The roar of a V-twin engine is unquestionably American, and the sight of huge Harley-Davidson motorcycles cruising down a highway is legendary. But a motorcycle from India offers a compelling alternative – minus the weight and high costs.
We rode one of Royal Enfield’s newest motorcycles, the Bear 650, in California – matching the pace of big Harleys, and the nimbleness of Hondas – giving us unique insights into its capabilities.
What is it?
Powered by the 648-cc twin-cylinder petrol engine, the Bear 650 (priced from $6,849 to $7,099 in the US, and from Rs 346,330 to Rs 366,760 in India) is Royal Enfield’s sixth motorcycle in the segment – after the Interceptor 650, Continental GT, Shotgun, Super Meteor, and Classic 650.
How’s the design?
It’s a scrambler motorcycle – a bike that can be ridden both on the road and off it – and has 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear, with chunky dual-purpose tyres, scrambler-style seat, kicked-up rear loop, and 184-mm ground clearance.
It’s got a single exhaust pipe (other Royal Enfield 650 bikes have two exhausts) and produces higher torque (56.5 Nm, as compared to 52 Nm in others).
It’s available in five colours – white, green, wild honey, golden, and a special colour called Two Four Nine. It also gets the Tripper Dash – a TFT display on which Google Maps are mirrored for navigation – USB-C charging port, and Wingman Connectivity (which provides remote live location tracking, real-time last parked location, vehicle alerts and dashboard, and trip reports).
How does it ride?
As compared to most American bikes (usually 300-450 kg), the Bear 650 is light (216 kg with full tank), and feels lighter when on the move.
On highways: It’s powerful enough to overtake long trailer trucks in seconds, brakes are brilliant, and you can comfortably ride 200-250 km, or 125-155 miles, without taking a break. Till about 120 km/h (or 75 miles per hour – the highway speeds in California), there are minimal vibrations from handlebars, seat or footpegs, but above that, the mirrors start to vibrate. At higher speeds, the Bear 650 needs a windshield visor.
On gravel: Unlike Harleys, which you can’t easily take off the road, the Bear 650 feels at home on desert terrain and forested mountains – so abundant in California – thanks to its dual-purpose tyres and light weight.
On twisty roads: It is in its element on twisty mountain roads. It’s got an excellent lean angle, exceptional shockers, perfect riding position, and never feels out of power while accelerating out of a corner.
Fuel efficiency: Most American big bikes return 15-20 km/litre, but riding over a day, the Bear 650 averaged 30 km/litre.
Should you buy it?
If you just want to buy a motorcycle for the way it looks, the Bear 650 is a no-nonsense buy.
It’s also different to ride as compared to other 650-cc Royal Enfield bikes – it’s nimbler, produces more torque, has a good riding angle, is amazing around the corners, sounds super-sexy, and has a little bit of off-roading ability, too.
But the best thing about it is pricing – be it anywhere in the world, it costs less than half of big bikes, and looks twice as cool.
Is it better than big bikes?
Be it America or India, bigger isn’t always better. The Bear 650 doesn’t demand constant wrestling – so that you can enjoy the scenery, instead of controlling the bike, and fuel efficiency is a welcome bonus on long trips. Such bikes also shine in the city, with their lovely handling, and lane splitting (legal in California – you can ride between cars) feels less daunting.
Where to ride?
California is a motorcyclist’s haven, and here are a few route suggestions:
California 101: From Los Angeles to San Francisco, it is one of the world’s most scenic routes – parallel to the Pacific Ocean – and a return journey can be done in 4-5 days. For motorcyclists, it’s got dramatic cliffs and sweeping curves.
Angeles Crest Highway: Just outside of Los Angeles, this road has challenging turns.
Palms to Pines Scenic Byway: This is where we mostly rode the Bear 650 – it takes you from the resort city of Palm Springs to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. You also get to ride across the quintessential Californian desert and dryland landscape, and you get panoramic views of the Coachella Valley.
What we like
– Upside down telescopic forks (43 mm) appear to enhance stability;
– The test bike went from 0-100 km/h in 6-7 seconds (rough calculation);
– Seat is really comfortable, and the design with single exhaust is cool.
What we don’t
– There is immense wind blast starting 120 km/h (it doesn’t have a windscreen);
– Ride quality is on the stiffer side, especially on rough roads;
– At speeds close to 120 km/h, it consumes a lot of fuel.
