BHPian ValuableRecluse recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Alright, folks, it’s been just over a month since I welcomed my shiny new Bear 650 into my life. I bought this beast because I loved its stance and I needed a city bike that wouldn’t break a sweat on the highway. Now, I didn’t test ride it before buying. Newbie mistake, I know, but I devoured every review out there. All of them warned me, “The suspension is stiff.” What they didn’t say was how stiff. I’m a solid 90 kg and when I sat on the Bear, the rear suspension barely budged-1 cm of sag, max. One centimeter! Yes I checked, the spring preload was on the minimum setting. On the plus side, provided you’re on the pegs, this thing eats speed breakers, potholes, and rumble strips for breakfast-at 60 km/h and above, it doesn’t flinch. But for city cruising? Let’s just say even the tiniest bumps turned me into a human jack-in-the-box. Not exactly the dignified biker vibe I was going for. Hoping the suspension would soften up after some miles, I embarked on a 1,300 km round trip to the Melghat Tiger Reserve with my buddy (who, incidentally, was riding his stiff Bear). Fantastic trip over varied surfaces and beautiful jungle scenery, but that’s another story. Enroute, I made it my mission to punish the suspension: every pothole, speed breaker, and bumpy off-road trail we encountered got a full-throttle treatment. Sure, the suspension loosened up a bit, but it was still about as supple as a BMC park bench. Inspite of the punishment, the bear refused to squeak or rattle, testament to the good build quality of the current gen RE’s. Back in Mumbai, I found myself avoiding the Bear and gravitating toward my Ather 450X. My neighbors were baffled-“Didn’t he just buy that big, bad bike?” But I couldn’t help it. Between the stiff ride and the weird sporty lean toward the handlebars, my back was staging daily protests. So, I did what any self-respecting biker does: I started modding. First up, I swapped out the Bear’s rear shocks for the golden beauties from the Interceptor 650. Yes, I knew I’d lose some ground clearance, but at that point, I was more interested in saving my spine than tackling tall curbs. To keep things balanced, I pulled the fork tubes up the triple tree to maintain the original rake. Out with the old, in with the new! Of course, the festive season delayed the installation, but I finally got it done. Here’s the verdict: Bear 650 with Interceptor Shocks Advantages: Plush, comfy ride-no more pogo-ing over tiny bumps. I don’t have to stand on the pegs every time I spot a ripple in the road. The lower stance keeps the Bear from looking like it’s about to tip over when parked. Disadvantages: I miss the tall, “I can ride over anything” scrambler vibe. Next, I swapped out the handlebars for the ones from the Meteor 350. This also required longer clutch and throttle cables, but it was worth the hassle. Meteor 350 Handlebars on the Bear 650 Advantages: The increased leverage makes the Bear feel 30 kg lighter. The relaxed reach makes long rides way more comfortable. No more bone-rattling shocks to my wrists and shoulders every time I hit a bump. How much did it cost? They were kind enough to give me a discount so worked up to about 15.5k. I’ll update this thread with measurements once I’m back in Mumbai, but so far, the Bear 650 is finally starting to feel like my kind of ride. Moral of the story? Sometimes, even the toughest Bears need a little softening up-and so do 48-year-old bikers.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
