Piaggio MP3
Yes it's the Bike of the er..Week! Who has seen a herd of these up West recently?
Driving through London on a Sunny Autumn day in late September, you might be forgiven for thinking that it is the day of the flying ants Piaggio MP3 Stylie - they are everywhere, all over the tarmac, nipping along between the cars, through the yellow sunshine. But despite their ubiquity they are still odd enough to be eye-catching as they zoom and lean their way round the corners and between the traffic with their parallelogram front wheels sliding companionably up and down next to each other.
Three's a crowd? - well not when it's wheels
This whole novel MP3 take on the three wheel thing is interesting. Unlike its distant cousin that other - but oh so different three wheeler - the trike, it is not impossible to fall over on an MP3, but the fact that it has three wheels, does give it a great deal of stability and road holding ability. It also means that once the wheel lock is in place the MP3 can be parked without the need for a stand and - probably because it is designed by Italians - can be parked on uneven surfaces even with one wheel up on the kerb if the road is narrow or on uneven flagstones or cobbled roads (I am thinking Naples here).
Handling while riding is different from a two wheeled motorcycle, due to the two front wheels, but not that different. The front wheel design is based on a complex parallelogram with four aluminium arms supporting two steering tubes. This allows the two front wheels to lean (lean angle of up to 40 degrees) in tandem, so that the MP3 has the lean and cornering ability of a normal two-wheeled motorcycle but with double the road holding from the grip of the two front tyres, giving it added stability on corners.
Hi Ho Silver - Away
The Chassis is made of tube steel which connects the front end to the motor/swingarm and drives the fourteen inch rear wheel. The three - yes three - rotors all have dual piston calipers and braided steel lines. The scooter has disc brakes and there are twin shocks at the back. The MP3 sports quad headlights and a tube steel roll cage which give it an edgy tough look, especially the black version! It is heavy though - weighing in at 557 pounds. However, it doesn't have a side stand but can balance stand-less - ergo - no need to heave it off the centre stand (although it does have one if you choose), it will stand there balanced patiently like a faithful horse (Picture Silver but on three legs) with its front wheels locked when the parking brake is on, so all you have to do is get on, unlock the wheels and off you go.
Another feature of the MP3 is that you can set the hydraulic wheel lock at traffic lights so there is no need to put your feet down, the tripod arrangement will keep you upright without necessitating you getting your feet dirty! This is a little tricky to master though. It is operated by a switch on the handlebar which activates a caliper which clamps the blade attached to the leaning mechanism and stops the bike from leaning. It can be a little fiddly getting used to as, if it is engaged too late and it fails to lock, the bike can slide sideways in a comedy moment for other road users - however it is nice to spread happiness and give other road users a laugh so keep practising and don't worry it's all good, even if you fall off.
The weight does take its toll on the top speed and acceleration but its good fuel economy is some consolation for this around town.
The clocks are easy to read with details of: fuel level, time, twin trip meters and ambient temperature. The build quality is not one hundred percent marvellous - it can descend into shabbiness if left outside and corrosion can be a problem so although it is not strictly high maintenance, it will need taking care of.
It not only looks tough, hardcore and a little bit space aged, but the MP3 has a beefy liquid cooled four stroke, electronic fuel injection Piaggio low emissions Leader scooter Engine. This is a four valve single overhead cam design which burns nice and clean due to fuel injection and the catalytic converter. The motor and transmission are tuned to start quickly and the MP3 will stroll past most things with four wheels in town, as it is still narrow enough despite its large than average chest, to filter past the queues. It also has the advantage of imparting a certain sense of security to the rider as its two front wheels and tough, if clattery, suspension can easily cope with potholes, lumps and bumps, wet roads, slippery leaves, plastic bags and even dead things on the road
Speed and handling
It can reach a top speed of 80-95 depending on the model and engine size but does start to feel a little unsure of itself when going super fast, although the brakes are good.
Fearless on corners
All in all it is an adaptable versatile machine. It feels very stable and zooms fearlessly round corners imparting confidence and tempting the rider into higher cornering speeds with a greater two-wheeled ability to save itself should it happen to slide. Brakes can be used to the full as well and it is unusual for them to lock and easy to control if they do. It has a feet forward scooter riding position which is very comfortable for short to middling journeys but can get a little numbness-inducing after hours in the saddle.
Fuel
It does about 35mpg if it is trapped in commuter traffic but can easily manage 50mpg on the open road.
Practicality
One feature which is worth a mention is the storage capacity. It has a plenty of under seat storage with space for a full face helmet and other stuff besides and has a built in luggage rack - all of which can take up to 465lbs of luggage. There is also a hook for a bag under the steering head - all in all lots of clever design features to make it very practical especially round town.
Granted the MP3 isn't the cheapest bike on the market to buy, but for city commuters particularly, it is hard to beat due to its stability, storage capacity, fuel economy, great cornering prowess and its ability to filter through the jams (despite its two wheels it is no wider than many scooters at the front). All in all it is a willing little beast with many good features which inspire confidence, testament to this are the vast flocks of them in Europe's capital cities - perhaps in the ant hills of the capitals they are becoming the commuters scooter of choice and heading for King of the Hill.
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