First Ride: Royal Enfield’s Bear 650 is a motorcycle with added personality

But in a market where the scrambler-style motorcycle is in hot demand, what can the Bear 650 do to stand out and is it worth considering? We’ve been riding it to find out.

It’s got a similar basis to some of the brand’s other 650cc models like the Interceptor and Continental, but gets a raised ride height and a more aggressive look overall. You’ve got beefy Showa 130mm forks up front, too, as well as a 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear.

The aforementioned exhaust system helps to offer a ‘broader powerband’, according to Royal Enfield, while a claimed fuel economy of 62mpg could see 185 miles being extracted from a fill of the Bear’s 13.7-litre tank – though this is hardly being pitched as a long-distance motorcycle.

The upright bars help to create a more relaxed riding position overall, too, and even though a lack of screen means you’re getting most of the wind blast to your chest, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to ride even at greater speeds. We did find the gearbox to be a little wooly at times, mind you, and had a few ‘false neutrals’ during our time with the bike.

You’ve got three colourways to choose from – Petrol Green, Golden Shadow and a special edition Two Four Nine which harks back to the number worn by Mulder back in the 1960s. They’re all very complementary colours to the look of the bike overall, though we’re sure that the Bear 650 will be squarely in the sights of customisers who want to take things further.

There’s the TFT display which incorporates Enfield’s Tripper navigation system, for instance. It links to your smartphone’s Google Maps app and, as a result, provides excellent turn-by-turn navigation right where you need it. You’ve also got a USB-C charging port for keeping that smartphone topped up, which is handy given that mapping services tend to drain them quickly. LED lights are included across the board, too, which is a first on any Enfield twin motorcycle.

The Bear 650 gets the scrambler style of motorcycle nailed. It’s great to look at, feels peppy and agile to ride and has boatloads of character as well as a decent level of technology that’ll make it easier to use every day.

Most importantly, it does this for a very tempting price. So if you’re looking to get onto a scrambler without paying too much, the Bear 650 offers a very attractive proposition.