Benchmark: Piaggio MP3 500 HPE Sport Advanced, HPE Bussiness (2020) // Something for Everyone. Or what?
Precisely because newcomers and returnees also donned motorcycle jackets and gloves on an Italian initiative, we also attribute all the pioneering fame and honor to the Piaggio Group. It's been a year and a half since the last major overhaul of the largest MP3, so there probably won't be any noticeable changes in the next couple of seasons. Despite the freshness of current models that carry the Sport or Business label, Piaggio has decided on a very special update - the reverse gear.
I can't say that self-rotation is something I've been missing with MP3s over the years. Moving forward and backward, thanks to the locking capability of the front axle, never required much effort.... If it didn’t move from the seat, you would simply get out and push the scooter in the desired direction from the side, back, or even the front.
But from now on, reverse gear is still available. At the moment this electrical accessory (the engine starter takes care of the reversing) is only reserved for the Sport Advanced version. The Business model does not yet offer such an option, and it is also not possible to purchase any factory retrofit kit. So if you want to reverse, there is only one option.
How does it work? Easy and no different than what we're used to with the Gold Wing or K1600 GT two-wheeled cruise ships.... Thus, turning on the system with a special switch and then slowly pressing the engine start button returns everything back. For starter protection, the backward path is limited to approximately ten meters, which in practice is sufficient for almost any turn or retreat.
But this time around, the test MP3 500 HPE Sport Advanced was not alone in the test. We also rode next to him with current 500 HPE business modelwhich, as the name suggests, relies more on elegance and comfort than sportiness. Although both models, at first glance, demonstrate their equality more than vice versa, there are many differences between them, both visually and technically.
We hardly believe in deciding on one or the other solely on the basis of appearance. Despite the many differences, they are more than not the same.... The silver plastic inserts in the Sport model have been replaced with carbon imitation, the rims are black, the rear-view mirrors are more angular, the seat is covered with a different material, the legroom is surrounded by an aluminum insert, the brake discs are corrugated instead of a round one, and the shape of the swing body has been changed, in which the variomat is hidden and pulleys.
The designers also played with the colors, the position of the LED daytime running lights and some little details that will make you recognize the Sport model from afar.
If we accept the position that the appearance, despite many small differences, does not provide sufficient arguments for choosing a Sport model over a Business model (which also has a navigation system for an additional cost), many people can be sure of what is hidden from the View ...
No, the Sport model is not stronger or faster than the Business model, it stops in the same way, but its spring is completely different.... While the Business has a classic oil shock with adjustable preload at the rear, Kayaba has taken care of the suspension in the Sport. They filled the suspension with gas instead of oil, and in addition to adjusting the preload, they also added the ability to adjust the compression.
On the road, this is reflected in a quieter position, especially at high speeds on deep slopes. While Business, in conditions that already border on more unreasonable ones, is a little hesitant and restless at the helm, Sport is completely calm in the same conditions and remains precise.
If the question for a classic motorcycle was whether to choose Business or Sport for a classic motorcycle, the answer would be definitive - hype and sport. But since this is a scooter, then, being somewhere halfway from Kochevye to Dvor (where the road is already well paved in places), I found myself in a dilemma. The business is much softer and more comfortable (with the feeling of stability and security being exactly the same), which is a very good feature in the scooter world. But sport still brings more joy. Not only on open roads, but also on city roundabouts and intersections. Can I have something else, Piaggio?
Novak Osvin / MP3-ish
The ability to ride with a category B exam, safety and ease of use are key features that have brought the world of maxi scooters closer even to those who need much more than just a 50cc scooter. The Piaggio MP3 has reopened the door to more fun, enjoyable yet safer and more relaxed vehicles. The size of 500 cubic meters is just right, and without MP3 it is difficult to imagine everyday life. Business or sport? I'm going straight to the back business.
Basic data
Test model cost: EUR 10.540 (Advanced Sport); 9.799 EUR (Business) €
Technical information
engine: 493 cm3, single cylinder, water-cooled
Power: 32,5 kW (44,2 hp) at 7.750 rpm
Torque: 47,5 Nm at 5.500 rpm
Energy transfer: stepless, variomat, belt
Frame: double cage of steel pipes
brakes: front 2 discs 258 mm, rear 1 disc 240 mm, ABS, ASR traction control
Suspension: front electro-hydraulic axle, two rear gas shock absorbers with adjustable preload and compression
Tires: before 110/70 R13, rear 140/70 R14
Growth: 790 mm
We praise and reproach
driving performance
safety, brakes, stability
utility
B-homology
super sensitive anti-slip system
outdated and meager central information display
exclusive equipment packages
final grade
It's not fair that Piaggio packs some of its accessory products exclusively in the packaging of its choice. Thanks to several possibilities of combination, everyone could "assemble" the perfect set. For example, molluscs in the skin of a wolf with reverse gear. However, I would choose an elegant athlete.
