Modern Vespa

Hello to all, I'm new to Piaggio and this forum. I bought my 2024 mp3 530 without test riding and need to lower the seat height at least 1 1/2 inches. I discovered a post from about 7 years ago of a lowering kit made by Bob's Metal Works in Lake Mills WI. Unfortunatly , for me, he has retired and that avenue has closed. I have taken about 3/8" out of the seat foam allready but need more. Shorter shocks seems to be needed. Does anyone have have ideas/solution for this problem.
Thanks in advance, Wes Stephens, Southwest MO

Wes, there are several previous threads discussing the same thing, different approaches, possible solutions, etc., but the final conclusion is always the same: nothing really fits right, comfortable and is safe, so it seems like it's not the right bike for you. Sorry

Bikes are like clothes and shoes. If it doesn't fit, then it isn't meant to be.

Thanks Guys for your input. I know very that fit is very important and in my 60 years of riding I've made modifications on most of the motorcycles owned. Not the perfect solution but usually satisfactory. The mp3 is my first scooter and I would like to keep the wind in my face a while longer.

My solution to this was a pair of boots incorporating a 2" lift

Thanks Widge, taller boots is a simple and effective solution and something I might try. In fact several years ago I bought a Moto Guzzi Quota (really tall motorcycle) from a short guy and he gave me his built up boots as part of the deal. The boots didn't fit me and I passed them on to the guy that bought the machine. Your location brought back fond memories of my time in England in the 60ties. I was in the US Air Force stationed at RAF Croghton near Banbury. I married a pretty lass there and we were together for 55 years. She passed away in 2020. Ah the memories. And Thanks again for your input. Wes in the Ozark area of Missouri.

Hi Wes,
Sorry to hear about the loss of your wife, you must miss her a hell of a lot.
I live just outside Banbury and so I know RAF Croughton very well. It is still a USAF base although I believe that these days it is all about early warning and communications .
Going back to the machine, I have also found that sliding forward on the seat before you come to a stop and put your feet down also helps
Take care.

Please excuse my complete ignorance of the MP3, but i also am getting to old for 2 wheels (even a GTS300), so i'm on here reading about MP3's & the attraction for me is the tilt lock at rest is this not a solution for being a short a**e like me ?.
As i said the tilt lock is the BIG attraction for me, of course i'd reinforce with my tip toes, but is it not stable enough to rely on ?.

MP3s are very heavy, especially the 500/530 And you need to get your feet down before you stop. If you put the lock on and you are not completely upright at the time then you will definitely drop it when you start off. I am also a short a..e and I own a 530, my solution was to buy a pair of biker boots online that had a 2" lift in the bottom ( not just the heels but the whole sole as well). Do not think that the lock will stop you falling, it won't.

Why do people keep buying bikes that are too big for them? I'll never understand

Because if you want an MP3 with a decent size engine for long distance and/or motorway riding you have no other option

I don't agree.

You can get the Kymco CV3 with a larger engine, double the cylinder count, lower seat height and lower price than the MP3

You are of course entitled to your opinion opinion, but I find the Kymco less sophisticated, parts are not easily obtainable and the dealer network in the UK is very limited. The Kymco seat height is actually 5mm higher than the Piaggio, (795mm against 790mm)

5mm is a minimal difference.

That 20 year old single cylinder has priced itself out of the market.

For the money they're asking for a new MP3 you can get a brand new Honda CB1000 that has 4 cylinders and over 150 ponies from the last gen Fireblade

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I agree on the thick soled boots and sliding forward coming to a stop.

I do miss my Peugeot Metropolis when it comes to seat height. At 5 foot 7 inches I could flat foot it no problem.

The OP lives in the US, where Kymco, Quooder, Metropolis & and any of the Tri-City's or smaller MP3's are not imported. Like me, that limits him to the 530 as the only leaning trike scooter available, and like me, he's not ready to quit yet. I commend Wes for that.

While I agree that best practice is to select a bike you can flat-foot with both feet, there's a substantial population who could only ever think about riding a cruiser as there only option. Most motocross riders can only tiptoe, and some only can tiptoe on one side as the seat heights are so high.

Many riders have no other option than to adapt. Some wear platform boots, but many just shift their weight to the side of the seat, and flatfoot one foot, and keep there other foot on the peg/floorboard.

There's some great demonstration videos on YouTube for short riders. Getting one foot squarely planted and both leaning your body into the bike as it leans into you, yet nearly upright is a reasonable solution for the vertically-challenged.

I've got a buddy who is 5'3", 140 lbs who rode a GS650 like he was 6'0" & 200 lbs. If Jim limited himself to a bike that fit him, he'd would have been riding a Trail 125.

I still can see why the MP3 is still often selected in markets over the Kymco where available. While I agree the twin cylinder and motorcycle drivetrain is an advantage over the MP3, the refinement on the new generation MP3s are evident over a first generation Kymco. Storage isn't as good under the seat on the Kymco, and if you get their top case, it replaces the pillion seat. Motorcycles aren't that good a comparison, as many want a scooter for storage and the ease of a CVT, or a 3-wheeler for additional traction.

Like me, the OP likely thinks the 530 is the only choice left for him, and we both will find out if it works for each other. Good luck to you Wes!

Sure the MP3 is about the same weight as a big Burgman, it doesn't feel like it.
When you lean MP3 over in a corner you can feel the inside tire is under you, not slipping on the painted lines or manhole covers
My Liberty 150 is still easier to ride in the dry & is a proper step through

Once locked the front just wiggles from the tires flexing
On many stops I lock the front right as I stop forward motion, about the time i would be putting a foot down.
Don't be afraid to reset if you lock leaning.
The skill to locking in motion is training your brain not to freak out after you've locked, you can't lean & your brain panics & locks up your body some.
The center stand is nice, mine still has paint on the bottom of the feet. I never use it, the tilt lock rocks! Find parking spots you can roll backwards out of, start, drive away.

If you can tip toe both feet on the seat you'll be fine
You can certainly slide off the front of the seat, lock, scamper back up on the seat...

Hello, I bought a used 2016 mp3 500, very low mileage from a private seller. Unfortunately, subsequent back injury prevents me from enjoying this bike. I'm thinking of installing a trike kit, so I can ride the bike. Buying another bike or trading is not an option. Does anyone have any ideas of any aftermarket trike kit I can use for this bike?

Wes, I have a 2016 originally bought by a forum member who was a short guy. He had installed shorter Hagon Re's a thread on here someplace and his name here was klaborde…I think this might have bout him an inch…maybe 1 /1/2 inches. I'm wondering if there's. Chance to get even more height by going to smaller low aspect ration tires. I'm not large (5'9"..160lb. but very fit 65 yr. Old) and I actually went to taller than stock tires and love the height my MP3 sits at. Those 2 things along seat being cut down and some tall shoes should do the trick. Just be careful with the shoes…the MP3 is obviously still very heavy and it doesn't take many degrees from vertical for all that weight to present itself. When it does a rolled ankle in the "elevator boot's" could easily happen I think. Stopping even with one foot down…and quickly engaging the tilt lock would be my plan…then drive away with your feet up. Def don't be brain dead (like me sometimes) and park nosed downhill. The mp3 is a bitch to back up. Of course the new ones with reverse blessedly remove that problem. I may buy a clean used 530 at some point…but my 2016 is so nicely tricked out and runs so well it's tough to pay the $$$ difference to upgrade. To me nice used 2016+ MP3's are one of the better used values in motorcycling. There aren't a ton of them but there isn't a high demand either. I think a man would like to be his own diy mechanic for all consumables but if he can handle that it really is a ride like no other. Of course I'd love another 1-1.5 gallons of gas, self cancelling signals and 50% more horsepower but none of those are deal breakers for all the bikes unique positives.

I was reading a threadfrom Old As Dirt from a while back that he had come up with a set of Brackets for the rear Shockabsorbers in order to lower the Bike around 2 inches. I think it was back in 2013. I would suggest that you guys look for that thread. Maybe it'll help with your delimma.

Fred