Moped Army

Moped Army
Motto	Swarm and Destroy
Formation	1997
Region served	US
Website	http://www.mopedarmy.com/

The Moped Army is an organization of moped enthusiasts, centered around the organization's website which serves as a catalyst for the spread of moped culture and the organization of moped-related events throughout the US and Canada. Founded in 1997 as the Decepticons in Kalamazoo, Michigan by Daniel Kastner, Simon King, and Brennan Sang, and as of January 2011 the organization has grown to include twenty-three official branches across the US.^[1] The branches each have a unique name, often inspired by the city in which they are based, and are self-governing; implementing their own criteria regarding membership and activities. With the motto of "Swarm and Destroy",^[2] the Moped Army has been the subject of a graphic novel by Paul Sizer and a documentary called Swarm and Destroy.^[3]

Moped to South America

Moped race in San Francisco, 2006.

In 2006 two Moped Army members, Graham French and Zach Levenberg,^[4] traveled 13,000 miles from San Francisco, California to Ushuaia, Argentina on Puch Maxi mopeds. They later released a documentary and a book of their journey both called "Moped to South America", consisting of the pictures and video they shot along the way. ^[5]

Rise Against music video

Members of the Chicago branch of Moped Army, Peddy Cash, are featured in the music video for the song "Re-Education (Through Labor)" by the American rock band Rise Against, which was released in September 2008. In the video they are seen riding their mopeds through a city, placing home-made bombs on government buildings.

Notes

1. ^ "Moped Army: Banches/Members". http://www.mopedarmy.com/members/view/. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
2. ^ Hageman, William (22 September 2004), Army revives 70s moto trend, Eastern Echo), http://www.easternecho.com/cgi-bin/story.cgi?4356, retrieved 2009-03-02 
3. ^ Jonsson, Patrik (25 April 2006). "High gas prices propel a new 'moped madness'". Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0425/p01s01-ussc.html. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
4. ^ Harmanci, Reyhan (27 December 2005). "Moped diaries: You pedal, you ride, you hit a top speed of 20 mph. But their owners wouldn't have it any other way.". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/27/DDGU0GCPP51.DTL. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
5. ^ Nichols, Liz (20 September 2008). "Moped lovers ride into Union Square on two wheels". Somerville News. http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2008/09/moped-lovers-ri.html. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 

References

• Aproberts, Alison (15 July 2007), "Two for the road: Are half the wheels twice as nice? Ask the growing crowds riding scooters, mopeds and motorcycles", Sacramento Bee 
• Lloyd, Jennifer, "For the love of a bike: Lust for mopeds revs their little engines", Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2002069263_moped22.html, retrieved 2010-06-00 
• Hageman, William (1 August 2004), "The mild ones ; Moped Army is fueled with all the might a 2-horsepower engine can muster", Chicago Tribune: 1 
• Shanley, Will (25 October 2004), "Denver abuzz in moped 'bikers' At least six clubs for the easy-riding and inexpensive motorized scooters have sprouted up around the city", Denver Post: E-02 
• Smiley, Lauren (7 November 2006), "The Angry Moped Gangs of San Francisco; What happens when one SF Weekly reporter dares to penetrate the inner circles of post-track-bike hipsters", SF Weekly, http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-11-07/news/the-angry-moped-gangs-of-san-francisco, retrieved 2010-06-09 

External links

• Moped Army Official Website