Ride a Piaggo MP3 LT on a car licence!

LeeR · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Karma :

Not really news as it's from September 09, but I was sitting in the dealer's this afternoon waiting for my bike and I was so bored I started reading "Twist & Go"

The headline that caught my eye was the one announcing that you could ride a Piaggio MP3 LT on a car licence (B1 category, post 97 licences only).

Aside from the initial expense of £6.5k does anyone think this is a good/bad idea?
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Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

It's a ped and it's a trike, so why would anyone want to ride one? Razz

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

LeeR · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Karma :

Quite! But £6.5k just to piss a copper off, is that worth it? Hell yes Laughing

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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

LeeR · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Karma :

I reckon you could probably still filter on it.
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Still narrower in total than dirt bike bars, but will be a bit harder I presume.

cyclops12 · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Karma :

You can ride a trike on any full ie not auto car licence
the post 97 bit allthough its 99 is for bike licence's
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hayabusa trike

ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

Bit strange that you can ride it on a car licence, yet pass your motorcycle test on one as well Confused

cyclops12 · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Karma :

LeeR · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Karma :

I'm a bit confused on this as well and I gather from the DSA website, and some links from the NADB website that cyclops12 (aka busapaul) uses that, because I passed my car test before '97 and my bike test after '97 and don't explicitly have a 'B1' entitlement, I can't ride the MP3 LT (if I wanted to) and there is no test for category B1 so I can't gain the entitlement... Confused

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ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

cyclops12 · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Karma :

cyclops12 · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Karma :

[/quote]If its classed as a trike you cant pass your bike test on it[/quote]

I understand that, but something isn't right. When I was doing my motorcycle training there was a guy there training on an MP3 125cc.

So is it a motorcycle or a trike?[/quote]
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I did wonder about that myself
to be classed as a trike the wheels have to be a certain distance apart

just checked on the NABD forum and it seems there are two types of mp3 one is classed as a trike the other not

linky Very Happy

https://forum.disabledbiker.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3677&highlight=mp3

edit - sorry G has said the same Very Happy

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hayabusa trike

LeeR · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Karma :

Brilliant thanks for the clarification Paul, the DSA website is unclear that as a category B holder I also have sub-category B1.

And yes I was talking about the MP3 LT (400cc), not the standard MP3 (125cc, 250cc, & 400cc) it's the "LT" suffix that denotes it as a trike. Karma

All varieties reviewed here by MCN
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johnsmith222 · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Dec 2008 Karma :

I stopped for a guy that had broken down with one of these things at bellshill just to make sure he had a phone or whatever.

I asked him what they were like to ride and he said "just like a two wheeled bike, but a bit heavier in the front".

I'd fancy a shot of one but I don't think I'd buy one.

Dr. DaveJPS · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 May 2008 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

I'd love a go on one of those.

There was a guy doing a trackday on one at Brands last time I was out. It was pissing wet and he was doing pretty well, certainly compared to some of the folks that were out on dry tyres.

I was coming up behind him on one lap and just kinda hanging back to watch for a little bit - when it turns in to a corner the front wheels seem to go the 'wrong way' compared to what you expect a bike to do, and for a split second your subconscious brain analyses that as 'he's crashing'. Then you think about the fact that it's a trike and realise your brain's being stupid. Smile

dobby · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Karma :

fun to ride same as the gilera fuoco which is the meaner looking version of an mp3 with crash bars.... theres a video on utube of someone drifting an mp3 400 out of a car park.... great little things i think to throw into bends and roundabouts till the stand starts to grind out Laughing

https://www.motosyco.com/catalog/images/Gilera_Fuoco_500_03.jpg

gilera fuoco 500

dobby · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Karma :

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Mvhjidbvdzc/RnqjFTQd3WI/AAAAAAAABAA/2w9NKLThm9o/s400/g1.jpg

pretty cool Very Happy

tahrey · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jul 2010 Karma :

It's a trike (so it doesn't fall over at low speeds) .... that leans through the bends like a bike. Intriguing, and baffling. Basically a sop to those who can't get balance - and would be the reason why you can't take your test on one (totally negates the point of the slow ride and U-turn bits) or the BMW C1 etc (automatic stands that prevent it toppling when you stop).

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

tahrey · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jul 2010 Karma :

Fair enough, I was skimming. Guess it's got a track over a metre wide or something? (To interpolate from the bike trailer laws)

Was kinda hoping it'd have some kind of clever hydraulic system like that Carver jobbie, so the lean angle would be limited at low speeds/stops unless you specifically unlocked it. Maybe not then.

The sliding and falling over thing I can relate to, I wonder how stable it actually is in those circumstances though?

EDIT: Got undertaken by one whilst in slow moving traffic in the car yesterday. It's no wider at the wheels than at the bars (though the rider wasn't filtering...). So what IS the reason?