Piaggio MP3 Sport Advanced 500 Three-Wheeler Is A Pure Pleasure.
Jeremy Webb
A 500 cc machine you can ride on your car licence is an attractive proposition to avoid congestion and public transport. The Piaggio MP3 Sport Advance 500 is precisely that, a Three-Wheel Scooter that is a pleasure to ride.
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.
The Piaggio MP3 range has ABS anti-locking braking system integrated with ASR traction control (Acceleration Slip Regulation). ASR increases safety by keeping the rear wheel from slipping on dangerous surfaces like wet asphalt.
MP3 Sport Advanced 500 can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing exclusive features for an even more rewarding and enjoyable riding experience. Take telephone calls using the connectivity button on the left-hand handlebar block. You can activate your favourite playlist using the smartphone's voice commands to place calls or play music. The Piaggio App can also indicate engine revs, torque, instantaneous power, average fuel consumption, battery voltage and an assessment of riding style.
The App connected to the smartphone conveniently activates the find me and follow me functions, making the turn indicators flash and the horn blow to easily find your vehicle even in the most crowded car parks and the low beam lights.
Reverse gear is an option, using a dedicated control on the dashboard, with the engine on and at a standstill. A function that further heightens the practicality of Piaggio MP3, making for more accessible, less physical parking even in narrow garages or in situations where there is little room to manoeuvre, increasingly likely in the city.
Summing up.
An attractive benefit of the MP3 range is that the models can be ridden on a car licence. Take a CBT, and you can ride with L plates which is a great incentive for people looking to get into biking or just wanting to beat traffic congestion or avoid public transport. The MP3 500 is such an impressive machine and versatile. Jump on it wearing office clothes, and you can comfortably commute to work; it will allow you to breeze through traffic and park up close to your destination. Equally, you can pile on the camping gear and head off anywhere on tour, and the scooter will perform superbly. The power delivery is subtle, which is ideal for most riding and riders that the MP3 will be used in and by. I would love to own one as a second machine.
The 500 is one of the versions in the MP3 range.
MP3 300 starts at £7000
MP3 Sport 400 at £8300
MP3 Sport Advanced 500 £9500 available in four colours.
All matte: Nero Meteora and Blu Zaffiro, Argento Cometa and Marrone Terra, all four combined with black wheel rims and saddles