The ride down is revealing as I'm on the throttle, plunging down the steep road, braking hard to scrub speed, flicking right, leaning deeply, and rolling-on past the apex to pursue the leading Moto Guzzi. In games of "cat and Guzzi," confidence is key - in your abilities and in your machine. Today, I'm astride Piaggio's latest, a scooter with one big trick up its sleeve: a third wheel that provides one more contact patch, one more disc brake, and one more reason to lean into that next turn with confidence. Piaggio hopes to catch the eye of new and seasoned riders alike with this three-wheeler (called the MP3 in Europe but, as of this writing, without a final U.S. name). Piaggio believes that three wheels will offer a sense of stability to those people curious about scooters but uncertain about their own ability to keep one upright. If the reaction at the press launch in San Antonio and the online buzz that it has created are any indication, they may be onto something.

Style
The buzz starts with the look, which is one part maxi scooter and two parts European subcompact. Twin headlights stand guard from atop an inverted trapezoidal grill, as black-edged fenders incorporating the turn signals arch over the front tires. The look flows to the rear in a series of taut, tensioned surfaces, terminating in a curt trunk that incorporates a pair of integrated taillights and passenger grab handles. The trunk is one way to gain access to an underseat storage area that's large enough for a laptop bag, a full-face helmet, or a couple of half helmets. Like the original Vespa and the iPod, the scooter has an approachable chic aesthetic.

Specs
In a departure from other three-wheeled scooters (remember the Honda Gyro?), Piaggio designers placed two wheels at the front and one in the rear. Unlike the more common Gold Wing and cruiser trikes, this model counter-steers into turns like a two-wheeled vehicle.
The front end consists of twin 120/70 12" front wheels, each with a 240mm disc brake. Each wheel is attached to a leading link, single-sided front fork, in turn attached to cast-aluminum control arms (similar to the suspension arms of an open-wheeled racecar). The control arms meet via pin and ball bearings at the steering axis. This entire system provides 3.35 inches of travel and a lean angle of 40 degrees. Think about it this way: stand with your arms at your side and imagine holding a 12" wheel in each hand. Now grow a handlebar mustache. If you were a scooter, your arms would be the forks, your shoulders the control arms, your neck the steering axis, and your handlebar mustache the handlebar. Place your hands on a table (representing the road) and rock left and right. Now you're leaning - and learning!