All Tests – First test Piaggio MP3 Yourban 300 ie: the MP3 slimming diet – The MP3 family is still growing

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First try Piaggio MP3 Yourban 300 ie: the MP3 slimming diet

All Tests - First test Piaggio MP3 Yourban 300 ie: the MP3 slimming diet - The MP3 family is still growing

Take a Piaggio MP3 300, take it to a stylist, dietitian and sports coach and you get the Yourban, a lighter, prettier, more dynamic and less expensive MP3. Does this MP3 2011 really have it all? ? First test in the rain !

The MP3 family is growing again

After five years of career, the now famous three-wheel scooter Piaggio MP3 will exceed 100,000 copies sold worldwide in 2011, mainly in Italy and France..

In France, this success is mainly explained by Piaggio’s sleight of hand, which succeeded in making its MP3 LTs accessible to holders of the B license (read our).

Since 2006, changes have been slight, notably with the switch from 250 to 300 cc models (278 exactly, read) and the attempt – for the moment unsuccessful – to develop hybrid models (read our). Piaggio therefore had to revitalize its range before the promising arrival of competitors such as the three- and four-wheel Quadro scooters..

This is why the Italian manufacturer unveiled its new Yourban, which does not replace the MP3 but completes the range..

As its name suggests, this MP3 Yourban has an even more urban vocation than its predecessor. Less typical GT but also thinner and lighter, it intends to come much closer to the performance and behavior of a classic two-wheeled scooter.

The Yourban range will only be available in 125 and 300 cc. In France, only the versions equipped with the Roll Lock – a front axle locking system so as not to have to crutch when parking or put your foot on the ground at the lights – will be imported. The Yourban 300 ie will only be available in LT version (not before April 2011), or with the front axle widened, in order to interest the widest target of car licenses..

The model that we will test today is the MP3 Yourban 300 ie equipped with the narrow front axle, whose behavior will logically be very close to the Yourban 300 ie LT.

Yourban of cities

Year in and year out, we got used to the massive silhouette of the original MP3, to say the least. But it is clear that this Yourban is really prettier, with its dynamic lines and its refined template..

Its proportions bring it much closer to two-wheeled scooters, in particular the considerably more slender rear shell … which correspondingly reduces the capacity of the trunk under the saddle: the Yourban accommodates a full or two demi-jet.

The pretty headlight with its LED lights is now attached to the handlebars, as is the blue-tinted dashboard. Sleek, contoured mudguards painted in body color appear.

Unlike the classic MP3, the Yourban proudly displays its complex nose gear system. In addition, the exhaust adopts a resolutely sporty style. In addition to the very attractive burgundy red of the scooter in our test, the other colors available will be white, black, gray / matt black and gray / matt blue.

Piaggio’s work on this Yourban has not only focused on aesthetics but also on the cycle part: this new MP3 offers a much more natural and comfortable driving position. Large riders will no longer feel like they have their knees in the dashboard, while even the smallest ladies will be reassured by the reasonable saddle height of 780 mm.

Another point in clear improvement: the weight. The Yourban 300 weighs 15 kg less than the "classic" MP3 300, or 206 kg all full. Combined with a wheelbase shortened by 5 cm, this gives this three-wheeler unprecedented agility and handling. The classic MP3 suddenly seems clumsy in comparison. The front wheels change to a diameter of 13 inches (against 12 previously) for more stability.

More comfortable and safer

We quickly feel at ease on the handlebars of this Yourban 300, even on soil soaked by the incessant rain that welcomes us to Cannes … Close to the sensations that a two-wheeled scooter can offer, this new Piaggio shows itself much more neutral and intuitive to use than its predecessor.

The 278 cc single-cylinder still displays the same power of 22.4 hp but its new injection mapping makes it very flexible and docile. In addition, it is even more efficient since it simply has less weight to propel..

The Yourban 300 is therefore very lively when starting at traffic lights and happily accelerates to more than 110 km / h. Unfortunately, it stagnates very quickly after this course to peak at around 125 km / h meter. The Yourban will therefore do wonders in city centers, but will lack a bit of extension (for a 300 cc!) On peri-urban highways..

If this Yourban 300 is easier to handle thanks to its reduced weight, that also makes it safer. Braking, which is precisely the most difficult aspect of driving a scooter – even on three wheels! – is healthier and more efficient.

If the feeling lacks a bit of bite when taking the levers, the power is there. In the absence of ABS and on wet ground, it is possible to block the front two-wheelers … And even if this does not always result in a fall as on a two-wheeler, caution is still required. !

Remember that having two-wheelers in the front does not free the pilot from using common sense, especially when the traffic conditions are difficult: traffic jams, bad weather, etc..

Better and cheaper !

Prettier and more pleasant to drive, this new Yourban 300 ie is undeniably moving the MP3 family in the right direction. In addition, it has the good taste to be displayed 400 euros cheaper than its elder: € 6,899 for the LT version available in April.

Even if, in absolute terms, it remains very expensive for a 300 cc machine, there is no doubt that it will meet with great success in France. Still, you will have to accept having a little less space under the saddle and less complete protection of the upper body … unless you opt for a windshield and a top-case available in the accessories department. ?

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