Piaggio MP3: How common are they?

Who's seen one on the road?
I have.

I rode one in Bellingham, Washington, last month. Man what a cool machine.

Let me be clear here. I ride an 1150 and a 1500. Nothing smaller for years. Nothing step through either. But the MP3 and it's bigger bro, the Gilera Fuoco 500 are the coolest. I am planning on buying the 500 next summer from the Bellingham scooter store. Man I hope!

This one is me in Bellingham, on the MP3 250cc



This is the Gilera Fuoco 500ie

Seen 'em twice.

Got a dealership in town but haven't seen one.

Watched a ton of people take it out on a demo, grinning ear to ear, though.

i saw one in San Francisco on vacation about a month ago. Its the only one ive seen on the road. I saw one at a dealership in South Carolina.

Never seen one on the road. I've seen them at motorcycles shows, and I'm seriously considering the 500cc Gilera-made Fuoco when it comes out.

Do you guys already have the Fuoco in Alaska?!
Would you be able to post a bigger pic of the one above? (and more?)

Gore-tx, the seat on the Gilera seems to be roomier than the one on the MP-3. That was my main concern about the MP-3 400 I sat on at the m/c show. The seat configuration seemed to push me too far forward and there was no way to move back.

BTW, I just bought something that may push back my Fuoco purchase. I'll post pics when I get it home.

I've seen one on the road and one at the dealers. They're way cool but pricey.

Same here, lots of test riders but no one has dished out the $ to take it home.

The dealer said it confuses people, they think because it had two front wheels you don't have to put your feet down at a stop.

This summer I was Balcelona and the Auto Show was on. Great stuff with some bike manufactures. I local insurance company was doing demo rides on scooters, so i was able to convince them that I had the qualification to take on out. I sign up and watch a show video and sales pitch, then off we go with an excort and 8 scooters. I rode a 250 Piaggio on the first rouund, then got back in line to ride the MP3. We rode thru city traffic on the same course as the old Spanish MotoGP that was thru the city streets. We were flyin' too. What great fun and the MP3 was way cool. You hit the switch to lock the front end when you stopped and you could keep both feet up. Once you took off, the front end unlocked and you could lean. I want one, but there is no dealer in the area and they are a little pricey. They do get some really trick scooters over there. I also rode a Segway. That was really neat too. They now have an off road model.

Can't wait to see what it is!...

I think John-tm has one. I rode one at our local dealer. Great fun, though I was disapointed by the performance. I would be a potential customer if it didn't have the rubber band drive. Haven't seen any on the road. I wonder how it would handle loose surfaces; gravel, dirt.
That 500 is UGLY!

I can say that it belongs in this forum, but not on this thread.

One on the road, one at a dealer.

No,
Alaska is a much smaller market when it comes to new stuff. We get to see one after the rest of America has had them for a year or two.
I rode the 250cc in Bellingham, Washington. The 500 wasn't there at that time, yet they gave me a sales brochure naming the now only internet named Gilera Fuoco 500ie as a MP3 500.
I will scan it and post it.
The company is Chispa.
I talked to a few very nice people at Chispa, but a nice guy named Jason Frederick. @ 360-647-1196 gave me the brochure and set me up with a test ride.

Here is the brochure I promised.

This might help others see the scoots and see the Gilera Fuoco 500ie was or is a MP3 as well.

I have too. Rode one also.

It's sweeeet !

.

I own a 250ie MP3 that I've put 1300 miles on in the last 2 months. Lots of fun but lacking in top speed (max for me is around 70mph) and accerelation above 50 mph (takes awhile to go from 50 to 70 but not too bad up to 50 mph). I've ordered a J. Costa Variator that is supposed to improve accerelation as that is my biggest peeve, I don't ride it on the freeway that much. I get lots of looks (ok laughs ) while riding it around and I can't wait to get my 1pc RoadCrafter (hey the ground is just as hard for scooterist). I'm waiting for the first rains to arrive so I can see how much difference the twin wheels make.

In defense of the MP3 - I've never seen ANY of my other bikes on the road, other than at rallies. I did a 200 mile demo of the MP3 and still smile when thinking about that day

MP3 is on the list, but I think I need a classic Vespa first.

There's a rider in San Diego with 26,000 miles, yes, twenty-six thousand miles on his/her MP3. If this riders experience is anything like mine on the MP3 - how do you get the bugs off your teeth and find time to sleep?