leaning toward the Piaggio MP3
Even though I first heard about the 3-wheel MP3 from Piaggio from the Piaggio USA folks, I was skeptical, thinking that maybe this whole 3-wheel thing might be prototype hoopla that will fade away.
But I've been continuing to get news stories about the MP3 nearly every day in my mail box. Photos continue to make the rounds - here's the MP3 leaning into a curve, and here's the MP3 leaning into another curve. Oh, and here's another of the MP3 leaning into a curve again! I'm not the only one fascinated with this bizarre-looking creature (does anyone else think it looks like it's staring at you and should be pawing the ground?). Some for its features, some for the shear novelty. I mean, look at that thing lean.
While the leaning is super cool, the main reason I'm fascinated with the MP3 is because I have a couple of good scooter friends who's dad would love to ride a scooter, but he has a disability that doesn't allow him to balance a two-wheeled vehicle safely at a stop. For at least a year, his kids have been looking on ebay and in local listings for a Honda Gyro to fix up for him. A three-wheel motorcycle, or trike, is both out of their price range (even used, they are often well over $30,000) and in their dad's case, physically impossible to shift and brake. Could the MP3 be a possible alternative for him and others who may not otherwise be able or willing to ride a two-wheeler? Is it stable to ride and to stop, easy to get on and off of, and easy to park?
Here's some info from the Piaggio site:
The front assembly, with two independent tilting wheels, is far more stable than any scooter. The PIAGGIO MP3 grips the road even when tailing other vehicles, providing top performance in total safety.The full extent of this three-wheeler's stability can be tested on wet asphalt or tough riding conditions that would sorely challenge a traditional two-wheeler.
In town and city traffic the PIAGGIO MP3 has no equal in terms of safety. It takes on cobblestone streets, patchy asphalt and tram tracks with the greatest of ease, remaining safe and stable all the while.
With its compact super-scooter size and exceptional manoeuvrability, the PIAGGIO MP3 is at home in town traffic. It's a cinch to park: an electro-hydraulic suspension locking system means there is no need to put the vehicle on its stand.
The PIAGGIO MP3 requires far less braking space than any scooter - the three-disk braking system and exceptional front-end road holding reduce braking space by 20 per cent compared to the best scooters.
The PIAGGIO MP3 comes into its own when heading out of town. Its road grip, cornering safety and tilt angle are unprecedented for a scooter, adding to the pleasure of riding different road surfaces at high speed.
I hope this is more than hoopla. I hope it doesn't go the way of the Renault Ublo, a 125-cc three-wheeler was suppose to be in production by 2003.
As I read more about the MP3 - 150cc and 250cc options, easy parking (no need to put on a center stand), winterizing options such as heated grips, a lap apron, and special winter tires, sizable storage space (it has a built in trunk, along with underseat storage) - I continue to get more enthused about it (anything with this many accessories has got to be real, right?).
But there are still two important bits of info missing: price, and whether or not it is coming to the U.S. One bulletin board mentioned a price of $6,500 but the poster didn't know which version that price was for. Given that the U.S. Piaggio BV250 is $4,699, and the Fly 150 is $3,399, it's hard to guess.
links:
MP3 official site (English version) be sure to click on "Rare Video Clips" | Piaggio press release | Ariel Yahoo forum (I learned about the Ublo here) | Honda Gyro Yahoo forum
