Will Piaggio meet the Honda Neowing challenge?

[canuguzzi]

When the first flying motorbike hits the market none of this will matter anyway . No more silly tire threads either 

  Dusty

Instead we'll have propeller pitch threads and what do you do when the battery goes dead at 1500 feet.

[oldbike54]

Instead we'll have propeller pitch threads and what do you do when the battery goes dead at 1500 feet.

 Nope , antigrav and cold fusion will be so common those issues will be nonexistent 

  Dusty

[ITSec]

Nope , antigrav and cold fusion will be so common those issues will be nonexistent 

  Dusty

But Dusty - cold fusion requires dilithium crystals, and we all saw how much the Enterprise had to go through to get those!

[oldbike54]

But Dusty - cold fusion requires dilithium crystals, and we all saw how much the Enterprise had to go through to get those!

 Can't it be accomplished with cabbage 

  Dusty

[Testarossa]

This, or something like it, may be the future of commuting. It may be where Can-Am ends up, complete with air bags and hybrid power:


And this is apparently a Yamaha/Toyota project, with what looks like a plug-in electric drive -- a city car I understand:

[Arizona Wayne]

Part of the reason MP3s are so popular in France and England is because in those 2 countries if they have a wider front tire track(they do) than the MP3s we get the riders over there can legally ride them with their car driver's license like Calif. drivers can ride MP3s here. In other words, the riders over there don't need to go thru the hassle of getting a MC/scooter license which is much more costly and time consuming than here in the US.   So those MP3ers are like many of the CanAm riders here who are really coming from being car divers prior.  Piaggio sells more MP3s in France than in any other country.

[canuguzzi]

Sure but the designs are evolving. The Honda leans like motorcycle and could easily be set up for two up cross country touring or sport touring the less traveled roads.

Other than the Piaggio, the other three wheelers ride flat around turns. When you bring in the leaning part that attracts a whole new buyer, the one that might buy a bike but wants something different.

Once you get leaning in turns, while you're riding what big difference is there? Probably not much. Its the added comfort and ease of riding that is the bonus. Fully loaded with passenger at stops, nothing, you just stop. Park it?/while they take up more space, you can usually find it and you just pull in.

The bike riders that squeeze in between cars to park are the same ones that come out and have to pick it up or straighten things out that got bent.

Because people don't buy a bike but instead get a three wheeler doesn't mean they can't buy a bike and if three wheelers were not available, they might get a bike or scooter.

Piaggio could do something more with the MP3. From my understanding they are a blast to ride. A decent market for them exists.

As for the driver license issue, if you live in California, the minute you get to Oregon you need a motorcycle license. Same for a lot of other states. Once you leave your state, you need to be properly licensed to drive whatever you're driving in that state. Its like RVs, you can drive a 45'DP with a regular driver license in some states. In California you need another class of license and they will give you a ticket if caught.

[Shorty]

They could sell the shit outta those MP3 thingies. All they need to do is make them look more like 57 Chevies, or Willies coupes, and punch a hole in the muffler. Oh, and take Piaggio off the name plate and put "BIG DONGUS" on....

[oldbike54]

... Or just make them fly Shorty ...

  Dusty

[canuguzzi]

HDs trike is the 4th best selling model of their entire line.

As for Piaggio

www.gizmag.com/yamaha-tricity-three-wheeler-tilting/31370/pictures#12

Scroll down, worth the look.

[rocker59]

A few sales? You simply don't know what you're talking about. Did you not see the above list of most popular sales in France? That is just one country.

If trike sales are a few, then MG sales are a breath away from death. Yeah, the comparison is valid. If trikes are a niche then what does that make the bikes selling less than that, a hobby business?

Just because you can't see a trend doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Someone said about computers what you say about trikes.

I still don't understand WTF Guzzi sales and Trike sales have to do with each other. 

Guzzi is nothing.  Its a spec on the graph.  .1% of the USA market.  And you know what?  Many of us appreciate that fact.

I see the trike trends.  And, I interpret the trend differently from you. Trikes are growing.  They're a power sports niche.  They are not taking anything away from motorcycle sales, but are adding non-traditional customers to road-legal cycle sports.  The 1-2 trikes like the Tri-Glide and custom Goldwings will soon peak out and fade, along with the baby-boomers who buy them.  The 2-1 trikes will continue to grow because of their broad demographic.

And Guzzi will remain Guzzi.  And we Guzzisti will continue to ride them, and appreciate them for what they are.  And the Expat Honda riders will go back to Honda, or take up Trikes.  And the world will be well.  And good.  And we will ride our Guzzis, and we will be well and good. 

[Arizona Wayne]

As for the driver license issue, if you live in California, the minute you get to Oregon you need a motorcycle license. Same for a lot of other states. Once you leave your state, you need to be properly licensed to drive whatever you're driving in that state. Its like RVs, you can drive a 45'DP with a regular driver license in some states. In California you need another class of license and they will give you a ticket if caught.
[/quote]



You are so full of BS here!  If you have a legal DL from your state of residence it's good in any other state.   True, if you live in another state and own a MP3 you have to meet that state's DL requirements, but that's it.  RVs & MP3s are completely different vehicles.  In fact in Calif. you can ride a sidecar rig or trike w/o a MC license.  To say you will get busted doing that in another state is ignorant unless you move to that state.   

[oldbike54]

 Yeah , not sure where that driver's license idea comes from ? My Oklahoma license is good in NY or Ca. Maybe some fact checking is in order here . The only thing California requires is a green sticker on off road MC's brought in from out of state for temporary use . My MC license is still valid .

  Dusty

[Murray]

Piaggio already has the concept down pat. Larger engines they have from lots of sources and with a lot of selections available.

Honda is starting from scratch so Piaggio is way ahead until Honda releases.

You don't think Honda ran down the the local dealer and snapped an MP3 up as soon as it became available?

[jas67]

When the first flying motorbike hits the market none of this will matter anyway . No more silly tire threads either 

  Dusty

False!    Airplanes have tires....  you still gotta take off and land!   

[jas67]

I have a Slingshot and a piaggio MP3 250 ie in addition to my Cal II and R1150R. I can't speak for markets or niches but, If someone made a "scooter" with a 750cc engine that maneuvers as well as my MP3...I would trade all by bikes in

How's this?
http://www.gizmag.com/yamahas-850cc-sports-three-wheeler-mwt-9/40092/

115 HP 850cc Triple.

[oldbike54]

False!    Airplanes have tires....  you still gotta take off and land!   

 You missed the anti-grav function , no need for tires . Keep up Jason 

  Dusty

[George_S]

All states allow what is referred to as touring privileges. If you are legal in your home state, you can drive at that age, or under that license or class of license in another state. Say you are licensed to drive a farm registered pickup truck in one state at 14 yrs of age, you can drive that truck into another state that may not have that class of license and that may require their own residents to be at least 17 yrs of age for any type of driver's license.

[rocker59]

Yep.  Reciprocity.

[hooah54]

We were all lured into the false prophecies of the Jetsons

[Arizona Wayne]

We were all lured into the false prophecies of the Jetsons

You were. 

[Kentktk]

Instead we'll have propeller pitch threads and what do you do when the battery goes dead at 1500 feet.

Piston airplanes use magnetos, so if the battery goes dead you don`t have to do anything, except keep flying

[LaMojo]

Piston airplanes use magnetos, so if the battery goes dead you don`t have to do anything, except keep flying

But the radio quits.  Had that happen to me on approach once. 

[jas67]

But the radio quits.  Had that happen to me on approach once.

I thought I lost the radio on approach one time.   As it turns out, the mic switch stuck.     So, I, of course, couldn't here the tower, but, they could here everything that I and my passenger said, including, "I didn't get clearance to land, so, I guess, I'll abort the approach."     I flew away from the airport figured out the problem, and then contacted approach control, got clearance and landed.     I had to call the tower once I was on the ground to explain.

[hooah54]

Arizona Wayne...you need an enema

[Penderic]

Personal Urban Transport!


Bi ped powered, Quadra Peds ... all robots that can haul ass!

 

[Kentktk]

But the radio quits.  Had that happen to me on approach once.

 
It does, but it`s not going to make you crash