Review of the new Piaggio MP3 LT 500 ABS-ASR

Eight years after having revolutionized the world of “ motorized two-wheelers ” with its first three-wheeled scooter MP3 125, Piaggio deeply overhauls its flagship model, the MP3 LT 500, to make it safer, more efficient, more comfortable and more practical. Contact !

MNC tests the new MP3 LT 500

Another advantage of the long saddle of the new MP3 LT 500 is that it offers more room for the rider. Thus, the knees of older children are no longer stuck in the apron. By moving back as far as possible, these same knees adopt a more open angle, which will be appreciable over long distances..

Unfortunately, the apron is still so steep in its lower part. The "custom" position – feet forward – that can be adopted on two-wheeled scooters is not the order of the day. As for the pedal which combines front and rear brakes, it always prevents the right foot from moving forward as far as the left….

Not as comfortable as that of the GT maxisccoters – Burgman type -, the driving position still improves markedly on the new MP3, especially for tall drivers who will find their bearings more easily.

The little ones will always have to move forward as far as possible on the saddle to put both feet on the ground … This is not compulsory, however, since the famous "Roll Lock" system accompanied by the now familiar "beep beep" avoids ” having to stick your leg out at red lights !

The tilt lock – not to be confused with the steering lock! – is very useful for moving the heavy scooter with the engine off. "The new MP3 is about ten kilos heavier than the old one: 70% of this increase comes from ABS and the remaining 30% from the new frame and the front rims and discs", specifies Piaggio.

With its weight estimated at 263 kg dry, our machine (equipped with ABS-ASR) does not appear to be harder to move than the old one. The topography of the place must always be carefully analyzed: front axle blocked, the scooter may tip over when going down a sidewalk at an angle. In this specific case, it is imperative to deactivate the system via the handlebar control. !

Like the driver’s position, passenger comfort improves thanks to the longer saddle, but also with the appearance of retractable footrests offering better support during braking, which can be very powerful on dry ground. !

When accelerating, the new backrest – lower than on the old version – correctly supports the lumbar region. Finally, the passenger handles offer a better grip because they are slightly lower and especially more horizontal..

Unlike its French opponent equipped with a "smart key" (which you just need to keep with you to start), the 2014 MP3 LT 500 always requires its pilot to take out his big key and insert it. in the contactor, placed in a hollow at the top of the apron … Hopefully the lock will not seize after several showers !

Side stand raised, brake lever engaged and starter activated: the single-cylinder 4-stroke 4-valve dual ignition still gently stirs the scooter but makes less noise "thanks to roller tilters", says Andrea Benedetto, Director of Product Development at Piaggio.

During our – too – short 20 km walk in Paris, the other MP3s and scooters in general were indeed noisier than ours … but they also had a lot more kilometers on the odometer (680 km for the model tested by MNC ).

In addition to the timing and exhaust, the intake has been redesigned to improve engine performance: Piaggio announces "a 15% saving in consumption compared to the old model over a predefined cycle, and -10% at constant speed (50 km / h)".

Still according to the Italians – but MNC could not verify it – the average consumption of the new MP3 LT 500 would be "25 km / l or 4 l / 100 km". As the tank capacity is still 12 liters, the range of the Piaggio three-wheeler would also be up + 15%. To be checked over the long term…

The arrival of the ride by wire on the big mono 500 is accompanied by an economical driving mode which would allow, again according to the learned studies of Piaggio, to save another 10% of gasoline. What Site was able to confirm this time is that even in "Eco" mode, the performance of the MP3 remains largely sufficient to cope with the traffic of large cities at rush hour. !

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