The Interceptor Bear 650 is Royal Enfield’s first model on the 650cc platform that is decidedly off road-focused, and our sources have led us to believe that this bike will be launched before the year ends.
- Suspension seems to be taller than a road bike
- Runs on block-pattern tyres; likely to be tubed units
- Will be priced above Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650
Royal Interceptor Bear 650 details
At the heart of the Interceptor Bear 650 will sit the tried-and-tested air/oil-cooled, 648cc, parallel-twin engine but with one pivotal difference. This will be the first bike on this platform to employ a two-into-one exhaust system unlike the twin pipes seen on all other 650cc Royal Enfield models. This should help it when riding off-road as it would shed quite a bit of weight.
It remains to be seen if Royal Enfield makes any alterations to the 648cc mill, which is rated for 47hp and 52.3Nm of torque on all other models in the range.
Like the Shotgun 650 and Super Meteor 650, the Royal Enfield Interceptor Bear 650 will also employ a USD fork, not the simpler, telescopic unit seen on the 650 twins. Unlike the other 650s though, the front brake disc is on the left hand side, like the new Himalayan.
The twin shock absorber setup at the rear is the same as the other Royal Enfield 650s, but the suspension units at both ends appear to have more travel than a standard street bike. The Interceptor Bear 650 has been spotted testing with block-pattern tyres that resemble the tread pattern of the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR hoops. However, these will most likely not be on offer in India following the Government’s import ban on tyres, if the same size is available with an Indian tyre manufacturer. To see how that has already affected another made-in-India scrambler motorcycle, tap here. It is also quite likely that no matter the compound, the Interceptor Bear 650 will be running tubed tyres, not tubeless ones.
Styling is typically done in the clean, neo-retro aesthetic that is befitting of a 21st century Royal Enfield model. A classically styled fuel tank, minimal bodywork and a stubby tail section all lend this bike a very handsome look, and despite its retro appearance, the Interceptor Bear 650 will employ LED lighting all around. The headlight is now quite commonplace in Royal Enfield’s line-up while the long indicators seem reminiscent of the new Himalayan. However, the tail-lamp is a separate unit that seems to be lifted off the Hunter.
It will be interesting to see where the Interceptor Bear 650 slots into the company’s line-up when it launches towards the end of this calendar year. It will quite certainly be positioned above the simpler 650 twins but probably below the Royal Enfield flagship – the Super Meteor 650. Exactly where it will fit in between those bikes is a question only time will answer.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
