2008 Piaggio MP3 500 Test Drive: Clever Trike Delivers 60 MPG, Tons of Fun

Don’t let the silly name fool you: Piaggio’s MP3 may inspire iPod jokes, but this odd-looking three-wheeler is rapidly building a cult following on American roads. The MP3 is essentially a scooter with two wheels up front for more stability. We were skeptical, but the suspension engineering really works well—and the scooter’s a blast to ride.

While testing the $8899 500-cc model on the roads here, we got plenty of head-twisting attention in trendy neighborhoods already overrun with exotics. Difference is, we got about 60 mpg on our cruise. Not too many exotics (okay, none) can claim that kind of fuel economy. Clad with matte black paint, rally-style headlight shields and double-steel-tube bumpers, the industrial-looking MP3 is bursting with cool features, like an underseat power supply for laptop or cellphone storage. The smallish seat might be a bit cramped for bigger riders, but that’s nothing an aftermarket saddle can’t cure.

All you need for brisk acceleration is a twist of the wrist, and the MP3’s automatic continuously variable transmission takes care of the rest. And it keeps on pulling, right up to 90 mph. The MP3 may look cumbersome to ride, but it turns and leans surprisingly easily—up to 40 degrees thanks to the aluminum-armed parallelogram suspension components.


An electro-hydraulic locking mechanism lets you keep your feet on the floorboards at low speeds and helps the trike stay balanced when parked on hills. Twin 120-mm front tires offer twice the contact patch of a motorcycle, encouraging higher speeds and more aggressive turns than regular scooters do. The 140-mm tire at the rear keeps you planted when the road gets twisty. The MP3’s sure-footed handling inspires surprisingly crotch-rocketesque body leaning. It’s even narrow enough to split lanes. Two-piston floating-caliper front and rear brakes offer strong stops, but the lack of an ABS system means the rider is responsible for keeping the wheels from locking up. And remembering which of the two levers operates which set of brakes is imperative during panic stops.

While the MP3 was fun to ride on urban roads, options like a TomTom navigation system could make this frisky three-wheeler a fetching long-distance cruiser.