Royal Enfield Bear 650 vs Continental GT 650 – Which One To Pick?

Royal Enfield has unveiled their latest 650-cc motorcycle, the Bear 650, making it the 5th product in this segment

In this post, we are comparing the Royal Enfield Bear 650 and the Continental GT 650 on the basis of specs, features and design. The Bear 650 is the latest product to use this platform which also underpins the Continental GT 650. It looks like the Chennai-based two-wheeler manufacturer is going all guns blazing to dominate this niche market segment. It is offering the potential buyers at least 5 different choices with the same engine and platform. What is interesting is the fact that all these have their distinct characteristics still. Let us compare these two thoroughly.

Royal Enfield Bear 650 vs Continental GT 650 – Price

The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 retails between Rs 3.19 lakh and Rs 3.45 lakh, ex-showroom. On the other hand, the RE Bear 650 is yet to launch in India. Therefore, I shall update this section once the details are out.

Royal Enfield Bear 650 vs Continental GT 650 – Specs

The new Royal Enfield Bear 650 carries a 647.95-cc inline twin-cylinder engine to generate a healthy 47.4 PS and 56.5 Nm of peak power and torque. Performing the transmission duties is a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox with this engine with a wet multi-plate clutch. The bike utilizes a 43 mm USD telescopic fork at the front and a twin-shock absorber at the rear. The front wheel travel is 130 mm and the rear wheel travel is 115 mm. Even by looking at the bike, you will recognize the steel tubular double cradle frame.

Apart from that, the Bear 650 has disc brakes on both wheels with dual-channel ABS with 320 mm at the front and 270 mm disc at the rear. With a weight of 216 kg, the bike has a ground clearance of 184 mm. To ensure that there are less frequent stops during long highway runs, it has a 13.6-litre fuel tank. At the front, the motorbike has a 19-inch spoked wheel with a 100/90 section tyre and at the rear, it wears a 17-inch spoked wheel with a 140/80 section tyre. Hence, these are somewhat familiar specifications when we consider other 650-cc bikes from RE.

On the other hand, the RE Continental GT 650 also possesses the same engine. However, in this case, it churns out 47.4 PS and 52.3 Nm of peak power and torque, respectively. Clearly, the torque figure is slightly lower than the Bear 650. The gearbox is the same as well with a 6-speed transmission with a wet multi-plate clutch. In this case, the fuel tank is 12.5 litres in capacity while the ground clearance is 174 mm. The bike weighs 214 kg and has a wheelbase of 1,398 mm.

Apart from that, even it offers disc brakes on both wheels with a 320 mm disc at the front and a 240 mm disc at the rear. The rear disc is smaller than that of the Bear 650. There is dual-channel ABS on offer too. At the front, the suspension duties are carried out by telescopic forks while twin gas-charged shock absorbers with adjustable preload take care of the ride quality at the rear. Both wheels are 18 inches in diameter with a 100/90 section tyre at the front and a 130/70 section tyre at the rear. Just like the Bear 650, the Continental GT 650 has a steel tubular double cradle frame. Hence, the difference between the two is minute.

Design and Features

As soon as we glance at the new Royal Enfield Bear 650, we get a retro-modern vibe with a scrambler body type. At the front, it has a round headlamp cluster with LED lighting. In fact, LED lighting is present everywhere including taillamps. I like the compact tyre hugger which lends it an adventurous appearance. Also, the side body panel gets graphics and a plate board along with a single-seat configuration and a two-into-one exhaust pipe. All in all, the new bike certainly has a unique road presence. Its main features include:

• Full Map Navigation (Google Maps)
• Media Controls
• USB 2.0 Tyre-C Port
• All-LED Lighting
• Tripper Dash
• 4-inch Round TFT Display
• Phone Connectivity

On the other hand, the RE Continental GT 650 leans more towards a more basic and retro charm. At the front, it gets a round headlight console flanked by traditional turn indicator signals. The broad tyres embody spoked design, reminiscent of the era gone by. Even it has a single-seat layout with a unique tail section. On the sides, there is a mix of matte black body panels and chrome components including the long tailpipe. Overall, this bike represents the brand values perfectly.

My View

I must admit that both these Royal Enfield products are extremely compelling. However, we have to wait until the prices of the Bear 650 are announced to make up our minds about which model makes more sense. In any case, both these are mechanically the same. In fact, even the features are almost similar. You need to go for the one which looks the better as appearances are subjective. It is hard to go wrong with either of these.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Bear 650 vs Interceptor 650 – What All’s Different?