Royal Enfield has finally confirmed a scrambler based off its 650 parallel twin platform. The new Bear 650 is here as a 2025 model, with retro looks and mild off-pavement capability.
We’re already familiar with this engine; you can read Costa’s review of the INT650 and Continental GT at their launch here. He was impressed with the air/oil-cooled twin. In the Bear 650, it gets just a wee bit more torque, at 41 lb-ft, thanks to a new 2-1 exhaust system. Max horsepower is basically unchanged, at 47 hp.
There’s a wheel swap, to a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear with dual sport tires that lean towards street-friendly. The same goes for the suspension. There’s a new Showa big-piston fork with 130mm travel, and a twin-shock setup in back with 115mm travel. Definitely more than many retro bikes, but when compared to the advanced twin-shock setup on Triumph’s 1200 series (it sounds funny saying that), this is not in the same league.
Royal Enfield gave the Bear 650 all-round LED lighting and the same Tripper dash that’s on the Himalayan 450 adventure bike. This is the first 650 model to get this as standard; Google Maps is integrated into the Tripper unit, and it comes with a USB-C charging port that allows you to keep your phone juiced up while riding. That’s a low-cost feature to add, but one that many other bikes still don’t include from the factory.
There are five different colors available for 2025; see them below.
Because this is a retro bike intended to sell at a lower cost, there’s only a single brake disc up front, a 320mm unit. The rear brake has a 270mm disc setup, and the ABS system can be shut off at the rear if you want to take this machine into the dirt.
Curb weight for the Bear 650 is 216 kg.
Pricing for the Bear 650 begins at $8,899 CAD, with bikes showing up in North America in November, although your dealer might not get them right away. If you’re interested, ring them up and find out an expected arrival date.
