Bare facts about the new Bear 650

The new Bear 650 comes looking ready to race.

 Two things impress me about Royal Enfield's new Bear 650 scrambler. 

First is that Royal Enfield once again stays true to its commitment to honor its long history. 

This time the new motorcycle is a tribute to a long-ago race won by a child rider against long odds. The surprise victory at Big Bear, in 1960, was reputation building at the time for Royal Enfield in the United States. 

Second is that Royal Enfield faced the fact that it now has six versions of its 650 parallel twin motorcycles available or coming soon: the Bear, the Interceptor, the Continental GT, the Shotgun, the Super Meteor, and, soon the Classic. A seventh, a Bullet 650, seems certain. 

Why? Standard M&M'S come in six colors but they're all the same milk chocolate inside. Are the 650 twins like that? 

It's a  fair question. So Royal Enfield sat down and published a Q&A explaining why it builds the Bear 650, and why you should want one. The frankness of this approach amazes me.

Let's start with the answer to why one color variant of the new Bear 650 carries the number "249."

That was the race number of the Royal Enfield Fury ridden by "Fast Eddie" Mulder, of Lancaster, California. 

From the press release:

"In 1960, the unforgiving Mojave Desert served as a backdrop for the Big Bear Run, the biggest, baddest race the California desert had ever witnessed... Eddie Mulder shocked the racing world as he surged first across the finish line."

Ed Mulder made Royal Enfield a winner in 1960.

Mulder was 16 years old at the time, is still alive, and you can meet him in this short video.

More from Mulder, in the press release:

"I was in 30th place when I lost control and took a tumble down a ravine. I hauled up the bike and inspected the damage. The handlebars were bent right back, the header pipe had been wrenched out of the cylinder head and one shock absorber was bust. I heaved the bars into shape and kicked the header pipe back into place. Couldn't do anything about the busted shock absorber so I rode the rest of the race on just one."

There's more. In 2017 Mulder told Cycle News about his ride:

"Just after the second loop I broke the right footpeg off... I came back and told my crew and they found a footpeg and when I came back in to get gas to start the third loop they put on a new footpeg." He had ridden 50 miles without a footpeg.

Royal Enfield made its U.S. reputation at this race.

Guts.

That's how he got a big trophy with a bear on top, his picture on the front of magazines, and in Royal Enfield advertisements of the time.

But Mulder told Cycle News that, as photographers took their picture at the race celebration, Frank Cooper, the Royal Enfield distributor, reached over and gave him a $20 bill.

Twenty dollars. "For winning the Big Bear!"

So much for glory.

Now, why would you want a Royal Enfield Bear 650 scrambler. Here are answers, excerpted from the Royal Enfield's Q&A:

What are the unique features of the Bear 650?

-Performance (+8% peak torque).

-Two-into-one exhaust.. 

-Upside-down fork.

-Big-screen instrumentation featuring Tripper Navigation.

Big-screen navigation is a selling point.

-19-inch front/17-inch rear wheel.

-High, wide handlebars.

-Frame with kicked up rear loop.

-Bench scrambler-style seat.

-Spacious ride triangle, sitting or standing.

-Full LED lighting.

Shouldn't a scrambler have high-level exhaust?

There are no rules. We chose a low-level silencer to allow fitment of soft luggage and to reduce discomfort from heat near the right leg.

What performance can riders expect?

The 650-twin engine is tuned for more torque over other twins models. Thanks to suspension and specific tire and chassis development, the Bear 650 is a road machine while also capable on broken roads and light trails.

How does the Bear 650 compare to other Royal Enfield 650 platforms?

Retro-scrambler aesthetic. The riding triangle is very open with an aggressive elbows-up attitude. The sound is unique, thanks to the unique exhaust system.

The Bear 650 is the first to get a two-into-one exhaust. What does that do?

It contributes to the 8 percent increase in peak torque compared to other 650s. The compact single silencer and cat box with stainless headers reduces weight and pulls mass closer to the center of the motorcycle.

What sets the Bear 650 apart from the INT650?

The 19/17-inch off-road tires give it a scrambler look. The scrambler seat allows the rider to move around easily. There's big-screen navigation and digital instruments and switchable rear ABS for rough-road riding. The number board gives the motorcycle an authentic scrambler appeal. 

Ed Muller and his race winning Royal Enfield Fury 500 single.
(RoadRider.com.au)