Modern Vespa

My dealer sent me an Email indicating I can now preorder A "MP3 530 Exclusive" for USA delivery.

Waiting on quote to see the cost of the thing.

Rick

FWIW, USA models usually appear about 1 year (sometimes longer) after the Euro spec.

2 reasons

1) Additional red tape involved in getting the model approved for sale in the US (DOT, EPA & CARB certifications)

2) Since the US is a outlet store for Piaggio they need to shuffle off the old model first which can no longer sold in the home EU market before they'll bring the new model along

NOTE: ALL 1st year MP3 530s are EXCLUSIVE models, which have all the trimmings so I highly doubt Piaggio is gonna be able to maintain the old MSRP of just over $9K US.

The price in Europe is 13K Euro, which equates to roughly $12.5K US at the current conversation rate.

Unit Price: Freight & Prep: DOC/Admin Fee(s): Sales Tax: Out-The-Door Price: Balance Due:


This is my Dealer Quote:

Unit Price: 11,999.00

Freight & Prep: 750.00

DOC/Admin Fee(s): 345.00

Sales Tax: 1,114.96

Out-The-Door 14,208.96

Haha. For that price, you might as well get a Yamaha T-Max 560 and blow the doors off that relic called MP3 in terms of performance and reliability.

Yamaha T-Max 560 = boring
Nope it must be a PIAGGIO product for me.

I have owned a T-Max boring boring boring and many others including MP3's

I like the NAME because it matches one of our aircraft by name anyway.

Whatever floats your boat, but in the world of motorcycles the MP3 is in the shopping cart trolley category.

At that nutso price (a $5K increase over the outgoing model), expect a lot fewer sales than the trickle of MP3s currently getting bought in the USA.

For me, my next bike is a Honda Goldwing with DCT when I outgrow the Honda ST1300.

YEP that's a very nice bike. I owned 5 wings over the years and done 250k in 45 of our US states.

That's a smart move for you! I took a test ride on one of those last month
and it's a WOW machine.

Go for it it's lifetime bike a true gas and go bike.

Rick

Just waiting for the right one to come along in the right color in the second hand market.

I want the revised one (model 2021 and newer with the larger trunk) and updated DCT software.

The only downside is the smallish fuel tank.

LOVE the 29Liter tank on the ST1300 that gets me 300 miles per tank.

And Honda bikes hold their value extremely well, especially the Wing.

Last edited by sbaert on Sat, 24 Sep 2022 17:11:47 +0000; edited 1 time

FYI
Our last wing was a trike and we pulled a Bushtec Trailer. But i was able to get the MPG down to 28 MPG on steep mountain roads. One road is 11% grade out of Alamogordo New Mexico to CloudCroft New Mexico. I got 19 MPG. This one was a GL1500 Carburetor engine thow. The Gl1800 did much better in every way.

Rick

Yeah, it would definitely be the 6th gen (current) Wing. I never gelled with the 5th as it felt like it had become too big, too bulky, too heavy and too Harley esque.

Power wise, it is not that much more powerful over the V4 motor in the ST1300, BUT it has gobs of extra torque which is what I want since I shift below 5K rpm.

The ST1300 has plenty of torque, but no comparison to the 6 cylinder in the Wing.

The only runner up bikes are the current gen BMW R1250 RT, although the lack of DIY and over dependence on electronics and dealer only servicing are major turn offs. After all, BMW does mean Broken Most Weekdays especially the current bikes. Germans don't do electronics well and they can't a hold a candle to the Japanese in the long term reliability department.

And one that oddly stirs up some interest in me is the new Harley Pan America. God, have I really become THAT old???

Where is my 2023 MP3 530?

Dealer does not know, If any of you have seen it please let know.

LOL. I have yet to see one in the wild here in Europe, so it will be a while longer before the new ones with the Joan Rivers look make their way to the US. It usually takes at least one year for manufacturers to obtain DOT & EPA/CARB approvals, sometimes even longer.

OR when Piaggio said 2023, they really do mean 2023.

I am inclined to think the latest facelifted MP3 is gonna be stateside at the earliest by end of 2023 as a 2024 model.

I don't think many of the bikes in here are in competition.

MP3 500 vs Goldwing is a ridiculous comparison to me. Anyone with an IQ over 50 knows what either are good at.

The MP3 500 is supposed to have a narrow niche. I don't think Piaggio has marketed it as a sportsbike or touring bike alternative.

I love it for what it is. It is insanely practical and fun. But I also have another motorcycle.

Is 50 a high or low IQ?

It's a PTW that you can drive in Europe without a motorcycle endorsement.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. You still need a category B drivers license (standard automotive passenger vehicle) in order to ride the MP3.

Veering off-topic slightly - how many States in the US have actual motorcycle endorsements (meaning you have to have a car licence first) rather than just a motorcycle licence? In California at least you don't need to have a car licence to get a motorcycle licence.

Just interested why it always seems to be called an 'endorsement'.

OK.

But still a pretty cheap lunch compared to riding a motorcycle.

I did not know that, since I have had a Class C (automobile) license since I turned 16. No clue.

I got my motorcycle license at 15 in Texas, after passing written and road tests.

I got my auto license at 16 after Driver's Education classes and passing written and road tests.

My motorcycle endorsement was added to my car license without me doing anything else.

Are you sure your auto endorsement wasn't added to your motorcycle licence?

In our area, motorcycle driving license is divided into E class, D class driving license, driving Piaggio MP3 need D class driving license; in order to drive my MP3-500 I specially went to learn the D class driving license