Piaggio MP3 500

I get excited by new ways to cut through traffic so Piaggio’s MP3 has always intrigued me. I mean, who hasn’t wondered about those wacky three-wheelers that scoot about London? But surely this is going to work for displaced car drivers, not hard core bikey types. Actually riding one was a revelation. Two wheels up front and a single at the back means no need for a centrestand. The bike just stands there. Mysterious front-end technology allows the front tyres to lean in parallel when cornering, with each wheel acting like a normal front wheel would. They can also be locked in place when rolling up to traffic lights to keep the machine upright. I try the lock for the first time on a quiet single tracker. Nobody around, slow down to below 8mph, and, ‘Woaah! That’s the ditch over there!’ What a totally weird sensation, but one that’s fitting for such a quirky and appealing bike.

Ben Lindley Staff Writer He’s a sportsbike fan and wheelie enthusiast yet Ben’s smitten with Piaggio’s left-field threewheeler. And with good reason…