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What are the various laws for scooters compared to motorcycles? Do they need a special license as well?

There are quite a few scooters around here, and I've yet to see any of them wearing any gear. One guy I saw the other day was wearing an IPOD, and I witnessed a girl (with shorts, tshirt, and flipflops) lose control while braking and bounce into the middle of the road before regaining control. She was lucky.

Aren't there regulations on scooter use?

It varies, state by state. In Washington, for example, you don't need a license to operate your scooter if it's under 50ccs and has a top speed of 35 MPH. You still need a DOT helmet, but that's it.

In New Jersey, if it has two wheels, a motor, and a place for someone to sit, it's a motorcycle......... unless it specifically meets the moped definition:

"a pedal bicycle with a helper motor that has a maximum piston displacement of less than 50 cubic centimeters, or no more than 1.5 brake horsepower, and is capable of a maximum speed of no more than 25 miles per hour on a flat surface."

If it's not a moped, it's a motorcycle. If it's a motorcycle, you need a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license and you need to wear a helmet.

Skier wrote:It varies, state by state. In Washington, for example, you don't need a license to operate your scooter if it's under 50ccs and has a top speed of 35 MPH. You still need a DOT helmet, but that's it.

Same in Massachusetts.

In Florida you just need eye protection

Same in AZ. No license or helmet required below 50cc. Around here we call 'em DUI mobiles. Not because people drink while driving them, but because it's the only thing you can drive if your license is suspended for DUI.

In wyoming any 2 wheeled motorized vehicle, even mopeds are considered motorcycles, no helmet needed unless you are under 18 (wyomings helmet law only applies to minors) but you have to have an MC endorsement even for a moped.

The only special scooter specific thing wyoming has considered is a scooter specific MSF course (scooters are suprisingly popular here).

Here in BC you need a regular driver's license to ride a scooter and you need to wear a helmet.
Insurance is cheap as well compared to a real motorcycle.

blues2cruise wrote:Here in BC you need a regular driver's license to ride a scooter and you need to wear a helmet.
Insurance is cheap as well compared to a real motorcycle.

Same in Alberta, but you cannot go on the highway.

In MD you you dont need a helmet, insurance, or even tags. No motorcycle endorsement, either. It was great when I was 16 - I couldnt afford a car + insurance, so I got a moped. 100 miles / gallon and a max speed of 30 mph . . . I ran that thing year round in the rain, sun, hail, and snow.

The only time I was pulled over was for taking a passenger because I did not have proper footrests / handholds for them. Pretty dumb thing to do, I'll admit . . . darned kids. The cop was cool, he just told us not to do it anymore.