2010 Piaggio MP3 400 Motor Scooter Review

by Leslee
(Bakersfield, CA)

I bought this Piaggio MP3 400 scooter as a present to myself for my 50th birthday this past October, 2011. A co-worker has the BV300 and initially, that is the model I was looking to buy. The more I did my research, the more the MP3 was appealing to me.

My boyfriend has a street cruiser and I wanted something to keep up with him. I looked at the 250, the 400 and the 500. The 500 had a short windshield, limited storage and a price tag over $8k. Too much scooter for me.

I liked the 250 and it had the taller windshield, the great storage, and would be a great choice. The deciding factor was twofold: the 400 would be better for freeway use, and the dealer was having a great sale on the two year old models ($6,200)!

Keep in mind, I had never ridden a motorcycle by myself. The whole gear shifting thing intimidated me. The great thing about scooters is no gear shifting! Just twist the grip and go!

The MP3 400 goes about 100mph and here in California, no motorcycle license is needed because of the 3 wheel configuration. There is a bit of a learning curve because the beast weighs over 500 pounds. But you get the hang of it pretty fast.

I highly recommend a MSF Safety course even though it is not required. I will be taking one in the spring when the weather warms up.

I ride mine whenever the opportunity presents itself, even in the winter. But between the weather being a bit chilly and I am a single mom to two young sons who always seem to be around :), my opportunities are limited to quick trips to the store, nail appointments and other short trips while the boys are visiting friends.

I am so pleased with my scooter! Be forewarned, every time you stop somewhere, people want to ask about it. It is quite the attention getter. If you are shy, that's about the only negative thing I have to say about it. Other than that, it's all positive. It's the best birthday present ever and I can't wait to take some longer trips this summer. I highly recommend the MP3 400 for a wonderful experience.