2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review – First Ride

A highly customizable scrambler with ’60s style

On a frigid January morning in 1960, a teenage rookie lined up with another 764 riders on the start line of The Big Bear Run, the maddest, baddest point-to-point desert race on the calendar. At just 16 years old, Eddie Moulder etched his name in motorcycle history that day, riding his 500cc Royal Enfield to victory. He was one of just 207 finishers and crossed the line with a bent handlebar and one less rear shock than he started with. Moulder's epic win inspired the latest edition to Royal Enfield's growing parallel-twin lineup, the scrambler-styled Bear 650.

2024 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review – First Ride

Royal Enfield’s INT650 gets the scrambler treatment.

Royal Enfield has kept itself busy. Hot on the heels of the new Shotgun 650 and the trailblazing Himalayan, the Indian firm invited Motorcycle.com to southern California for the global launch of the Bear 650 scrambler. Enfield's new twin inherits its core components from the Interceptor that debuted in 2018, including the frame, engine, fuel tank, and brakes. The tubular steel double-cradle frame received some strengthening at the steering head and subframe to accommodate a taller, inverted fork and increase the bike's carrying capacity.

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It is a striking motorcycle, and its five distinct color schemes include a special Two Four Nine edition honoring Moulder's winning plate number. The current generation of Royal Enfields is in another class with respect to their build quality and finishing, and the Bear 650 is no exception. Its deep luster paint, refined switchgear, and brilliant chrome compete for the eye's attention, throwing shade on many pricier machines. With a base MSRP of $6,849, the Bear is on par with the spartan $6,799 Honda SCL500.

Although identical to the Interceptor's powerplant, the 648 cc, eight-valve SOHC Parallel-Twin engine produces more torque thanks to its new free-flowing, two-into-one exhaust system. In the Bear, the air-cooled Twin produces a claimed peak torque of 42 lb-ft at 5,150 rpm, but the improvement is apparent much earlier in the rev range. The additional grunt helps make up for its modest output of 47 horsepower, while its silky smooth six-speed transmission will propel the Bear far beyond legal highway speeds.

Staying true to the scrambler ethos, the Bear 650 gets taller suspension, knobbly tires, and rugged styling. Its inverted 43mm non-adjustable Showa fork offers a 5.1-inch travel span and its twin rear shocks, adjustable through five preload settings, offer 4.5 inches. While the Bear's off-road-inspired suspension adds about an inch more travel, it is still significantly less than rival machines such as Triumph's Scrambler 400 X and the SCL 500, which offer nearly six inches. The Enfield is also considerably heavier, with a curb weight of 476 pounds. A 19-inch front wheel joins a 17-inch rear. The spoked alloy rims come shod in MRF NYLOREX-X tires, which bestowed confident handling on the dry roads we encountered on our test ride despite their blocky off-road persona.

Enfield's new 650 embodies the essence of a 60s scrambler with just the right amount of contemporary technology. All-around LED lighting, a USB-C power socket, and switchable, dual-channel ABS add a measure of functionality. The Bear's thoughtfully designed and surprisingly feature-rich instrumentation includes wireless smartphone connectivity compatible with Google Maps.

Riding Impressions

Our 170-mile test ride included a short stretch on the highway, a brief stint off-road, and an abundance of glorious twisting mountain roads. Sitting astride the Bear for the first time, the relaxed ergonomics and comfortable one-piece saddle felt right at home. The 32.7-inch seat height afforded a relaxed bend at the knee – even for a tall guy like myself at 6’ 2” – and an easy reach to the wide handlebar. The bike is surprisingly peppy, but the most striking first impression came from the gearbox. Riders familiar with the previous generation of Enfields will likely remember (never forget) the clunky shifts and forearm exercising clutch. Those days are gone, and the Bear's six-speed transmission slots into gear with smooth precision and an easy two-finger lever action.

Abundant torque and a 270º firing order make for a characterful experience, and the less restricted exhaust omits the occasional crackle and pop in the downshifts, always a crowd-pleaser. Enfield's engineers have done an exceptional job with the balancing. Despite the asymmetrical crankshaft, the engine is among the smoothest twins I've ridden, and regardless of revs, the various touchpoints remain free of vibration. Although the air-cooled 650 rapidly began to run out of puff above the 6,500 rpm mark, the Bear was entirely at home on the highway, where the subtle step in the one-piece seat provided additional support for leaning into the headwind.

While credible on the highway, the Bear came into its own on the backroads. Wafting along a meandering mountain pass is what this bike does best. Okay, it's not the most thrilling machine in its class. If smashing through the gears and testing the limits is your idea of fun, Kawasaki's more powerful retro roadster Z 650 RS would leave the Enfield for dust. But it costs two grand more, and when you're not going hell for leather, the Bear is equally rewarding. Compared to the INT650, the Bear's lazier geometry and longer wheelbase favor stability over agility. Nevertheless, it was a joy to ride in the twisties, where its sticky MRF tires and surprisingly stiff suspension provided confident feedback.

On less-than-perfect roads, the rear shocks were a little too stiff, especially on a bike that will appeal to shorter (and, therefore, lighter) riders. As if to prove the point, we left the asphalt for a short hop on a sandy, rubble-strewn trail. On the well-packed sections, the Bear tracked well and felt stable, but anything more rugged soon overwhelmed the rear shocks, wiping the smile off my face. It was also the first time I noticed the bike's excessive weight. An aspect that also affects braking. The Bear's ByBre brake system includes a single two-piston floating caliper and 320 mm disc at the front and a single-piston caliper paired with a 270 mm disc at the rear. Although generally effective, on the last leg of our test run, a fast sweeping downhill section led to some fading, requiring more input at the rear.

The Bear 650 inherits Royal Enfield's circular four-inch Tripper Dash TFT display, which maintains the bike's minimalist retro styling while adding GPS functionality and smartphone connectivity. The default screen displays a sizeable analog-style tacho and all the standard information, including fuel range. A small joystick on the left-hand switchgear offers an effective interface for managing the limited settings. An off-road mode deactivates the dual-channel ABS at the rear wheel and lowers its intervention threshold at the front. The system provides turn-by-turn navigation, but if you prefer Google Maps, you will want to take advantage of the Bear's USB socket since maintaining connectivity requires leaving the phone's screen on.

Scrambler style for the roads

If the trails are where you plan to ride, the broader market offers countless capable enduro machines designed for the job. Modern scramblers are more about style than actual scrambling, and when it comes to style, the Royal Enfield Bear 650 is up there with the best of them. Yes, it's too heavy, but you will scarcely notice it, and the ride can be stiff, so avoid the potholes. Enfeild's budget-friendly, well-rounded machine is sure to make you smile, even before you’ve climbed aboard.

The Royal Enfield Bear 650 will be available in US dealers from November 5th. The Boardwalk White base option has an MSRP of $6,849. Our Wild Honey test bike and the Petrol Green variant have an MSRP of $6,999. The more conservatively styled Golden Shadow model, with its gold fork stanchions, is $7,099, and the "Fast Eddie" inspired Two Four Nine will retail for $7,199.

2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review Gallery

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