Royal Enfield has pulled the wraps off its new Bear 650, a scramblerized version of the popular INT 650 with longer-travel suspension and a new exhaust system for its air-cooled parallel-Twin engine.  

Inspiration for the 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 was drawn from a victory in the prestigious Big Bear Run in 1960, when 16-year-old rookie Eddie Mulder used a Royal Enfield to outrun more than 700 riders in the grueling endurance race around the California mountain town of Big Bear.  

“The Bear 650 channels the same spirit of raw instinct, sheer impulse, and relentless determination – it embodies the ethos of a true scrambler ‘full-send’ mindset,” said B. Govindarajan, CEO of Royal Enfield. “It’s built to deliver confidence and control across all terrains – whether you are navigating urban streets or dusty trails.”  

Winning the Big Bear Run was the launching pad for Mulder’s venerable racing career, earning flat-track victories on Triumphs and winning the Pike’s Peak hillclimb nine times before going on to become one of Hollywood’s best stunt riders.  

Fittingly, Mulder was with us for the Bear 650’s unveiling in Palm Springs, California. After pulling off the cover from the top-of the-range Two Four Nine model – 249 being Mulder’s race number when he won the Big Bear Run – he remarked with teary eyes, “I’m very, very proud.” 

Scrambler Formula | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

Although the Bear has much in common with the INT 650, the revisions made to create a scrambler version were substantial.  

First up is a suspension with longer travel to handle mild off-roading. Instead of the INT’s conventional fork, the Bear is fitted with a 43mm inverted fork featuring Showa’s Separate Function Big Piston (SF-BP) technology as seen on Enfield’s Meteor and Shotgun models. The nonadjustable legs provide 5.1 inches of travel, while new Showa shocks deliver 4.5 inches and have preload adjustability.  

To handle the extra forces exerted from the longer and stiffer inverted fork, engineers bulked up the frame’s steering head area for additional rigidity. The frame revisions are enhanced by a larger-diameter front axle that is said to improve handling responses.  

Up front is a 19-inch spoked wheel, while a 17-incher rolls in back. Both hoops are shod with tires produced by Indian manufacturer MRF specially for the Bear 650. Lessons were learned examining tires from other manufacturers, and the tread blocks in the MRF rubber look similar to Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally tires. The 100/90-19 front tire is backed up by a radial-ply 140/80-17 rear, both ends requiring tubes for pneumatics.  

Also unique to the Bear 650 is its 2-into-1 exhaust system. A stylishly small muffler is made possible by the exhaust pre-chamber tucked in ahead of the rear tire, which houses the catalytic converter and does some muffling of its own. The exhaust is claimed to deliver an 8% increase in torque (to 41.7 lb-ft at 5,150 rpm), while horsepower remains static with 46.4 hp at 7,250 rpm. There are no other changes to the air/oil-cooled engine aside from its black finishes.  

Visually, you’ll notice a scrambler-style bench seat atop a kicked-up frame loop that enables strapping on heavier loads for light-duty touring. Aiding the bike’s scrambler appearance is the panel below the seat that resembles a vintage number plate. The INT’s 3.6-gallon fuel tank remains but is augmented with a new flip-up lever on the filler cap. For the first time on Enfield’s 650cc platform, all lighting on the Bear is via LEDs. 

Another upgrade over the INT is the adoption of the circular TFT instrument panel used on Enfield’s Himalayan and Guerilla. Dubbed Tripper Dash, the 4-inch pod provides readouts for rudimentary items (gear position, fuel, time, temperature) and is topped with an analog-style tachometer. The panel includes a USB-C charging port and can be linked to your phone to integrate with Google Maps for navigation and to stream music or receive calls and messages.  

Bear Scrambles | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

Royal Enfield planned what I’ll assume was an awesome loop around the town of Big Bear for the Bear 650’s launch. Sadly, the area suffered a devastating wildfire a few weeks before the launch event, forcing relocation to a hub near Palm Springs. No matter, as our route would take us from the desert floor through the quaint mountain town of Idyllwild to twisty roads more than 6,000 feet above sea level.  

The Bear 650 looks wonderful in person, leaning into the vibe of bikes from the desert racing scene of the 1960s. Royal Enfield nailed the look, creating a scrambler that embodies the style of a bygone era that many look upon wistfully. A key element is the air-cooled lump resplendent with cylinder fins and without a clunky radiator and fugly hoses.  

While a 650cc scrambler might sound unintimidating, the Bear requires a fair bit of oomph to lift it off its sidestand. At 476 lb with 90% of fuel, it’s kinda porky for a midsize streetbike. Riders short on inseam length might find the Bear’s 32.7-inch seat height lofty, but it was a good fit for me, and I appreciated the extra legroom offered over its INT sibling.  

Firing up the Bear, ears are greeted with a throaty rumble from its parallel-Twin motor and 270-degree firing order. It’s not loud, but it is authoritative. Hands are greeted by barrel-shaped grips tastefully embossed with Royal Enfield logos and capped by chrome bar-ends.  Both hand levers are adjustable for reach, and the big TFT screen is easy to read.  

Contrasting with the Bear’s hefty feeling are its control inputs. Clutch pull is light, the transmission swaps gears with fluidity, and throttle response is smooth. Around town, the motor feels peppy if not potent.  

Leaving the mid-century-modern chic of urban Palm Springs squirted us westward for a highway stint. The Bear purrs along politely, with a counterbalancer quelling vibration from the docile motor, aided by a tall 6th-gear ratio. The new fork felt compliant and well-tuned, but the new shocks seemed stiff under my 140-lb body, especially for a tallish scrambler. 

The handlebar is considerably higher than the INT’s, opening up the cockpit while still retaining a slight forward lean to help cut through 80-mph air. The Bear’s extra legroom alleviates knee crimping on longer rides, but your butt must endure a thinly padded saddle. Pleasingly, the seat’s flat profile allows plenty of room to scooch around to mitigate pressure points.  

For me, the rider triangle was perfect, but I had a few ergonomic quibbles. The right-side engine case bulges out awkwardly and limits foot room, and when riding on the balls of my feet, the muffler shielding prevented my right heel from fully tucking in.  

Bear Canyon | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

The Bear 650 was a decent highway traveler while droning along I-10, and our pulses quickened when we reached Banning and took the exit for State Route 243 for the twisty southbound climb up Mt. San Jacinto to Idyllwild.   

The Bear 650 leans into sweeping corners confidently if not briskly, and it requires a decent shove on the inside bar to lever the bike over in tight turns. Chassis geometry (26.1-degree rake angle and 4.6 inches of trail with a 57.5-inch wheelbase) is fairly middle of the road. The Bear’s taller suspension yields 7.2 inches of ground clearance, which kept the pegs from dragging no matter how hard we tried.  

Carried over from the INT 650 is a ByBre braking system with standard ABS. Up front is a single-action twin-piston caliper paired with a 320mm disc, while a 1-piston caliper bites on a 270mm rear disc. Braided lines provide a reassuring firm feel at the levers, and the brakes are up to the task of slowing the Bear from the modest speeds it can attain, but they’re not as strong as what’s available on pricier adventure bikes.  

As we ascended the mountain, the pace of our group hotted up into hooligan journalist mode. At higher velocities, I began to feel the front tire’s tread blocks squirming, but not nearly enough to make me back off. However, a few mid-corner bumps at speed caused the shocks to rebound too quickly and top out at the end of their stroke, indicating a spring rate too heavy or rebound damping too light.  

GEAR UP | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

• Helmet: Arai XD-5 
• Jacket: Rev’It Neptune 2 GTX 
• Pants: Roadskin Elite jeans 
• Gloves: Rev’It Dirt 3 
• Boots: Alpinestars Grange 

At a mid-ride stop, I checked the shocks and was surprised they were on their minimum preload setting. In fact, the shocks on all the bikes were at their lowest amount of preload. Engineers explained to me over lunch that they selected a spring rate to ensure the Bears were able to carry extra weight for luggage and/or for pillion riders. Heavier riders complained about the shocks less than I did, but lightweights like me might want to “spring” the money for softer springs for a more compliant, better-balanced ride. 

Dirty Bear | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

Any scrambler worth its salt deserves some time in the dirt, so we pointed the Bear onto a gravelly and rocky two-track trail to find out how it performs off-road. The torquey and willing motor meted tractable power for good traction from the rear tire, and a button on the right-side switchgear disables rear ABS so riders can be in full control of what the rear end is doing in low-traction situations.  

While the Bear did well off-road, it falls short of what a true dual-sport or pukka adventure bike can accomplish in the dirt. A 19-inch front tire can’t deliver the same level of confidence as a 21-incher in sandy conditions, and the mild motor is unable to loft the front end to avoid obstacles unless you’re in 1st gear and have strong arms. That said, the Bear is able to deftly navigate non-technical dirt roads and trails.  

Back on the pavement, the Bear’s throttle cables were stretched again. Although the mildly tuned motor lacks top-end lunge, it was able to nudge the speedo over the 100-mph mark despite the thin air atop the mountain. Braking power was adequate, and the fun factor was stellar.  

Hot Springs | Royal Enfield Bear 650 

The fresh air at 6,000 feet grew 25 degrees hotter as we descended the mountain into Palm Springs. The Bear 650 again impressed with its usefulness in city traffic, and it also impressed several bystanders with its vintage scrambler style.  

It’s usually hyperbole when someone states about a new motorcycle that there isn’t another bike on the market like it. But with the Bear 650, it’s a true statement, as there are no other scramblers with an air-cooled motor in the 650cc class. It not only looks terrific, it also looks authentic, which isn’t always the case with some other retro bikes.  

As much as motojournos want to believe that a careful examination of the finest details of every bike they review will make the difference to customers’ purchasing decisions, we know that nothing sells bikes better than its image. In that respect, the Bear 650 is a homerun – a scrambler with style and attitude and versatility, all at a reasonable price.  

The most cost-effective way to get a Bear 650 is by choosing the Boardwalk White colorway, priced at $6,849. Add $150 for Petrol Green or Wild Honey. The Golden Shadow version we tested retails for $7,099, and the Eddie Mulder tribute Two Four Nine stretches up to $7,199. 

Royal Enfield claims its bikes are “engaging, uncomplicated, accessible, and fun to ride; vehicles for exploration and self-expression.” In actuality, that statement perfectly sums up what the Bear 650 can be for its new owners. We predict it will be a sales hit.  

SIDEBAR: What’s In A Name? 

Royal Enfield’s INT 650 has an awkward name – do we say “Int” or “I-N-T”? This is a question riders outside North America never have to ask. Their bikes are called Interceptor 650s.  

If the Interceptor name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you remember Honda’s Interceptor sportbikes from the 1980s. Although Honda no longer sells a motorcycle with that designation, it still owns the trademark to the name on our shores. Hence our INT 650.  

Interestingly, Royal Enfield formerly owned the worldwide trademark for the Interceptor name because it sold a 736cc Interceptor in the 1960s. But rights to the trademark in the U.S. eventually lapsed, opening the door for American Honda to snatch it up.   

Ironically, it’s not the first time Honda has plucked Royal Enfield’s old catalog for names. The Hornet and the Fury were previous Royal Enfield models before Honda nicked the names for their own bikes.  

2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Specs 

• Base Price: $6,849 
• Price as Tested: $7,099 
• Website: RoyalEnfield.com 
• Warranty: 3 yrs., unltd. mileage  
• Engine Type: Air-cooled, parallel-Twin, SOHC w/ 2 valves per cyl. 
• Displacement: 648cc 
• Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 67.8mm 
• Horsepower: 46.4 hp at 7,250 rpm 
• Torque: 41.7 lb-ft at 5,150 rpm 
• Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch 
• Final Drive: Chain 
• Wheelbase: 57.5 in. 
• Rake/Trail: 26.1-degrees/4.6 in. 
• Seat Height: 32.7 in. 
• Wet Weight: 476 lb (with 90% fuel) 
• Fuel Capacity: 3.6 gal.  

The post 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com