In the very budget segment The competition in the motorcycle market is fierce, but the Stels Skif 50 tried to win its place in the sun. With varying degrees of success - it is positioned as an extremely cheap scooter, but the choice is huge, and some Chinese manufacturers offer even lower prices. All these models have one thing in common - a combination of low cost with technologies of the last century.
Specifications
To keep the cost of the model at an affordable level, the Stealth Skif moped was designed using the most budget-friendly technologies. Therefore, its technical characteristics fully correspond to the price, and they are separated from modern motorcycles by the same gulf as the one that separates steam engines and space rockets.
Engine
Constructed using the best half-century-old technologies, the Stels Skif 50 2-stroke engine 4.9 hp. , which is noticeably more than that of 4-stroke “fifty dollars”. But these are just dry numbers - the acceleration dynamics are very sluggish, and the maximum speed of 60 km/h is reached in about 15 seconds in the absence of a headwind. The engine is quite voracious, and besides, it consumes not only gasoline, but also oil, which is poured into a separate oil tank.
Transmission
Stealth Skif 50 is equipped with a continuously variable transmission . It works properly, and in the reviews of owners there is no information about breakdowns of this unit, but the archaic design is reflected - the variator is very noisy, and when accelerating it desperately howls, as if the scooter is trying to accelerate to the speed of a racing car, while in fact it barely goes 50 km/h.
Chassis and brakes
There's nothing easier than a budget 50cc scooter! A steel frame , weak brakes , which, however, are quite enough for such a light vehicle, basic suspension - that’s all. The Stels Skif 50 has stiff suspensions and no adjustment, so you have to get used to the fact that every pebble on the road transmits a full range of sensations exactly to the owner’s bottom. It’s also better to throw out the standard tires that are installed in the cabin right away, replacing them with something better. You shouldn’t rely on the rear drum brake - it’s frankly weak, but a simple 1-piston caliper coupled with a brake disc on the front wheel does the job normally, providing predictable braking.
Electronics
This model has nothing more complicated than a battery, generator and lighting equipment. Since we are talking about a budget scooter, you shouldn’t be surprised that the cheapest components were used, but all electrical problems arise due to assembly flaws. If, after purchasing a scooter, you independently check the insulation of the contacts and carefully lay out the untidy hanging wires, everything will be fine - the electrical circuit is so simple that there is practically nothing to break in it.
Weight and dimensions
The dry weight of the scooter is only 82 kg , and its dimensions are similar to hundreds of models of other scooters. It’s easy to handle, and if you happen to drop the moped, picking it up won’t be difficult. There is a downside to this compactness - tall drivers will feel cramped on the Stels Skif. And if there is a passenger, it will be cramped for both, and always - the seat is intended for two only conditionally.
Controllability
Thanks to its modest weight and compact size, the Stealth Skif easily darts between cars, crawling into any hole in which a larger bike might get stuck. The situation is overshadowed only by frankly oak suspensions, not adapted to sudden maneuvers. But taking into account the fact that the scooter is not capable of developing high speeds, it would be unfair to reproach it for this fact.
Fuel consumption
Claimed fuel consumption is 2.5 liters per 100 km . But, according to reviews from owners, the real numbers are noticeably higher, up to 3.5 liters! The volume of the Stels Skif gas tank is 5.2 liters , so you can calculate the power reserve yourself, but it consumes gasoline comparable to a 250 cc motorcycle, which is not as archaic as a 2-stroke engine that is ancient in design.
Manual
If you purchased this model of scooter from Stels and you are interested in the details of its proper operation, then you should carefully study the instructions that the seller must provide you with the product.
The Stels Skif 50 model is very easy to use
If not, then some of the most important aspects will be discussed below:
- First of all, you should follow the traffic rules. Be sure to wear a protective helmet and gloves. You should operate the scooter with both hands and keep your feet on the footrests.
- Full concentration is strongly recommended during movement to avoid injury.
- While driving, keep your right hand on the throttle grip and your left hand on the left grip.
- When transporting things on the trunk, they should be carefully secured. Carrying heavy loads is strongly discouraged to avoid injury and fines.
- To maintain the scooter in optimal condition, you should check it regularly: after long-term parking, when operating in rainy and dusty weather. It is recommended to check the scooter at least twice a season in a special service workshop.
- You should wash the scooter yourself only after the engine has completely cooled down. This should be done with a sponge and a special vehicle cleaner. Polishing should be done with polishes that match the color.
The Stels Skif 50 model is highly maneuverable - Before storing equipment for a long time, you need to thoroughly wash and dry it, fill the tank with gasoline and stabilizer. Then you need to let the engine run for about 10 minutes and drain the fuel from the carburetor. Then disconnect the battery and plug the exhaust pipe with a rag, coat all parts with a wax-based preservative and cover the scooter with a special cover.
- Do not start the engine without connecting the battery properly as this may damage some electrical components.
- For questions regarding warranty and post-warranty repairs and maintenance, please contact the company where you purchased the scooter.
Battery
You should check the electrolyte level in the battery every 1000 km. Exceptions include maintenance-free batteries. On the lid of these it will be written: “DO NOT OPEN”.
To check the battery, you first need to remove it. To do this, you need to open the battery compartment cover and disconnect the positive and negative contacts. Then check the electrolyte level and add distilled water if necessary. When reassembling, the positive contact is connected first, and then the negative one.
Most spare parts can be found in service centers
Wiring
Let's briefly look at the operating features of the Stels Skif 50 CPG. When the engine is running, a large load is placed on the cylinder. Chemical energy is released, but only a small part of it is converted into mechanical work. Most of the remaining heat is removed by cooling air created by the cylinder fins. These fins must be kept clean to avoid thermal insulation of the cylinder, causing the piston and the cylinder itself to become deformed.
In completely new engines, the piston in the cylinder is likely to scuff. For engines that have undergone appropriate tuning, there may be a gap between the cylinder and the piston.
Such clearances are checked during special tests of prototype engines.
The temperature of the piston is not the same during engine operation, so its shape is adjusted solely to avoid various types of deformation. After all, at maximum thermal load the piston expands, but there must be a working gap between it and the cylinder.
At a fairly low and affordable price you can purchase spare parts for Stels Skif 50
In order to check the Stels Skif 50 starter relay, you must first disconnect the red and white motor wire. Next, turn the scooter's ignition switch and squeeze the brake lever. Press the starter button and check the continuity of the circuit; it should not be broken.
Repair and tuning
Thanks to its design simplicity, it is not difficult to repair a scooter on your own. And this is good, because, judging by the reviews of Stels Skif owners, you will have to put your hands to it often. But still, this model is distinguished from a whole horde of other Chinese mopeds by the presence of an extensive dealer network, and, accordingly, the absence of problems with finding most spare parts.
Repair
An adjustable wrench and a pair of hex screwdrivers will be enough for any technical operations that the Stealth Skif may require. A scooter can serve as an excellent “learning desk”; it will be easy to hone your skills in independent repair and maintenance of motorcycle equipment.
Spare parts
The cost of spare parts is low, and most of them are in stock, in addition, some components are suitable from scooters from other manufacturers. This is compensated by their quality, which is not always high, so visits to a motorcycle store can become regular. But, given the prices, this is unlikely to ruin even the most thrifty owner.
Tuning
There is no point in investing money in improving an extremely cheap scooter. Some Stels Skif owners install a larger-volume piston on it; there are 80cc kits on sale, but this is of little use. If the dynamics are not enough, it is better to buy more powerful equipment from the very beginning, something 125cc or higher. You'll have to open a new category in your license, but it's worth it.
Scooter price
On the secondary market, used copies are sold at prices ranging from 20 thousand rubles and above, on average sellers want about 30 thousand .
Most of the mopeds offered are already equipped with tuning, and have a 70 or 100 cc piston on board instead of 50. This is convenient, considering that according to the documents, the bike is still considered a moped, for which a category M license is enough to drive. The new Stealth Tactic 50, alas, are no longer produced, but there is a 150 cc modification on sale.
Advantages and disadvantages
It would be unfair to look for all sorts of shortcomings in an extremely budget scooter. Although in the case of Stels Skif 50 you don’t have to look - the weak sides of the model are visible at first glance, as well as the strong ones. Although this moped has little to boast of except maintainability and low cost.
Advantages
- Affordable price . Spare parts are also inexpensive, as are consumables.
- Undemanding to fuel quality . There is an opinion that the Stealth Skif 50 will even ride on the AI-76, if you suddenly manage to get one somewhere.
- Maintainability . You can disassemble the scooter to the point of “spare parts in an even layer on the floor” and put the scooter back together in a day on your own.
Flaws
- Sluggish dynamics . It’s not enough for comfortable movement around a big city, and there’s nothing to say about highways.
- High fuel consumption . Unreasonably high for a 50cc scooter.
- Low quality components . Many Stelf Skif 50 owners begin to experience various problems in the first months after purchase.
- Small power reserve . Without refueling you will be able to travel 120-150 kilometers.
Design
Externally, the Stels Tactic 50 somehow subtly resembles all the scooters in the world at once, which is clearly visible from the photo. It is completely devoid of any recognizable features, and when creating its appearance, Chinese designers clearly did not bother. Why, they were even too lazy to copy some nice Japanese or European bike! But for this price it will do.
Owner reviews
I drove this fiend of hell for one season, worked as a courier, and needed cheap wheels. It’s unrealistic to drive it in Moscow, the dynamics are such that cyclists and scooters are overtaken, it’s stupidly scary to meddle on busy roads. That’s how the car is durable, it didn’t cause any problems, I bought it new, drove about 8,000 km over the summer, but when I sold it, I cried with happiness. I bought a slightly used Yamaha Mio 125cc to replace it - heaven and earth. Sergey, Moscow.
One of the cheapest scooters, for its price it’s a decent device and deserves the right to life. I live outside the city, I travel around the neighborhood within 10-15 km from home, I go shopping at the store, everything is ok, I can put a couple of hefty bags with purchases on the platform at my feet. So if we consider Skif purely as a utilitarian transport, then everything is fire. Dmitry, Rostov the Great.
In six months, we completely changed the front brakes, the oil reservoir, the throttle cable (there’s only one instead of two) and a whole bag of little things, some under warranty, some at our own expense. The plastic is strong, it lay on its side at a speed of about 50 km/h - it didn’t even crack, only the paint was scratched. Acceleration resembles a lame turtle, the engine howls, the speed barely picks up. There is also a delay between opening the gas and starting to move, about half a second, which was annoying at first, but then I got used to it. Vitaly, Anapa.
Broken ignition as a cause of engine failure
First of all, I would like to talk about what can cause a four-stroke scooter engine to fail, and whether misconfigured ignition should be blamed for this. Answering this question, we can answer with one hundred percent confidence that an incorrectly configured or simply faulty ignition may well become the cause of engine failure. However, it is too early to blame everything on a faulty ignition system until you check the main parts that affect the performance of the engine. Let's talk about them in more detail.
The first and perhaps most obvious is a lack of fuel or a clogged carburetor. Before you start trying to adjust the ignition, thoroughly clean the carburetor and make sure that fuel is flowing to the engine. Also, check that the carburetor is providing sufficient air supply.
The second, most common reason why an engine refuses to start is faulty spark plugs. Make sure that the spark plugs used in the scooter are not punctured and have a good enough spark. Simply replacing the spark plugs usually helps.
If you are completely convinced that there are no more reasons for the engine not to start, then you can dig deeper and look for the problem in an incorrectly configured ignition. Let's figure out how to set the ignition on a scooter.
Frequently asked models
- Are spare parts from other scooters suitable for the Stealth Skif? Yes, many components are interchangeable with scooters from different Chinese manufacturers. But there is no compatibility table, so you will have to choose empirically.
- Is it true that 2-stroke engines have a low resource? Yes, it’s true that the CPG of 2-stroke engines wears out much faster than that of 4-stroke engines. But a new CPG for a cheap scooter is inexpensive.
- If you buy a new Skif, do you need to run it in and ride 500-1000 km at a snail's pace? Preferably. Proper break-in prolongs the life of the engine. This applies to any equipment with an internal combustion engine.
Conclusion
Stealth Skif 50 is one of the most budget scooters on the market, and its low price can be called its only advantage. Even in Asian countries, a ban on mopeds with 2-stroke engines has already come into force almost everywhere, since they pollute the air more than 4-stroke engines, but in Russia such models are still sold freely. 2-strokes have their advantages, but off-road motorcycle enthusiasts can tell you more about them, and in the case of a scooter that rides mainly in the city, it is better to make a different choice.
Specifications
| Maximum engine power: | 4.9 hp at 7000 rpm HP |
| Torque: | 3.16 N•m at 4000 rpm Nm |
| Working volume: | 49.8 cm3 |
| Motor type (cylinder arrangement, number of strokes): | |
| Number of valves: | |
| Intake type (Injector / Carburetor): | |
| Bore and stroke: | |
| Starting system (Electric starter, kick starter): | |
| Maximum speed in km/h: | 60 km/h |
| Cooling system: | Air |
| Transmission (gearbox): | Variable speed drive |
| Clutch (Dry / Wet): | |
| Drive unit: | Belt |
| Frame: | Steel |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front/rear travel): | |
| Brakes (Front/Rear): | |
| Wheels / Tires / Rubber: | |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (Length / Width): | |
| Seat height: | |
| Ground clearance: | |
| Curb weight: | |
| Wheelbase: | 1170 mm |
| Weight: | 82 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 5.8 l. |
| Battery capacity: | |
| Year of release: | |
| Country of Origin: |
Scooter modifications
Officially, Stealth Tactic 50 was produced in the same form throughout all years of production, and the only difference was the color. In practice, many dealers independently installed different tunings, after which they slightly raised the price. The most popular was the installation of a piston group of increased volume, which gave an increase in power, and according to papers the moped remained 50 cc.
