Modern Vespa

Hello all,
So in looking at vintage scooters I have come across some confusion: What if the old thing doesn't have turn signals?

Can you register and license a vehicle without turn signals? To add them would destroy its originality...

The same way you would register a 1953 Hudson. The car is not required to have any more equipment than what it had when built.

Really?
I was looking at the Mass RMV website and they had a list of things checked on a motorcycle inspection, one of which was "4 working directionals" so I thought this meant trouble

vehicles of certain vintages/years don't tend to need to meet current dot requirements, only those of the time period. e.g. bikes didn't need both mirrors for a specific year range, just the right mirror. so if the bike falls in that time period it only needs the one now, doesn't need to adhere to current regulations

They probably aren't thinking back to the time before turn signals were available on motorcycles. I would call the DMV and ask them. They may have an "antique" class license plate for such a situation. Certainly there are old bikes on the road that have legal registrations.

Everyone so far is correct... your vehicle is grandfathered in because it was built before those laws requiring turn signals and whatnot were passed.

You'll get it registered with ease ...

-Eric

just grab your title, vin, plate number and head on in to the DMV. they wont' ask questions or look at the bike so don't' even worry about it.

Unless the OP is in Japan or England, fixed that for you.

Don't worry about inspection or registration. Just make sure you have a valid title. If you don't have a title they can't be regstered, and it is getting harder to get a title every day for an old scooter.