Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650 unveiled; India launch soon

The new Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650 has finally been unveiled. It has been a much-awaited motorcycle, with spy pictures of it doing the rounds on the internet for almost two years now. The Royal Enfield Bear 650 is a purpose-built scrambler, and has the same 650 cc platform as the Interceptor 650. The engine and chassis are the same as the INT 650, but the suspension and wheels are different. The look and feel of the motorcycle is similar to the old scramblers from the 60s, when road-going motorcycles were stripped down to their basic elements, given firmer suspension and taken ‘scrambling’ across deserts or trails.

The RE Bear 650 rides on a 19-inch spoke wheel at the front and a 17-inch wheel at the rear. At the front, the Royal Enfield Scrambler rides on a 43 mm Showa USD fork with 130 mm travel. At the rear, there is a set of new shock absorbers with 115 mm travel. The ground clearance of the motorcycle is 184 mm and the seat height is 830 mm, which is the highest among all 650 cc models from Royal Enfield.

The Bear 650 rides on new MRF Nylorex tyres with a block pattern and no, the Bear 650 does not ride on tubeless tyres. At the front, the motorcycle rides on a 320 mm disc and at the rear, there is a 270 mm disc. The kerb weight of the bike is 216 kg, which is two kg less than the Interceptor 650.

The motorcycle rides on the same 648 cc parallel-twin engine which is oil and air-cooled like the Interceptor 650. The engine makes 47 hp at 7,150 rpm and has a peak torque output of 56.5 Nm at 5,150 rpm. The motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

Thanks to its scrambler heritage, the Interceptor Bear 650 has a wide handlebar and the footpegs are differently placed compared to the Interceptor 650. In terms of features, the Bear 650 gets dual-channel but switchable ABS, full LED lighting, and a circular TFT display similar to the Himalayan and Guerilla 450. It also gets a USB Type C charging port.

The motorcycle will be offered in five colours – Wild Honey, Petrol Green, Golden Shadow, Boardwalk White, and Two Four Nine. Currently, the Royal Enfield Bear 650 has no direct rival. Prices for the motorcycle will be announced on November 5, 2024, and deliveries should begin in November itself. We expect the Bear 650 to be priced starting at ₹ 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom).