I think it's great that that the MP3 is coming to North America in the 250cc form. There is sufficient power to move this beast, and it is still good on gas. However, those seeking a little more go might be happier if the engine can go right up to 400cc (but nothing more b/c of insurance purposes). And while Piaggio is at it, they might as well make it a parallel twin instead of a single cylinder.
On paper and video, the MP3 sounds great, but I am a little worried about how different it might feel to actually ride it (compared to a regular scooter).
One major dislike is the look. It certainly looks different, but it doesn't look very pretty to me. Something with that front end just doesn't seem to mesh and go together. But I can certainly live with the look.
Another major concern, on a much larger scale, is reliability and after sale support. With the scooter being a completely new and novel design, there are bound to be design / engineering oversights. How well will Canadian Scooter Corp / Vespa USA be able to support their customers for that? I'm just scared stiff about after sale support because I almost expect a completely brand new product to have some minor issues, and with that, after sale support becomes even more important.
I have no idea what the exact demographics of the MP3 would be, but I would imagine that at least a sizable number of MP3 owners would be people who were too afraid to try a 2-wheeled motorcycle / motor-scooter before, or as pointergame were saying, boomers who are now looking for something a little more relaxing and accomodating than their old cruisers / tourers / sportsbikes. If Piaggio could somehow successfully market the superior stability and maximal fun factor that the MP3 offers, I would imagine that a lot of people could be sold on that.
-Rick