap almost completely, because at that point you are paying for brakes, wheels, fuel injection and finish rather than displacement.
Why the price guides you just read start too high
Search this question and the two guides that come back are both written by electric-bicycle companies. TST Ebike’s June 2026 post puts entry 50–80cc mopeds at “$1,800–$2,800” and 125–150cc city scooters at “$2,800–$4,500”. Gyroor’s pricing guide puts a basic 50cc model at “$800–$2,500” and a premium 150cc-plus model at “$3,500–$7,000+”.
Now look at the table again. Our entire 49cc shelf tops out at $1,799 — below the number TST uses as its starting point. All 31 of our 150cc scooters are listed under $2,500, which is a thousand dollars below where Gyroor’s 150cc range even begins.
Neither company sells a gas scooter. They sell moped-style electric bicycles, and both articles exist to argue that a gas moped is expensive. Their numbers are not invented — they describe the Honda, Yamaha, Vespa and Genuine dealer market, where a 150cc scooter really does cost $3,000 or more. They just describe a different shelf from the one most people searching “how much is a moped” end up buying from.
What the jump from 49cc to 150cc to 200cc actually buys
49–50cc — $699 to $1,799
Single-cylinder air-cooled four-stroke, CVT automatic, electric start with a kick-start backup, 10 to 14 inch wheels. Most of these are deliberately built just under 50cc: the Gator 50-S3 is 49.4cc, the Ice Bear Jax PMZ50-3 is 49.5cc, the TrailMaster Flash 50 is 49cc. Twelve of the thirty listings in this band state a sub-50 figure right in the title. That is not an accident — 50cc is the line most state moped statutes are written around, and manufacturers stay under it on purpose. The Flash 50 listing states a 25 mph top speed.
149–150cc — $899 to $2,499
Same architecture, roughly triple the displacement. This is the band people move to when the 50 feels slow in traffic, and it is the most-asked-about class on our phone line. You get 12 to 13 inch wheels, a front disc brake on nearly every model, and enough room for a passenger on most. It is also the widest band on the shelf, which is why the price spread is so large — two Ice Bear 150s sit at $899 and $1,999.
168–200cc — $1,149 to $2,399
Here is the one specification that genuinely tracks the money: 10 of the 19 machines in this band state fuel injection in their listing title. Zero machines in the 49cc band and zero in the 150cc band do. If you have ever fought a carburetor after a bike sat through a winter, that is what the extra few hundred dollars is for. EFI also stops the cold-start and altitude complaints that carbureted scooters generate.
Trikes — $1,349 to $5,599
Two wheels at the back changes the machine completely and roughly doubles the entry price. The gas trikes start at $2,199. There is one electric trike at $1,349.
The badge on the side panel is not the engine size
This trips up more price comparisons than anything else. Five machines on our shelf are badged “200” and not one pair of them shares an engine:
- •Vitacci Tank Sport X200 — 168cc, $1,149
- •Tao Tank 200 — 175cc, $1,249
- •TrailMaster Sorrento 200A — 168.9cc, $1,499
- •TrailMaster Turino 200 — the title says 170cc, the spec sheet in the same listing says 168.9cc, $1,499
- •Amigo Warrior 200-A — a genuine 200cc, $1,699
So a $550 price gap across five machines wearing the same number is mostly brakes, assembly state and finish, not power. Read the spec table, not the badge. Where a listing contradicts itself, as the Turino 200 does, assume the spec table is closer to the truth and call and ask.
What to look for when buying a moped
Four checks, in the order they actually cost people money.
1. Can it be registered where you live?
Emissions certification is the single biggest hidden filter in this segment, and price and certification move together. Eight of our 92 active listings carry “Not CA Legal” in the listing itself, and 47 mention CARB certification. The two cheapest machines on the shelf — the Gator 50-S3 and 50-D — each name ten states they are not available in, right at the top of the listing. Read that line before you compare prices, because a $699 scooter that cannot be registered in your state costs infinity. Rules on licensing and registration are set state by state; check with your own state motor vehicle agency, and our license and registration guide walks through the questions to ask.
2. How much of it is already put together?
Eighteen of the 92 listings state 90% or more pre-assembled. Everything else arrives in a factory crate. On the Ice Bear PMZ200-R9 the listing gives both numbers: the crate is 74.8 x 22.83 x 33.86 inches and the assembled machine is 71.89 x 30.94 x 42.8. The difference is mirrors, windshield, front wheel and handlebar, and it is an afternoon with a socket set. A pre-assembled model costs more for a real reason. We also offer assembly service if you would rather not.
3. Carburetor or fuel injection?
Covered above, and worth repeating because it is the difference between a scooter that starts in February and one that does not. If the listing title does not say EFI or fuel injected, it is carbureted.
4. The paperwork is a separate line item
Dealer-endorsed MCO and title processing is its own $39 product, not part of the sticker. Budget it. And the battery arrives dry — filling and charging it is the single most common call we get in the first week of ownership, on every brand we carry.
Three scooters that show the ladder
One from each gas band, all listed and available as of today.
The full shelf, all 92 of them, is on the scooters and mopeds page, and the Ice Bear range has its own Ice Bear scooters page. Our warehouse is in Garland, Texas, and if you want a human to talk you through which class fits your commute, call 877-667-6289.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a moped?
A new 49cc moped is $699 to $1,799 on our shelf today, with most of the class between $799 and $1,299. That is the price of the machine itself; title processing is a separate $39 item and assembly is an optional paid add-on on many listings.
How much is a moped for adults?
The same range. Every scooter in our 49cc class is an adult machine — the smaller displacement is about how the vehicle is classified and registered, not about who rides it. If you want more than surface-street speed, the 150cc class starts at $899.
What should I look for when buying a moped?
Four things, in order: whether the machine can be registered in your state (8 of our 92 listings are marked Not CA Legal and 47 mention CARB certification); how much of it arrives assembled (18 of 92 state 90% or more pre-assembled, the rest come crated); whether it is carbureted or fuel injected; and whether you have budgeted the $39 title processing separately from the sticker.
How many cc is a moped?
In everyday use, 50cc or under. That is why so many machines are built at 49.4cc or 49.5cc rather than a round 50 — manufacturers are staying under a statutory line. But moped is a legal classification, and each state writes its own definition using engine size, top speed and sometimes transmission type. Check with your state motor vehicle agency before you assume which category your machine falls into.
Do you need a license for a moped?
It depends entirely on your state, and licensing and registration are two separate questions that often have different answers. Do not take a number from any blog, including this one, as the rule where you live — check your own state motor vehicle agency.
Is a 150cc scooter worth the extra money over a 50cc?
If you ride anywhere with a 40 mph speed limit, yes. The 150cc class starts at $899, which is only about $200 over the cheapest 49cc machine, and you get a larger front wheel and a front disc brake on nearly every model. The reason to stay at 49cc is registration and licensing, not price.
How long do mopeds last?
The engine is rarely what ends it. On a CVT scooter the drive belt is a wear item, the battery is a consumable, and valve clearance and oil changes are what separate a scooter that runs for years from one that does not. Ours arrive with the battery dry, so the first job is filling and charging it properly.
Prices in this guide were read from the live Motobuys catalog on September 9, 2026 and change with promotions and model-year turnover. Browse the current scooters and mopeds page for today’s numbers, check the moped gas mileage guide if running cost is the deciding factor, and the scooter maintenance checklist covers what to do in the first month of ownership.
