2023 Piaggio MP3 530 HPE Exclusive first look

First shown in 2006, the MP3 is named for its three-wheeled design that is intended to increase front end grip and stability, especially in foul weather. More than 230,000 MP3s have been sold since the line’s introduction. The trikes are especially popular in some European countries that only require a car driver’s license for legal road use. While the previous two generations of MP3s haven’t exactly been sales successes in the United States, they’ve have achieved a kind of cult status among enthusiasts here, and Piaggio's approach in recent years has been to offer only its nicest model for U.S. customers. We don't expect to see the MP3 400 HPE or MP3 HPE 400 Sport models that debuted alongside the 530.

At a glance, changes to the MP3’s styling give a sharper, more modern look. Piaggio says the design is meant to look more automotive: broader bodywork across the front for greater protection, full LED lighting with DRLs, and turn signals integrated into the bodywork in place of the last gen's stalk lights. The tail also has a distinctly car-like appearance. A seven-inch TFT display occupies the dash. Piaggio’s MIA app connects the rider’s smartphone for standard fare like navigation, music, and phone calls on the road. The underseat storage area opens electronically and holds two full-face helmets. 

It hardly bears mentioning that “the world’s safest scooter” has combined braking, ABS, and ASR (Piaggio’s traction control). The lineup’s biggest tech advancement is MP3 530 Exclusive's new Advanced Rider Aid System (ARAS) with sensors to detect nearby vehicles. Warnings are shown on the dash if another vehicle slips into the Exclusive’s blind spots. Another function called the Lane Change Decision Aid System (LCDAS) watches for traffic behind the trike up to 100 to 115 feet. If another vehicle is rapidly approaching from behind, a warning from the sensors could give the rider valuable time to choose the safest lane position. The bike includes cruise control, three ride modes (Comfort, Eco, and Sport), reverse gear and even a backup camera.

All that tech, front wheel grip, and luxury come with a major downside. The MP3 530 HPE Exclusive weighs a gargantuan 617 pounds (wet, claimed). That's over 50 pounds more than an BMW R 1250 GS weighed on RevZilla's scales! It seems that, in the effort to make the MP3 seem more automotive, Piaggio may have flown a bit too close to the sun. But with the MP3's new tech and the disappearance of the short-lived Yamaha Niken, Piaggio is the undisputed ruler in the leaning reverse trike world once again.

The new MP3 models will be released in Europe first, where preorders are already open. As Piaggio only offered the top-of-the-range MP3 500 Sport Advanced in the United States with the last generation, it's likely that we will only receive the MP3 530 Exclusive. This supertrike retails for a bit under $14,000 in Europe, and is available in Blu Oxygen Matt, Grigio Titanio, Grigio Cloud Matt, and Nero Meteora.