Modern Vespa

I mean the bike is heavy so 4lbs here and there don't make a change. I don't expect power fell to change much either, right? Electronics rule the behavior.

But the exhaust note could be a bit less... lawn-mowerish?

Looking for experiences and recommendations.

Why bother? Do you really want to add to noise pollution? You won't gain any real-world extra 'power'.

Loud exhausts do NOT save lives, they just really annoy and do not help the perception of PTW riders amongst the rest of the population.

Akraprovic sounds sweet and is a whole bunch lighter than the factory can.

Sounds best with the dB killers left in place.

I don't have an opinion on the sound level. No issues with sleeper status.

Also don't believe you're going to gain $100's of dollars of horsepower.

Weight could be a benefit though. The stock catalytic convertor can on the the 400 weighs all of 30 pounds if not more. That's a lot of unsprung weight.

Does anyone have a break down of the weights of the after market exhausts?

I've been searching revzilla/cyclegear, amazon, and other boutique shops. All of them make allot of claims and marketing but none of them give an exact weight.

If the difference is trivial then its not really worth it but if its say 10 lbs lighter and I can combine that with a lighter-weight battery and other minor mods then it ads up.

I am definitely not looking for something loud - I think "loud pipes" are silly. Never used an illegal can.

It's mostly cosmetic and for a more pleasing (not louder) sound.

Some weight savings may be nice, but it's not going to make a big difference on what will always be a heavy bike.

What I see looking around is that now fewer companies seem to make cans for the 2019+ models, whereas there was quite a bit of choice up to 2016 from what I see in Ebay.

Well, Jim....the general public might find one of those generic "aftermarket!" fart-cans on a tricycle scooter....amusing?
O.S.

I think the general public can't even tell and won't look at the can you have on the bike

Here are the manufacturer specs on the Akra exhaust for the 2019 MP3 500HPE.

It is about 8.3lbs or 40% lighter over the factory can.

https://www.akrapovic.com/en/moto/product/20278/Piaggio/MP3-500-500-LT-HPE/2019/Slip-On-Line-SS?brandId=36&modelId=228&yearId=5231

The following is based on Revzilla, Cyclegear, and the Manufacturer website information.

Updated - a post below shows the weight as 21.2LB (9.6kg)

Weights and cost
Piaggio Stock exhaust = 21.2LB (9.6kg) - Free unless replacing with new.
AKRAPOVIČ Carbon Fiber = 9.2 (4.5kg) - $618 USD << Manufacture website lists 12.6Lb (5.7 kg)
LeoVince Nero Slip On = 7.25Lb (3.3kg) - $496 USD
GRmoto Muffler Carbon (For 2007 - 2018 Mp3) - 3.31 Lb (1.5kb) - $249.73 USD (Sketchy Ebay item.)
Giannelli (73672A2) aluminum slip-on 8.82Lb (4kg) - $275 (ebay, lists only up-to 400cc size)

Battery
Yuasa YTX14-BS Lead Accid: 8.6Lb (3.9kg) - $89.99 USD average
Antigravity Small Case 12-Cell Lithium: 2.4 Lb (1kg) - $220 USD

Last edited by pinheadh78 on Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:59 pm; edited 3 times in total

Do you still have the Lawnmower Cans on the 2019's as well as the HPE's? That is hard to believe! When I got my 2019 Hpe, it came with very light and Badassed can already mounted. It sounds like ya'll got the bad end of the deal!

stock muffler weighs 21.2lbs.

Yeah I know. My first MP3 hat the can on it like yours and it was damned heavy!

The Akro looks great and -based on youtube vids- sounds great without being annoying at all.

But with the mandatory cat part it also come close to $900 US, which is stiff if one does a rational cost/benefit eval...

Are bikes subject to the Cali smog check? If not, why bother with a cat?

Motorcycles are exempt from smog inspection in California.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/smog-inspections/

However, you are required to maintain the original or similar that meets the same EPA ratings and emissions controls as the original. So yes you can put a new after-market exhaust on your bike but no you cannot put short or loud pipes on. Noise police in CA is also an issue but its more out of courtesy and good neighbors, just don't be a jerk and no one would bother you much.

https://www.riderzlaw.com/motorcycle-info/motorcycle-laws/noise-and-emissions/motorcycle-anti-tampering-act/


I Live in San Francisco Bay Area so I see and hear all kinds of mods that are on the knife edge of legal around the local gathering points.

As long as you leave the dB killers in place, the Akra is not going to get the attention from the popo

Has anyone tried these on their Mp3 and can report about the Decibels and performance?

GRmoto Muffler Carbon on Ebay?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EGGbxJRXvk
Weight is 3.31 Pounds (1.5Kg) which is a significant savings from the default exhaust. Its definitely louder exhaust but at $250 USD (ebay) its one of the cheaper ways to drop 17 Lbs (8.1kg) from the bike.

Just query Ebay to find these, there are several and the URL is too long to post here.

Last edited by pinheadh78 on Mon Nov 09, 2020 1:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

That thing sounds like a lawnmower.

Remember the old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true"

Akras have a great tone and always stay legal. I have them on my sports bike as well - fuller sound (BMW also engineers their cans to sound like lawnmowers) while staying legal and not annoying the neighbors or impacting your long term hearing (something you should take seriously on motorcycles).

I'll get them eventually but I'll feel a little stupid at first it's like 17% of my acquisition cost of the entire bike for heaven's sake

Let's do the math on this one real quick.

Assuming a average retail price of $750US for the Akra (new) X 6 (+-17% of your claimed bike purchase price) = $4500.

Man, if you got a 2019 500HPE for that price you practically stole it.

Regardless, I wouldn't spend dollar 1 on some unknown fart can from eBay. I'd also be very suspicious of a can that weighs less than 3.5Lbs in terms of construction and build quality.

You have better options if the Akra is too rich, Leo Vince, Malossi, Arrow, etc.

the akro are just plain top off the line. you pay for this but keep in mind resale is also extremely high. 800 mufflers can resale 500 used two years later. keep your stocker around when its time to resell bike you end up not spending so much.

these look like (Chinese) Malossi knock-offs, shipped to UK, and then shipped to US (I see $55 shipping). If that is the case, then I'm pretty sure the cf muffler end caps will crack and break, rendering the muffler useless, within say, 10.000 km's.

Giannelli is price quality the best same maker as Leovince but 100 euro cheaper

Ha I wish! The Akro can't be found from a trustworthy source for less than $700, and it seems the cat for over $200 is mandatory... so that's >$900 US at least. Which puts us in $6k territory - but yes, it was an amazing deal and I am super happy, the math wasn't exact but approximate. Imagine paying 15% for the upgraded exhaust when you buy a $130k Porsche 911 Targa... nobody would, plainly.

As I said, I will prolly do it but shall wait a month or two. Also not sure how foolproof these things are to install, I am handy but have never done an exhaust, just fairing and windshield and seat cosmetic upgrades.

Installing a exhaust is pretty straight forward, provided you have some half decent tools. The biggest struggle is loosening the strap around the factory can.

If you can handle a windshield and seat upgrade, you've probably got this covered.

IF need be, you can download installation instructions from the manufacturer website prior to purchase to determine if you want to make this a DIY affair.

Congrats on the score, I purchased my 500 back in early 2016 under similar circumstances. Bought it from a Vespa collector with only 15miles (yes 15, not 15k) on the dial in the midst of winter. He had it pretty much fully optioned out and paid around 13K. I came in 6 months later and paid just under 8K, all extras included (Malossi cam, heated grips, heated leg blanket, tall screen, TomTom GPS, Piaggio GPS mount, Ram mount (for phone and cup holder), Piaggio gel seat, Piaggio rear case, Piaggio diamond plate foot boards, Piaggio bike cover, etc, etc, etc). I don't use the leg blanket, it is just too weird of a feeling. Perhaps too many years of conventional riding scarred my brain.

The only thing I added were the Piaggio branded Bitubo fully adjustable shocks. Those made a huge improvement.

Thanks so much for the insights - I have no fault with the shocks yet (mine has red ones, no idea if they are stock) but that is typically an area I look for in my other bikes. Mind you, with the amazingly planted front feel of the MP3, it'd have to be amazing.

I got mine through an insider connection at a bit over 1k miles, and it is an amazing bike. It's so fun and immensely practical I haven't put a single mile on my 100hp+ sportsbike in 2 weeks.

It doesn't have any extras like yours though, pretty vanilla US 2019 addition (I think they just imported one flavor). I would not what to do with all the cold weather extras, other than grip warmers (those rock because I have cold hands). And for me I have plenty of storage space for my needs.

This is an amazing and fun form of transport.

Oh, I also haven't started my car in 2 weeks.

You have got the factory KYB shocks, which are slightly better than the older style black shocks but are no match for the Bitubos with external oil reservoir which are infinitely adjustable.

The KYBs are only adjustable on the preload.

The shocks are the single best improvement you can do to the MP3, but just like the Akra the Bitubos are not cheap at over 600Euro retail. However, I found mine and other MP3 parts on Amazon Italy for around half price.

In short, the shocks are a much better upgrade followed by the gel comfort seat dollar for dollar than the exhaust.

TIP: Since you and your bike are new to the MP3 scene, it is crucial that you have the front bearings adjusted and lubed. I lube my bearings every 5K km/+-3K km with every engine oil+filter service. The front bearings are the single biggest Achilles heel and pain in the @ss and wallet with the MP3.

That first 1K km service, which includes bearing adjustment and lube, is probably the most critical service the bike will ever get. If not done yet, do it now or pay the consequences.

Thx for awesome advice - the initial service was performed at a very reputable shop and I verified it.

Can't see these shocks anywhere yet but shall look some more!

Totally appreciate your input!

This place has them.

Easyparts.nl is a great site with great service and they ship worldwide.

https://www.easyparts.nl/Rear-Shock-Absorber-(pair)-BITUBO-MP3-p33537134

sbaert - thanks so much, i'll prolly order them as a xmas present to myself...

today i rode quite fast over a very bumpy road segment, and the bike buckled quite fearfully i assume it's because the front wheels give you double impacts, and i furthermore assume it could be remediated with faster response shocks...

Does anyone know if for this exhaust...
https://www.akrapovic.com/en/moto/products/Piaggio/MP3-500-500-LT-HPE/2019?brandId=36&modelId=228&yearId=5231

...is the cat part a mandatory thing to insert for the exhaust to fit, or is it just strongly recommended to pass an emissions test?

IF your bike does not require emissions tests, then the cat is not mandatory.

Last time I checked, Cali does not mandate smog checks on bikes.

Thank you! I just ordered it for less than $700. If I move back to Europe I'd get the Cat part for sure.

Again, why this obsession with the cat?

I live in Belgium, which is still in Europe last time I checked, and I am not using a cat since my bike is not subject to annual inspections or emissions tests.

Why spend money on something if you don't need it???

I didn't know if I needed it or not for smooth operation - there are motorcycles where the fuel injection needs to be remapped if you remove the catalyst.

The cat and/or exhaust sit after the O2 sensor. The sensor provides feedback to the ECU, as does the MAP or MAF sensor on the air intake side of the engine.

The remap issue comes into play due to other factors. On the MP3, the check engine light can sometimes trigger if (for example) the exhaust gases become too free flowing. In other words, if there is not enough backpressure.

This can happen with cars or bikes.

For this reason, I recommend you leave the silencers (as provided by Akrapovic) when fitting their exhaust muffler. Other exhausts may vary, don't know.

I most definitely abhor "loud" pipes. I like a fuller, more melodic sound, but I want to abide by lawful sound levels and furthermore want to conserve my hearing.

On my beloved Beemer R1100S, I also replaced the cans because the originals really sounded like a lawnmower. BMW used to be experts at making boring sounding bikes - they have revised that since. But the cans I got are perfectly legal, just a bit more bass grunt. Same with the Akro for the MP3. They are esthetically pleasing, they are supposed to sound fuller (and I will not touch the silencer), and hey $700 doesn't kill me.

I expect zero power change and know the weight savings are VERY unlikely to make ANY difference.

I'll report when I installed it.

Well, the GRmoto titanium/carbon exhaust is getting delivered as we speak. I tried to buy the Akro but it in on unpredictable back order, they say, and GRmoto did a great Ebay sale.

It looks like it's easy to install.

My concern is with removing the original huge can. The tension bracket looks tricky... haven't seen any material on how to remove it, although I think I can figure it out... but it looks like if, for any reason, I have to re-install it... it'd be a total b*tch t do so given that odd tension bracket on top?

Any experiences? Much appreciated.

you have to remove the exhaust to replace the rear tire. so just follow those posts/procedures. look in the service manual as well that is in the wiki section and should be downloaded directly on you computer. this way you have access to all that good info and don't have to go searching