|
Make Model |
Piaggio MP3 250 |
|
Year |
2006-07 |
|
Engine |
Liquid cooled, four stroke, single cylinder, 4 valve |
|
Capacity |
244.3 |
| Bore x Stroke | 72 x 60 mm |
| Compression Ratio | |
|
Induction |
|
|
Ignition / Starting |
Port Injected Alfa/n type with closed loop system, Lambda sensor in exhaust pipe and three-way double catalytic converter / Electric |
|
Max Power |
22.5 hp 16.5 KW @ 8250 rpm |
| Max Toque | 21 Nm @ 6750 rpm |
|
Transmission / Drive |
Twist and go |
| Frame |
Twin Cradle: tubes in high tensile steel |
|
Front Suspension |
Parallelogram composed of four aluminium arms supporting two steering tubes cantilevers. 85mm wheel travel. |
|
Rear Suspension |
Two dual effect hydraulic shock absorbers and adjustable spring pre-load, 110mm wheel travel |
|
Front Brakes |
2x 240mm discs 2 piston caliper |
|
Rear Brakes |
Single 240mm disc |
|
Front Tyre 2 width="578"> 204 kg |
|
|
Fuel Capacity |
12 Litres |
Piaggio Mp3 - First Ride
Seduced Into a Threesome - Only Italy Could Make Three Wheels Cool writer: Dexter Ford
photographer: Courtesy of Piaggio
Scooters don't get much respect in C/td>
Fuel Capacity
Piaggio Mp3 - First Ride
Seduced Into a Threesome - Only Italy Could Make Three Wheels Cool writer: Dexter Ford
photographer: Courtesy of Piaggio
Scooters don't get much respect in the testosterone-stoked world of 160-horsepower superbikes. And they're not known for representing the pointy end of the moto-tech spear either. Until now.
The Piaggio MP3 is designed to be a kinder, gentler Euro-scoot, for fashion-forward folk who despair of getting grease on their Guccis. Its fully leanable, three-wheeled architecture is intended to take the fear out of latt-fetching while dealing with crazed traffic, cobblestones, spilled diesel, greasy street-car tracks, etc.
That was the goal. But the result might just change motorcycling.
To make its dual front wheels feel and act as one, Piaggio's engineers devised a complex parallelogram steering/suspension system that forces the front wheels to lean together yet remain independent over bumps. A slick electro-hydraulic system locks the leaning linkages when stationary to keep the MP3 upright, and you can manually trigger the lock so you don't have to extend a foot when you stop. If Britney had been aboard one of these instead of riding shotgun in Paris' Mercedes that night, we'd have seen a lot less of her nether regions.
When the light turns green, just crank the throttle and go-the tilt lock switches off automatically, leaving you with what feels like a conventional scooter. The CVT transmission lets the liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 244cc single whir away unsupervised beneath all that curvilinear bodywork, exhaling sweet nothings through its three-way catalytic converter.
The MP3 is motorcycle-narrow, so you can cut and thrust through traffic. The claimed top speed is 75 mph, but I saw an indicated 80 on the freeway. The comprehensive bodywork and short windscreen keep you dry, the plush seat is comfortable and there's plenty of legroom. You may look-and feel-silly down.