I have ridden many variations of motorcycles and scooters since I started riding, aged 11, but I had never been on a Three-Wheel Scooter until last week. I say never, but not a model with two wheels at the front and the third at the rear. Piaggio is the leader in this technology, and this shows in the quality of the scooter.
The two-wheel configuration has several benefits to the rider, the primary one being the stability they offer. This is when riding but also when getting on and off the scooter. A feature known as the Blocking Mechanism locks the front suspension when you engage it. The two front wheels then act as a balance so you can get on and off the bike without it being put on the centre stand. It allows you to park up and get straight off without any lifting. When you return to the scooter, climb on, start it, and when you accelerate to pull away, the lock disengages. The two wheels at the front provide extra stability cornering in general riding, especially when moving through traffic.
I loved the power of the MP3 Sport Advanced 500, which uses Piaggio's "half litre" High-Performance engine. It is a single-cylinder 500 cc, 4-valve, liquid-cooled engine is fed by electronic injection. Exceptionally robust and reliable, it features "Ride-by-Wire", an electronic acceleration system. Power delivery is super smooth and comes in gently even if you wind the throttle back hard. Perfect for safety and ideal around town. The pleasant surprise is when you get the machine out on the open road and start winding the speed up. The 500 cc engine is impressive and is capable of whisking you to above 70 mph quickly. It can then maintain this speed for hours with frugal fuel use; the economy is superb.
