Kymco Movie 50

Summary
The Movie 150 certainly looks to be a capable scooter. It boasts ample power, robust braking and nice suspension components.
Pros
Disc brakes front and rear
Dual rear shocks
Small touches (LED tail light, Gauges)
Cons
No fuel injection
Higher MSRP
3.7

KYMCO MOVIE 150

The Movie 150 first entered the North American market as a member of Kymco’s 2013 scooter lineup in both Canada and the USA. It slotted in as Kymco’s premium offering in the 150cc segment. It remained on sale in the USA (through 2014) before being discontinued, while in Canada it lasted a year longer.

With the Movie, Kymco was well represented in the midsized (125-170cc) sports scooter class with their Super 8 150 and Agility 125 (USA only) slotted in beneath the Movie 150 as lower cost options. The Movie 150 justifies it’s higher MSRP with the inclusion of some neat features like a new high output motor, front and rear disc brakes, plus a beefy dual shock rear suspension that is well suited for heavier riders.

Kymco’s ‘Movie’ name for this scooter may strike North Americans as being bit unusual. Indeed it is quite unique for a scooter name. Kymco’s model names are created by their global operations in Taiwan, where apparently film related monikers hold a little more panache. Since name changes for overseas markets don’t happen very often, the Movie name stays. Kymco has changed a few names (ie. the Grandvista was called the ‘Grand Dink’ overseas), but normally they leave them unchanged. If nothing else, it makes shopping for parts on international websites easier.

In Asian markets, the Movie nameplate has been in use for a while, with the current generation debuting for 2010. The Movie 150 also goes by ‘Racing 150’ in some locales.

Styling

The Movie 150 does a nice job of taking sporty styling and added a more mature element to it. It’s less sporty than the Super 8, with a design that will appeal to buyers of all ages. The only negative some will find with the styling is that it’s fairly safe. Kymco hasn’t broken new ground here like they have with their unique and beautiful People GT.

While the overall look may be nothing radical, the details are quite nice on the Movie. The rear tail light utilizes LEDs and crisp edges to give it a nice look and the gauges are really nice. The combination of a digital speedometer and analog tachometer works really well. Kymco has also paid close to smaller details like the ignition switch and gas filler cap to give them a higher end feel.

Overseas (top photo), the twin clear lights on the handlebar act as the front blinkers (made possible by orange bulbs), but in America (below) these signals don’t meet DOT requirements, so Kymco had instead slipped two small orange blinkers beneath the handlebars. The situation is the same in the rear, where small external blinkers have been added (often not shown).

Engine

Motiving the Movie 150 is a new 149cc 4-stroke motor putting out 13.5 HP. This particular mill is a standard concept (air-cooled, carburated) except for the nice 4-valve head which boosts power and milage up a notch. This engine is a new design from Kymco and thus isn’t shared with any of their other mid-sized models. While the fuel sipping ways of a fuel injected engine would be nice (and this is standard overseas), the Movie is capable of around 70mpg in real world use, which is not a lot of fuel considering it puts out a healthy 13.5 horsepower.

Vespa’s 150cc scooters feel peppy with 12.0 horsepower and Honda’s PCX 150 cruises at 65 mph with its 13.0 ponies, so the specs indicate the Movie 150 should be quite a performer. The actual performance is good, with crisp acceleration but no top speed advantage due to a redline at 65 mph. Bigger riders interested in a mid-sized scooter may want to pay close attention.

Brakes / Suspension / Handling

The Movie continues to cater bigger riders and/or the performance oriented scooterist with the braking and suspension hardware. Dual shocks are utilized in the rear to add stiffness and strength to the rear end, which is something heavier riders will find to be a refreshing change from the single rear shocks used on many mid-sized scooters.

Stopping the Movie is handled by a large dual piston disc brake in the front and a smaller disc stopper in the rear. The employment of a rear disc brake is not common in the mid-sized scooter class, but with the power and suspension capabilities of the Movie, a proper rear brake fits in well and makes this scooter quite a capable all around machine.

Storage & Convenience

In addition to the reasonably sized under seat storage space, the Movie will accommodate further possessions in its leg shield located storage bin. This open topped area can by useful to quickly stashing items, but it’s less useful than an enclosed glovebox where unattended items can be left.

Unlike its fuel injected counterparts overseas, the North American market Movie 150 boasts a kickstarter in addition to the electric start. This is a handy backup that will surely prove it’s worth someday.

The instrumentation includes the usual suspects: speedometer, odometer, clock and fuel gauge. Unlike some other makers Kymco normally equips their scooters with a clock which can be quite handy when you’re on a tight schedule and don’t want to pull out your phone or wrist watch while riding.

Comparison

The Movie 150 certainly looks to be a capable scooter. It boasts ample power, robust braking and nice suspension components. As such, buyers won’t be left contemplating if this is a quality scooter, rather they’ll be left wondering if it can justify it’s MSRP.

At $3199/$3595 (USA/Canada), the Movie slots in at a premium over Kymco’s other sports scooter – the Super 8 150. The Super 8 150 boasts dual rear shocks like the Movie and uses a similar but older engine design, so most of the extra cost seems to be going toward the new generation of motor and the safer rear disc brake.

By pricing it over three grand, Kymco is competing directly with some really nice scooters like Yamaha’s Zuma/BWs 125 and Honda’s PCX 150. Genuine’s Buddy 150 ($3199) and the Typhoon 125 and Fly 150 from Piaggio further challenge the Movie 150 in this competitive segment. Kymco dealers do to tend to be a little more “open to discussion” on the purchase price than some other makes, so it’s possible Kymco has simply penciled in a little wiggle room on the MSRP.

The Movie 150 is a nice addition to Kymco’s product line. Like we’ve seen with the People GT and Downtown, Kymco is moving towards higher end scooters that compete on quality more than outright low price. Kymco still offers several lower cost scooters in the mid sized segment, but the Movie presents an interesting opportunity to move up to something a little nicer.

Pros:

  • Disc brakes front and rear
  • Dual rear shocks
  • Small touches (LED tail light, Gauges)

Cons:

  • No fuel injection
  • Higher MSRP

Links:

MotorscooterGuide Forums – Visit the forums on this site to chat about this scoot.
KymcoForum.com – A good place to learn more about Kymco’s

Key Specs – Movie 150:

  • Engine: 149cc, 4-valve, air cooled, single cylinder, 4-stroke
  • Power: 13.5 HP
  • Transmission: CVT
  • Bore & Stroke: 59.0 x 54.5mm
  • Compression Ratio: 11.0:1
  • Fuel Delivery: Carb
  • Drive: Belt
  • Wheelbase: 50.55”
  • Weight: 250 lbs
  • Starter: Electric
  • Seat height: 30.7”
  • Fuel Tank: 7.5 L / 2 Gallon
  • Brakes: Disc (Front), Disc (Rear)
  • Front Suspension: Telescopic Fork
  • Rear Suspension: Dual Shock
  • Tires: 110/70-12 (Front) / 130/70-12 (Rear)
  • Years Sold: 2013 – 2014 USA, 2013 – 2015 (Canada)

Colors:

  • 2013: Tangerine, Black
  • 2014: Tangerine, Black
  • 2015: Tangerine, Black (Canada only)