Piaggio MP3 500

[Harry Flashman]

Chaps, hope you don't mind me asking a question about this hybrid.

Background - Southern's rail strikes are getting a bit annoying. I live in South London and work in The City, and the lack of train is proving galling. This morning is a case in point, with trains cancelled. I have a parking place at work, but a car in London at rush hour is a pointless and expensive mode of transportation.

I thought about a scooter, and then I discovered that these 3-wheelers are rideable on a car licence, and also legal on motorways. The latter is not a big draw, but does mean I could use the thing to get to my mother's place in Surrey on occasion, just outside the M25.

Anyone have any experience of these? And any finance packages? Rather than buying outright, it would make sense to simply use my monthly Travelcard cost as a contribution to buying one.

I know I should just get back on my mountain bike, but I can't really be bothered with the faff of showering and changing at work, and I am also too lazy these days!

[Fleegle]

As much as I hate scooters, you will be able to filter easier on 2 wheels than you will 3.

[Harry Flashman]

True, but to ride a 500cc machine I'll have to do the bike licence. And I really do not have the time right now, nor the inclination...

Did CBT years ago, rode 2 wheelers for a while. Did full bike training, never got round to passing my test as I lost interest. I'm looking for an easy solution, rather than being a bike enthusiast!

I see your point though. The whole point of riding one of these things in London is easy filtering and being allowed to use the bus lanes. Can 3 wheelers do the latter? If not, pointless!

[Fleegle]

Yes, they can use bus lanes, but so can the thousands of lycra locusts. You need your wits about you in the bus lane as the cyclists can be pretty unpredictable

[Harry Flashman]

I've been a London cyclist too, so am pretty used to the bus lane warfare of London. Never wore lycra, though...

[308mate]

Whilst you'll filter better on two wheels, the MP3 will still be useful enough to make it worthwhile. I reckon you'd still get through 50-60 percent of the gaps you want. And its door to door. Get it bought.

[Bailey93]

I rode behind someone on one of these the other day, he was taking sweeping bends with a lot of speed more than I dared.... he even managed to get understeer on it. Looked like a lot of fun!

[NAS]

It's quite a heavy, but very stable machine. It weighs about 50-60kg more than a 2 wheeler, but you have so much more security/faith in low-grip environments it's crazy.

First time I rode one (a 250) I was sliding it about within a few minutes. And I am not that good a rider. In my mind, it would be the perfect commuting machine for London.

[GM182]

I bought one almost a year ago to commute from near Surbiton to Fulham and nip around town during the day on occasion too. 2012 model with 2500 miles on the clock.

It is fast enough (despite the weight) - think hot (not super) hatch territory. The under-seat storage is big enough to fit my lid and a bag or two of shopping.

I would say I can get through 70% of gaps a smaller scooter or normal commuter bike gets through and it is definitely much easier to use in town than my big adventure bike. It goes up and down kerbs easily as the front wheels act independently over bumps, you don't worry about losing the front end in wet conditions and with bar muffs and a Tucano weather blanket attached I usually wear summer gloves, work trousers and reasonable pair of (non-biker style) boots. I've seen 90 mph on a clear stretch of motorway and it is quite enjoyable on country roads too.

All in all it's a great bit of kit. Get it serviced properly and give the complicated front suspension a regular wash in the winter and you should have no problems. I've done 4000 miles of commuting a couple of slightly longer trips outside the M25. Overall for a medium commute it is ideal. Only occasionally in town do I wish I was on something smaller...but that wouldn;t have the same stability and comfort.

Edited to add:
The comfort factor might be diminished if you're much over 6'. The foot plates to seat space is slightly limited for me at 6'1" and there is an annoying combined brake pedal for your right foot which I think is fitted to allow it to qualify as a tricycle for tax purposes.

Edited by GM182 on Tuesday 17th January 12:18

[Harry Flashman]

Thanks for the replies folks. In a fit of generosity I allowed my (car) parking space to be used by bikers/cyclists. Just e-mailed our building services people to see if they can squeeze me back in...

Have a garage at my home, so hoping that one of these machines could be securely dry stored at both ends, meaning easier maintenance etc.

I would love a proper motorbike, and hanker after exotic two-wheeled machinery. But the reality of an all-season morning and evening commute through central London means that I value comfort, safety and low-stress over being a proper biker...and that's without the hassle/time I would need to do the full motorcycle test.

[308mate]

Harry Flashman said:

Thanks for the replies folks. In a fit of generosity I allowed my (car) parking space to be used by bikers/cyclists. Just e-mailed our building services people to see if they can squeeze me back in...

Have a garage at my home, so hoping that one of these machines could be securely dry stored at both ends, meaning easier maintenance etc.

I would love a proper motorbike, and hanker after exotic two-wheeled machinery. But the reality of an all-season morning and evening commute through central London means that I value comfort, safety and low-stress over being a proper biker...and that's without the hassle/time I would need to do the full motorcycle test.

I give you until the end of May...

[CAPP0]

308mate said:

Whilst you'll filter better on two wheels, the MP3 will still be useful enough to make it worthwhile. I reckon you'd still get through 50-60 percent of the gaps you want. And its door to door. Get it bought.

Got to be narrower than our steeds. I'm sure I once read somewhere that the bodywork is no wider than a regular 2-wheeled Piaggio, and the wheels are inside that dimension?

Last time I was looking for a commuter, I did briefly flirt with the idea of a scer, on the basis that from a common sense PoV, they make perfect sense for the job. Around 3 seconds later, however, I died a little bit inside, and came to my senses

[Fleegle]

CAPP0 said:

Got to be narrower than our steeds. I'm sure I once read somewhere that the bodywork is no wider than a regular 2-wheeled Piaggio, and the wheels are inside that dimension?

Maybe its just the way the riders make them wobble about that give the impression of them being wide

[CAPP0]

Fleegle said:

CAPP0 said:

Got to be narrower than our steeds. I'm sure I once read somewhere that the bodywork is no wider than a regular 2-wheeled Piaggio, and the wheels are inside that dimension?

Maybe its just the way the riders make them wobble about that give the impression of them being wide

Actually the funniest thing about them is that if you follow one, it looks like the rider is dangling both feet as (s)he's going along.

What has been seen.....

Edited by CAPP0 on Tuesday 17th January 14:52

[998420]

They are actually really narrow, you will get through gaps that a GS cannot, it is barley wider than a Honda 600

[Fleegle]

998420 said:

They are actually really narrow, you will get through gaps that a GS cannot, it is barley wider than a Honda 600

But 75mm wider than a TRX850

[kurt535]

I trialled one for a day around Norwich and Cambridge traffic congestion and various small streets

No issues whatsoever. Filtering easier than when I rode a big fat BMW GS

Hate to say it, but I am a fan of the Italian.

I don't want to like them either as I want to buy a CB1300SA for urban transport. But the MP3 makes more sense.

And as a daily commute tool vs the railway? MP3 every time.

[ccr32]

No comparison vs. Southern Rail at the moment - makes a lot of sense to have your own transport.

Vs. a proper bike however, in the winter months I'm almost ashamed to say it but I prefer the scooter, owning a 2-wheeled version of the Piaggio myself. That said, part of that (other than the Tucano skirt thing, bar mitts and heated grips) is the fact it is an £800 snotter that I don't really care how dirty and stty it gets providing it goes and stops when I want it to. Plus in the winter you have a great excuse to cover yourself up head to toe, full face helmet etc. so no one can see how much of a you look riding an £800 stbox scooter.

Spending x,000's on an MP3 however would make me want to look after it more...

Come the springtime it will be a different story and the proper bikes will be getting a lot more use, being the southern, shandy drinking, fair weather woofter that I am.

[myvision]

Can they definitely be ridden on a car licence?
Isn't it something to do with the width between the front wheels?

[jimmyslr]

ccr32 said:

No comparison vs. Southern Rail at the moment - makes a lot of sense to have your own transport.

Vs. a proper bike however, in the winter months I'm almost ashamed to say it but I prefer the scooter, owning a 2-wheeled version of the Piaggio myself. That said, part of that (other than the Tucano skirt thing, bar mitts and heated grips) is the fact it is an £800 snotter that I don't really care how dirty and stty it gets providing it goes and stops when I want it to. Plus in the winter you have a great excuse to cover yourself up head to toe, full face helmet etc. so no one can see how much of a you look riding an £800 stbox scooter.

Spending x,000's on an MP3 however would make me want to look after it more...

Come the springtime it will be a different story and the proper bikes will be getting a lot more use, being the southern, shandy drinking, fair weather woofter that I am.

This! Me too on all fronts.