Consumer Reports blasts the MP3

Mike Leung of Consumer Reports did a post on his blog about the MP3 and ignorantly tore it apart. 

 

Leung states "I still feel less confident riding [the MP3] than a motorcycle. Plus it is less comfortable, agile, and entertaining than a motorcycle..."  

 

Well, it isn't a motorcycle.  Perhaps that's why it seems different.  I would argue that a scooter...even a hoss like the MP3 is just as agile or more agile than a motorcycle.  And since we're in the habit of comparing apples to oranges today, I think a maxi scooter like the MP3 (or my Yamaha Majesty) blows a motorcycle out of the water in entertainment value.

 

Mr. Leung goes on to say "I found riding on local roads more aggravating due to the constant need to shuffle forward to get my feet on the ground. This is all very different than the Can-Am Spyder, which supported itself fully all the time and even had a reverse gear."

 

So he starts by apples to oranges, and now its apples to bowling balls?  This can't be something that is actually connected with Consumer Reports, can it??  Mike admits he is a shorter fellow.  Perhaps his discomfort and lack of satisfaction would be the same with a unicycle or a 4X4 monster truck?  I man comfortable on a cruiser might not be comfortable on a sport bike either, so it make most of his observations mainly ridiculous.  And please everyone...let's just not compare the Spyder (which is more like a open-top, one-seater car than a scooter) to anything like a scooter.  Its not.  There is no step-through design on the Spyder.  It is monsterous in size.  And there is a reason it has a reverse gear...because all cars need a reverse gear.  

 

"...it still wasn't nearly as fun or reassuring as being on a motorcycle."

 

For Leung, this is true.  I know many who ride MP3's that would argue this point with him.

 

"On our test track, I found the center stand scraped on the ground when leaning, making me nervous each time I heard it."

 

Oh for Pete's sake.  Let's complain about wind noise, no air conditioning, or no revers....oh wait.  He already did that.  The problem here is that Consumer Reports chose the wrong guy to evaluate this machine.  It sounds like he made up his mind before, and that was based primarily on the discomfort associated with his inseam.

 

His full idiotic article is located at:  http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/12/one-more-ride-piaggio-mp3-scooter.html

 

One last thing: Mike, you should practice ATGATT. Kahkis won't help you in a 'test track' accident.