Moped/Scooter law question

[MyGlockRocks19]

I'm negotiating on a trade with someone for a scooter, just to get me around until my car sells, and from what the guy is telling me you're not required to register them to drive them on public roads in Indiana. Is this true?

If it makes a difference (I've heard in some places it does) it has a 49cc engine. It'll go just fast enough to get me to work and back, on back roads, for a while. However, if I've got to pay to put a tag on it, it might not be worth the hassle.

 

[Bubbajms]

49cc Scooters (and mopeds) aren't required to be plated or insured, I don't believe..

 

[paddling_man]

Google a bit for accurate info but from memory:

No registration/insurance required if:

a) less than 50cc
AND
b) cannot exceed 30mph. (It could be 25 but I'm thinking it is 30.)

Here's the rub. There's a whole crowd of folks into scooters. Not the cheap Chinese junk but Italian Vespa and Lambrettas. (Ever see the Who movie, Quadrophenia? Excellent movie and soundtrack.) Many of those bikes are 125cc - 200cc and easily make 55mph to 65mph. I restored a 1961 Fuji (father to Subaru) Rabbit 90cc. These bikes are under the same rules in Indiana as a motorcycle.

The 49cc bikes (known as wino bikes among the scooter crowd because DUI folks buy em cheap to get around) are commonly "deregulated" to allow faster speeds.

I had a 49cc, once upon a time, for neighborhood store visits. Economical, cheap, etc.. It would also do 45mph on the flats and 50+ with any kind of downhill grade.

If you ride one of these without insurance/registration, you can go to jail. How do you get caught? You exceed the spec speed with no license plate. It will all depend on your municipality and how they feel about them in terms of enforcement. Carmel, I've heard, is VERY intolerant of this practice.

Good luck, enjoy and be careful. It's "just a scooter" but you can kill yourself at 30mph colliding with a car just as easily as on a motorcycle.

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

Googled it and guess what...its 25 mph....

No way I can ride that to work, even on back roads. All of the roads leading to work have at speed limit of at LEAST 40mph, and it would be suicidal to go 25 on them riding a scooter. Guess I'm back to square one.

Nice to know that the BMV will make their money any way they can....

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Nice to know that the BMV will make their money any way they can....

The Legislature made the law, the BMV enforces it.

If the scooter is larger than 49CC or goes faster than 25 mph, then it is considered a motorcycle. You would have to insure it, title it and plate it as a motorcycle.

It's like bitching at the clerk at the local BP for the price of gas. The clerk has nothing to do with setting the price of the gas.

 

[Bubbajms]

Could be worse (or better?) though - some states say if it has a motor and you want to run it on the road, it needs a plate. Moped? Plate it. Scooter, no matter what size engine? Plate it..

 

[melensdad]

We've been running scooters on the rural roads of Lake County and into the town of Lowell for several years, all of ours apparently came with the limiter removed??? I say that because all go well over 25mph. 2 will run 45mph and 1 easily exceeds 50mph with plenty of power left. We've never had any problems or issues and the Sheriff's have simply waved to us when we ride by. Other areas may be different but we've not had issues. I didn't even know there was a 25mph limiter on some of these little things?

 

[Passive101]

I was not aware of this. I'm now going to check the price of Vespas. If I can always ride one of those and not have to title or license it that is great. I also wouldn't mind 100+ MPG!

Onward to search google at 9600baud internet speeds

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

How much of a pain is it to get a motorcycle endorsement?

I'll look into the registration costs. It might still be worth it if its cheap enough. I'm really just looking for something that'll take me the 15 miles to work after I sell my car. I've got a buyer, but can't sell until I figure out how to get to work, and can't buy a new one until after I sell the car!

 

[paddling_man]

How much of a pain is it to get a motorcycle endorsement?

I'll look into the registration costs. It might still be worth it if its cheap enough. I'm really just looking for something that'll take me the 15 miles to work after I sell my car. I've got a buyer, but can't sell until I figure out how to get to work, and can't buy a new one until after I sell the car!

Written and riding test. It is easiest (and best, IMHO) to do the written at BMV and take a weekend ABATE course that qualifies as the riding test.

You said the speed limit on all roads leading to work are at least 40MPH. Only the rare 49cc will make it anything over 45mph - even then, that last 5-10mph takes a while to attain. The next time you drive to work CLOSELY watch the speedo. You'll probably find that average traffic on a 40mph posted road is consistently 50+mph. Taken from personal experience, it is very frustrating to find a line of frustrated cars behind in your mirror as you go buzzing down the road, throttle full open and nothing left in the event of emergency evasion.

Purely my opinion:

I've been to Sheridan for our trade. It was a cute little town and a 49cc would be fine for buzzing around in Sheridan or even downtown Indy. If you want to consider two wheels for actual speeds of 50-55mph (on a road posted for 40) and a distance more than 3-5 miles, then do the legwork and get a larger bike, whether it is a 150cc scooter or a 250cc motorcycle. I know that isn't what you want to hear.

Staying safe on a bike is about defensive use of the brake AND the throttle. Don't take a bike on roads where it is underpowered to avoid trouble - your cruising speed and top speed should NOT be the same number.

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

It may not be what I want to hear, but it makes sense, and I have to admit I was kind of questioning riding a bike that tops out AT the speed limit of the roads I'd be riding it on. You've given some very useful advice, sir, and I thank you for it!

I'm gonna step back from the bike I'm looking at now...it'd be nice to tool around town on, but it won't do what I need it to. If I'm going to go through the trouble of registration and an endorsement, it'd probably be worth my while to get something more useful.

 

[Boilers]

just keep getting an annual learners permit. Writing test. Must drive in day. Not a pain. If you continue to need and use, get the full kit.

MoPEDS used to be those with PEDALS. Not sure if they still make that distinction. I had a Garelli with pedals that would do near 50 mph, but it was all legal and no plate or nothing. Not like I cared, I drove at like age 14 and drove off-road dirt bikes anywhere we needed to go. No hassles much. Just twice. One sheriff one state police. Until they found out who they were dealing with!