Comparison test: HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition and HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition EK
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Comparison test: HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition and HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition EK

26.05.2022 /

Last winter, my colleague Matevzh tested the prototype, which was still at the stage of development when it was necessary to be ready for something unpredictable. “Be careful, maybe the motorcycle can go crazy,” is the order of Boris Pfeifer, an inventor from Primorsk, for whom motorcycles are a great passion. Well, now the story is different. The product has passed all the tests and meets the strict criteria set by HM - in fact, it is a Honda extended life in Italy. So the story got its meaning and today you can also order such a motorcycle. The Supermoto costs a thousand more than the classic AM50-branded 6cc Minarelli engine and is used by most European manufacturers that have supermoto or enduro mopeds in their sales program.

The proliferation of this motor also prompted Pfeiffer to develop his electric drive concept for this particular motor. The revolutionary idea is based on the fact that everything, except the thermal part of the engine, remains unchanged. So the look is pretty much the same. Instead of gasoline, there are LiPOFe4 batteries in the tank, which are by far the best the industry has to offer, but the real issue lies between the legs. The electric version has the same gearbox. A similar concept is currently being developed at Yamaha, and after unveiling the concept line at the Tokyo Auto Show, they seem to be thinking the same way as Pfeifer.

Comparison test: HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition and HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition EK

And how does it work in the city, in real life, when, say, you need to go to school or after work around the house?

Marvelous! Actually, it's a little shocking. The engine pulls very flexibly and decisively, well ahead of the petrol version. Speed ​​is of course limited to the legal 45 km/h, but a concrete comparison has shown that electricity has a big advantage when accelerating from one traffic light to another. But the biggest surprise was that with the HM you can move off in sixth gear! Otherwise, in this case, you will drain the battery faster, but it is still a real shock for a motorcyclist who is used to starting in first gear. The essence of this concept, when compared to electric motorcycles that do not have a gearbox, is that you can adjust the driving style and autonomy using the gearbox. On a single charge, the city covers 75 kilometers (measured and certified), and outside the city, where the speed is constantly increasing, 50 kilometers. The big advantage is also that the moped is not afraid to go down a steeper slope.

We also like that everything else "fits" like a real bike. So, brakes, clutch, suspension, seats, sensors - everything is here and as it should be, and as a motorcyclist is used to. The disadvantage of the electric version compared to the petrol version is that it feels a higher center of gravity, which makes the moped a bit more manageable. This comes at the expense of a battery in the fuel tank, and more weight is felt most when twisting hard.

Comparison test: HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition and HM CRM 50 Derapage Competition EK

Even otherwise, the electric HM is heavier, weighing 108 kilograms, while the petrol scales show 93,6 kilograms without fuel. Another drawback is charging. If we compare a stop at a gas station where you fill up your fuel tank in a few minutes, the electric version requires a lot more time and planning. Eighty percent of the battery is charged in three hours and 100 percent in six hours. There is still some margin of efficiency, one more is in the gearbox with less friction. Thus, Pfeifer develops a transmission with ceramic gears that allow the use of oil with a lower viscosity grade.

Would you accept it? Of course, the final impression is very positive, and if such a concept can one day be carried over to larger motorcycles, it will still be very exciting to ride electric.

Text: Petr Kavčič, photo: Saša Kapetanovič

Honda HM CRM 50 Derpage Competition EK

  • Basic data

    Test model cost: 5.390 €

  • Technical information

    engine: electric motor, LiPOFe4 battery 40 Ah, 48 V

    Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain

    Frame: aluminum

    brakes: front disc Ø 290 mm, 4-piston brake caliper, rear disc Ø 220 mm, single-piston brake caliper.

    Suspension: front adjustable telescopic fork USD Ø 41 mm, rear single adjustable shock absorber

    Tires: 120/70-ZR17, 160/60-ZR17, 100/80-ZR17, 130/70-ZR17

    Growth: 902 mm

    Fuel tank: LiPOFe4 battery

    Wheelbase: 1.432 mm

    Weight: 108 kg

Honda HM CRM 50 Skid Competition

  • Basic data

    Sales: Motocentr As Domžale

    Test model cost: 4.390 €

  • Technical information

    engine: single-cylinder, two-stroke, liquid-cooled, 49,7 cm3, carburetor

    Energy transfer: Transmission 6-speed, chain.

    Frame: aluminum

    brakes: front disc Ø 290 mm, 4-piston brake caliper, rear disc Ø 220 mm, single-piston brake caliper

    Suspension: front adjustable telescopic fork USD Ø 41 mm, rear single adjustable shock absorber.

    Tires: 120/70-ZR17, 160/60-ZR17, 100/80-ZR17, 130/70-ZR17

    Growth: 902 mm

    Fuel tank: 6

    Wheelbase: 1.432 mm

    Weight: 108 kg

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