The new(ish) Royal Enfield Bear 650 is handsome enough as-is, but that didn’t stop Spain’s Fuel Motorcycles from turning it into a rally-inspired desert shredder. We take a closer look at it, along with the BMW Concept RR superbike and an Akira-inspired electric motorcycle.
Royal Enfield Bear 650 by Fuel Motorcycles The Royal Enfield Bear 650 has been a home run for the Indian company. A scrambler-ized version of their popular Interceptor 650, it scores high on both specs and style, with a delicious set of liveries on offer.
The platform is ripe for customization, too. Royal Enfield recently handed one to Fuel Motorcycles to see what a major custom house could do with it, and the Spanish outfit knocked it out of the park.
The Barcelona-based team runs Scram Africa—an annual off-road jaunt across Morocco. With a fresh Bear 650 in hand, they set their sights on an old-school desert racer that they could use for the ride.
Fuel wanted to build a bike with a 60s soul that could tackle any off-road race in the world, so suspension upgrades were the first item on the list. Long-travel upside-down forks were bolted to the front end, held in place by new yokes and upgraded with springs and oil to suit the Bear’s weight.
Next, Fuel changed the factory 19” front wheel for a sand-friendly 21” motocross setup, with new Mitas rubber at both ends. A high front fender was bolted on, along with fork guards, Renthal handlebars, and tough aluminum-backed hand guards.
The lighting setup is this Royal Enfield Bear 650’s best features. The Fuel team fabricated a dual-headlight arrangement from scratch, complete with an enduro-style guard and a removable cover. A Motogadget Motoscope Mini speedo runs off a Motogadget m.unit brain, with a rally navigation tower and small windscreen rounding out the purposeful cockpit.
The tank and side covers are stock, and, rather than mess with the factory subframe, Fuel designed a rear fender that perfectly covers the back end and provides ample protection. The seat was re-profiled and covered in Alcantara, and a set of wider, toothier foot pegs was bolted on for extra comfort and grip.
Other upgrades include long-travel shocks from Bitubo and a custom-made sump guard.
A wonderful red, white, and black color scheme was chosen to highlight the design modifications, with racing legend Eddie Mulder’s race number emblazoned on the side covers. The Royal Enfield 650 twin is a real peach of an engine, so it was simply opened up a little with a modified mid-pipe and a custom muffler.
We didn’t think it was possible to make the Bear 650 any better looking, but we’re happy to be proven wrong. [Fuel Motorcycles | Images by Jake Baggaley | Via]
BMW Motorrad Concept RR BMW’s four-cylinder superbike, the BMW M 1000 RR, screams ‘speed.’ From its angular bodywork to its top-shelf components and high price tag, the range-topping BMW is the weapon of choice for the discerning rider who wants a race bike for the road.
It also forms the basis of BMW’s World Superbike contender, which Toprak Razgatlioğlu piloted to his second, and BMW’s first, WSBK championship last year.
Building on this success, the German marque recently gave us a glimpse into the future of the M RR with the radical BMW Motorrad Concept RR. The bike was unveiled at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza on the shores of Lake Como—so we know these images are the real deal, and not the sort of AI-enhanced renders that we’ve come to expect from BMW.
BMW has kept shtum on the details, but we do know a few things. For starters, the inline four that powers it is capable of north of 230 hp. BMW has also confirmed that this particular bike also inherits its electronics package from Razgatlioğlu’s WSBK M 1000 RR, including (but not limited to) engine management, traction control, and engine braking settings.
There’s a big focus on weight reduction here, too. An abundant use of carbon fiber and aluminum is on full display, with the only visible bit of paint appearing to be on the two BMW roundels.
The swingarm is carbon, as is the futuristic bodywork. The tank and tail section are aluminum, the latter of which looks to be milled from solid billet.
While most modern superbikes go overboard with aero, the Concept RR exercises restraint. There’s a pair of wings at the front, but they’re nothing like the embellishments on the WSBK M 1000 RR or current MotoGP race bikes.
Rather than add one massive wing, it appears that BMW has focused on transforming every inch of available bodywork into an aerodynamic aid. The bodywork is so intricately sculpted that it’s more akin to the underpinnings of a modern Formula One car than a WSBK machine.
There’s no word on pricing, as the Concept RR is just that—a concept. That said, all of BMW’s concept bikes in recent years have been production models in disguise.
So the real question is, are we looking at a major update to BMW’s ‘RR’ range, or do they have their sights set on MotoGP? Only time will tell. [BMW Motorrad]
Akira Tribute by J Balvin x DAB Motors When Colombian superstar J Balvin was looking for a new electric motorcycle, he turned to French company DAB Motors. The DAB lineup has expanded this year with the inclusion of the new 1⍺X scrambler, but Balvin was looking for something a little more unique.
When Balvin is not jetting around the world performing in front of millions of people, he dabbles in design. He and his friend Mattias Gollin run a studio, Vita Veloce Team, so the idea of collaborating on a custom electric bike was a no-brainer.
The bike uses a DAB 1⍺ as the base and draws inspiration from the popular anime, Akira. Using a combination of hand-finished craftsmanship and AI-powered design, the team dressed the 1⍺ to the nines, while still keeping it rideable.
Up front is a sculpted fairing and set of large fork shrouds, an obvious throwback to the Akira motorcycle. Two projector LED headlights are recessed into the fork shrouds low down, with a strip LED inserted at the base of the curved windshield. The fairing is mounted on 3D-printed brackets hung from the headstock.
Blue TRON-style lights illuminate the Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires, which contrast nicely against the bright red wheel covers. The rest of the red 3D-printed bodywork is spot on, with its almost shrink-wrapped fitment and fantastic paint job. The bike’s frame tubes are only visible at two points around the battery pack, which is a nice nod to the original design.
The ‘tank,’ seat section, and taillight look like they’ve been lifted straight off the 1⍺. A custom Quadlock wireless phone charger is mounted ahead of the handlebars—another nice, subtle touch.
The team completed the build in three weeks—just in time for Balvin’s 40th birthday party in Tuscany, where the bike was unveiled as a surprise. This is about as nice an Akira tribute we’ve seen, even if it isn’t an exact replica of the famous anime motorcycle. [DAB Motors]
