Piaggio reviews

I got the BV 250 a week and a half ago. Road it in the rain, in the cold, in the warm sunshine, and it's wonderful! First gas refill revealed 75 MPG, but we live in a very hilly area. My guess is that will improve as the engine breaks in. It's a little high for me, at 5'2, but I can reach the road on tip-toes. It's still shorter than my last 'bike' (an old Suzuki GT 250 that I had to lean over to touch the road). LOVE that it's an automatic. It pulls out right away, which we weren't expecting, even when my husband (230 lbs.) road it with me on the back to go practice at the church parking lot on the first day. It wants to go 50 - 55, so I have to watch the speedometer to make sure I'm within limits. didn't think I would be so happy with it. We were just buying it for the gas mileage, but have found the trunk light, the theft deterrent coded keys, the glove box, etc. to be added luxuries that make us both very happy with it. Show less

I have owned 3 scooters in the past 2 years, starting with a Korean 50 cc 2-stroke, then up to the Piaggio Fly 150 (which I loved) and finally the BV 250. In my opinion, the BV 250 is a fabulous machine. I particularly like the 16 inch wheels, because our Quebec roads are notorious for potholes, and I consider this to be a major safety hazard for 12 inch wheels. The styling is beautiful. I've tried 400-500 cc scoots like the Yamaha and the Piaggio X9, but in my view the BV 250 is the best of the lot. Only one small complaint - lack of storage space. But my topcase takes care of that. I'm 74 years old, and I do all my shopping/local travel on this machine. At 80 mpg, why not? My minivan sits in the driveway waiting, as lonely as the Maytag repairman. I drive the scoot 10 months of the year. With machines like the 250, why do we need an energy crisis? I've tried it on the freeways with my wife as a passenger. No sweat to get it to roll at 70 MPH, but I find the buffeting from 18 wheelers a little unsettling, so I stick to secondary roads. Show less

Great scooter, comfortable, fast, steady on hwy and very manuverable, very balanced. Best investment I made. Show less

I had owned a smaller(125cc) scooter before the X9 and fell in love with the concept. But I felt the power was low and the balance did not fit me. I decided an upgrade was in order. The X9 fit the bill. It handles very well on stop and go secondary roads, while getting 45-52 mpg. It is solid on freeway at speed, and has enough left to pass semis decisively. It gets 60-65 mpg on the freeway. My wife and I have taken several enjoyable 2 hour trips. It seems unaffected by weather extremes, reliably turning over in temps from 25-100 F. The only times I use my four wheeler is when there is ice on the road or when cargo/dogs need to be carried. I give the X9 two thumbs up! Show less

I've had 22 bikes (everything from full-dress touring to sport-touring to cruisers to retro to 'nakeds'), and I have to say this is among the very best, if not THE best. Easy to maneuver around town and yet very adequate on the highway. Good acceleration. Outstanding comfort & wind protection. Stylish looks. Can park for free on sidewalks. Optional saddlebags & topcase, when combined with glove compartment, underseat storage, & bag holder swallow as much gear as my former Goldwing. Good on gas (4L/100km or about 70mpg). Did I mention comfortable? No heat onto rider from engine (a blessing in hot weather). Strong brakes are a bit stiff at the lever and difficult to modulate. Givi windscreen is awesome for total wind protection with very little buffetting, but you need to take it off in really hot weather or you'll cook with so little breeze. This bike is easy to overlook among 'real bikers' but that's a shame because it has a lot to offer. Works just as well 2-up as solo. Passengers enjoy the wide plush backrest on the optional topcase. Crashed the bike this past weekend (sand on pavement - went down at high speed). Bike was still running when we found it in the bushes/ditch. Surprisingly little damage, considering the impact (saddlebags were not broken; fairing was cracked but all lights still functional even though scraped). This is clearly a tougher bike than I had imagined! Design also allowed me to fall clear of the bike without getting impailed by the handlebars or riding up over the tank, as might have been the case on a conventional motorcycle. Impressive. Show less

I traded my 2005 Piaggio BV200 for this Piaggio BV500 and it was the greatest deal I have ever made. There is no comparison between these machines. The 500 is a tad longer but handling characeristics are exactly the same. I love it. Show less

What can I say? The wife and I rode over to San Francisco today from Oakland. The ride on the bridge was fine. I'm seeing more of the BV's on the road. More of the BV500cc though. But the 250cc are just great. If you are going to do a lot of freeway, (distance) and you're a big person, not height, the BV500 may work for you better. The BV250 is fine, believe me. I ride with the wife on the back as much as possible, it's good times. With the adjustable rear springs, just two clicks up and we are good to go. So far I have know regrets about the BV250. PS. Wife really injoys the riding with me. She is now thinking really hard about her own. We looked at the Piaggio MP3. Show less

I recently purchased my Fly 150 to add to my collection of scoots. I find that the Fly is very nimble and quick from the start. Getting around Annapolis MD during tourist season is very difficult in a car, with the bad out of state drivers it's good to be able to pull out of the way as fast as possible. I have no problem doing this with my Fly 150. If you're looking for something as sexy as a Vespa, don't bother with this scoot. I would recommend this scoot to anyone that is interested in a fast, nimble and comfortable ride at a lower price point that a Vespa. Show less

My wife just purchased this bike last week and we already have over 500 miles on it. Took it on a long ride in the country and it performed well in all conditions...open road 65+ mph, high speed twisties, rolling hills and even gravel roads! My wife rode a motorcycle for several years, but gave it up after a couple of low speed spills. She was always looking for something more stable and the MP3 is definitely the answer. This bike won't break any land speed records, but that's not what it was built to do. Its main attributes are the incredibly stable agility, powerful braking ability and smooth ride. I find the bike a bit tight (5ft 11in w/34in inseam), but I like to stretch out on my Burgman 650 or even my other Vespa GT200. The dealer even cut us a deal for being the first MP3 sale ... knocked off $. Make sure to contact your insurance company before buying, Progressive gave me all kinds of flack and almost wouldn't cover the bike. Enjoy the ride! Show less

I've had my motorcycle license for 2 years and rode a borrowed BMW Airhead the first summer. I was not able to ride last year due to health reasons. I thought my dreams of riding again were over until we saw the MP3!! I feel confident on this stable ride to keep up with the rest of my BMW riding in-laws! The design is very well thought out and they paid close attention to the details. I've almost been the cause of many near accidents as people turkey-neck and double-take as they admire the ride and ask, 'What is that?' 'I've never seen anything like that before!' They shake their head in amazement as I demonstrate how the front wheels can be locked to hold the bike and ride up. Then they stand there and wait for me to take off so they can watch how it corners! This has become my daily ride to work. First, because it's so much fun to ride. Second, because of gas prices. But mostly because it's so much fun. You can fit 4-6 bags of groceries in the back storage compartment - great for on the way home from work to pick up dinner. My husband opts to ride my MP3 over his 1990 BMW K75 because it's so much fun to ride. I love the curvy roads on this ride! Downside: I rode on the back one day while my husband drove - the seat is comfortable, the grips are in a great location and adequately sized - however, there's not much room for your feet! My heels can fit in the designated area, but the front half of my foot was getting in the way of the driver on take-offs and they were just hang'n out there in the air. Would love to see the 500 cc in the US! The 250cc has good speed for in-town driving and short interstate rides. Top speed is advertised as 80, but on a real windy spring day, you top out at 70. Show less