OP
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Member
MP3 500ie
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Location: Peak District, Eyam
 
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MP3 500ie
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Location: Peak District, Eyam
UTC quote
This is actually quite an interesting question and one that maybe someone else can answer.

I don't have a bike license so simply unable to comment. I've had 3-4 bikers in the past ask me what engine is in the bike (easy answer 500cc) - they've then asked what horse power (again easy answer 39hp~)

However the question then normally arises what sort of power in comparison to a normal geared bike and at this point I'm obviously stumped.

I would assume considering the 500 is a heavy thing along with CVT transmission that its probably similar to a 300cc geared bike.

Any one have any wisdom here? The launch with stock (non fuzzy washer etc) is clearly a little slow, but once you get going the MP3 does have an incredible amount of torque so where would you put this machine with its equivalent bike partner.
@maksor avatar
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Ossessionato
Gilera Fuoco 500ie
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Location: Netherlands Olst
 
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@maksor avatar
Gilera Fuoco 500ie
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UTC quote
a scooter is no comparision with a Streetbike i've had a 125cc with more HP then the Fuoco or mp3

and there are choppers with bigger engines with less HP then a Silverwing 600 but more torgue

Depents where the bike is designed for

a SS is designed for speed there for more HP

A chopper looks and cruizing more Torque

A scooter for commuting in a city non above

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Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
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Location: Kingman, Az.
 
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Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
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Posts: 2592
Location: Kingman, Az.
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I just tell them all the States I've ridden my 400 to so far(Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, it's miles per gallon, top speed and storage capacity. That usually shuts them up. MP3s are not about acceleration like MCs.
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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Location: Oregon City, OR
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@dooglas avatar
GTS 300ABS, Buddy 125, Buddy Kick 125
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Location: Oregon City, OR
UTC quote
norCal Randy wrote:
MP3s are not about acceleration like MCs.
I don't think it's quite fair to say that scooters are not about acceleration and motorcycles are. A Vespa GTS will beat a Harley off the line due to the quick power delivery of the engine and CVT transmission. I'll grant you that power to weight isn't too favorable on the MP3, but that is true compared to other scooters - let alone motorcycles.
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Molto Verboso
Red Mp 3 500
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma. USA
 
Molto Verboso
@sanogeo1 avatar
Red Mp 3 500
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UTC quote
Kind of depends on what a person means when they speak of this one beats that one off the line. I might take my sons 1200 for about the first 10 ft or 15 ft if I am quicker on the throttle. (Might). Or if he lets me. IMO hardly qualifies for beating him. Guess its a question of semantics. and how we define our words To me its about the pleasure I get out of riding. Not really into all that other stuff. But each to his own, that's what make us so interesting.
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Member
MP3 500ie
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Location: Peak District, Eyam
 
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MP3 500ie
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UTC quote
I don't think anyone is comparing it to a race bike, or any other bike but trying to understand the comparison in power.

A 500cc bike is quite a sizeable engine, and with 40hp its no slow coach but with the extra weight with the 3 wheel setup, I think people are trying to get to grips with how it compares to other similar powered 2 wheel bikes.
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Hooked
Piaggio MP3 400
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Location: Greenville SC
 
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@hadantor avatar
Piaggio MP3 400
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Location: Greenville SC
UTC quote
In my opinion, the only way to quantify this would be to place the MP3 on a dyno. How do you compare a cruiser, to a sport bike, to a moped, to an MP3, for these are all different things. However, when I tell someone that I get from 40-59 MPG then they perk up.

I tell people I cannot compare my bike to anything else since there is nothing else like what I have. The cam-am spyder does not compare. Since I have never ridden another motorcycle or scooter I do not have experience to compare with.

What I know is there is a fun, fuel economy, and wow factor in the MP3.

ZOOM ZOOM (oh wait I can't use that) Hmmm MPWhhheeeeeeee... Uh no
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Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
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Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
Joined: UTC
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Location: Kingman, Az.
UTC quote
Hadantor wrote:
In my opinion, the only way to quantify this would be to place the MP3 on a dyno. How do you compare a cruiser, to a sport bike, to a moped, to an MP3, for these are all different things. However, when I tell someone that I get from 40-59 MPG then they perk up.

I tell people I cannot compare my bike to anything else since there is nothing else like what I have. The cam-am spyder does not compare. Since I have never ridden another motorcycle or scooter I do not have experience to compare with.

What I know is there is a fun, fuel economy, and wow factor in the MP3.

ZOOM ZOOM (oh wait I can't use that) Hmmm MPWhhheeeeeeee... Uh no
I say my MP3s are a poor man's trike that still leans. Wha? emoticon
@maksor avatar
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Gilera Fuoco 500ie
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Location: Netherlands Olst
 
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@maksor avatar
Gilera Fuoco 500ie
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UTC quote
There are more Leaning scoots with 3 and even 4 wheels

Adiva has one (looks like a BMW C1 )
Quadro 350 3 wheels
Quadro 450 4 wheels
Peugeot Metropolis
Yamaha Tricity
UTC

Ossessionato
Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2592
Location: Kingman, Az.
 
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Scarabeo 500GT(hers), `07 250 MP3, `09 400 MP3
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2592
Location: Kingman, Az.
UTC quote
Maksor wrote:
There are more Leaning scoots with 3 and even 4 wheels

Adiva has one (looks like a BMW C1 )
Quadro 350 3 wheels
Quadro 450 4 wheels
Peugeot Metropolis
Yamaha Tricity
None of those are in the USA, only MP3s. Besides, I didn't say it was the only 1. Razz emoticon
@scoot_florida avatar
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Hooked
2009 MP3 250
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Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
 
Hooked
@scoot_florida avatar
2009 MP3 250
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Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
UTC quote
It sounds like the question is "what is the power at the rear wheel compared to a typical motorcycle of the same displacement?"

Geared transmissions with chain drive are relatively inefficient for delivering output shaft engine power to the rear wheel. Is the belt drive CVT better? Depends. Belts are more efficient than chains, but I'm not certain if the CVT involves a certain amount of belt slippage that increases inefficiency.

My 250 comes nowhere near being able to spin the rear wheel from a stop, but I outgrew that long, long ago. It zips through traffic just fine, though. I can honestly say that in 16 months of daily riding I have never wanted for more power.

As an interesting aside...The Italians are known in the automotive industry for building small engines that deliver lots of power (has to do with the Italian tax system that taxes engines based on displacement). They accomplish this through short-stroke engines. High-revving engines that have bores exceeding their strokes. (Yes, that is a straight line, jokes to follow). Heck, even the Ferrari 8 cylinder engines were made under 3.0 liters.

I've owned many Italian cars in the past...Fiats, Alfas, Ferraris (in my dreams)...they could all rev freely and deliver quite a bit of power for their small displacement.
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Hooked
2010 mp3 500
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Posts: 104
Location: wilmington vermont
 
Hooked
2010 mp3 500
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Location: wilmington vermont
UTC quote
I have a BMW 650 gt scooter that will smoke most bikes off the line and do 110 mph ( minus a few rice rockets) and when I get questioned about the bike from the Motorcycle People and I tell them that I get about 50 miles to the gallon have heated seats and grips and a electric windshield abs brakes and a ton of storage a large fairing and can whip through the twisties they usually walk away or ask me more questions and where I got it and how much it cost which is usually a lot less than there bike which have a lot less features, and I have had motorcycles and a Can-am spyder also, So don't listen to any negative remarks about scooters they are Bikes
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Member
MP3 500ie "Reaper"
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Location: Oregon
 
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@macscooter avatar
MP3 500ie "Reaper"
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Location: Oregon
UTC quote
It's all about displacement... Or maybe wheel count?
My wife and I get asked a lot about our displacement, and usually through smirks. When we tell them that hers is a 250 and mine a 500, the smirks are replaced with raised eyebrows and looks of surprise.

Then they ask me how fast I've had my bike up to at which time my wife and I both answer: (me:) "80" (my wife:) "100". Wha? emoticon

-James
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
2008 MP3 500, 2013 BV350, 2020 Vespa Sei Giorni, 2008 Vespa S150
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Location: Ashburn, Va. Home to the Internet
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@web-tech avatar
2008 MP3 500, 2013 BV350, 2020 Vespa Sei Giorni, 2008 Vespa S150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8954
Location: Ashburn, Va. Home to the Internet
UTC quote
WillT wrote:
I don't think anyone is comparing it to a race bike, or any other bike but trying to understand the comparison in power.

A 500cc bike is quite a sizeable engine, and with 40hp its no slow coach but with the extra weight with the 3 wheel setup, I think people are trying to get to grips with how it compares to other similar powered 2 wheel bikes.
Your problem is comparing a CVT to a geared bike.
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