Passes & Canyons Blog

The MP3 I test rode several years ago.

February 1 and 2 were good days to ride so I did. I took my Honda out of what we call the workshop and when I came back I rolled the Kawi out so I could put the Honda in first. That put the Kawi in position to come out easily so I could ride it next time. The V-Strom lives in the garage so I end up moving cars to get it in and out.

While I was doing all this shuffling of bikes, pushing them around, rocking them back onto their center stands, it struck me that these are heavy machines. I realized that at some point, still quite a few years down the line, fortunately, there is likely to come a time when I won’t physically be able to do it anymore. I’m healthy as a horse now, but inevitably there will come a time when I’m old and frail. What am I going to do then?

It was interesting that the answer presented itself immediately. I’ll switch to a scooter.

That’s not the only possible answer to that question. For a lot of people the answer is a trike. I know a lot of people who ride trikes now, and several of my riding buddies have spoken from time to time of switching to a trike when it becomes an issue. But I don’t like trikes; they steer like cars. They don’t lean. About the only way that they’re like motorcycles is that you’re out in the open. But heck, I could get that with a convertible and it would be almost the same thing, and a lot more versatile.

One three-wheeler that I might consider would be a Piaggio MP3. Like the Can-Am Spyder, they have two wheels in front and one in the rear, but the front end is totally different, and unique to Piaggio. On an MP3 the two front wheels work like one and you do actually lean. Don’t ask me to explain it, it’s a sophisticated design, but I rode one once and it was very nice. Then of course there are several other newer bikes like the Yamaha Niken that I’ve read good things about, although the Niken is said to be pretty darn heavy itself, what with a double fork up front.

No, I figure a scooter will be the way to go. First off, they’re light, but they can be pretty powerful. During the week I scooted everywhere a few years ago I spoke with a scooterist who told me he could easily hit 90 mph on his 250cc ride. I doubt I’ll need more speed than that when I’m 85. Even now, the speedometer on my Honda CB750 –an old bike–tops out at 85 mph.

Of course, there could be another alternative by that time. Electric motorcycles are getting better all the time and the ones that are out there now are light. They have to be in order to get any good distance on today’s batteries, but I’m betting that in 20 or 30 years you’ll be able to buy a great electric bike that is comparable to an 800cc motorcycle of today and it will weigh half of what my 750cc Honda weighs.

Nope. I can see me possibly owning a number of different bikes sooner or later, but I just don’t see a trike in my future. And I do hope to be riding in my 90s.

Biker Quote for Today

Why bikes are better than women: Wearing two fresh rubbers makes riding a bike MORE enjoyable.

There were a lot more bikes on the road in Budapest.

The most common motorcycles I saw in Stockholm, Sweden, a few weeks ago were Ducatis and the three-wheeled Piaggio MP3 scooters. They really like those scooters.

It may be that in late March and early April in Sweden, that third wheel makes all the difference. Nights were still getting down to freezing and if you are going to ride you’re much more confident on three wheels.

Now, as it turned out, the first bike I saw was a Gold Wing, then a scooter, a sportbike of unknown make, another scooter, then finally either a Harley or Harley wannabe. Then a BMW, another sportbike, a Ducati, a Triumph, an MP3, a V-Strom, and then another MP3.

So while there were four scooters in those first dozen, scooters were nowhere near as prevalent as they are in other European cities. And bikes in general were not as common.

Again, it may just be the season. Summer in Scandinavia may be very different.

Then we got to Copenhagen and I swear I didn’t see a single motorcycle or scooter in the first full day there. I was really starting to wonder.

At one point, though, we sat on a bench by a major street and then saw plenty of bikes. But this was rush hour and I hardly saw another bike the rest of the three days we were there.

It changed considerably when we got to Budapest. I saw more bikes in the ride from the airport to our hotel than I had the entire previous week. Of course Budapest is nearly 1,000 miles south of Stockholm, and 600 miles south of Copenhagen, so it’s full-blown spring here.

Which is where we are now, so I’ll end here. (But I actually wrote those words three weeks ago.)

Biker Quote for Today

To anyone commenting on my choice of riding in any kind of weather, “Beats driving a Prius”!

I saw a Piaggio MP3, three-wheeled scooter the other day here in Denver for the first time. We saw a lot of them in Europe when were there this summer but this is the first one I’ve seen here at home. This photo is one I shot in Paris.

This little baby is a scooter that comes in three sizes, 250cc, 400cc, and 500cc. The marketing materials describe it saying “The Piaggio MP3 provides safety, road grip, and stability levels that no two-wheeler can match. Its power, performance, and ease of use make for a very entertaining ride.”

Let’s face it, one thing that puts off some potential motorcycle and/or scooter riders is the inherent instability of the things. If you hit ice or gravel or a patch of oil when you’re leaned over on a curve those two wheels can go right out from under you. And unlike other three-wheelers you may have seen, with one wheel up front and two in the back, this scooter leans like a normal motorcycle, up to 40 degrees, according to the company.

Priced at $7,200, the MP3 250 has a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke, four-valve engine with electronic fuel injection. It has a top speed of 77 MPH. As with most scooters, the transmission is “twist and go” automatic. Front and rear brakes are disk. The tires are 12-inch tubeless. The bike weighs 450 pounds and holds 3.2 gallons of fuel. Under-seat storage is large enough for a full-face helmet plus one open-face helmet.

The MP3 400 sells for $8,700 and the MP3 500 is $8,900. The 250 reportedly gets about 65 MPG, while the 400 and 500 only get around 50. Top speeds on the 400 and 500 are 89 and 92 MPH respectively.

Other features include the following:

• An electro-hydraulic suspension locking system that makes it unnecessary to set it on its center stand, even on sloping ground, and making it possible to park the two front wheels where there is a height difference of up to 8 inches.
• Two dual effect hydraulic shock absorbers, a helicoidal spring, and four-position preload.
• Linked braking.
• Splashguards on either side of the front shield protect the rider and the vehicle.
• A remote control button on the ignition key opens the seat lock and the rear boot lid.
• Ergonomical seating.
• A dashboard including a speedometer, fuel gauge, coolant temperature indicator, clock, trip and mileage odometer, fuel reserve indicator, oil pressure, turn signals, low and high beam, seat or boot lid open warning, and an Immobilizer LED.

So. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but another example of motorcycle designers who are looking beyond the basic two-wheeled concept. I’d like to ride one just to see what it’s like.

Biker Quote for Today

I’d trade all my motorcycles for one flying dragon.