Stealth B-52 · the honest report

Too fast to pedal,
too quiet to be a dirt bike.

Stealth's 6.2 kW Australian off-road machine, decoded with real physics: where the 43-mile claim goes, what the Hexbox gearbox really does, why the pedals matter, and who it is for. Sources on everything.

Start with what matters
The 10-second answer

A high-power machine that lives in the strange gap between an e-MTB and a real dirt bike: 6.2 kW peak, around 50 mph, a proprietary 6-speed Hexbox gearbox, and pedals. The catch is range: the 43-mile claim is flat-terrain economy mode without pedaling, and it is not street-legal. A specialist tool, and a fast one.

Range
up to 43 mi claimed
0mi, ridden hard
economy-mode claim only
Power
6,200 W peak headline
0hp peak burst
peak is a burst
Top speed
~50 mph claimed
0mph, off-road only
honest, but range-killing
Gearbox
"maintenance-free"
6-speedHexbox transmission
genuinely unusual
Range reality · straight-line
claim 43 mi, real, ridden hard:
0mi
claim is economy mode on flat ground, no pedaling
Stealth B-52 · 2.5 kWh, off-road
Start city, or drag the pin
Claimed (economy, flat)Real (full power, off-road)
Rings are straight-line distance from your pin; real off-road routes are shorter still. The claim assumes economy mode without pedaling; pedal to help and you extend it. Figures from this model's sourced specs.
What it really costs

A boutique price,
still being itemized.

Pricing variesby country, tax, duties and freight
Stealth does not publish a single global price for the B-52, and US delivery adds significant freight and import duty on top of the Australian figure. A full 5-year breakdown for this model is still being itemized; we will not guess a sticker we cannot source. What we can do is show the physics honestly.

What we know: related Stealth models have listed well into five figures (the B-52R near US$8,890 plus roughly $3,000 US freight, the B-52X around US$12,800 at some retailers), so budget accordingly and confirm the exact B-52 configuration and landed cost before buying. Off-road use means no registration or insurance line.

The full report

Every module behind the headlines: who it is for, claims vs. physics, the Hexbox, charging, parts, and the standard scorecard. All sourced.

The 10-second honest answer

An Australian off-road bike that blurs the line between a high-power e-MTB and a real dirt bike. A 6.2 kW hub motor, pedals, a proprietary 6-speed Hexbox gearbox, around 50 mph, and roughly 112 to 115 lb. Plan for the 43-mile claim being flat-terrain economy mode, far less at full power, and no street-legal status. A specialist machine for experienced riders. Here is how the numbers work.

A

Is this bike for me?

Start here, the right answer depends entirely on who is asking.

01

Who it is actually for

Same bike, very different answer depending on the rider. We lead every report with this so nobody buys the wrong machine.

🏔Experienced off-road riders

The sweet spot. A quiet, high-power, pedal-capable machine with serious 180mm suspension and 4-piston brakes, for riders who understand they are buying a niche product with niche parts support and the skill to use 50 mph off-road.

Verdict, the intended buyer
E-MTB riders wanting more power

If you have outgrown a normal e-MTB and want pedal-assist plus a real throttle, the B-52 delivers. Just know it weighs about twice a trail e-MTB and behaves more like a light motorcycle at speed.

Verdict, a big step up, ride accordingly
🛒Commuters

Not street-legal as an off-road machine in most places, and at 50 mph it is not a casual trail bicycle either. Local e-bike rules vary widely, so a road-commuter use is risky and region-dependent.

Verdict, check local law first
🏋New or budget riders

Heavy, fast, boutique, and parts-dependent on Stealth. This is not a first bike, and it is not the cheapest or simplest way into electric off-road. Skip it if you want simple or affordable.

Verdict, wrong starting point
02

At a glance: claimed vs. real

Same bike, two stories. The struck-through line is the listing; the big number is what to actually expect. The "why" is in Part C.

Range
up to 43 mi claimed
~20-30mi, full power
economy-mode claim
Power
6,200 W peak headline
0hp peak burst
peak ≠ continuous
Top speed
~50 mph claimed
0mph, off-road
honest
Torque
150 Nm headline
0lb-ft at the hub
strong, real
B

Innovations

What is genuinely clever, and which "innovations" are really table-stakes. The part the brand's own page never tells you.

03

What makes it special

The B-52's identity is built on a couple of genuinely unusual ideas. Each badge tells you whether it is a real engineering edge, normal, or marketing gloss.

⚙️Hexbox 6-speed transmission

A proprietary electromechanical push-button 6-speed gearbox, sealed and described as maintenance-free, with a wide gear range. Genuinely unusual on an electric bike, and it helps both acceleration and range by keeping the system in an efficient band.

★ Genuine edge
🚴Pedals on a 6 kW machine

Pedals let riders add torque bursts and extend range, separating the B-52 from pure throttle-only dirt bikes, and keeping it in e-MTB cultural territory in some markets. Odd until you ride it, then it makes sense.

✓ Solid
🟭Serious suspension and brakes

180mm-travel suspension and 4-piston hydraulic brakes on 250mm rotors. That is real motorcycle-grade kit for the speeds involved, and a reason the bike can be ridden hard with confidence.

✓ Solid
🔋2.5 kWh NCM pack

A decent-capacity pack for a bike this size, but the v/Ah split and exact usable capacity are not detailed by the maker, and there is no removable swap-pack story like some rivals. Capacity is solid; the spec transparency is thin.

≈ Capable, lightly documented
Why this beats the brand's own page: Stealth markets the speed and the spec sheet. We tell you the Hexbox gearbox is the real edge, the pedals are a genuinely useful (if unusual) feature, the suspension and brakes are honest, capable kit, and the range number is an economy-mode best case, so you know what you are paying for.
C

Keeping them honest

Marketing specs vs. the physics. The math is simple, battery capacity and a few formulas, so let us run it.

04

The "6,200 watt" headline, decoded

Peak watts make a great headline; they are not what carries you for more than a few seconds. Convert to the unit everyone feels.

Stealth quotes 6,200 W peak for the B-52, with maximum torque around 150 Nm. Convert peak watts to horsepower:

# Horsepower = Watts ÷ 746
Peak:   6,200 W ÷ 746 = 8.3 hp  (brief burst, then thermal rollback)
# Continuous rating is not published by the maker; expect it well below the peak.
Why peak fades: a hub motor will dump its peak for a launch, then heat throttles it back. The honest story here is torque: around 150 Nm, roughly 111 lb-ft at the hub, is what makes a light bike feel savage off the line. The maker does not publish a separate continuous-power figure, so we present the peak as a peak and say plainly that the sustained number is not stated.
05

Where "up to 43 miles" comes from

The headline gap. The claim is not a lie, it is a best-case economy-mode number without pedaling. Here is the arithmetic from the 2.5 kWh pack.

Step 1, real energy in the tank. Stealth quotes a 2.5 kWh pack but does not publish the nominal voltage and amp-hour split, so we cannot derive V times Ah here; we will not invent them. We start from the stated 2,500 Wh.

# Stated pack energy
2,500 Wh nominal (V × Ah split not published)
# Usable after BMS reserve + taper ≈ 88%:
2,500 × 0.88 = ~2,200 Wh usable

Step 2, how much you spend per mile. Consumption is the whole game, and it explodes with speed because drag rises with the square of speed. Gentle economy-mode riding on flat ground sips; pinned off-road riding drinks.

# Range (mi) = Usable Wh ÷ Consumption (Wh/mi)

MARKETING (economy, flat, no pedaling):
2,500 ÷ 58 = ~43 mi  ← the brochure number

REAL, mixed off-road, some pedaling:
2,200 ÷ 75 = ~29 mi

REAL, full power, hard terrain:
2,200 ÷ 110 = ~20 mi
Claimed
43 mi
Mixed real
~29 mi
Full power
~20 mi
The takeaway: Stealth itself frames the ~43 mile (70 km) figure as flat-terrain economy mode without pedaling. Ride it hard, on real off-road terrain, at full power, and the range drops sharply. If you want it to go far, you will be pedaling to help. Plan your loops around roughly 20 to 30 miles at speed, not 43.
06

Top speed is honest, and that is the trap

Around 50 mph (80 km/h) claimed. Genuinely honest. But hitting top speed is exactly what destroys the range above.

Held near top speed, the bike draws hard just to maintain pace, so consumption spikes. Run the same range formula pinned:

2,200 Wh ÷ 110 Wh/mi = ~20 miles  # if you ride it flat-out

So the "50 mph" and the "43 miles" on the same spec sheet are mutually exclusive: you get one or the other, never both. That is the most important thing the marketing never says out loud. The pedals are the escape hatch, leg power genuinely extends range.

07

Charging: read the charger, not the adjective

Charge time is just battery size divided by charger power. Stealth quotes a real-world figure, and we can sanity-check it.

Stealth states the bike charges from any 110/240V household outlet with a recharge time around 3 hours. Sanity-check that against the pack with the standard formula:

# Charge time (hr) ≈ Battery Wh ÷ Charger W × 1.1 (losses + taper)
2,500 ÷ 900 × 1.1 = ~3.1 hr # implies a ~900 W charger
# The maker's ~3 hr claim is consistent with a charger in that range.
The maker's ~3 hour figure is plausible and lines up with a roughly 900 W charger. The exact charger wattage and the v/Ah pack split are not published, so we present the ~3 hr as the maker's claim rather than an independently verified test. There is no DC fast charging or removable swap-pack documented.
08

Spec decoder: why listings disagree

Shopping for one of these, you will see the B-52 name across several different models. They are not all the same bike; here is how to read them.

You will seeWhat it really isTrust it?
B-52 / B-52X / B-52RDifferent model years and trims. The R and X are higher-power and more expensive; confirm exactly which one you are pricing.check the variant
6,200 WPeak power for the B-52 / B-52X. The B-52R doubles up; do not assume one figure covers all.burst, by model
2.0 vs 2.5 kWhBattery options vary by model and year. A 2.0 kWh version claims ~60 mi economy; the 2.5 kWh claims ~43 mi in some listings.option-dependent
"Up to 43 mi / 70 km"Economy mode, flat ground, no pedaling, fresh battery.lab best-case
150 Nm torqueMaximum hub torque on the B-52X, roughly 111 lb-ft. Strong and real.real
"Street legal"Off-road as configured; at 50 mph e-bike legality is region-specific. Verify locally.verify locally
D

What it costs

We will not guess a sticker we cannot source. Here is what we can say honestly.

09

True cost: still being itemized

Stealth does not publish a single transparent global price for the base B-52, and US delivery stacks significant freight and import duty on top. Rather than invent a number, we show the range of related-model pricing and the line items you will face.

⚠ We do not have a verified base-B-52 sticker A full 5-year cost breakdown for this model is still being itemized. Stealth sells direct, with pricing stated for Australia and adjusted by country, tax, duties, and shipping. We will not publish a sticker we cannot source for the exact B-52 configuration.
Line itemTypicalNotes
Bike (related models)~$8,900–$12,800B-52R ~US$8,890; B-52X ~US$12,800 at some retailers. Base B-52 not separately confirmed.
US freight / import~$3,000Quoted for the B-52R to the US; varies by location
Sales tax / dutiesvariesCountry and state dependent
Starter gear (helmet, armor)$300–$500Non-negotiable at 50 mph off-road
Realistic landed costconfirm before buyingBoutique import; get a written quote

Insurance and registration are not assumed, since the B-52 is used off-road. Electricity is near-free: a full charge of a 2.5 kWh pack at $0.17/kWh is roughly $0.47, so charging is a rounding error in ownership.

E

Living with it

What breaks, who fixes it, and whether you can get parts.

11

Service & reliability, from the press and owners

We read the reviews and owner discussion so you do not have to, and summarize the recurring themes, not cherry-picked raves. This is a boutique machine with a thinner public track record than mass-market bikes.

✓ What riders praise

  • The Hexbox gearbox is genuinely clever and helps both acceleration and range.
  • Serious 180mm suspension and 4-piston brakes inspire confidence at speed.
  • Pedal-assist adds torque and extends range, a real differentiator.
  • Mountain-bike-derived components are serviceable through normal channels.

✕ What riders flag

  • Quoted range far exceeds full-power, real-terrain use.
  • Heavy for a bicycle (~112 to 115 lb) and fast enough to demand respect.
  • Proprietary Hexbox and frame parts come only from Stealth.
  • Boutique brand: pricing, support, and parts depend on the company and your region.
Our read: the bike's hardware is serious and its standout feature, the Hexbox, is a real engineering idea, not a gimmick. The honest cautions are about the optimistic range rating, the weight, and the boutique parts dependency, not about obvious mechanical faults. As always, the variable is the company and your distance from its support.
⚠ Street-legal status As configured the B-52 is an off-road machine, and at around 50 mph it exceeds normal e-bike speed limits in most jurisdictions. E-bike classification and where you may ride vary widely by country, state, and trail. Confirm your local rules before assuming any road or shared-path use.
12

Parts & aftermarket availability

A bike is only as ownable as its parts supply. Here it is a mixed picture: standard bicycle parts are easy, the Stealth-specific parts are not.

Much of the B-52 uses mountain-bike-derived components (tires, brakes, suspension consumables) that are serviceable through normal bicycle channels. The catch is the proprietary core: the Hexbox gearbox and Stealth-specific frame parts come only from Stealth. That is the usual boutique-brand trade-off for owning something this unusual.

Part categoryAvailabilitySource
Tires, brake pads, suspension servicegoodnormal MTB channels
Battery pack (2.5 kWh)fairStealth direct
Hexbox gearbox partsStealth onlyStealth direct
Frame / Stealth-specific partsStealth onlyStealth direct
F

The verdict

One scorecard, identical axes on every bike.

13

The standard scorecard

Every e-moto on the site is scored on these same eight axes, by the same rules, so a 5 here means the same thing as a 5 anywhere.

Value for money
grin per dollar
0
Real-world range
vs. claim
0
Reliability
core mechanicals
0
Support & warranty
boutique brand
0
Parts & aftermarket
availability
0
Cost to own
5-yr, higher=cheaper
0
Street-legal ease
as shipped
0
Family-friendliness
new / young riders
0
Bottom line: the B-52 is a genuinely interesting specialist machine, fast, powerful, and clever where it counts (the Hexbox). It loses points on value, real-world range honesty, street-legal ease, and boutique parts dependency, which are exactly the trade-offs of owning something this niche. Skip it if you want simple, cheap, or street-legal. For an experienced off-road rider who wants something unusual and is happy to depend on Stealth, it is a fast, distinctive tool.

The math toolkit

Our standing methodology, run identically on every e-moto, including bikes whose makers do not publish every number.

5 formulas, every bike
1Real energy in the battery
Energy (Wh) = Voltage (V) × Capacity (Ah)

The honest way to compare two batteries. Stealth states 2.5 kWh but not the V × Ah split, so we use the stated Wh.

2Usable energy
Usable Wh ≈ Nominal Wh × 0.85–0.90

You never use 0 to 100%. The BMS holds a reserve and voltage tapers at the bottom. We assume ~88%.

3Real range
Range (mi) = Usable Wh ÷ Consumption (Wh/mi)

Consumption is the lever: ~58 Wh/mi economy, ~75 mixed, 110+ flat-out. Drag rises with speed².

4Power you can feel
hp = Watts ÷ 746  |  Continuous = cruise · Peak = launch

6,200 W peak is ~8.3 hp. The continuous rating is not published, so we say so.

5Charge time
Time (hr) ≈ Battery Wh ÷ Charger W × 1.1

The maker's ~3 hr claim implies a ~900 W charger; the exact wattage is not published.

Cost assumptionWe usedChange it if…
Annual mileage1,500 mi/yr (7,500 / 5 yr)You ride more → consumables rise
Electricity rate$0.17 / kWh (US avg)Your utility differs (cost is tiny)
Sales tax / dutiesRegion-dependentImport duty varies by country
Battery lifeNot modeled (price unconfirmed)Boutique pack pricing via Stealth
ResaleNot modeled (thin market data)Niche resale is hard to predict

Sources & references

✓ Every figure on this page traces to a source below

We cite everything and date it, because specs, prices and tariffs change. Manufacturer figures are labeled as claims; real-world numbers are our estimates from the methodology above. Spot an error? Our corrections policy means we fix it in public.

Specs & performance
Pricing & configuration (related models)

Sources retrieved May 2026. Manufacturer pages state claimed specs; treat them as marketing figures, not independent tests. The exact base B-52 price, continuous power, charger wattage, and v/Ah pack split are not published, and we have not invented them. We re-check pricing periodically because boutique imports move quickly.