The Keeway RY8 is a small scooter with a 50 cm³ engine, built by the Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang and sold under the Keeway brand. It replaced the RX8 and uses an air-cooled horizontal single-cylinder two-stroke derived from a Minarelli design.
Keeway RY8 at a glance
| Brand | Keeway, made by Qianjiang |
|---|---|
| Type | motor scooter |
| Predecessor | Keeway RX8 |
| Engine | air-cooled horizontal 50 cm³ single-cylinder two-stroke, Minarelli copy |
| Top speed | 45 km/h restricted, 25 km/h version also listed |
| Restriction | distance ring in the stepless belt transmission |
| Sport version | RY8 SP with sports exhaust and digital instruments |
| SP details | digital rev counter, wave front brake disc, 12-inch aluminium wheels |
| Standard details | main and side stands, stainless exhaust manifold and cover |
| Wheels | black on all versions except the SP |
| Colours | grey-red, white-red, red-white-black (Evo), dark blue-orange-white |
Based on one source, the German Wikipedia article on the Keeway RY8.
History of the Keeway RY8
The RY8 followed the RX8 in the Keeway range and used the same layout: a small step-through body with an air-cooled, horizontal single-cylinder two-stroke of 50 cm³ that follows a Minarelli design. As with the other 50 cc scooters of the brand, the version for European markets was held to 45 km/h by a distance ring inside the stepless belt transmission, which allowed it to be ridden on a class AM licence; a 25 km/h version was also offered.
The sporty RY8 SP version was distinguished by a sports exhaust, a digital instrument unit with a rev counter and a mobile-phone display, wave-shaped front brake discs, 12-inch aluminium wheels, a luggage rack, a digital clock and aluminium plates on the footboard. The standard RY8 came with a main and a side stand and a stainless-steel exhaust manifold and cover, and it rode on black wheels, which the SP did not have. The scooter was sold in grey-red, white-red, red-white-black (Evo) and dark blue-orange-white.
The RY8 became popular with young tuners because its engine is close to the Minarelli it copies, so the usual sports exhausts, cylinders, carburettors and gearboxes can be fitted. Two details have to be watched: the angle of the exhaust flange at the cylinder differs by 10 degrees, and the crankshafts are not the same — the clutch-side shaft stub is 15.7 mm and the piston pin 12 mm, both thicker than on a Minarelli engine.
Design and features
- Minarelli-style engine: a 50 cm³ air-cooled two-stroke that accepts the usual tuning parts.
- SP equipment: sports exhaust, digital instruments with rev counter and wave front discs.
- Two speeds: a 45 km/h restricted version and a 25 km/h version.
- Stainless details: the exhaust manifold and its cover are made of stainless steel.
Keeway RY8 versions
- RY8 45 km/h: the standard restricted version.
- RY8 25 km/h: a slower version for stricter moped rules.
- RY8 SP: sports exhaust, digital dash, wave discs and 12-inch aluminium wheels.
- RY8 Evo: a red-white-black colour scheme.
The RY8 came after the RX8 and sat in the range beside the Hurricane; the Focus and ARN are other 50 cc scooters of the brand. More models are in the Keeway collection.
Video: Keeway Ry8 Stock vs. Stage 6 Pro Replica
Video by Proofcipher on YouTube.
Sources
- Keeway RY8, German Wikipedia: engine, restriction, SP equipment, tuning details, colours
