Modern Vespa

New owner as of tomorrow night of a 2016 MP3 500 sport.

Some of these oil posts are scaring me. What should I be checking on a very regular basis. I'm used to just letting things 'work' between scheduled service calls.

Don't ride WOT all over the place and you should never have an issue.

Yea it's a Dilemma we all have to deal with right now.
Plenty has to do with your style of Riding, or following the Manual and putting the amount of Oil Piaggio says you should where you show at the Full Mark on your Dip Stick, then you blow it out when your on the Highway.

You will enjoy the Bike, I just absolutely love my Sport.
It was Love / Hate at first because it sits so high off the ground, but once I lowered mine, all was Great...

Break it in with Variable Speeds... for the first 600 miles.
Before you do anything, take a quick look at your Dip Stick.
Take a Picture of it with your phone.
This was the oil level of the bike when it left the Piaggo Factory.
That's where you want to be...

I continue to change my Oil more often (Re-use in my Lawn Equipment), not that I need too...
But to figure out what that exact amount is to use where it will act like my MP3/250 and GTS/300 where you don't worry about it. It stays the same...
Right now for me, it looks like 1400cc and a New Malossi Oil Filter holds the mark on my Dip Stick. I ride a mix of Interstate to get to where I am going, then the back roads and twisties coming home. I think if I just did around town here and didn't use the interstate, I would not even notice it. But I found from owning other smaller bikes, this bike is wonderful on the Highway. To be able to hit 75+ MPH, and pass an 18 wheeler is wonderful...

Don't get stressed over it, enjoy your bike.
You will eventually get like me and a few others and only keep a few screws on your Air Filter to have a quick check, clean, and re-assemble.
I have been so tempted to order some of the "Thumb Screws" that are normally found at the top of the Oil Filter on the GTS, and put them on the MP3/500, then you don't need a screw driver.

I have considered tapping the Air Box and put a small drain hose in the front bottom of the air box to allow it to drip out on the highway when it happens????

Take Care,
Keith
Marietta, GA

Wide Open Throttle is just to fast on this Bike !

Keith,
Marietta, GA

I didn't know that there was an in-between idle and full throttle. I do quite a bit of interstate aka the autobahn in Germany riding at high speeds quite a often. I also only know of full throttle and never really test out the in-between. :p:p:p I am going to assume this oil problem is more pronounced on the 500 vs. the 400? I always keep an eye on my fluids and have only had to add a slight bit at around 6000km one time i think. 2008 400 with 40100km on the clock. by slight, i would not use the 1 liter bottle for years.

A hole in the air box allowing a source of un-filtered air into the engine? I'd rather wash the filter than expose the motor. IMHO

No, puts more stress on the motor.
50,000 miles, uses very little oil. Have NEVER gone down the highway at WOT except to get up to speed.

not to mention oil on a tire is not a good thing either.

Not in my case with my 2016. I posted my issue in the other 2 MP3 500 oil threads. My bike has never seen WOT, yes some highway use but I have never WOT as of yet which is awesome!!!

My 2004 and 2007 Vepsas saw WOT all the time and I never had an oil issue.

I still believe the 500 engines are moving so much air at highway cursing speed (not WOT) which is causing a vacuum? Just a theory...

Other than my oil issue, if I have one. I love, love this bike she runs like a dream and a great 2 up travel machine!!

That appears to be the issue...
"Uses Oil" vs "Blowing Oil"?

I think we are Blowing it causing Low on the Stick vs actually Burning it.
My observation so far for me.
You find the Sweet Spot, you won't be Blowing it to the Air Box anymore.

Keith,
Marietta,GA

Blowing oil at highway speeds seems to be specific to the 500. I ride my 400 (42,000 miles) at WOT all the time, lots of highway miles, and since I started leaving the oil at the halfway mark on the dipstick, I haven't needed to add a drop between changes.

Just a follow up on this interesting topic...
Not sure which thread to post in anymore since we have so many good ones going on similar topics.

I was looking at the Shop Manual for the 2016 500/ABS Sport.
I noticed at the Air Intake their is what I am going to describe, an Aquarium hose (The picture I posted of the Air Filter on the other thread calls it a Oil Breather") that attaches to the front of the Air Filter, it runs down the front of the Air Box to the bottom. Then its "Capped".

Just curious was this Piaggio's attempt to put this hose so you could see if their is oil in it, just like a Bubble and uncap it to let it run out? Which is sort of what I was thinking on my earlier post that it needed something like this to drain.
Mine had some droplets in it.

Keith,
Marietta, GA

My research also has found the MP3/400's don't have this issue.
I wonder what the engine difference is?
Not adding a drop is my goal, I sure don't want to keep a quart of T-6 with me all the time.

Thanks for the information Keith. Interesting that the 400, even though a Master motor too, is not affected by this issue. Wonder what is different that it is not affected?

Generally speaking, I would avoid riding at "cursing speed". Just saying........

I have a `09 400 MP3 and have none of these 500 issues apparently just like you. I ride many times @ 75 mph with no issues. It's only the 500 owners that have to worry.

Check out the post I did about Video, Oil Blow.
You can see it in Action.

Keith,
Marietta, GA