Modern Vespa

Here we go again. friend in Ohio is thinking of getting a 1000 cc scooter for his wife. Highway patrol guy told him "it's a scooter, don't need the endorsement." I know he's wrong but can't find anything on line to prove it. Help!

btw: I did find it on the net for my state (florida) but not for Ohio.

What 1000cc scooter?

for the life of me I can't remember the make he was talking about. One of those scooters on steroids.

in Ohio, as with most states I know, anything over 50cc requires at least a temp permit if not a regular M endorsement on the license.

My understanding is that anything above 50 cc IS a motorcycle across the board in the US, with all the benefits and responsibilities to which you yourself have been entitled. I agree with you that the patrolman was incorrect.

If he was the only cop in the state, that would be grand! But he isn't. Here in Mass. I have run into the same type of misunderstanding, where one or two officers have been determined that my ET2 doesn't look like a "moped" and therefore isn't. They are wrong, and the RMV (DMV) will back me on this, but I always worry I'll have to spend valuable time straightening out a misplaced ticket because of it. Fortunately for me, every cop in Boston DOES know the distinction except for those one or two.

Your friend might run into the same police demographic, but it would work against them in that case, with most police correctly giving a ticket to an unlicensed motorcycle rider.

The web sometimes IS no help, but I am sure a call to the state's DMV will make things clear (most likely far faster than an in-person visit )

I always found it hard to find answers in Ohio when I lived there. I hope this helps. It is from the DMV site. Try exploring some yourself for more info. But the Trooper was incorrect. 50cc or more needs an endorsement or m/c license.

"Motor Scooters
Definition
A motor scooter is classified as being a motorcycle in the state. However, to be allowed on Ohio's public roads a motor scooter must be deemed as being "roadworthy." State lawmakers define this as a scooter that has:
A seat
Brake lights
Turn signals
Horn
Rear-view mirror
Headlights
Three or fewer wheels
For more information on this, contact the BMV at (614) 752-7800.
License and Registration
Just because a scooter is considered to be roadworthy, though, doesn't mean you can go for a ride. The vehicle will need to be registered (for a minimum of $24.50) and titled ($5 fee). For information on how to do this, see our titling and motorcycle registration sections.
You also must have the proper insurance or financial responsibility coverage. And, your scooter will need to have a motorcycle plate.
To drive a scooter, you'll need to be at least 16 and have either a motorcycle license or a motorcycle endorsement on your license. See our Motorcycle License section for details on how to do this.
Additional Scooter Information
Be sure to check out the informative articles about scooters in our How-to Guides and Fun Stuff sections.

Road-legal motorcycles, scooters, and even mopeds can have two-stroke or four-stoke engines ranging from 50 cc to more than 2,000 cc. "

A little wordy, but should give you what you need.