Are mopeds and scooters street legal?

Question

they can be rode on the highway right? the scooters can go up to 70mph and some mopeds I've seen can go up to 50 or 65mph, I'm getting one for my son for his birthday, he's about to turn 15 and I wanted to know before I decided to go look for one for him, and if it helps any, I live in Mississippi, any good answers would help out a lot, best answer gets 10 points, thanks. :)

Answer 1

i dont know about in mississippi, because i live in missouri...

Answer 2

If it's a moped, it's not very likely that it'll top 30mph, but yes a few scooters out there can keep pace with traffic on the highway, but those are usually 600cc scooters. Up here in NYC, a license is required to operate any moped/scooter that can travel more than 20mph. Double-check that you can get it for him AND he can keep it. I'd be bummed out if the cops confiscated my wicked new present. Basically, just check the engine displacement when you buy it. 50cc's is just for tooling around at about 20mph or so, while 100-150cc's can keep up with street traffic(don't take those on the highway, you'll get run down). I DID see some high performance 50-80cc scooters that could probably take the highway, but they were from Italy as well as expensive.

Answer 3

In Missouri, scooters 49cc and under can be ridden in the streets (like a motorized bicycle) without car insurance or license plates.  Anything 50cc and up requires license plates and an Operators License (Driver) with a Motorcycle Endorsement.  A written test, vision test and skills test is given by the Highway Patrol for the Motorcycle Endorsement as well as for an Operators License.

Check the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for a Basic Rider Course in your area if a license is needed.  I took a local class and the exams from class counted in place of the HP testing.  Also, it was much easier to take the skills test on a 125cc motorcycle than on a 750cc or 883cc.

Answer 4

ya but who rides scooters anymore?

Answer 5

MOST scooters (sold at authorized dealers) are street-legal in the U.S. --- not all of them are "highway rated" (which means you cannot take them on the freeways / highways)

You'd have to check with the individual make / model - and make sure it has all the necessary accessories (headlamp, brake-lights, turn signals, etc.) to qualify as a "street-legal" vehicle.

btw:  Isn't 15 a LITTLE young to be operating a motor vehicle in your state??

Answer 6

Here's the drill. You will never, and I mean never, find a moped that will do over 40 miles per hour on level ground unless it has been hot-rodded by Orange County Choppers. Maybe down a hill, not on flat ground. They are not supposed to, they are not designed to, and it would be the most dangerous thing you ever did. You will also not likely find a scooter that will top 60 unless you are willing to spend upwards of 5 grand on a Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha maxi-scooter in the 250-and-up cc range, then you might see 70. Maybe. And when you are going that fast on a scooter with a belt-driven transmission, the engine is wound up tighter than a two dollar watch and will not last long. I have a 150cc scooter that I ride to work. It tops out at 55. Many scooters and mopeds are street legal in many places, but absolutely are not all highway legal. In fact, it would be suicidal to try it. You must absolutely abide by your state's DMV codes. Please do not buy a 49cc scooter or moped if you want to go more than 35-40 miles per hour, because they simply will not do it, regardless of all the fluffy advertising you read and all the glowing reports that the "salesman" feeds you. Your kid may do alright on a 150cc. They're quick enough around town, not fast enough to kill him, but absolutely not for the highway if your highways mean over 50 miles per hour. Most, if not all states have specific laws governing licenses and registration for mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles. Make sure you go by the DMV's rules and not some jackhole at the cash register where you buy it. Your son probably does not have a license, possibly no permit either, and he may lose this thing to the impound yard on his first trip. Also, don't buy one online, and don't buy it if the dealer won't register it for you. There are horror stories all over the web about people who got really sweet online deals on scooters, only to have them sit unused in the garage because they either don't work or can't be registered. One other thing. Pocket bikes, those little minibikes that are sold at liquor stores, Pep Boys, and other places, are absolutely not street legal in any state, and they fit nicely in the trunk of a police car.

Answer 7

I think they can go on 18ft streets and residential. i dont really know what rules apply in mississippi. i know in texas that you cant go on the highway

Answer 8

Don't bother with a 50cc, too slow.  a 150cc will get you around 55-65, a 250cc 70+.  So if you or your son really plan on doing highway or interstate riding, you need at the least a 250cc engine.

Note: Stay away from Chinese scooters, they are priced cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

Answer 9

i don't know but i'm getting one in two days by mail

Answer 10

visit your local police station and/or ask the highway patrol about the laws in your state. they can give you the best answers and should give you safety tips on how to stay safe if you can use them on the highways.

Answer 11

most states its no more then 35mph I don't think you can drive them on the highway, call your DMV they can tell you.

Answer 12

You would have to check with your local department of motor vehicles.  I got a moped for my son when he was 15. It was a great pre-driving step.  It made him more aware of other vehicles and enjoyed the freedom.  His was only 49 cc's so he did not need a license or plates.  Unfortunately, it was only permitted on private roads and was not legal for street riding.