Peugeot ordered to stop selling Metropolis

[MrGrumpy]

Interesting article - it seems that Peugoet have been deemed to be copying Piaggio's MP3 technology too closely.
https://www.visordown.com/news/industry ... -wages-war

Great for Piaggio, bad for consumer choice IMHO. No mention of the Yamaha Tricity / Niken, presumably they use a different system.

[roadster]

This is surprising and something which could probably only happen in Italy. When the Peugeot came out I had a very close look at in the showroom because I had an MP3 at the time. I thought the tilting mechanism and suspension was significantly different so I suppose the dispute is about the concept if that's possible. Its strange that if you have the financial resources to defend it you can patent an idea even when in has no physical existence. Disputes over things like data compression algorithms have dragged on for decades in America and no doubt made some lawyers very rich.

[Data]

Indeed Piaggio has sued Yamaha too. There's quite a bit about it in the mc press.

[MrGrumpy]

Indeed Piaggio has sued Yamaha too. There's quite a bit about it in the mc press.

Interesting. From what little I know about the Yamaha system (the Niken and Tricity being similar but different), it seems quite different to the Piaggio design, the Yamaha having these twin 'forks' on each side. Rumours are that Kawasaki are getting in the 3 wheel act, with some very strange looking 3 wheel superbike!

[StephenC]

I'm sort of glad. The emphasis on the Metropolis seemed to pretty much kill development of Peugeots over 125cc.

But given how closely Piaggio and Peugeot worked together on maxis (Satelis had a lot of X8/X9 under it) I am surprised Peugeot didn't properly licence what they were doing with the tripods.

[MrGrumpy]

Well, I guess its rather more arguable than you might think as to how similar or different technologies are. It depends on how broad / vague Piaggio's patents are, and Peugeot may well have genuinely believed that their system was distinctly different enough not to infringe Piaggio's patents. If Piaggio are also pursuing Yamaha, who use what appears - to a non-expert like me - to use something very different, may indicate that Piaggio's patent is very broad, and may effectively encompass any leaning 3 wheeler. If so, it strikes me as somewhat uncompetitive behaviour, not in the consumer's interest, though of course Piaggio are due their reward for their very innovative original idea.

[Data]

It seems to me that Piaggio have tried to "patent" the 3 wheel concept, as well as the actual technology. This is why they have gone after Yamaha and they will go after anyone else using a similar three wheeled design. Bonkers if you ask me and totally against good business practice. Although I confess to not reading the whole judgement, others who have are telling me this is what they believe has happened. I didn't know you could patent a particular concept of design in that way, although of course Ford did this with there quick clear front windscreen which effectively killed the market for this life saving device for the rest of us.