MP3 marketing, and good news

Just as I was about to post a contest to unofficially name the Piaggio MP3 for the American market, POC Phil posted a comment to the last post that shed some light on the MP3 marketing story:

We received our packet on the MP3 yesterday.
UP – They include a 2 minute DVD
Down – They visually compare the MP3 to several wild animals, Guh-hay.
UP – They actually show it doing a respectable stoppie.
Down – They are OFFICIALLY calling it the MP3.
Up – They’re putting a lot of energy into this launch.
Down – They won’t be available at your local dealership until mid/late March.
Up – They originally told us $7299 – They’ve dropped it to $6999
Down – The few MP3’s already here are being loaned around to press gigs, motorcycle shows etc. Not scooter rallies…yet.
Up – I am personally buying one and I will be riding it to everything.
Down – 3 times the chance of picking up a nail.
Up – Givi already makes a windshield for it…can the saddlebags and trailer be far behind?

So it will be called the MP3, a sorta-cruddy name, but at least consistent worldwide. The news that it will be less expensive than originally thought is certainly good, and perhaps the marketing campaign will be substantial and impressive. Good news, Phil, thanks. Phil (in another thread) also reiterates our argument that the extra wheel is there for better handling, not for balance:

Regarding the Mp3 article….�the scooter that won’t topple over�… I LOVE IT… it’s exactly these type of ads that will keep me in the clover fixing damaged MP3s. Yes, it will topple over, quite easily in fact. Just forget to press the yellow button and your ass is going down, and it’s a lot harder/heavier to deal with.

Exactly. It’s less likely to fishtail or flip at speed, but that extra wheel isn’t going to help you balance the bike or stop at a light without putting your feet down. I guess parking would be easier (locking the wheels while it’s upright, rather than pushing it onto a centerstand), but it’s not a tricycle. Which is a good thing.