400 cc Chinese enduros occupy a special place in the motor market. Goods produced in the Middle Kingdom no longer seem throwaway, do not hurt the eyes with their monstrous design, and do not crumble into dust during use. Motorcycles, of course, are technically inferior to their Western counterparts, but their competitiveness is gradually increasing. And the price is comparable to the cost of Japanese secondary goods.
Stels 400 Enduro is a striking example of modern motorcycle construction in China. It has a completely modern appearance, technical characteristics and dynamics. If you are thinking about purchasing this equipment, our article, which talks about all its features, will be very useful to you. A review of owner reviews will give you an idea of what to expect from this motorcycle during operation.
Enduro in Chinese
The most popular cubic capacity in this class is 250 cubic meters.
see, since 125 “cubes” are not much cheaper, and they don’t ride as fun, even if a bike with such an engine wins in some ways due to its lower mass. But 400cc enduros are usually much heavier, which is an important factor when riding off-road, especially if the rider is not very strong and does not have long legs. But the Stealth 400 Enduro motorcycle relies on power, albeit sacrificing a bit of ease of control. Bikes of this class are used in harsh conditions, often falling and often plunging into the mud up to the cylinders, so the main criterion for them is reliability, which is directly related to the simplicity of the design. It’s not for nothing that many motorcyclists value old and technically primitive models like the Suzuki DR 250 and Honda XR 400 much - their unprecedented reliability and the ability to be repaired “on the knee” have made them the favorites of domestic off-road conquerors. When designing the Stels Enduro 400, the technical characteristics of which are close to those of the 400 cc Japanese competitors, the Chinese followed the same path - they offered the public a simple and unpretentious motorcycle, in terms of technical equipment, which is approximately on the same level as Japanese bikes of the same class, but 20 years ago .
Latest posts Popular The most interesting motorcycle news
you are reading the most popular news you are reading all the news you are reading the latest news read the most popular read all the news read the latest news
So, everything is very clear with the engine - nothing special. For a motorcycle positioned as a bike for long trips, the Stels 400 GS is frankly weak. What can you say about him next? There’s also nothing special to say about reliability – to date there are few reviews, and there’s not much experience on this motorcycle either. So far no one has spoken about serious breakdowns, but minor ones still happen. Moreover, many of them happen not because of the low quality of components, but because of the build quality, which could have been a little better. After purchasing such a model, you need to remove the plastic, tighten all the nuts that may be slightly loose, collect the wires dangling in complete disarray and insulate the bare contacts. But for the 22-liter gasoline tank, the Stels 400 GS gets a huge plus. With approximately 4 liters of gasoline consumption on the highway, the range reaches 500 kilometers! The indicator is in fact simply unique; not all competitors, even those with a higher cost and brand celebrity, can boast of this. In addition, AI-92 can be used as fuel, which the Stels 400 GS carburetor engine digests easily and without any difficulties.
The suspensions are quite good for a budget motorcycle, and successfully absorb road irregularities. They really do their job better than one would expect. True, if you put a passenger behind you, the Stels 400 GS’s suspension starts to feel noticeably lacking, and the bike with a passenger handles much worse. By the way, if you drive alone, without overloading the iron horse, then it steers quite well. But we can’t talk about impressive capabilities. Simple - not bad. If we talk about the off-road qualities of the bike, then everything is ambiguous. On the one hand, the dry weight of the bike is 160 kilograms, and with all liquids and luggage it will be 200 kilograms. This is already quite an average figure for a touring enduro or road tourist, and it will be quite difficult to keep such a product on the ground, especially in the mud. Of course, the Stels 400 GS motorcycle was not created for hard mixing of swamp mud, and, in general, it actually goes well on the ground, especially if your height and skills allow you to handle a bike with not the lowest center of gravity in such conditions.
Now I would like to separately mention ergonomics. The Stels 400 GS model is a rather tall motorcycle, and this must be taken into account when looking closely at it. With a height of 180 centimeters, it is comfortable to sit on it, so the fit of the motorcycle is also a plus. The stock seats are quite good. True, how suitable they are for long trips is a moot point, but after a couple of hours in the saddle nothing becomes numb and does not get tired. In appearance, the motorcycle subtly resembles the “odd-eyed” BMW bikes of the latest generation. Of course, this was a successful design move on the part of the German company - such individuality, but in the Russian-Chinese design it looks very strange. The same Stels 600 Benelli is made unlike other motorcycles, and at the same time has an extremely thoughtful and attractive appearance. So why do you need to copy BMW if Stels is quite capable of creating motorcycles with a unique design? Of course, engineers from Italy worked on the Stealth 600 Benelli, but what stopped you from entrusting them with working on the Stels 400 GS? In general, this vehicle turned out to be ambiguous. Manufacturers position it as a touring-enduro for long trips, but it only partially corresponds to this class. On the one hand, a motorcycle that is quite comfortable for one rider, with the ability to take all the required luggage with you, and also has an incredible power reserve. On the other hand, the Stels 400 GS engine is very weak for long trips. The maximum he can do is take a ride in the nearest suburb. But for this you don’t need a tourist enduro, which is not very convenient in the city; it’s easier to buy, for example, a city bike that will cope with a trip at a distance of 100-200 km no worse, and at the same time will not make the owner nervous every time he overtakes as a result of serious lack of power and torque.
Stels 400 Enduro: we're not afraid of off-roading!
It must be admitted that the designers from the Middle Kingdom have come up with a good bike that perfectly suits its purpose. Simple as a brick, it is assembled from the simplest possible components, diligently copied from old Japanese motorcycles. And in the case of the Stels 400 Enduro, this is only a plus - there is practically nothing to break in it, and direct hands eliminate minor assembly flaws in a couple of days.
In the steel tubular frame of the Stealth 400 Enduro motorcycle, the Chinese placed a 1-cylinder 386 cc air-cooled engine , which, by the way, is very high-torque. Peak power ( 19 hp ) occurs at 7000 rpm , and peak torque ( 20 Nm ) occurs at 5500 rpm . Considering the off-road nature of the bike, this is quite good. There are traditionally five gears, and fuel is supplied by a carburetor, and the Stealth 400 Enduro engine is “tailored” for AI-92 . The first 3 gears are quite short, and the gearbox works clearly, not at all as some expect from a Chinese bike.
It is worth noting that for motorcycles of this class 400 cc. cm - already quite a serious volume. The 650 cc models, represented mainly by the seasoned Japanese, are much heavier and are not easy to handle, especially somewhere in the mud. Many enduro fans consider 400cc as the golden mean in the matter of choosing a cubic capacity, and the logic in this decision can be traced. Stels 400 Enduro is a fairly light motorcycle ( only 132 kg ), albeit with a high center of gravity. However, any beginner can cope with it, especially if he does not try to set records for conquering off-road terrain in the very first days.
The bike handles well, both on and off the pavement. Beginning motorcyclists should pay attention to the significant saddle height, and even better, try the bike on before purchasing. In reviews of Stealth 400 Enduro owners, there is information that a high saddle creates certain inconveniences for short bikers, especially off-road. This can be easily understood by anyone who has dropped a motorcycle due to the fact that his legs did not reach the ground confidently enough. On the other hand, for any more or less experienced biker this parameter is not critical. There are also fragile, short girls who can easily cope with heavy Harley-Davidsons thanks to their experience, and experience is a gain .
It should be noted that the technical characteristics of the Stels 400 Enduro turn it into a good “rogue”, capable of driving even where a prepared SUV gets stuck. On the highway, you can feel the lack of dynamics, especially after 80-90 km/h, although the motorcycle slowly but surely picks up 130 km/h But let's not forget that asphalt is not his element .
Technical characteristics and ergonomics
If you intend to buy a Stels 400 Enduro, the technical specifications will probably interest you first.
The bike is built on an aluminum frame, making its weight relatively light. The front and rear wheel pads are interchangeable. Both brakes are dual-piston, exactly the same as those used by top Japanese enduro manufacturers. Very impressive tread. Its depth is 1.2 cm.
The front panel is convenient, but the lack of a tachometer causes criticism. This sometimes happens on enduro motorcycles, but many fans of this class of equipment consider it a disadvantage.
No less strange is the absence of a kickstarter. Please consider this before making your final decision.
Vehicles of this class usually do not have a passenger seat. But on the model under consideration it is installed, although very modest. Don't expect to be able to sit on it comfortably. But it expands the space for luggage. There are handrails at the rear of the passenger seat. Reviews indicate that on models older than 2011, the seat is more comfortable and soft.
Pros and cons of Stels 400 Enduro
Advantages
- Very attractive combination of price and technical characteristics
- General reliability and ease of maintenance
- Availability of spare parts from a number of dealers, and at affordable prices
- Economy and fuel consumption within 4l/100 km (when driving on asphalt; off-road driving causes the gas tank to empty very quickly)
- Simplicity of design, thanks to which you can service and repair the Stealth 400 Enduro in the garage on your own using an inexpensive set of tools
- Quite modest weight for a 400 cc enduro
- Grippy disc brakes with 2-piston calipers on both wheels
- High-torque motor that easily pulls the motorcycle out of the mud
- Sufficiently energy-intensive suspensions, with an inverted fork installed at the front
- Flexible plastic that can survive a fall
Flaws
- Small gas tank with a volume of only 9 liters
- Weak light from the headlight (partially corrected by replacing the light bulb in the headlight with a more powerful one)
- Hard and uncomfortable seat
- The bike is too small for two people
- There are minor assembly defects such as loose nuts and carelessly insulated wires (correctable on your own)
Controllability and behavior
Stels 400 Enduro, the characteristics of which do not cause any particular complaints or delight, is well weighted. This is especially noticeable when driving on gravel, sand, and melted snow.
On rocky terrain, you can fully enjoy all the delights of high ground clearance.
Suspension performance is a traditional weak point of Chinese technology, but not in the case of the Stealth 400.
In general, we can say that the attempt to make a mid-range motorcycle that could cope with tasks both in the city and off-road was very successful. But you shouldn’t expect an instant response to commands from this bike; in some places it’s not that fast.
Similar models
Honda XR 400. A long-discontinued model that still enjoys well-deserved popularity. Simple, reliable and durable, it has, perhaps, only one serious drawback - the advanced age of most specimens.
Suzuki DR-Z400. Produced in “enduro” (DR-Z400) and “motard” (DR-400SM) versions, this bike was once intended to compete with the aforementioned Honda. In terms of technical characteristics, it is almost no different from it.
Yamaha WR 400. Perhaps the most “off-road” bike of all those listed here. It also has its weaknesses, but in the hands of an experienced motorcyclist it is capable of very impressive feats.
Reviews from Stels 400 Enduro owners
- The bike is so-so overall, but for its price you can’t buy a Japanese one, even a damaged one, so there was no question of choice. It doesn’t fall apart on the go, doesn’t lose spare parts, but it does require attention periodically for small things. The standard tires are rubbish, the headlight shines like a Chinese lantern. The engine is torquey, the transmission is clear, the brakes are normal. Sergey, Syktyvkar, Stels 400 Enduro '2011
- There are no complaints about the quality of the motorcycle itself; I can’t say anything about the build quality, since I bought the bike second-hand with a mileage of 12,000 km. It drives briskly, tosses and turns easily, and rushes off-road like a tank. There were no breakdowns (the mileage is now 26,000 km and growing). Among the design flaws is the short front fender, the engine gets covered in mud, and I would like a larger gas tank, especially since there is no fuel level sensor. Dmitry, Orel, Stels 400 Enduro '2013
- An excellent motorcycle for the money, I don’t understand why it was discontinued. It's good that there are spare parts in stores. Although they don’t seem to be needed, the moped doesn’t break down, and you can pick up consumables from other Chinese if you want. It eats and rushes vigorously, both in the city and in the countryside – it’s a pleasure. Marat, Pushkino, Stels 400 Enduro '2014
Design
As one would expect, when developing the model, the manufacturer used the ideas of Japanese colleagues for inspiration. But there is no need to say that the Stels 400 Enduro clearly shows the style of one of the famous bikes. Rather, the image came out as a collective one.
A huge advantage of the model is the use of brushed metal. It seems that the love of Chinese designers for everything shiny is slowly beginning to subside. Brushed metal goes well with black plastic.
There are often no mirrors on enduro motorcycles. But the Stealth 400 model has them, although removing them is not at all difficult. Many owners note that their strange round shape could have been more serious.
Summary
You shouldn’t expect anything supernatural from the Stealth 400 Enduro, and then it won’t disappoint. This motorcycle is a vivid example of the embodiment of the “price/quality” . It is undoubtedly worth the money, which again becomes the cause of debate on the Internet on the topic “new Chinese or old Japanese.” The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.
Specifications
| Maximum engine power: | 19 at 7000 rpm HP |
| Torque: | 20 N•m at 5500 rpm Nm |
| Working volume: | 386.8 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: | 130 km/h |
| Cooling system: | Liquid |
| Transmission (gearbox): | Mechanical 5-speed |
| Clutch (Dry / Wet): | |
| Drive unit: | Chain |
| Frame: | Steel tubular |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front/rear travel): | |
| Brakes (Front/Rear): | |
| Wheels / Tires / Rubber: | |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (Length / Width): | |
| Seat height: | |
| Ground clearance: | |
| Curb weight: | |
| Wheelbase: | 1530 mm |
| Weight: | 132 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 9 l. |
| Battery capacity: | |
| Year of release: | |
| Country of Origin: |
