It doesn’t get much more fitting than this. AMCN’s The Bear rides Royal Enfield’s Bear right here in Oz
For many years I have had to tell visitors that there are no bears in Australia, except me. Those days will soon be over. Australia is going to see a lot of Bears – although they will be non-furry Royal Enfield Bears. The new addition to the highly successful twin cylinder 650 platform from Chennai might as well be called the koala, it suits our continent so well.
You will have read a couple of stories about the technical and other details of the bike in these pages (see Issue 74-10 for Kel Buckley’s World Launch report from the California desert), so let me use its local launch to relate it to Australia. The distributors, Urban Moto Imports, are in Melbourne, so it was no real surprise that we tackled the Geelong freeway to take us to more enjoyable trails and roads down on the coast. Riding the freeway always reminds me of the time The Frog* bought a Kawasaki Z1300 in Melbourne, rode it home to Geelong along here and lost his licence in one go to the many radar traps set.
Unlike the Big Six, the RE Bear is happy in top gear at 110km/h, which protected us from a similar fate.
Once upon a time, there were no scramblers, only scrambles – effectively dirt races over obstacle courses. The first was at Camberley, in Surrey in the UK in 1924. While growing popularity meant that the British factories soon sent teams, the bikes were still road models. They were often just modified by their riders for extra ground clearance and reduced weight. The event caught on and quickly became popular in Australia. Indeed it looks to me as if the Classic Scramble Club in Victoria is the only one in the world that preserves the name.
Except for the lack of weight reduction (the Bear weighs a substantial 214kg with oil and 90 percent fuel), the bike is quite close to the classic British scramblers with its greater ground clearance, increased seat height and generally more spacious feel for the rider than the “donor” bike, the RE Interceptor. Several riders asked for the handlebar to be moved back to shorten the reach, but I found it perfect. The seat is outstanding, as well. In the 32C of our return run to Melbourne on the freeway, it stayed comfortable. The 13.7 litre fuel tank remains from the Interceptor, an authentic move but not an ideal one for Australia where fuel can be difficult to find. Fortunately, fuel economy is good.
DOWN AND DIRTY
The fire trails above the Great Ocean Road gave the mechanical Bear an opportunity to demonstrate its dirt creds. I’m no gun at any time and especially a little tentative on the dirt, but my bike did what I love when I head off sealed surfaces: it just got on with it. The 19-inch front wheel and the 17-inch rear are spoked and shod with tyres designed for the Bear by Indian manufacturer MRF. They, er, bear the word “Tubeless” on their sidewalls, but require tubes with these wheels. They are, however, useful hoops both on hard and loose surfaces and allow keen cornering. I should have adjusted the preload on the rear shocks because despite the lengthened swingarm a couple of unavoidable potholes were more dramatic than they needed to be. On an excursion down a dozer cut in a forestry plantation I, er, planted the bike when two berms were too close together for this Bear. My fault, no excuses and definitely nothing to do with the bike.
Tom, our photographer, set some bikes up for static shots that evening and it was a good chance to admire their paint and graphics. Unlike the lazier manufacturers who tend to literally just change the colours on their machines, RE also changes the graphics to suit. The Two Four Nine is a tribute to Eddie Mulder’s winning bike in the race after which the Bear is named; Boardwalk White, with its “eyebrows”, looks British all the way; Wild Honey appears to be inspired by Piet Mondriaan; Petrol Green is plain but bright; and Golden Shadow would not look out of place at a classic motorcycle show. The build quality of all the bikes is also satisfyingly slick.
FUTURE AUSSIE CLASSIC
Let loose on the black tar magic of the Great Ocean Road in the morning at an hour when tourists are still tucking into their crushed avocado, we made the most of the corners.
I’ve ridden the GOR so often that I just about know it corner by corner, which made for a relaxing opportunity to sample the Bear’s lean angle. Very nice indeed, and complemented nicely by the slight increase in torque from the neat little muffler. The gearbox is a delight and power is unchanged from the Interceptor.
There is a reason, by the way, for the low muffler rather than the high one more or less de rigueur on scramblers. Very simply, it’s to make it easier to carry soft luggage, something that Australian riders like to do a lot.
All right – are you ready for my one complaint? The flashing arrows for the turn indicators in the otherwise tidy circular TFT instrument display are too unobtrusive. Come on, Royal Enfield, there’s room to make them bigger. A small change for what may well become an Australian classic.
*La Parisienne manufacturer, Fournales importer and Mad Max actor, the late Bertrand Cadart.
COLOUR OPTIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Capacity 648cc
Type Parallel-twin, SOHC,
four valves per cylinder
Bore & stroke 78mm x 67.8mm
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Cooling Air/oil
Fueling EFI, with dual throttle bodies
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Final drive Chain
Performance
Power 34.9kW (47.4hp)
@ 7150rpm (claimed)
Torque 56.5Nm @ 5150rpm (claimed)
Top speed 180km/h (est)
Fuel consumption Not measured
electronics
Type Bosch
Rider aids ABS (switchable)
Rider modes Not applicable
CHASSIS
Frame material Composite steel
Frame type Double cradle
Rake Not given
Trail Not given
Wheelbase 1460mm
suspension
Type Showa
Front: 43mm upside-down fork, non-adjustable, 130mm travel
Rear: Dual shocks,
preload adjustable, 115mm travel
wheels & brakes
Wheels Wire-spoked aluminium
Front: 19 x 2.5 Rear: 17 x 3.5
Tyres MRF Nylorex
Front: 100/90R19 (57H)
Rear: 140/80R17 (69H)
Brakes ByBre, ABS
Front: Single 320mm disc,
twin-piston caliper
Rear: Single 270mm disc,
single-piston caliper
dimensions
Weight 214kg (kerb, claimed)
Seat height 835mm
Width Not given
Height Not given
Length Not given
Ground clearance 184mm
Fuel capacity 13.7L
servicing & warranty
Servicing 1000km
Minor: 12,000km
Major: 24,000km
Warranty Three years, unlimited km, roadside assist
business end
Price From $11,490 (ride away)
Colour options Boardwalk White,
Petrol Green, Wild Honey, Golden Shadow and Two Four Nine
