Modern Vespa

https://storeusa.piaggio.com/mp3.aspx

The pricing remains much lower than in Europe... $11,999...

Makes me wonder whether we'll once again get mish-mash constructs here in the US...

Here is the direct URL to the PDF brochure.

https://storeusa.piaggio.com/files/MP3_530_hpe_Exclusive.pdf

Otherwise they want you to enter an email, name, zip-code, etc just to view it.

Don't be misled by inter-continental price comparisons. The UK/EU price has to be the OTD price including all taxes, less local registration fees. So add at least 20% (perhaps a lot more) to the US price to get what you'll actually have to pay out of pocket.

Even if the bike were $12K US, it just doesn't make sense while other and much better bikes can be gotten starting at about the same price. That's a $3K bump in price over the outgoing model.

Unless you're a Piaggio diehard, they've pretty much priced themselves out of the US market which was already a very niche/outlet market for Piaggio anyway.

I'll keep my MP3 for winter duty until it either rusts away or breaks and then I'll just get a Honda Forza 750 or NT1100 as a winter bike which are both in the 12-15K Euro range.

Tm the MP3 is a very unique value proposition. It is my favorite urban vehicle. For my single (+1 cat) household, it's perfect to go shopping, run errands etc

Honda decided to not sell the Forza here, so that's not an option. I think the only viable options are the Suz Burgman (I have ridden it and find it somewhat unwieldly) or the Vespa 300.

These days I also own a NC750X DCT (and got it new for $9.4k [+tax indeed]) and while it has good storage and the DCT is brilliant, and of course it has more umph... it's just not as practical for everyday stuff as the MP3, at least not for me.

I am not in the market for the new MP530, mine is still too new to justify it. And with e-bikes becoming better, who knows what will be there for my next buying cycle as an option. eMP3 anyone?

As I've always said, the MP3's strongest suit is being a shopping cart.

A long time ago Piaggio already tried to sell a hybrid electric version.

It was a gutless disaster (especially in 125cc version) with no significant extra range and no underseat storage.

https://www.piaggiogroup.com/en/archive/press/piaggio-mp3-hybrid-300ie

is it a price increase or a true reflection of the devalued dollar? either way I am glad its still offered in the usa at least. hopefully there will be enough buyers at the higher price point.

It's a price increase, plain and simple.

Here in Europe, the MSRP for the MP3 530 Exclusive is 12,999 Euro including the Euro 21% tax rate. That is a 2500 Euro bump over the outgoing model.

The US MP3 530 Exclusive is $11,999 before taxes, so assuming a average 8% tax rate both Euro and US versions are priced about the same since the current exchange rate is almost 1 to 1.

They might get away with such tactics here in Europe, especially in places like Paris, where the treehuggers are forcing owners to give up their cars (especially diesels) with the MP3 being a replacement especially for the 2nd car but such a huge hike is not going to make the new MP3 fly off the shelves in the US where it was always a dud saleswise.

In the US, we're simply spoiled for choice and at the new price there is simply too much better to be gotten.

I'm definitely not in the market for another MP3 especially at these stuuuuupid prices. When my MP3 gives up the ghost, a Honda will take its place. Better price, better fit and finish, more power, a real automatic gearbox (DCT), higher quality of materials, lower maintenance needs and costs.

Take care of it and it will last a long time, I have 79,667 miles and it runs like new. Only uses oil on long highway runs, seems to use none or very little on back roads.

My MP3 uses zero oil. However, the first HPEs were known for eating oil. This was also a issue with the GTS HPE until recently when the bikes became Euro5 certified.

Keeping oil consumption to minimum also requires throwing out the factory service schedule and revert to mandatory oil and filter changes every 5K km/3K mi intervals

Take a look around to see the motorcycles you can buy with that $12k the next time you're at the multi brand dealer.
O.S.

I have a Honda 750 with DCT... it's not perfect yet. I love it in many situations, but it does weird stuff at times. My biggest gripe is that no matter what you do, it can choose to shift gears mid corner, which can be quite unsettling (especially on tight u-turns). I am told there's a SW/FW update in the works to help you lock a gear more effectively. Maybe the "leaned over" equation wasn't factored entirely into the design of DCT.

You'd also miss the generous storage space of the MP3. I carry a backpack when Honda-ing, just like you have to do with a motorcycle, which for me personally reduces everyday practicality. Also on the 750 I tend to wear all of the cumbersome motorcycle gear, which admittedly I don't do on the MP3. But I *love* the 750!

Obviously can't make any long term reliability claims about the Honda or even my MP3, but they have both been completely trouble free (oh other than trivial stuff like the seat lock falling off in the MP3 and a passenger foot-peg falling off the NC750X).

Right now I have 3 motorcycles in the stable, which probably I might trim down to 2 as motorcycle buying season starts in spring - but I know I want to keep something as Piaggio scoot around for everyday practicality.

Maybe I am just slightly biased because I work for Honda, but let's call it for what it is. In other words, reality check.

In terms of build quality, body integrity, and reliability the Italians (not just Piaggio) still have a long way to go and can't hold a candle against Japanese bikes.

My 2004 Honda ST1300 is leagues ahead against my 2015 MP3, despite the Honda having a 10+ year disadvantage. Case in point, the Honda shows zero signs of the brown cancer (rust) while the center stand of my MP3 resembles something that was recently retrieved off the Titanic.

More importantly, Japanese bikes and especially Honda don't have the strict service schedules of the European stuff (including other brands like BMW) and even when neglected service wise the reliability never suffers. If anything, following the European service schedules are way too optimistic and you should double down or cut service intervals in half if you want it to last well beyond the factory warranty.

And with the new bikes going flat screens and keyless among other electronic highlights, I have far more faith in Asian electronics to last the long haul compared to anything European be it a car or bike

For just a shade over 11K, you can get a new Honda Forza 750.

13K nets you a brand new X-ADV 750. That is the exact same price as a MP3 530

And for a couple bills more you can get into a Honda NT1100.

All have 2 pistons and real automatic gearboxes. No rubberband stuff here. No 6K mi belt changes.

And did I mention Honda reliability? They just keep going and going and going . . .

Italian/Euro vehicles are kinda like iPhones. You pay for the looks and the name, but once you look closer it is very ho hum and very lackluster even borderline questionable

[quote="sbaert"]
> For just a shade over 11K, you can get a new Honda Forza 750.

Not in the USA though. I wish!

> 13K nets you a brand new X-ADV 750. That is the exact same price as a MP3 530

Well around 9.5k plus taxes here gets you the NC750X, which is indeed awesome. I know other Japanese brands produce edgier more extreme bikes than Honda (except when the latter *really* want to, no one else has ever produced a street going oval piston bike like the NR/RC40!), but Honda's usability is their strength. I have never fooled mysef thinking I can benefit from the edgiest most extreme sportsbike performance on public roads - quite the contrary. IMO they murder your body and when you ache after a day's ride you may pay less attention to the world around you.

> And did I mention Honda reliability? They just keep going and going and going . . .

Can't talk about NC750 long term reliability yet, but I'd still recommend anyone with any motorcycle sticks to conservative maintenance guidelines. But everything clicks and clacks to perfection in the NC750X, that's for sure. I admit to thinking "oh no, not this Italian crap again!" when the screws that secured the seatlock fell off my MP3, but the guidance from this forum fixed that moment (thanks again!).

I did have a Honda CX500 (used!) as a student and that thing indeed never ever let me down even when I had zero cash to maintain it over long-ish spells of time... they probably had to use a tactical nuclear weapon to blow it up and sell its parts when it finally gave up its ghost (but for all I know it's still being ridden )... I had a Fireblade in the 90s and loved it. Then I got the BMW R1100S - which has proven very reliable (two trips across the USA, one trip up he entire West Coast to Yewllowstone and back) but yeah, *when* you service it it will cost you. If you service it at the dealer -which I do even though it is now 20 years old- you may cry a little when you get the bill.

I love my MP3 but don't really regard it as a "sports" motorcycle, I find it entertaining when Piaggio uses that word in brochures. Thus far mine had been quite reliable - it definitely helps to have a good mechanic that is not too far away so regular maintenance isn't a chore. The MP3 needs love, but IMO deserves it, it's endearingly different and very-very practical for everyday stuff (which is what it was designed for). It's not an alternative to a sports motorcycle, it's an alternative to a car. I own 2 cars but much prefer to "sit on a horse", and the MP3 is a godsend: Iprobably only have put 2k miles on my everyday car since I got the MP3 in the 2 years since I got it.