Why are motor scooters illegal on California freeways?

Because they cannot go freeway speeds. There are scooters that are freeway legal, they have larger engines and can maintain 55 mph. In California the engine has to be at least 150 cc.

“Most scooters, the 150cc and 250cc freeway-legal motorscooters included, are not really freeway comfortable. Often filled to capacity with large vehicles including SUVs, and massive trucks, the dimminutive scooter is rather out of place and, indeed, a dangerous choice.”

Motorscooter Muse

Because if you ride a scooter on the freeway in California, they will run OVER your ass! Heh!

Average weight of a motor scooter: 150 lbs
Average weight of a car: 3500 lbs.
Average weight of a loaded tractor trailer: 50,000 lbs.

The amount of money you’d save riding a Vespa is not worth the amount of ohshitshitshit moments you will absolutely have on the freeway since California drivers are assholes driving oversized vehicles for their needs. D:

Hell! I own the biggest bike Harley-Davidson makes and I wouldn’t run IT on the CA freeway on a BET!

I spent 3 months riding a motor scooter (Lambretta) in Europe. Once, we got on the autobahn in Germany. It was terrifying. Stuck to lesser highways after that. Most dangerous thing that happened was almost hitting a cow. It’s great way to experience a new place: faster than a bike or walking and you get all the sounds and smells of the place as well as the sights.

Motor scooters are great for getting from point A to point B in a small locale. They are not safe for freeways due to speed and safety.

Vespas are popualr in my village. Two years ago, a young girl texting on her phone missed the stop at the corner of my home. She clipped a guy on a Vespa. The fella had a helmut on, yet he nearly died. This happened at less than 25mph. I’d hate to see the mess 55 or above would’ve caused.

Do you really wanna be on a freeway in California doing 20 under the speed limit and be at the mercy of those around you? I wouldn’t. :(

I have a 100cc Yamaha BiWi. I love it and ride it all over the city but nope, I wouldn’t want to take it on a freeway. Seems like some people have scooter rage (probably because the 50cc ones don’t go fast enough to keep up with traffic flow and are a hazard) so I really have to ride defensively, easier at lower speeds.

Are there alternate non freeway routes you could take? Scooters really are great fun and as you say inexpensive transportation. But don’t get anything less than 100cc, they are just toys. And look at Yamaha, the BiWi is now 125cc and 4 stroke (mine is 2007 model, 100cc and 2 stroke engine). They have bigger tires and better clearance so you can do some off road riding. I rode mine off road all over a national park, it was great!