July 1st, 2010

Product Review: CFMOTO E-CHARM EFI 150cc

And we're back to the CFMOTO vehicle review series. Partsforscooters.com works with Sargents Motorsports out of Portland, Oregon in order to provide product reviews to over 2,000 of our valued wholesale dealers.

Quick background re-cap: Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd. is part of ChunFeng Holding Group. Founded in 1989, ChunFeng (CF for short) started as a small parts company that transitioned into building CB125cc engines in 1996. They built their first CN250, liquid-cooled Honda clone engine in 1997 and started manufacturing scooters and motorcycles shortly after. They experienced quick growth from 2003-2007 due in part to the popular V3/V5 motorcycles and manufacturing a solid OEM engine line. The E-Charm has been their best selling scooter model to date and with Honda manufacturing a very similar scooter (2010 Honda SH150i) they must be doing something right.

I show up at Sargents to a busy showroom and flury of activity. The E-Charm was waiting out front, so I grabbed my helmet and went to inspect the merchandise.

The fit and finish is really good and style of the scooter is the tried and true E-Charm. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and that goes a long way with this scoot. Overall the scooter has a nice blend of balance, form and function. From the the powerful engine, to the big wheels and high tail lights, this scooter has the potential to be around for a long time.

The 2010 E-Charm has a 153cc four-stroke liquid-cooled, single-cylinder 4-valve engine rated at 10.8hp @ 7500 RPM. This engine is being widely used now and can be found on Kymco, Italjet, SYM, the former Malaguti Ciak and many others.

It's fuel injected (EFI) and gas mileage tops out at 75mpg. The 16" aluminum wheels helped this scooter separate itself from other models in its class when it was first released. The wheel and tire size don't disappoint in comfort and control. It's easy to see why it has been a top seller with its universal appeal. It rides on dual rear shocks and the front and rear hydraulic disc brakes makes this scooter capable of handling a multitude of roadway conditions. Tires on the front are 100/80-16 and the rear measure out at 110/80-16. The MSRP is at a very attractive $2, 699.95 and available colors this year are Burgundy, Yellow, Champagne Yellow, Apple Green, Black, Pearl White and Cobalt Blue.

The storage is adequate with just enough room under the seat for a 3/4 helmet. I can't tell everyone enough just how handy the Scooter Seat Storage Pouch we carry is. So far it has fit perfectly under any scooter seat. There is a small storage compartment in the front leg shield large enough to hold and iPhone.

The ride:

The riding position is high because of the bikes ground clearance and the knee position is relatively low. The seat works well for a single rider and can hold a passenger comfortably (for a little while at least). I really like the passenger foot pegs CFMOTO uses with their scooter models. Most fold into the body of the scooter, staying out of sight until needed. Braking is superb and the handling is even better. "Stable" is the word that comes to mind when riding this scooter. If they keep it up the word "dependable" might enter the Chinese scooter market. That's why people buy a Honda isn't it?

Compared to the CFMOTO Glory, the E-Charm is the more sensible choice if there is going to be more than one driver. This scooter has a comfortable feel and most people should be able to ride with confidence. The mirrors aren't the greatest, but they held their own on the ride, so we'll say no more.

The power isn't sacrificed because of the fuel economy and the E-Charm isn't the lightest scooter in the pack either. There's a lot of available power with a broad mid-range and I really liked the torque provided between 45-55 m.p.h.

The gauges are all analog, well placed and large. It has a digital clock placed exactly where it's needed and the speedometer is in m.p.h.

Speed was compared with a g.p.s. during the ride and was as accurate as can be with only 2-3 m.p.h. difference topping out at 55 m.p.h. The 2010 E-Charm 150 EFI has proven itself as a scooter that is here to stay. It's a solid unit that should last for many years if properly maintained. We carry a wide selection of after-market parts and accessories for the CFMOTO E-Charm, so be sure to check out the parts and accessories we have to compliment your vehicle selection.

Bottom line on this bike is easy... it's one of the better made scooters in it's class and has the best sticker price when comparing features and quality. CFMOTO has great customer support and we've heard positive feedback from our dealers on their product. Keep it up guys.

A big thanks to our friends over at Sargents Motorsports for the use of their bikes. They have great customer incentive programs and run a successful repair center. They're always available for dealer to dealer networking and business relationships, so feel free to contact them today!

For all manufacturer and distributor bike review requests please contact marketing@partsforscooters.com.

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On Sale

Partsforscooters.com carries one of the best made lines of batteries in the industry: MotoBatt brand batteries with QuadFlex technology. Get the benefits of a Gel battery without the cost. They're AGM maintenance free and each purchase includes a 2 year free replacement warranty from the date of purchase. Our selection of MotoBatt batteries can fit full-size scooters, mopeds, ATVs, dirt bikes, motorcycles and off-road vehicles. Take 20% off all MOTOBATT Brand Batteries this entire month! Promo Code: 10JULYMOTO

All Xtreme brand Chargers and accessories are On Sale! We carry a full line of these chargers. From solar powered chargers to shop chargers with multiple ports, Partsforscooters.com has it all! They come with a 100% Money Back Guarantee! Check out some of the features they offer:

• Increases Battery life by up to 5 TIMES!
• Connect it and leave it - Safely charges and maintains battery indefinitely
• Properly charges ALL lead-acid batteries - standard, AGM, and Gel types
• Acts like an alternator when vehicle not in use by efficiently charging battery
• Exclusive Pulse Technology removes sulfation to extend battery life - even while connected to motorcycle/vehicle
• Weatherproof design
• High Impact Plastic housing with rubberized base
• Five year manufacturer's warranty

Sale ends July 31st. Promo Code: 10JULYXCHARGE

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New Products

Hoca Brand QMB139 HP Transmission Set

All New After-Market, High Performance Hoca GY6 50 Transmission Kits for QMB139 engines have arrived. It's part # 169-197 and comes as a complete upgrade. Kit's such as these allow both the dealer to better explain and the customer to better understand the internal workings of the engine and the performance parts installation process. Grab One Today!

Hoca Brand GY6 Cylinder Gasket Sets

Hoca big bore cylinder gasket sets for GY6 based engines in both 61mm and 63mm sizes. Part # 169-198 for the 63mm set and part # 169-199 for the 61mm size. Stock up today for the all the over-heated and blown top-ends coming in mid-summer.

90cc 2-stroke Piston Set

90cc, 2-stroke Piston Kit for Minarelli 1E50QMF Jog engines. Why pay OEM prices? You can get the same piston sets for half the cost from us. It's part # 161-210 and available in the 50cc and 90cc 2-stroke Minarelli Engine Parts Category on our site. Specifications:

• Piston Diameter: 50mm
• Piston Overall Height: 60mm
• Piston Compression Height: 33mm
• Piston Pin Diameter: 12mm
• Piston Pin Length: 40mm
• Includes piston, pin, rings and cir clips

Hoca Brand Minarelli 90cc Piston Kits

Hoca 53mm and 54mm Piston Kits for 90cc 2-stroke 50QMF, E50QMF, 1E50QMF and 1PE50QMF Minarelli engines. These come with everything needed to replace a piston. Piston, rings, pin and clips ready to go. It's part # 169-195 for the 53mm and part # 169-196 for the 54mm set.

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Featured Items

We have a ton of stuff going on this summer and PFS is all about being social. Check out our blog, visit our Facebook page for even more online promotions or give us a tweet because we enjoy hearing from you. Take a look at our Drop Ship and Affiliate Programs as well to see how it can help expand your customer base and provide direct support. We manage these programs 100% in house and they can be customized to help fit your business and website needs.

Company News

Partsforscooters.com offers Free Shipping (via UPS Ground) on all orders over $99.00 shipped within the continental U.S. For complete information please visit our shipping page.

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Interesting Facts

*John Duckworth (UK) traveled 2,662.8 km (1654.6 miles) around mainland UK on a Horizon Mayan electric mobility scooter between June 20th and July 27th, 2004, finishing in Hincaster, Cumbria, UK.

*Josh and Anna Hogan (USA) covered 27,141 km (16,865 miles) on two 450cc ATVs from August 24th, 2007 to March 27th, 2008. They started in Mombassa, Kenya and finished in Elche, Spain, passing through 17 countries in the process.

*The record for the largest parade of mopeds is 674 and was achieved on an event organized by De Bromvliegers between Veghel and Zijtaart in The Netherlands, on August 14th, 2005.

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