What is my moped worth? (2025 Update)

**We wrote a blog about moped values back in early 2019. Then we had a pandemic and supply chain issues that shot up prices for bicycles, eBikes, scooters, mopeds, and basically all these activities through the roof. That, combined with the advent of auction websites such as Bring a Trailer, caused some crazy high sales. For example, a matching pair of extremely nice but relatively common Motobécanes sold for $10,000, and various other units sold in the elevated “peer-to-peer market” for between $2,000 and $5,000. However, these purchases were anomalies inside of that blip of a price bubble.

Now, peer-to-peer market prices have essentially leveled out. You can still get $100 mopeds like before the pandemic, but they are a bit rarer. Meanwhile, bikes in the peer-to-peer market can still sell for $1,200 to $2,000+ as they did during the height of the pandemic. For the most part, though, prices have returned to what they were before the pandemic, adjusted for inflation.

On our end, we can no longer sell bikes in the $700 to $900 range. Much of our stock was purchased when the market was more expensive, so our overhead starts higher for each build. The price of labor has increased significantly as well. Additionally, the pandemic gave us the chance to reevaluate our books and determine the prices we need to keep the lights on around the shop. Now, refurbished mopeds sold at Detroit Moped Works generally start at $1,500. Occasionally, we can still sell a bike for $1,200 (as I’m writing this blog, we actually have three refurbished stock bikes—tuned up, polished up, running well, with tires and wear items replaced—for only $1,200).

So here’s a re-publication of what we wrote back in 2019, taking into account inflation, with the help of AI 🤖 proofreading and editing! 😂**

We receive daily phone calls and emails from people asking what they should sell their vintage mopeds for and/or if we want to buy their mopeds. Here are some generalizations about moped values. (There are always going to be exceptions… but yours probably is not one.)

Click a topic below to jump to that point in the page.

Non-running mopeds are worth $100 USD
Running mopeds sell pretty quickly for $300-400 USD
Running mopeds sell less quickly for $600-700+ USD
The “right buyer” may give you up to $1200
The value of modified mopeds
The value of our mopeds (why our mopeds cost so much)

NON-RUNNING MOPEDS ARE WORTH $100 USD

• • If it can’t be ridden down the road, there’s no way to tell what the moped needs. These bikes typically have 40+ years of unknown history. Riding them allows you to hear and feel the bike’s functionality. If it cannot be ridden, it cannot be properly diagnosed. There are a lot of costly and/or time-consuming repairs that may be needed on a moped, so most people will not bet more than $100 on that gamble.
    • If the seller says it “just needs a carb clean” or “just needs a spark plug,” they are likely misinformed. If they had the ability to accurately diagnose that, they would have the ability to do those things and double or triple the value of their moped.
  • This price is very standard on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Moped Army, garage sales, scrap yards, etc. We do our best to both buy and sell at “market rate.” Since we typically buy non-running mopeds for the standard $100 market rate and it would be wrong to sell non-running mopeds for more than $100, we just don’t sell non-running mopeds. We restore them and add value before selling!
    • Exceptions include:
      • Top tank mopeds (the ones that look like small motorcycles) usually sell for a bit more.
      • If the buyer REALLY wants a specific moped (see “RIGHT BUYER” info below).
      • If we are low on inventory and you have a super common moped that will be cheap for us to restore.
      • If your non-running moped has some weird specific part that someone really needs.
      • The upper end of what someone will pay for a non-running moped is $200-$300.
      • These scenarios are not common.

RUNNING MOPEDS SELL PRETTY QUICKLY FOR $300-$400 USD

• If it can be ridden down the road, someone who does not care too much about the individual unit will pay this much, and you will sell it in less than a week. It may be to a person looking for cheap transportation, someone looking for an “easy” restoration project, a moped hobbyist (hoarder), or us!
• This price is very standard on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Moped Army, garage sales, scrap yards, etc.

RUNING MOPEDS SELL LESS QUICKLY FOR $600-$700 USD +

• Many moped hobbyists, collectors, hoarders, and flippers scour the standard peer-to-peer market (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Moped Army, garage sales, scrap yards, etc.) ready to jump on those sub-$400 mopeds.
  • Please note: As a shop, we only purchase mopeds that are brought into our store. We do not go after the peer-to-peer market at all; we leave that open to you guys and gals. We want you to purchase project bikes so that you can come to us for parts and/or repairs!
• People who are looking for $400 transportation but keep getting beat out on the sub-$400 deals will often pay up to $600-$700 for running mopeds.
  • As a seller: If you’re not in a hurry to sell, maybe hold out for $600-$700. Your buyer will come around in a month or two.
  • As a buyer: This is an okay price. It’s not a great deal, BUT if a $600 moped is in your budget, if you like it, if you have fun on a test ride, and if you don’t want to mess around trying to be the first one to the best peer-to-peer deal, go for it!
• As a shop with hundreds of mopeds between our facilities, we are not the buyer who really wants a moped and has been beaten out on all the cheap deals. We are not going to buy a typical moped for anywhere near $700 (sorry!).

THE “RIGHT BUYER” MAY GIVE YOU UP TO $1,200+++?!?!

• NOTE: This is not normal in the peer-to-peer market, but there are always exceptions.
  • You’ll need to find the right person. This buyer is typically someone who had the exact same moped as a kid—the same year, the same color, all of that. Maybe they used that moped to get to their first job, which taught them the work ethic that made them wealthy today. Or maybe they didn’t have a moped at all and were jealous of the neighbor kid, so now is their time to have that perfect example of the model they didn’t get as a kid.
  • A moped hobbyist may also have an obsession with a specific rare sub-model and be willing to pay more than the moped is “worth.” Even as a shop with thousands of mopeds passing through, there are about half a dozen we’ve never seen and would pay $1,200+++ for. If a moped is so rare and desirable that it’s almost mythological, you probably don’t have it, but it would be cool if you did!
• As a seller: To get these prices in the peer-to-peer market, you’ll need a really, really nice bike, and it may take a few years to find that perfect buyer. But when you do, they’ll appreciate that you took the time to list the bike and maintain the listing long enough for them to stumble across it.
• As a buyer: IF YOU REALLY WANT IT, BUY IT, and don’t feel bad about paying extra for what you really want. Worth is subjective, so if it’s in your budget and you really want it, go for it!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ THE VALUE OF MODIFIED MOPEDS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• A modified moped may have $800, $1,200, or even $2,000 worth of performance parts on it, so how does this affect value?
  • If the person did a bad job installing the parts and the bike does not run right or is not safe, too powerful, or just looks ugly now, the bike is probably worth way less than it was before all the time and money were spent on it.
  • But there are some great, caring, careful, intelligent, artistic moped builders out there who have invested lots of time and money learning mopeds and building specific bikes. When these people sell mopeds, it’s fair and “worth it” to pay them for their parts, time, and expertise.
• As a shop: We do not generally buy modified bikes because we warranty all our work, and if we didn’t do the work ourselves, we can’t warranty it—even if the builder is exceptional.

THE VALUE OF OUR MOPEDS (WHY OUR MOPEDS COST SO MUCH)

• Simple Answer:

  • Everything we sell has AT MINIMUM: New tires, new tubes, new fuel petcock, new fuel line, new fuel filter, new NGK spark plug, working headlight, working taillight, working kill switch, a full tank of premium gas with Amsoil Saber full synthetic 2T oil, and new full synthetic transmission fluid. Plus, it’s polished up and comes with a 60-day warranty.
    • $1,200-$1,500 at our shop typically gets you a moped with this level of restoration. Although it’s more expensive than a $400-$600 Facebook Marketplace moped, we feel the new parts, professional work, and peace of mind make our mopeds a better value for a rider.

• • • $1,500-$2,000 at our shop typically gets you a moped with all the above plus other wear items (grips, chains, cables, shocks, pedals, seats, etc.) replaced with new. Mopeds in this price range typically have minor performance work done to get them in the 33-40mph range.

• • • • $2,000-$3,000 gets you a moped with the above upgrades and extensive motor work to reach speeds of 38-48mph, with modernized suspension and wheels to accommodate the increased speed. You might also see custom paint and decals in this price range.

• • • • $3,000 and beyond: This price is rare and reserved for exceptional mopeds. You can be assured that we’ve invested substantial time and money into these bikes to make them as fast, safe, and aesthetically pleasing as possible.

• Complex Answer:

  • When you buy a moped from us, whether it’s $700 or $2,700, you are getting more than a professionally serviced moped with some fancy new parts. Honestly, if that’s all you were getting from us, it wouldn’t be that great of a deal.
    • Because each bike is unique, we work to pair you with the right moped for you. When you come into our store, you get the opportunity to explain your goals regarding looks, budget, target speed, intended use, etc. From there, we’ll put you on a few different bikes that we think would work well for test rides.
    • Once you decide, we’ll make final adjustments to optimize speed, comfort, and aesthetics so that the bike is perfect for you.
  • After purchase, we become your support system.
    • During the 60-day warranty period, something will probably go wrong… but that’s OK! These things are 40 years old with an unknown history. We are bringing them back to life for the first time in who knows how long. Even though we fix everything that’s wrong, then test ride it 10-20 miles, fix any issues that arise, and put on another 10-20 miles until we feel confident, we can’t predict what will go wrong in 100, 200, or 500 miles. For this reason, we want you to ride the moped, shake out any additional problems that occur as it comes back to life, and we’ll fix them under warranty. We typically find that once these issues are resolved, these mopeds run well for a long time with minimal effort. We just need to get there together. You don’t get this level of support with a peer-to-peer sale.
    • After the 60 days, we’re here for your spring tune-ups, performance upgrades, wear item replacements, and more. These services will be quicker and cheaper since we’re familiar with your bike.
    • We’re also available for parts and troubleshooting advice if you choose to handle DIY repairs.
  • For better or for worse, buying a moped from us means establishing a relationship with us. We know, love, and appreciate our customers. Without you, we wouldn’t be who we are.

OH, YEAH—Also, when you buy a moped from us, you can use a credit card, and you get 25% off all retail items such as helmets, gloves, locks, apparel, etc. with your purchase!

Postscript :

Since we wrote version 1.0 of this blog back in 2019, one major change at Detroit Moped Works is the addition of a large selection of eBikes and scooters. This shift isn’t because we’re on a money grab or becoming more “vanilla.” It turns out that modern vehicles offer modern reliability and usability. While we still love old mopeds for nostalgia, as a hobby, and for the sense of community they create—(and let’s be honest, a properly working 35-40mph stock-mod vintage bike is probably the most fun we can have on two wheels!)—for transportation, the new stuff is often the way to go.

If you stumbled across this blog trying to gauge your budget for vintage bikes, consider our new scooter and eBike options for reliable, fun, and affordable transportation. And if you have a moped you’re looking to unload, although we don’t offer much cash for mopeds, we give great trade-in value toward a new, dependable vehicle. Feel free to reach out to us about trading in your old hobby ride for something more reliable!