Stels 400 GS: tourist enduro in Chinese

a touring enduro , which was originally developed for the European market,
stands somewhat apart For this reason alone it is worth taking a closer look! Moreover, for the money they are asking for it, you can only buy some ancient “Japanese” from 25 years ago. And the Stealth 400 GS is, albeit lightweight, but still a truly full-fledged tourenduro , which is capable of mastering a long road, dirt tracks, and many other difficulties. True, its design is, of course, not for everyone, because it looks like a Chinese copy of touring enduros from BMW, but the guest from the Middle Kingdom is still good in many respects. In addition, the choice in this cubic capacity is still insignificant, and the Stealth 400 GS simply has no competitors, except for several old Japanese models that have long been discontinued.

Brief history of the model range

Stels is a brand under which a large Russian engineering company, in collaboration with Asian partners, has been producing bicycles and motorcycles since 1996.

The cooperation of the Velomotors holding with China Qianjiang Group, the largest Chinese manufacturer of motorcycle equipment and owner of the Keeway and Benelli brands, marked the beginning of the production of a new line of products.

The first signs of Russian-Chinese collaboration were the Skif 50 mini-scooter (2007) and the Stels Gryphon Orion 125 A road motorcycle (2010).

Wanting to expand the range of models offered, one after another Velomotors offers Enduro class motorcycles.

In 2011, the Stels 400 Enduro model appeared, already in its name indicating the class. Two years later, three more models were added to this model range - Cruiser, GT and GS.

In some characteristics they are similar, and some indicators significantly distinguish them from each other.

Now the partners of Velomotors are actively working on the development of new models of motorcycles that operate exclusively on electric traction.

Total

The Stealth company made the right move by filling an empty niche. There are simply no other fresh 400 cc touring enduros in Russia, which means that the Stels 400 GS has no competitors either. And this bike has a number of advantages - light weight , for example, and the fact that it is easy to handle not only on asphalt, but also on sand or wet ground. Despite the modest power reserve, the Stealth 400 GS is built very well. This is not just a stylization of a motorcycle of a certain class, as is usual with the Chinese - this is really a real tourenduro. Compact, lightweight, quite reliable and very durable.

Stels 400 Enduro

The Stels 400 Enduro model (2011 - model year) has a sporty appearance.
Thanks to the soft suspension, the motorcycle can easily move on a flat road (can accelerate to 100 km/h) and off-road, and its small dimensions allow it to maneuver in dense traffic.

For the four-stroke single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, which is started by an electric starter, the Stels 400 Enduro design provides protection.

The manual transmission is a 6-speed foot-operated gearbox . Braking at the slightest pressure on the clutch is provided by a multi-disc brake system.

A comfortable steering wheel and optimal layout of a steel tubular frame make this motorcycle accessible to inexperienced off-road enthusiasts.

Reviews from Stels 400 GS owners

5 years in the same hands, never saved on maintenance, mileage is already 60+ km and growing. I would replace it with a more powerful turunda, but I don’t have the money for a new one, and I have no desire to deal with old junk. But I can judge the quality and reliability of the Stealth objectively, the car is not without small flaws, but essentially indestructible, I don’t know what to do with it so that it doesn’t reach home even from the most distant farts. Vitaly, Omsk, Stels 400 GS '2013.

The mot requires the use of hands growing from the shoulders, like any Chinese technology, but all the main components are reliable. It drives briskly, consumes any gasoline, the most serious breakdown in three years is a short circuit due to oxidized contacts, which I myself did not keep track of. Marat, Volgograd, Stels 400 GS '2015.

A purely Chinese motorcycle, here and there a nut is missing, wires are hanging, or something else. The only problem was the original carburetor, I replaced it with a Japanese one a year later and forgot about it. There is tuning for the motorcycle, but not much, I had to farm it. I bought a used one in good condition, drove it for 2 seasons without problems, then sold it and bought a fresh Cava Versus. Heaven and earth, of course, but for the money Stealth is very good. When I bought it, the choice was between it and the Japanese half-corpses of the mid-90s at best, in the end I took the Chinese one and did not regret it even once. Alexander, Krasnodar, Stels 400 GS '2014.

400GT ("Gran Turismo")

The Stels 400GT (“Gran Turismo”) model was released in 2013.
It is characterized by a four-stroke single-cylinder carburetor engine with a liquid cooling system and an electric starting system. The engine is combined with a 6-speed manual transmission and hydraulic disc brakes with anti-mud protection.

Suspension in the form of an inverted telescopic fork and a pendulum with a monoshock absorber provide comfortable travel on roads with different types of surfaces.

The motorcycle seat is designed for two people. Handles and footrests are provided for the passenger.

Flaws

In general, we can say that the characteristics of the stels 400 gs fully correspond to its price. There are certain disadvantages, but all due to the fact that the production of motorcycles is relatively new for.

In addition, there is an opinion that motorcycles are produced to suit the parameters of Asians , which causes some discomfort for tall people.

Reviews about 400 gs can be found more than varied, but all contain identification of the shortcomings of the technology.

400GS

The Stels 400GS model (model year 2013) is considered a budget enduro motorcycle, although it is assembled in accordance with European standards.

The motorcycle is a direct successor to the Stels 400 Enduro, from which it inherited the chassis, and the Stels 400 GT, which is similar in external design.

Manufacturers announced the Stels 400GS as a tourist SUV. It is powered by a four-stroke single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The motorcycle can accelerate to 130 km/h. Definitely the big advantage of the Stels 400GS is its spacious tank, which will have enough gasoline for half a thousand kilometers with an average consumption of 4 liters.

Road bumps on a motorcycle are almost not felt thanks to good suspensions (front telescopic and rear pendulum forks), but if two people are riding, the suspensions perform their functions worse, and steering becomes harder.

Stels 400 GS, due to its insufficiently powerful engine, is not very convenient for driving around the city and is more comfortable for long, but not long, trips of one rider with the necessary luggage.

Pros and cons of Stels 400 GS

Advantages

• Excellent suspension , energy-intensive and efficient. There is no desire to modify them.
• Comfortable fit . The Stealth 400 GS is truly designed to cover significant distances without discomfort for the pilot.
• Affordable cost of service and maintenance. Spare parts, consumables, tuning - everything is quite cheap.
• Good wind protection . For the speed that this motorcycle is capable of developing, it is completely enough.
• Without exaggeration, excellent suspensions that can be fully customized to suit your driving style.

Flaws

• Secondary design . The motorcycle still looks, of course, not bad, but it’s too Chinese.
• Some lack of dynamics . For driving around the city and on the highway in general, the Stealth 400 GS has enough power, but overtaking is a problem.
• Uncomfortable standard seat . Due to the lack of a “step”, the passenger gradually slides towards the driver.
• Ergonomics are strange in places . For example, the clutch and front brake levers are installed at different heights for some reason. And adjusting mirrors “to suit you” is not a trivial task at all.

Table of main technical characteristics

Estimated cost

Motorcycles of the Stels 400 model range, taking into account the technical characteristics, quality of components and assembly in accordance with European standards, have a moderate cost and are considered quite cheap among other representatives of their class.
The most affordable model is the 400GT. Its minimum price is 127,000 rubles.

Second place goes to the 400 Enduro, the cost of which ranges from 140,000 to 154,000 rubles.

The most expensive model in this line was the 400GS. Its price starts at 157,000 rubles. As for the 400 Cruiser, before it was discontinued its initial price was 125,00 rubles.

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Similar models

• Honda XL400V Transalp . An honored veteran of the roads, old but proven. An excellent choice, if, of course, you can find a copy in good condition, which is not so easy, given the age of the model.
• Kawasaki KLE 400 . In many ways similar to the above-mentioned “Transalp”. It is found alive, but not often.
• Stels 400 GT. A model that is somewhat different from the hero of our article, but in fact is its direct classmate, albeit with less impressive off-road capabilities.

Photo gallery

We invite you to take a closer look at the model range of four hundred stealth vehicles. We tried to select the best photos from this series.