Ryan Vickers (Team Motocorsa Racing) is one of several rookies who will join the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid after he inked a deal to join the Motocorsa Ducati outfit for next season. After challenging for the title domestically in Britain, Vickers got his first taste of the Ducati Panigale V4 R at the post-round Jerez test a few weeks ago. Speaking at EICMA, he reviewed the test, how the deal with Motocorsa Racing came about and his goals for 2025.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: testing the Panigale V4 R at Jerez
Vickers’ first taste of his new machine came at Jerez just after the 2024 season finale and he showed great speed from the off as he adapted to the new bike and circuit. On Day 2, he finished in seventh place despite a crash at Turn 1 after setting a best time of 1’40.027s. His crash ended the test early for the Brit, but he remained upbeat after a productive test as he started to understand the bike, electronics and circuit.
Reflecting on the test, Vickers said: “My first thoughts with the team and the bike were amazing. They welcomed me so well and taught me the way to ride the Ducati and also introduced me well to the electronics. I didn’t expect to arrive at the level we did straight away, so really happy. The two days were fantastic. The weather was amazing. It was a great time for me to get used to the team and the way of working. Really excited for the next test in January.”
MOTOCORSA RACING DEAL: the stars aligned
Vickers also spoke about how he reached an agreement to sign for Motocorsa Racing, handing him a full-time season on the world stage after a one-off race with TPR Team Pedercini Racing in 2022. His moves comes off the back of a successful British Superbike championship campaign where he finished fifth in the standings and won seven races.
Explaining the reasoning behind his Motocorsa Ducati switch, Vickers said: “Things have got to happen and get into line and the opportunity came about because I was in the right point of my career to progress to WorldSBK. They were finishing a partnership with Michael Ruben Rinaldi. They wanted a young rider that they could progress like they did with Axel Bassani. The team do a good job with this. I’m super excited to be joining a team that have shown they can progress a young rider and bring a young rider through”
ROOKIE AIMS: what does Vickers want to achieve in 2025?
Coming into WorldSBK as a rookie is incredibly difficult, due to various factors – new circuits, bikes, and the level of competition. These are all things Vickers will have to deal with round-by-round as he gets fully up to speed on WorldSBK-spec machinery, but, when asked about his goals, he refused to put a specific target in mind and instead preferred to focus on just improving with the bike and the team.
He said: “It’s always difficult as a rookie and I think I would be silly to put a position as a goal. There’s a lot of new circuits for me. Some of the rookies that were in this year already knew them. I’ve got a lot of learning to do. I’ve got a great team. Let’s see, my only goal is to keep progressing with the team and the bike and I’m sure, throughout the year, we’ll get some amazing results as we’ve shown we’ve arrived at a pretty high level straight away. Jerez was a good test for me. It’s a very new circuit for me, I hadn’t been there for five years and only ever done one day at Jerez, so to be at a good level straight away was a great feeling for me. When I next go to a new circuit, I know I can begin the same process with learning the track and bike.”
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Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s future was announced on Wednesday morning as he joins GMT94 Yamaha in the FIM Supersport World Championship. Rinaldi was with Team Motocorsa Racing in 2024 in WorldSBK but with results hard to come by, the team opted to sign Ryan Vickers for 2025. That left the #21 without a WorldSBK seat but his future has been secured as he joins GMT94 Yamaha in WorldSSP as a Yamaha rider, hoping to take the R9 machine to the title in its first season.
Rinaldi first moved into WorldSBK with the Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team after claiming the STK1000 title in 2017, when he beat two-time WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). After his rookie season, he stayed on Ducati machinery but joined the Barni Spark Racing Team in 2019 before Team GoEleven in 2020, which would prove to be a breakthrough for the Italian.
He took the first of wins at MotorLand Aragon in 2020 and that, coupled with two other podiums at the same venue, secured him a seat with the factory Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team for 2021. He was a race winner that season too, taking two wins on home soil at Misano before winning in Barcelona for his third of the year. After a winless 2022, he returned to the top step of the rostrum in 2023 at Aragon but he wasn’t able to keep his seat, instead linking up with Motocorsa Ducati. It had been expected the partnership would work out for both parties, but the highlight was a P6 in Race 2 at Phillip Island, and Rinaldi was unable to keep that seat.
For 2025, he’ll join the World Supersport grid and on this move, he said: “It has been a big announcement for my career because, after many years in WorldSBK with Ducati, now it’s time for a new chapter in my life and my career. This will be Yamaha. I’m a Yamaha rider inside the GMT94 Team to defending the blue colours. The project is new, the bike is new, and I decided to accept this challenge because I truly believe Yamaha is the right bike to face a battle with Ducati. They decided to replace the R6 with the R9 and since the first meeting with them, I felt their will to win and accepted the challenge. I can’t wait to jump on the bike.”
In the announcement, Yamaha Motor Europe Sporting Director, Niccolo Canepa, referenced that the R9 bike would need a ‘big-bike’ style to get the most out of, something which Rinaldi has experience of in abundance. The five-time WorldSBK race winner discussed this and an upcoming test for the Yamaha WorldSSP riders at Cremona this week, where he revealed he couldn’t ride the bike just yet.
He added: “The work they’ve done is not just for catching other manufacturers, but also, I spoke with Niccolo, and we think that, coming from WorldSBK, we don’t have to adapt the riding style too much. That test should be the plan, but we didn’t find an agreement with my old team so I can’t ride the bike until next year.”
The 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 adds scrambler styling and features to the INT 650 platform, offering a midsized scrambler option with Royal Enfield’s classic design and a starting price of less than $7K. Compared to the INT, the Bear features Showa suspension, a stiffer steering head, a 2-into-1 exhaust system, full LED lighting, and a circular TFT instrument panel.
We spent a day playing around on the Bear 650 in Palm Springs, California, and surrounding areas, putting the bike through its paces on street and on dirt. While the Bear’s power is modest, we enjoyed the bike’s total package of simplicity, accessibility, and style, and we suspect Royal Enfield customers will too.
The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello range is updated for 2025, including the introduction of the new special-edition Wind Tunnel version, which celebrates the 70th anniversary of wind-tunnel testing as designed by Carlo and Giuseppe Guzzi in the 1950s.
All V100 Mandello models (standard, S, and Wind Tunnel) receive updates to the transmission. These updates were first introduced on the Stelvio in 2024 and consist of relocating the cotter from the primary shaft of the gearbox to the clutch to enhance its damping capacity and overall operation. The bikes’ shared 1,042cc V-Twin engine is also now Euro 5+ compliant. Another new detail is the central radiator guard to protect against debris.
The V100 Mandello S gets additional upgrades. It already benefited from a host of additional features, including the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, an up/down quickshifter, heated grips, a tire-pressure-monitoring system, and the MIA multimedia platform. For 2025, it now comes with the PFF Rider Assistance Solution system as standard.
The PFF Rider Assistance Solution system is based on Imaging Radar 4D technology and uses Forward Collision Warning, Blind Sport Information System, and Lane Change Assist functions to make riding safer.
The V100 Mandello will be available in Blu Oceano or Grigio Titanio. The V100 Mandello S includes a two-tone paint and will be available in Verde Ghiaccio or Rosso Lava, with rims, cylinder heads, and forks finished in gold.
2025 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Wind Tunnel
A new special-edition V100 Mandello will be offered in 2025 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the introduction of the first wind tunnel for motorcycle testing. This motorcycle-specific wind tunnel, designed by Carlo and Giuseppe Guzzi, was officially opened on April 12, 1954, and it’s still used as an essential part of testing at the Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario.
The Wind Tunnel special-edition option comes with the S version’s extra features, including the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, up/down quickshifter, heated grips, a tire-pressure-monitoring system, and the MIA multimedia platform.
Special to the V100 Mandello Wind Tunnel is its livery. It’s red with a black tailsection and front fender, and the tank includes black graphics on the side. Gold detailing on the tank matches the gold cylinder heads. Pricing has not yet been announced.
There has been a bit of a reshuffle within Yamaha management in recent weeks, with Andrea Dosoli moving on to a new role as well as Niccolo Canepa. The Italian only recently retired from racing but has been given an off-track role within the Japanese manufacturer as they look to make the most out of his vast experience as a racer, test rider and rider coach. Canepa will take up the role of Road Racing Sporting Manager within Yamaha Motor Europe, taking over Dosoli’s responsibilities who moves into the Division Manager role in the Motorsport Division.
BACKGROUND AND NEW ROLE: from racing to Sporting Manager
Canepa announced his racing retirement before the final round of this year’s EWC which took place a week before the Italian Round at Cremona. However, that lasted just a few days as he stepped in to replace the injured Jonathan Rea at Pata Prometeon Yamaha on home soil. With the racing season now over, Canepa has re-retired from racing following his last-minute call-up, before being appointed as the Road Racing Sporting Manager.
His role will see him working with Riccardo Tisci, who continues as the Motorsport Road Racing Technical Manager, while Canepa will oversee both the WorldSBK and EWC efforts from Yamaha Motor Europe. He has vast experience as a rider, having competed in MotoGP™, WorldSBK, WorldSSP, Moto2™, and MotoE™ while also becoming Italy’s most successful rider in endurance racing with three titles to his name.
Discussing his new role, Canepa said: “Now the retirement is official! I’ve ended my racing career, and it was announced that I’ll be the Sporting Manager for road racing for Yamaha next year. You’ll see me in the WorldSBK paddock at every round. It’s going to be a challenge but I know the riders very well, and I’ve been a rider until literally last week. I know the riders very well and have relationships with teams. Of course, my task will be trying to help the riders perform at their best, to maintain the relationships with teams and this will be challenging, but I’m looking forward to it.”
TAKING YAMAHA BACK TO P1: a challenge awaits
Canepa and Tisci will both work towards the same goal of returning Yamaha to winning ways, after a season where they slipped to fourth in the Manufacturers’ Championship and didn’t win a race. It was the first time since 2017 that the Japanese brand didn’t step on the top step of the rostrum and they’ll be hoping for a change of fortunes heading into next season, which will start with their first pre-season test in a few weeks.
Talking about how he’ll work together with Tisci, Canepa added: “Working with Riccardo is great. We’ve been working together in the last seven or eight years. I was in a different role, but we got to know each other a lot. He has a lot of talent, a lot of new ideas. He’s done an amazing job so far. It’s going to be interesting to keep working with him in a different role, but I have full trust in him. Technically, he’s at a high level. It’s going to be interesting working with him.”
DOSOLI SAYS: “In his role as Rider Coach, he has shown excellent people and management skills, which will serve him well as he steps up to the next level”
Speaking when the announcement was made, Dosoli said: “We are very happy that while Niccolo is retiring from racing, he will remain in the Yamaha family in the role of Road Racing Sporting Manager. After nine seasons with Yamaha racing in EWC and as our Development Rider for WorldSBK, Niccolo knows both the WorldSBK and EWC projects very well. In his role as Rider Coach, he has shown excellent people and management skills, which will serve him well as he steps up to the next level. He already has very strong relationships with our teams, riders, the FIM and Championship promoters, so I am confident that Niccolo, together with Riccardo Tisci, who will continue to oversee the technical side of our road racing projects, will make a strong management team.”
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Bimota are making a return to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2025 and they have officially taken the covers off the KB998 machine street bike that will be homologated for use in WorldSBK. The race bike got its first public outing at testing at Jerez a couple of weeks ago but now the road bike has been unveiled at the historic EICMA show in Milan. Check out incredible images of the road bike at the top of this page!
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Yamaha have announced the riders who will race for the three supported teams in the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2025, with some big names joining the Japanese manufacturer. Michael Ruben Rinaldi moves to WorldSSP with the GMT94 Yamaha squad, while Can Oncu and Aldi Mahendra will link up together at the Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team, which will become part of Yamaha’s bLU cRU programme. At Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing, Stefano Manzi is joined by Yuki Okamoto for next season.
RINALDI MOVES TO WORLD SUPERSPORT: a new challenge for the WorldSBK race winner
Rinaldi has raced in WorldSBK since 2019, for various Ducati-powered teams as he worked his way to the factory Ducati outfit in 2021. He claimed his first of five race wins at MotorLand Aragon in 2020, with Team GoEleven, before moving to the Aurba.it Racing – Ducati team. He claimed two wins in 2021 on home soil at Misano before a third came in Barcelona that season, before a winless 2022 campaign. He returned to the top step of the podium at Aragon in 2023 but it wasn’t enough to keep his seat, with Rinaldi moving to Team Motocorsa Racing for 2024 but this proved to be a challenging year for both team and rider, with the #21 not staying there for more than a season. For 2025, he’ll race in WorldSSP with GMT94 Yamaha, alongside Lucas Mahias, as the team have a two-rider line-up as Yamaha introduce the R9 machine.
ONCU AND MAHENDRA LINK UP: two riders at Evan Bros. Yamaha
Oncu has had five seasons in WorldSSP, all on Kawasaki machinery, but the youngest Grand Prix winner will face a new challenge next year as he joins the Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team. The #61 is a race winner, after he claimed victory in Indonesia in 2023. The Turkish star was impacted by a bad hand injury following a crash at Assen with Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), although he did get a podium at the end of the season. He’ll be alongside 2024 WorldSSP300 Champion Aldi Mahendra, who steps up to WorldSSP after a title-winning campaign. The Indonesian rider has made his way through the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup to WorldSSP after a rapid rise through the ranks.
TEN KATE RACING LINE UP: Manzi joined by Okamoto
Manzi was already confirmed as staying with Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing but he’ll have a new teammate for 2025. Yuki Okamoto will move from the All Japan Road Racing championship, in the JSB1000 category after he won the title, to WorldSSP to make his debut on the world stage. Manzi will have his third season with the Dutch team as he looks to go one better than he did this season, when he finished second behind Adrian Huertas.
DOSOLI SAYS: “The R9 is a very important new model, so to have such a strong line-up in our first year is important”
Speaking about Yamaha’s line-up, Yamaha Motor Europe’s Andrea Dosoli, who is the Division Manager in the Motorsport Division, said: “We are pleased to announce our new line-up for the 2025 WorldSSP Championship, which marks a new approach for us in the category. The R9 is a very important new model, so to have such a strong line-up in our first year is important. We believe this is the best strategy for us to launch this new era of Supersport for Yamaha. Not only does having a diverse line-up, comprising a mix of experience and youth, give us the greatest chance of achieving the best results possible for the R9 in its first year of competition, but it also means we have significant input for the development of this brand new model, which is important as we prepare to roll out the race kit for national championships ahead of the 2026 season. The global role of our WorldSBK programme is also emphasised by the support from YMC in the signing of Aldi Mahendra and Yuki Okamoto, two promising young riders who have risen through the ranks with Yamaha.”
CANEPA’S VIEW: “From our tests, we know the machine’s torque will require more of a ‘big bike’ riding style…”
Speaking in his new role of Road Racing Sporting Manager, Niccolo Canepa added: “Bringing a brand-new motorcycle to the racetrack is a big task and we needed a rider line-up to reflect the efforts put in by the engineers in our R&D department over the last year. In our 2025 riders we believe we have a line-up that not only puts us in the best position to maximise the R9’s potential in its first year of racing, but also exemplifies Yamaha’s racing philosophy. In Manzi, we have a rider who is a proven WorldSSP contender having finished runner-up in the world for Yamaha in 2023 and 2024. The R9 is a completely different motorcycle to the R6 and will need to be ridden in a different way, from our tests we know the machine’s torque will require more of a ‘big bike’ riding style, it’s for this reason we have included Michael Ruben Rinaldi, a rider with race-winning WorldSBK experience in our line-up. Can Oncu is a young rider with a lot of potential, so we are pleased to have brought him to Yamaha for 2025 as he looks to make the ‘next step’ as a WorldSSP contender in the new bLU cRU Evan Bros team.
“The promotion of Aldi Mahendra and Yuki Okamoto reflects Yamaha’s step-up philosophy, with Aldi progressing from the R3 World Cup to WorldSSP300 and now WorldSSP, and Yuki making the move after winning JSB1000 this season. All three of our supported teams for 2025 are proven WorldSSP contenders. The Ten Kate name speaks for itself in the WorldSSP history books and team’s achievements with Manzi in the last two seasons, and Dominique Aegerter before that, show their level. Evan Bros Racing have also brought Yamaha two WorldSSP championships in their time on the world stage, while GMT94 are one of the most experienced Supersport teams on the grid. We are confident that with this rider and team line-up, we can look to unlock the R9’s potential in WorldSSP while the R&D team continue work to develop the package even further.”
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The 2025 Husqvarna Pioneer is a new electric dual-sport motorcycle. It is street legal, and its indicators, horn, and license plate holder can be removed for exclusive off-road use.
Powering the Pioneer is a power pack that will be shared with other Husqvarna models in upcoming years. The 11kW motor produces a claimed peak of 19.2 kW (25.7 hp) and 27.7 lb-ft of torque, and top speed is claimed to be 59 mph. As an electric bike, the Pioneer has one permanent drive, with no clutch or gearbox.
The MX50 5.5 kWh lithium-ion battery weights 63.9 lb and offers two to three hours of enduro-style riding time. It comes with a 660W charger that can charge from 0-100% in eight hours, and an optional 3.3 kW charger reduces charge time to two hours. Husqvarna says the battery can be removed in 10 minutes to swapped with a fully charged spare battery, and it takes 1,000 recharges until the battery reaches an 80% state of health.
The Pioneer’s LCD display features a simple layout limited to only key info. Riders can toggle from state of charge, ride mode, recuperation level, clock, tripmeter, accumulated run time, and odometer. Three ride modes alter torque and power delivery, and recuperation can also be set from Off, Mid, or High. Traction control is switchable and adjusted per ride mode. Additional tech includes a Rollover Sensor to cut power after a crash or tip-over.
The Husqvarna Pioneer has a chromoly steel frame with the motor and battery as stressed members. The subframe is made of aluminum and glass-fiber-reinforced nylon. The bike’s overall weight is a claimed 246.9 lb, seat height is 35.8 inches, and ground clearance is 13.5 inches.
A WP XACT 43mm fork is fully adjustable and offers 9.8 inches of travel. In the rear, the WP XPLOR PDS shock is also fully adjustable and offers 9.4 inches of travel. The black-anodized rims (21-inch front, 18-inch rear) are wrapped in Michelin Enduro tires.
Since the Husqvarna Pioneer doesn’t have a clutch, the rear brake is operated via a lever on the left side of the handlebar, similar to a bicycle brake setup. Braking components are made by Braktec, with a 260mm front disc and a 220mm rear disc. The handlebar is made by ProTaper.
Pricing for the 2025 Husqvarna Pioneer electric dual-sport has not yet been announced.
New for 2025, the limited-edition MV Agusta F3 Competizione is based on the F3 RR but includes special features like Öhlins suspension and carbon-fiber components, and only 300 units will be built. Each unit comes with a dedicated kit and a certificate of authenticity and is engraved with its unique unit number out of 300.
Replacing the F3 RR’s Marzzochi fork is a 43mm Öhlins NIX30 inverted fork with TiN-coated stanchions and full adjustability. Adjusters for compression and rebound are found on the top of the fork on the left and right, respectively. The Öhlins TXX 36 shock includes an external piggyback reservoir and is also fully adjustable. Also included is a 19-position adjustable steering damper. This suspension setup reduces weight by about 2 lb compared to the F3 RR’s suspension. More weight reduction comes from the carbon wheels that replace the RR’s aluminum alloy wheels, shaving off an extra 6.6 lb.
Braking components remain the same, including 320mm front discs with radial-mounted Brembo Stylema monoblock 4-piston calipers and a 220mm rear disc. The RR’s standard battery is replaced with a lighter-weight lithium-ion battery in the Competizione.
The F3 Competizione’s titanium Akrapovič exhaust system bumps horsepower up from 155 on the F3 RR to 160 at 13,500 rpm. The engine powering both models is MV Agusta’s 798cc 3-cylinder, with a13,500 rpm rev limit. The Competizione benefits from the new 9-disc MV Agusta slip/assist clutch, which is claimed to reduce lever effort by 50%. Like the F3 RR, the Competizione also gets Electronically Assisted Shift for clutchless up- and downshifts.
The MV Agusta F3 Competizione comes with a new ECU and a 6-axis IMU. It offers four riding modes (Rain, Sport, Race, and Custom), eight levels of traction control, and cruise control. A 5.5-inch TFT display connects to the MV Ride smartphone app. ABS with two modes (Sport and Race) features a cornering function. Also included is front lift control and launch control, which MV Agusta claims allows the bike to accelerate from 0 to 100 kmh (62 mph) in under 3 seconds.
The bike includes many carbon fiber parts, including the fairing sides and front fender. Also included is a smoked racing windscreen. The Competizione’s design draws inspiration from the F4 Claudio and includes colors like Satin Metallic Carbon Black, Satin Intense Silver, and Gold. It has an Alcantara seat and gold finish on some components, including the front brake disc flanges and the rear sprocket. The CNC-machined triple clamp includes a plaque with the unit’s number out of 300.
As a limited-edition model, the 2025 MV Agusta F3 Competizione comes with a dedicated kit which includes the Akrapovič titanium exhaust, carbon-fiber cover for the exhaust terminal, a CNC-machined fuel cap, a fiberglass seat cover, a dedicated bike cover, and a certificate of authenticity.
Pricing for the MV Agusta F3 Competizione has not yet been announced.
Royal Enfield has pulled the wraps off its new Bear 650, a scramblerized version of the popular INT 650 with longer-travel suspension and a new exhaust system for its air-cooled parallel-Twin engine.
Inspiration for the 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 was drawn from a victory in the prestigious Big Bear Run in 1960, when 16-year-old rookie Eddie Mulder used a Royal Enfield to outrun more than 700 riders in the grueling endurance race around the California mountain town of Big Bear.
“The Bear 650 channels the same spirit of raw instinct, sheer impulse, and relentless determination – it embodies the ethos of a true scrambler ‘full-send’ mindset,” said B. Govindarajan, CEO of Royal Enfield. “It’s built to deliver confidence and control across all terrains – whether you are navigating urban streets or dusty trails.”
Winning the Big Bear Run was the launching pad for Mulder’s venerable racing career, earning flat-track victories on Triumphs and winning the Pike’s Peak hillclimb nine times before going on to become one of Hollywood’s best stunt riders.
Fittingly, Mulder was with us for the Bear 650’s unveiling in Palm Springs, California. After pulling off the cover from the top-of the-range Two Four Nine model – 249 being Mulder’s race number when he won the Big Bear Run – he remarked with teary eyes, “I’m very, very proud.”
Scrambler Formula | Royal Enfield Bear 650
Although the Bear has much in common with the INT 650, the revisions made to create a scrambler version were substantial.
First up is a suspension with longer travel to handle mild off-roading. Instead of the INT’s conventional fork, the Bear is fitted with a 43mm inverted fork featuring Showa’s Separate Function Big Piston (SF-BP) technology as seen on Enfield’s Meteor and Shotgun models. The nonadjustable legs provide 5.1 inches of travel, while new Showa shocks deliver 4.5 inches and have preload adjustability.
To handle the extra forces exerted from the longer and stiffer inverted fork, engineers bulked up the frame’s steering head area for additional rigidity. The frame revisions are enhanced by a larger-diameter front axle that is said to improve handling responses.
Up front is a 19-inch spoked wheel, while a 17-incher rolls in back. Both hoops are shod with tires produced by Indian manufacturer MRF specially for the Bear 650. Lessons were learned examining tires from other manufacturers, and the tread blocks in the MRF rubber look similar to Pirelli’s Scorpion Rally tires. The 100/90-19 front tire is backed up by a radial-ply 140/80-17 rear, both ends requiring tubes for pneumatics.
Also unique to the Bear 650 is its 2-into-1 exhaust system. A stylishly small muffler is made possible by the exhaust pre-chamber tucked in ahead of the rear tire, which houses the catalytic converter and does some muffling of its own. The exhaust is claimed to deliver an 8% increase in torque (to 41.7 lb-ft at 5,150 rpm), while horsepower remains static with 46.4 hp at 7,250 rpm. There are no other changes to the air/oil-cooled engine aside from its black finishes.
Visually, you’ll notice a scrambler-style bench seat atop a kicked-up frame loop that enables strapping on heavier loads for light-duty touring. Aiding the bike’s scrambler appearance is the panel below the seat that resembles a vintage number plate. The INT’s 3.6-gallon fuel tank remains but is augmented with a new flip-up lever on the filler cap. For the first time on Enfield’s 650cc platform, all lighting on the Bear is via LEDs.
Another upgrade over the INT is the adoption of the circular TFT instrument panel used on Enfield’s Himalayan and Guerilla. Dubbed Tripper Dash, the 4-inch pod provides readouts for rudimentary items (gear position, fuel, time, temperature) and is topped with an analog-style tachometer. The panel includes a USB-C charging port and can be linked to your phone to integrate with Google Maps for navigation and to stream music or receive calls and messages.
Bear Scrambles | Royal Enfield Bear 650
Royal Enfield planned what I’ll assume was an awesome loop around the town of Big Bear for the Bear 650’s launch. Sadly, the area suffered a devastating wildfire a few weeks before the launch event, forcing relocation to a hub near Palm Springs. No matter, as our route would take us from the desert floor through the quaint mountain town of Idyllwild to twisty roads more than 6,000 feet above sea level.
The Bear 650 looks wonderful in person, leaning into the vibe of bikes from the desert racing scene of the 1960s. Royal Enfield nailed the look, creating a scrambler that embodies the style of a bygone era that many look upon wistfully. A key element is the air-cooled lump resplendent with cylinder fins and without a clunky radiator and fugly hoses.
While a 650cc scrambler might sound unintimidating, the Bear requires a fair bit of oomph to lift it off its sidestand. At 476 lb with 90% of fuel, it’s kinda porky for a midsize streetbike. Riders short on inseam length might find the Bear’s 32.7-inch seat height lofty, but it was a good fit for me, and I appreciated the extra legroom offered over its INT sibling.
Firing up the Bear, ears are greeted with a throaty rumble from its parallel-Twin motor and 270-degree firing order. It’s not loud, but it is authoritative. Hands are greeted by barrel-shaped grips tastefully embossed with Royal Enfield logos and capped by chrome bar-ends. Both hand levers are adjustable for reach, and the big TFT screen is easy to read.
Contrasting with the Bear’s hefty feeling are its control inputs. Clutch pull is light, the transmission swaps gears with fluidity, and throttle response is smooth. Around town, the motor feels peppy if not potent.
Leaving the mid-century-modern chic of urban Palm Springs squirted us westward for a highway stint. The Bear purrs along politely, with a counterbalancer quelling vibration from the docile motor, aided by a tall 6th-gear ratio. The new fork felt compliant and well-tuned, but the new shocks seemed stiff under my 140-lb body, especially for a tallish scrambler.
The handlebar is considerably higher than the INT’s, opening up the cockpit while still retaining a slight forward lean to help cut through 80-mph air. The Bear’s extra legroom alleviates knee crimping on longer rides, but your butt must endure a thinly padded saddle. Pleasingly, the seat’s flat profile allows plenty of room to scooch around to mitigate pressure points.
For me, the rider triangle was perfect, but I had a few ergonomic quibbles. The right-side engine case bulges out awkwardly and limits foot room, and when riding on the balls of my feet, the muffler shielding prevented my right heel from fully tucking in.
Bear Canyon | Royal Enfield Bear 650
The Bear 650 was a decent highway traveler while droning along I-10, and our pulses quickened when we reached Banning and took the exit for State Route 243 for the twisty southbound climb up Mt. San Jacinto to Idyllwild.
The Bear 650 leans into sweeping corners confidently if not briskly, and it requires a decent shove on the inside bar to lever the bike over in tight turns. Chassis geometry (26.1-degree rake angle and 4.6 inches of trail with a 57.5-inch wheelbase) is fairly middle of the road. The Bear’s taller suspension yields 7.2 inches of ground clearance, which kept the pegs from dragging no matter how hard we tried.
Carried over from the INT 650 is a ByBre braking system with standard ABS. Up front is a single-action twin-piston caliper paired with a 320mm disc, while a 1-piston caliper bites on a 270mm rear disc. Braided lines provide a reassuring firm feel at the levers, and the brakes are up to the task of slowing the Bear from the modest speeds it can attain, but they’re not as strong as what’s available on pricier adventure bikes.
As we ascended the mountain, the pace of our group hotted up into hooligan journalist mode. At higher velocities, I began to feel the front tire’s tread blocks squirming, but not nearly enough to make me back off. However, a few mid-corner bumps at speed caused the shocks to rebound too quickly and top out at the end of their stroke, indicating a spring rate too heavy or rebound damping too light.
At a mid-ride stop, I checked the shocks and was surprised they were on their minimum preload setting. In fact, the shocks on all the bikes were at their lowest amount of preload. Engineers explained to me over lunch that they selected a spring rate to ensure the Bears were able to carry extra weight for luggage and/or for pillion riders. Heavier riders complained about the shocks less than I did, but lightweights like me might want to “spring” the money for softer springs for a more compliant, better-balanced ride.
Dirty Bear | Royal Enfield Bear 650
Any scrambler worth its salt deserves some time in the dirt, so we pointed the Bear onto a gravelly and rocky two-track trail to find out how it performs off-road. The torquey and willing motor meted tractable power for good traction from the rear tire, and a button on the right-side switchgear disables rear ABS so riders can be in full control of what the rear end is doing in low-traction situations.
While the Bear did well off-road, it falls short of what a true dual-sport or pukka adventure bike can accomplish in the dirt. A 19-inch front tire can’t deliver the same level of confidence as a 21-incher in sandy conditions, and the mild motor is unable to loft the front end to avoid obstacles unless you’re in 1st gear and have strong arms. That said, the Bear is able to deftly navigate non-technical dirt roads and trails.
Back on the pavement, the Bear’s throttle cables were stretched again. Although the mildly tuned motor lacks top-end lunge, it was able to nudge the speedo over the 100-mph mark despite the thin air atop the mountain. Braking power was adequate, and the fun factor was stellar.
Hot Springs | Royal Enfield Bear 650
The fresh air at 6,000 feet grew 25 degrees hotter as we descended the mountain into Palm Springs. The Bear 650 again impressed with its usefulness in city traffic, and it also impressed several bystanders with its vintage scrambler style.
It’s usually hyperbole when someone states about a new motorcycle that there isn’t another bike on the market like it. But with the Bear 650, it’s a true statement, as there are no other scramblers with an air-cooled motor in the 650cc class. It not only looks terrific, it also looks authentic, which isn’t always the case with some other retro bikes.
As much as motojournos want to believe that a careful examination of the finest details of every bike they review will make the difference to customers’ purchasing decisions, we know that nothing sells bikes better than its image. In that respect, the Bear 650 is a homerun – a scrambler with style and attitude and versatility, all at a reasonable price.
The most cost-effective way to get a Bear 650 is by choosing the Boardwalk White colorway, priced at $6,849. Add $150 for Petrol Green or Wild Honey. The Golden Shadow version we tested retails for $7,099, and the Eddie Mulder tribute Two Four Nine stretches up to $7,199.
Royal Enfield claims its bikes are “engaging, uncomplicated, accessible, and fun to ride; vehicles for exploration and self-expression.” In actuality, that statement perfectly sums up what the Bear 650 can be for its new owners. We predict it will be a sales hit.
SIDEBAR: What’s In A Name?
Royal Enfield’s INT 650 has an awkward name – do we say “Int” or “I-N-T”? This is a question riders outside North America never have to ask. Their bikes are called Interceptor 650s.
If the Interceptor name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you remember Honda’s Interceptor sportbikes from the 1980s. Although Honda no longer sells a motorcycle with that designation, it still owns the trademark to the name on our shores. Hence our INT 650.
Interestingly, Royal Enfield formerly owned the worldwide trademark for the Interceptor name because it sold a 736cc Interceptor in the 1960s. But rights to the trademark in the U.S. eventually lapsed, opening the door for American Honda to snatch it up.
Ironically, it’s not the first time Honda has plucked Royal Enfield’s old catalog for names. The Hornet and the Fury were previous Royal Enfield models before Honda nicked the names for their own bikes.
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