Lower down in this post, we have our first ride review of the 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review. The Indian company unveiled this model globally in September 2024 in Rancho Mirage, California, a short drive from Palm Springs, which I attended. However, if you read our review (which, of course, you did, right?), you’ll recall that Rancho Mirage was not Royal Enfield’s original venue for launching the Bear 650; it was initially planned for Big Bear, California, the bike’s namesake.
Revisiting the Bear 650 in, this time, Big Bear!
Photography by Michael Luci
As I explained in 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review, I’ll reiterate here that the Bear 650 draws inspiration from the Big Bear Run and Eddie Mulder’s victory in 1960 when he was just 16 years old. The Big Bear Run was a three-lap off-road race that started in the nearby desert of Lucerne Valley and headed up to the 7000-foot mountain resort town of Big Bear and back down to the desert floor, and Royal Enfield never forgot that Mulder won it on one of their bikes. Mulder went on to become one of California’s greatest legends in motorcycle racing. So, 65 years later, Royal Enfield honored him with an Eddie Mulder edition of the Bear 650, complete with his 249-racing number that he wore that day. Mulder attended the Rancho Mirage launch and was clearly touched by Royal Enfield’s gesture.
Why We’re Here
After the monumental task of booking many plane tickets to Southern California for journalists from around the world (including a large portion from India), arranging accommodations, and managing various permits and loose ends, Royal Enfield faced the unimaginable dilemma of having to change the site of original Bear 650 launch and relocate the massive event just weeks before everyone was supposed to check into their hotel rooms. Why? Because someone (I could think of 10 other better and more accurate words than “someone,” but I’ll stick to that) thought it would be a great idea to set the San Bernardino National Forest on fire during a summer heat wave. The Line Fire burned just a few miles from Big Bear for nearly three months. Therefore, hosting the launch in Big Bear was out of the question. Somehow, Royal Enfield managed to relocate the launch approximately 50 miles away and still host a fantastic event and ride in Rancho Mirage a week after the original date.
However, Royal Enfield was determined to hold some kind of launch in Big Bear, and they did. Recently, I was invited to ride the bike again as part of a select group of journalists and influencers, who hadn’t ridden the bike yet, to attend a sort of quasi-relaunch of the Royal Enfield Bear 650—in Big Bear this time. Fittingly, while we were there for the relaunch, the arsonist who started the Line Fire was also in court, about to learn his fate. He was eventually found guilty of deliberately starting the fire and will be in prison for a very long time. Not long enough in my opinion.
Before our ride, Nathan Kolbe, one of Royal Enfield’s reps, said, “We simply wanted to celebrate the availability of the Bear 650 during the 2025 riding season and give you a fun opportunity to ride the Bear 650 in its ‘birthplace’ of Big Bear and in a scrambler fashion, on road, some trail riding and some glamping.” And that’s exactly what we did.
We gathered the evening before the ride at the family-owned The Outpost Big Bear (technically in Fawnskin, California), which offers five mountain-style cabins. I always like the idea of staying in mountain cabins, but I’m quickly reminded of how much I dislike staying in mountain cabins as soon as I arrive and open the door. Oh, that’s right, funky door locks, tiny kitchens, even tinier bathrooms and showers, heaters that barely work (and usually make weird noises in the middle of the night), crooked floors that creak, and uncomfortable beds. Yeah, I get the allure of it all, but it disappears as soon as I shut the door. Fortunately, the Outpost Big Bear cabins are nothing like that. Instead, they are beautiful, spacious, and everything functions as it should. Additionally, it’s situated in a stunning woodsy location.
I soon learned that the Outpost had been recently purchased by a family of motorcycle enthusiasts who invested their heart and soul into the place, and it shows. There is motorcycle memorabilia in every room, and during my stay, our hosts, co-owners of the Outpost, were Hollywood stunt rider Billy Van Vugt and his wife, Alyssa, a well-respected journalist for ESPN. They were great hosts and fun to talk to, especially about motorcycles. You’ve probably heard of Billy’s sister, Jolene (also a co-owner of the Outpost), who is the first woman to backflip a full-size motorcycle, a former member of the Nitro Circus motorcycle show, and, like her brother, is a busy Hollywood stunt rider. So, if you’re looking for a fantastic base location for your next ride, I suggest this place. You’ll be in excellent motorcycling company.
The Ride: Part II
I’ll be honest, I didn’t learn anything new about the Bear 650 on this day for “launch two,” but I was reminded of how much I enjoy riding the bike, how it’s not cutting-edge in terms of performance, yet still excels in many areas. It’s a motorcycle so easy to ride that anyone can handle it. We spent most of the day on paved twisty mountain roads, which the Bear 650 handles very well. The ride, however, is a bit stiff, and there isn’t much you can do about it as far as on-bike adjustments, but that’s part of the allure of this type of motorcycle.
After descending the mountain, we stopped for lunch at the Café 247 in Lucerne Valley, which is the coolest place around. This roadside attraction has plenty of wild things to look at, besides munching on the excellent food. I don’t remember this place when I was following the District 37 circuit in my desert-racing days many years ago (if it was there at all), but it’s certainly a great ride-to destination now, and the Bear 650 fits the part parked outside. After a large breakfast burrito for an early lunch, we turned around and headed back up the mountain, but with a side excursion this time.
During the first launch, we rode the Bear 650 only a short (very short) distance on the dirt, mainly for photography purposes. This time, however, I had the opportunity to log several miles on the loose stuff. For me, though, the result was the same: the Bear 650 is not a dirt bike. The rear suspension is too stiff with limited wheel travel. The tires don’t grip, and sitting isn’t really an option due to the harsh suspension and not enough seat padding to compensate. Still, if you stick to well-maintained dirt roads, stand up on the pegs, and maintain a low speed, the Bear 650 demonstrated to me that you can still enjoy sightseeing without feeling guilty about riding it on the dirt.
After the ride, we regathered at the Outpost again, chatted about the ride and our adventures, and then went our separate ways back down the mountain and into the real world. Overall, I had a great experience, met new riding friends and, perhaps best of all, sort of “relived” the day Eddie Mulder won the Big Bear Run 65 years earlier on a Royal Enfield. It was a good time.
For more about riding the bike, continue reading (below) my original ride review of the Royal Enfield Bear 650.CN
VIDEO | Royal Enfield Bear 650 First Ride
2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review
The following is a review posted on November 27, 2024
Following the recent launch of the Shotgun 650 and the all-new Himalayan, Royal Enfield has added a new twin to its growing family of motorcycles, the Bear 650, a scrambler-style twin offered in five standout colorways, one of which is inspired by Eddie Mulder’s legendary win at the 1960 Big Bear Run off-road race.
The Big Bear Run race started on the desert floor of Lucerne Valley, California, and headed south into the San Bernardino Mountains and to Big Bear Lake. Despite being late to the start line and running in last place at the bomb, 16-year-old Mulder piloted a 500cc Royal Enfield Fury to victory—minus a working shock and bent handlebars—against the nearly 765 competitors in this high-profile, more than four-hour-long grand prix. Mulder was one of only 197 finishers. The victory would ignite a successful motorcycle racing career for “Fast Eddie,” who later became a successful Hollywood stuntman.
Royal Enfield describes the Bear 650 as a “stylish new scrambler with a ‘60s soul” and inspired by Mulder’s historic win.
“We’ve always drawn deep inspiration for our motorcycles from our community and from our riders who’ve achieved extraordinary feats,” says Royal Enfield CEO, B Govindarajan. “Our inspiration for the Bear 650 came from one such legendary story—Eddie and that of the 1960 Big Bear Run.”
The Bear 650
The Bear 650’s fundamentals are derived from Royal Enfield’s INT model, known as Interceptor everywhere else in the world, unveiled in 2018. It shares the same chassis, engine, 3.6-gallon fuel tank, and braking foundation as the INT. However, the tubular steel double-cradle frame has undergone reinforcements at the steering head and subframe to support a taller, inverted fork and improve the bike’s load-carrying capacity.
The 648cc, eight-valve SOHC parallel-twin engine is identical to the Interceptor’s but tuned for maximum torque. Thanks to a new free-flowing, two-into-one exhaust system, Royal Enfield says the Bear 650 delivers an eight percent increase in torque to 41.7 lb-ft at 5150 rpm. Peak horsepower remains the same as the INT at a modest 47 hp, distributed to the rear wheel via a six-speed transmission.
The Bear 650 embodies the scrambler look with its longer suspension, semi-knobby tires, and 1960s styling. Royal Enfield opted for a downpipe layout, similar to the Triumph Scrambler 400 X and Ducati Scramblers, rather than an up-pipe design like Triumph’s Scrambler 900 and 1200. Royal Enfield went the low route to reduce heat for the rider and facilitate luggage fitment.
The Bear 650’s upscaled 43mm inverted Showa big-piston fork has 5.1 inches of travel, while the twin rear shocks offer 4.5 inches with five preload settings. Neither suspension is adjustable, except for rear preload. Royal Enfield says the Bear weighs in at 476 pounds, which isn’t exactly light for a midsize standard motorcycle. It rolls on a 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear, with spoked alloy rims equipped with specially designed MRF Nylorex-X tires, which look suspiciously similar to Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally tires.
The Bear features several technologies that Mulder’s bike certainly didn’t have in 1960, like all-around LED lighting (a first for as RE motorcycle), a USB-C socket, dual-channel ABS-enhanced functionality and a TFT display pod that offers wireless smartphone connectivity compatible with Google Maps.
Royal Enfield gives you five distinctive color variations from which to choose, including a special Two Four Nine edition honoring Mulder and his Big Bear Run win. This special version features Mulder’s number 249, which he wore that day.
Like all Royal Enfield motorcycles, the Bear 650 is budget friendly. Depending on paint, MSRP starts at $6849 and tops out at $7199 for the 249 Edition. And you also get a remarkable three-year unlimited mileage warranty.
Scrambling Around
Royal Enfield chose the North American market to launch the Bear 650 globally. Their original plan was to have journalists from around the world experience the Bear 650 for the first time near where Mulder rode his Royal Enfield to victory more than 60 years ago: Big Bear Lake. But a massive wildfire nearby nixed that idea, so, at the last moment, the launch was delayed a week and was shuffled 40 miles south to Rancho Mirage, California, just east of Palm Springs. Eh, close enough.
Royal Enfield gave us one day and 170 miles to experience the new Bear 650; approximately 168 miles were on the pavement, mostly twisty. Although Mulder’s Big Bear Run win happened on the dirt and in choking dust, Royal Enfield acknowledged that the Bear 650 is actually a street bike, not a dirt bike. But they clarified that it is capable of some light-duty off-road riding—i.e., well-maintained dirt roads—when the urge strikes. I’d later agree.
As Royal Enfield says, the Bear 650 is a full-on street machine and a very nice one. Comfort and ease of control are some of the Bear’s standout performance features. A semi-low seat height, relaxed ergos and an ultra user-friendly motor make the Bear 650 a joy to ride. The long and square-ish one-piece seat is much more comfortable than it looks.
Making things even nicer at the helm, the Bear 650 features a good-looking four-inch circular TFT Tripper Dash display, enhancing the bike’s minimalist retro style while providing GPS and smartphone connectivity. The main screen displays an analog-style tachometer and all the usual essential info like fuel range. A joystick on the left switchgear intuitively adjusts settings. Off-road mode disables rear dual-channel ABS and lowers front wheel intervention. That’s about it when it comes to mode offerings. The dash can display turn-by-turn navigation, which I did not get the chance to utilize.
A portion of our ride took place on the open road, where the Bear 650 could run freely. It has no problem keeping up with traffic flow, often 70 mph and higher in California outside the big cities. Not an issue for the Bear. In spite of its asymmetrical 270° firing crankshaft, the engine is very smooth and nearly free of vibration at any revs. (It sounds nice, too, even for a parallel twin.) Acceleration starts to sign off as you approach 7000 rpm, but you don’t want to get close to that anyway when banging through the Bear’s six gears. Your best bet is to shift early and often and take advantage of the Bear’s meaty torque. It might have “only” 47 horsepower on tap, but don’t worry; it still moves along nicely. It’s surprisingly spunky.
Speaking of shifting, the Bear does that well, too. Smooth gear changes are easily accomplished, and the clutch pull is light and with excellent feel.
As good as the Bear is on the open road, it is even better on the twisties, especially when ridden at a relaxed but spirited pace—somewhere right in between is ideal. The bike feels light on the controls and takes little coercing to set up for the corners. Once committed, it tends to stay put.
Suspension mars what otherwise is an excellent riding motorcycle. The dual shocks are sprung too tightly for my 165 pounds (before gear). I didn’t think much of it initially, but I subconsciously started wishing for more cushion after an hour or so. I needed a change, but I was out of luck. The shocks’ preload was already set at the softest position, which tells me the Royal Enfield folks probably know the springs are too stiff, too. Royal Enfield said the bikes are prepared to carry a passenger and cargo; I say, prepare for a single rider first and worry about the passenger and cargo later. I realize I’m a little on the light side, but I heard heavier riders than me mention the same thing. “A little on the stiff side.” On the other hand, I had no real issue with the non-adjustable fork; it felt fine.
Rear suspension aside, the Bear 650 does everything very well on the road. The ByBre brake system does the trick for spunky backroad jaunts and around-town riding, and it’s nice being able to easily disengage the rear ABS when the pavement turns to dirt. However, the Bear 650 has its limitations off the tarmac. Very little time was spent on the dirt on our ride, but you can easily and quickly tell that it won’t take much to reach the fork and shocks’ limits. Despite the stiff suspension, I still found the bike easy to bottom because of its 476 pounds and the lack of wheel travel. Otherwise, the bike’s low seat height, good handling and smooth power delivery will work fine for casual sight-seeing excursions on, in Royal Enfield’s words, broken roads or graded trails.
Day Is Done
I must say that Royal Enfield has impressed me again with its latest addition. The Bear 650 is a fine motorcycle that performs well, is solidly built, offers plenty of nice tidbits, and, perhaps best of all, looks great with several eye-pleasing colorways from which to choose. I suspect anyone in the market for a scrambles-style motorcycle such as the Bear 650 is more concerned about how it looks than how it rips through back canyon roads and accelerates from stoplight to stoplight (though the Bear 650 does these things well), but they also don’t want a…well, a p.o.s. If the Bear 650 checks off the styling box for you and can happily see yourself at the Bear’s controls, you’re in good shape because it is a very good motorcycle, and not just because of its budget-friendly price but because it’s a very good motorcycle that happens to have a budget-friendly price tag.CN
VIDEO | Royal Enfield Bear 650 First Ride
Ride Wear
Helmet: Arai VX-Pro4
Goggles: Leatt Velocity 6.5
Jacket: REV’IT! Eclipse 2
Pants: REV’IT! Jeans Reed SF
Shoes: REV’IT! Jefferson
Gloves: REV’IT! Redhill
Back Protector: REV’IT! Seesoft Air
2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Specifications
| MSRP | $6849-$7199 |
| Engine Type | 270º, parallel-twin, 4-stroke |
| Valvetrain | SOHC, 8-valve |
| Bore x Stroke | 78mm x 67.8mm |
| Displacement | 648cc |
| Cooling system | Air/oil |
| Lubrication system | Dry sump |
| Horsepower (claimed) | 47 hp at 7150 rpm |
| Torque (claimed) | 42 lb-ft at 5150 rpm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 |
| Fuel System | Multipoint sequential Bosch EFI w/2 x 34mm Mikuni throttle bodies |
| Transmission | 6-speed w/gear primary drive |
| Clutch | Multiplate slip-assist clutch |
| Frame | Tubular steel double cradle |
| Front Suspension | 43mm Showa Big Piston inverted fork |
| Rear Suspension | Steel Box-section dual-sided swingarm w/dual Showa shocks; 5-stage preload adjustment |
| Front-wheel travel | 5.1 in. |
| Rear-wheel travel | 4.5 in. |
| Front Wheel | Spoked alloy rim 100/90-19 MRF Nylorex-F |
| Rear Wheel | Spoked alloy rim 140/80R17 MRF Nylorex -X |
| Front Brakes | 1 x 320mm steel disc w/2-piston floating ByBre caliper and dual-channel Bosch ABS |
| Rear Brakes | 1 x 270mm steel disc with 1-piston floating ByBre caliper and dual-channel Bosch ABS |
| Wheelbase | 57.5 in. |
| Seat Height | 32.7 in. |
| Fuel Capacity | 3.2 gal. |
| Weight (wet, claimed) | 476 lbs. |
Click here to read the 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Review in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.
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