P90
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 ROYAL ENFIELD BEAR 650
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 mo
-
ment, the launch was delayed a week and was
shuffled 40 miles south to Rancho Mirage, Califor-
nia, 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 acknowl
-
edged 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 per
-
formance 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
(Right) The
special Two Four
Nine Edition bears
the same number
16-year-old Eddie
Mulder wore when
he won the Big
Bear Run in 1960
on a Royal Enfield
Fury. (Below)
The Bear's seat is
more comfortable
than it looks. The
same cannot be
said for the stiff
shocks, at least
for our tester's
165 pounds.
(Bottom) We love
the Bear 650's
unique and retro-
looking air-cooled
motor.
