- First major update of Royal Enfield’s excellent 650cc parallel twin since its release 6 years ago.
- Showa suspension with USD big piston forks.
- TFT Tripper dash offers full on-screen navigation via Google Maps
A trip over the ditch to Aussie was the perfect opportunity to put Royal Enfield’s purpose-built Scrambler to the test, with a day of fast gravel and single track followed by a scenic blast along the Great Ocean Road.
WHAT IS IT?
Many owners of the original Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 went through the process of doing their own scrambler customisation, with many of them looking pretty damn cool. Well, Royal Enfield has now done the job for you, with the BEAR 650 getting not only Scrambler looks but also a heap of changes to make it work in road and off-road environments. They have worked hard on achieving the required Scrambler look, too, with five different colour schemes, all giving the new model a decidedly retro look.Â
The BEAR name comes from an off-road race that ran from 1921 to 1960 in California, with hundreds of participants racing to Big Bear Lake. A 16-year-old Eddie Mulder won the final race in 1960 on a tuned Royal Enfield Fury 500, and despite being last off the line due to answering the call of nature, he battled through the field of 700+ starters and led the remaining 196 finishers across the line.
WHAT’S NEW?
Based on around the 650cc parallel twin that was launched 6 years ago with the Interceptor and Continental GT, the BEAR features an evolution of this powerplant that, thanks to a new two-into-one exhaust, has seen a boost of 8% in torque, now with 56.5Nm @ 5,150rpm. Max power remains the same at 47hp @ 7,250rpm.
As well as getting tweaks to the motor, the BEAR differs from the Continental in plenty of ways that make this more than the same bike with different tyres. The wheels are 19″/17″, and talking of tyres, the Indian MRF Nylorex-F hoops look remarkably like Pirelli’s excellent Scorpion Rally STR tyres with a similar block pattern.
There’s more ground clearance and suspension travel, with the new Showa Big-piston USD forks offering 130mm of travel, while the Showa twin tube RSU shocks offer 115mm. The extra travel has meant a redesigned rear sub-frame for the chassis to give the wheel more space to move, and the added rigours of off-road riding have seen the Enfield team beef the rest of the chassis, especially around the headstock.
Switchable rear ABS is something that most riding off-road are likely to welcome, as are the wider and taller handlebars which make the BEAR more comfortable for standing up than the Interceptor. It’s great to see the excellent Tripper TFT dash, which we first saw on the Himalayan, has now made it to the 650 twin format, with the simple yet effective unit offering full-colour mapping when linked up to your smartphone. There’s now full LED lighting, a first on the 650 twin, and a cool-sounding two-into-one exhaust that not only gives the Scrambler more bark but also makes it less vulnerable by helping raise the ground clearance to 184mm.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Riding out of Melbourne and heading for the Great Ocean Road meant we first encountered plenty of rush-hour traffic before finally making it onto the motorway, where we needed to click off the kays for around an hour before we could find any roads that were interesting.
During that time, it became apparent that the boost in midrange combined with a drop in gearing sees the BEAR feel much more urgent when getting off the line and also while rolling on the throttle in top at 100km/h. The more sit-up riding position gives the perfect stance for combatting traffic, while the higher handlebars make the standing riding position relaxed when the road ends and the gravel starts.
The Tripper dash is a great unit, especially for a machine at this price point, with the ability to connect your phone and bring up full-colour mapping, making it great for a tour and an adventure. With the 650 twin now so refined, there wasn’t any lumpiness from the delivery, although a few of us noticed a slight high-speed vibration that set your throttle-hand tingling.
With firmer suspension and more ground clearance, the BEAR is a blast in the twisties. Despite my best efforts, I wasn’t close to dragging anything solid on the road, while the firmer suspension meant the BEAR didn’t get out of shape when working the brakes hard into turns. The Bybre set-up isn’t Brembo sharp, but it does a good job scrubbing speed despite only having a single caliper. And the fact you can disable the rear ABS makes the BEAR much more suitable for a bit of dirt fun.
With only limited suspension travel, the suspension is firm enough to stop the BEAR from blowing through its ground clearance when riding off-road, although that does come at the detriment of road comfort. The suspension is hard, and I realised something was up when I noticed all the test bikes had the rear preload (the only adjustment) wound all the way off. I’m 100-kilos in my undies and never ride a bike with the suspension at its softest setting… Still, the advantage is that the BEAR set-up is great when you’re pushing the limits either on- or off-road, with this surely the best handling Enfield I’ve ridden yet.
The 19-inch front wheel adds to the ability of the BEAR off-road, while the MRF tyres did an excellent job of hanging on while pushing hard on the road while also offering plenty of confidence from the front-end when playing the fool off-road. This is a scrambler and not an adventure bike like the Himalayan, so the tyres need to work well in both environments and they do just that. The extra mid-range boost meant spinning and sliding the rear wheel was a breeze, making the BEAR a seriously fun way to tackle gravel roads.
WHO’S IT FOR?
I reckon this model is going to be another hit for Royal Enfield. The BEAR has the instant cool factor that many were looking for with the Interceptor, while also being able to comfortably tackle anything from inner-city commuting to fast gravel riding and twisty backroads. Then, when you get home, it’s a machine you’d be pleased to see sitting in the garage – well, I would anyway, as I think all the colour choices look really cool.
With an accessible seat height (830mm) and a reasonably light weight (214kg wet), the BEAR 650 should fit a whole lot of different sized riders, and with many gravel/off-road machines often featuring towering seat-heights, this is also going to make the BEAR popular.
The first models should arrive in NZ towards the end of January 2025. The Boardwalk White model is the cheapest at $11,490 then there’s a $200 premium if you’re after the Petrol Green or Wild Honey. Finally, the rather cool Two Four Nine is the most expensive at a $400 premium, but is still a cheap price for a whole lot of fun.
For further details head to: www.royalenfieldmotorcycles.co.nz
Specifications
Royal Enfield BEAR 650
Price: $11,490 + ORC (available Jan 2025)
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Type
Parallel twin, 4 stroke, SOHC, Air-Oil Cooled
Displacement
648cc
Maximum Power
34.9 kW @ 7150 rpm
Maximum Torque
56.5 Nm @ 5150 rpm
Bore x Stroke
78 mm x 67.8 mm
Ignition
Digital electronic ignition
Clutch
Wet, Multi-plate
Gearbox
6-Speed Constant Mesh
Fuel supply
EFI
Engine startÂ
Electric
CHASSIS & SUSPENSION
Type
Steel Tubular Double Cradle Frame
Front Suspension
43mm Showa Upside down telescopic forkÂ
Rear Suspension
Showa Twin Shock, 115mm travel, adjustable preload
BRAKES & TYRES
Front tyre (Spoked Wheel)
100/90-19 M/C 57H MRF NYLOREX-F
Rear tyre (Spoked Wheel)
140/80R17 M/C 69H MRF NYLOREX-X
Front brakes
Hydraulic Disc Brake, Single 320mm Ventilated disc, twin piston floating caliper
Rear brakes
Hydraulic Disc Brake, Single 270mm Ventilated disc, single piston floating caliper
Brake System
Dual Channel ABS, Switchable off at rear
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Ground clearance
184 mm
Length
2216 mm
Width
855 mm
Height
1160 mm
Seat Height
830 mm
Kerb weight (90% Fuel & Oil)
214 kgs
Fuel capacity Â
13.7 l
Colours
Boardwalk White, Golden Shadow, Petrol Green, Wild Honey, Two Four Nine
Contact
www.royalenfieldmotorcycles.co.nz
