With the launch this month of Royal Enfield’s long-awaited new ‘scrambler’ version of its retro-roadster 650 twin – the Bear – it got us thinking:

The Bear is undoubtedly a very tempting bike. It’s based on Royal Enfield’s already hugely popular Interceptor 650cc twin, which has been a best seller due to its combination of easy and effective 47bhp performance, classic style and sub-£7000 affordability. But with added scrambler style, the Bear adds not only a more rugged image but a broader range of abilities.

The changes are more than skin deep, too. There are beefier, longer Showa inverted forks, a new 19inch/17inch wire wheel combination (from the Interceptor’s 18s), a longer swing arm with repositioned shock mounts, higher, wider, scrambler style handlebars, smart new instruments, repositioned pegs and a new seat, too – not to mention new paint. 

For reference, Royal Enfield Bear 650 spec to compare with the below scramblers:

648cc twin | 47bhp | 43.3 Nm / 41.7ftlb | 214kg

For a price of £6749 it all adds up to one of the most rounded and affordable ‘scramblers’ currently available. Or does it? Because this is the point – the Bear has been such a long time coming there are already plenty of other ‘scramblers’ out there, of varying capacities and prices, so which should you consider before going for the new Enfield? Here’s our pick of the best, in price ascending order…

644cc single | 40bhp | 43.3 Nm / 32ftlb | 183kg

Proof that you, sometimes, can buy ‘brand new old bikes’. If the X-Ride 650 looks familiar, like some kind of ’70s throwback, that’s because it is. Produced by Belgian/Chinese brand MASH, who like Britain’s AJS and others, specialise in fairly basic Chinese built budget bikes that have been restyled and badged by their European counterparts, the X-Ride is effectively a big-bore 1970s trail bike (so actually isn’t a true modern ‘scrambler’) with all the good and bad that goes with it. On the good side it’s cheap, at a glance looks the spitting image of Yamaha’s ground-breaking 1976 XT500 (the first big bore Japanese ‘thumper’ trailie that went on to win the first two Paris-Dakar rallies) and is fairly authentic, being powered by a copy of Honda’s old air-cooled Dominator 650 engine which delivers a characterful, lumpy ride. On the ‘bad’ it’s also undeniably basic and crude, things like its small LCD dash clash with the style, build quality isn’t great and practicality is limited – you certainly wouldn’t want to cruise down the M1 on one. But if the ’70s style and experience appeal, it has charm.

471cc twin | 46bhp | 43.3 Nm / 32ftlb | 191kg

The CL is the latest addition to Honda’s hugely successful, A2-licence (ie under 47bhp) specific CB500 family and is the scrambler version of the breed. The CB family first launched in 2014 with the CBR500R sportster and CB500 roadster, quickly followed by the CB500X adventure bike then CMX500 Rebel cruiser. All were based around a new, friendly, 47bhp twin with similar frame and cycle parts but with ‘style-specific’ bodywork and features.

The Rebel received a bespoke, low-slung frame and detuned engine. All have been successively updated and improved since. The CL, which revived the name of Honda’s original 1970s scrambler, was added in 2023, boasts scrambler style necessities such as semi-knobbly tyres, upswept exhaust and cross-braced trail handlebars, but delivers much the same novice-friendly but still brisk ride in a reassuringly well-built, durable, typical Honda package. It’s also temptingly affordable.

398cc single | 44bhp | 39.3 Nm / 29ftlb | 159kg

With historic Swedish brand Husqvarna bought from BMW by KTM in 2013, it’s no surprise that its models since have mostly been restyled KTMs – but in the Svartpilen’s case that’s no bad thing. A restyled, scrambler-inspired roadster (and sister bike to the more café racer Vitpilen), the Svartpilen 401 is basically a KTM Duke 390 but with its own bodywork and clocks.

The result has all the punchy, lightweight, nimble performance of the Duke and same quality, modern liquid-cooled engine, WP suspension and sharp brakes, but with a ‘retro-mod’ style all its own, enough scrambler ‘signatures’ – semi-knobbly tyres, wire wheels, trail style handlebars etc – to satisfy and also an oddball exclusivity (compared to the more common KTMs) that can appeal, too.

It’s also no longer far more expensive than the KTM. On the slight downside, the Svartpilen is less of a conventional, retro-styled scrambler and its lightweight, single cylinder platform, while great on short rides or around town, is less versatile than many, too.

398cc single | 40bhp | 37.9 Nm / 28ftlb | 179kg

Introduced in 2024 as modern Triumph’s first single and first sub-600cc machine, the all-new Scrambler 400 X (along with its roadster stablemate, the £5195 Speed 400) has, by all accounts been a huge success.

That’s no doubt due to its combination of its entry, A2-level manners, performance and price, smart, on-trend scrambler style (with big wheels, semi-knobblies, trail bars and more) and Triumph badge, although it’s also worth emphasizing that its impressive 40bhp engine and sweet handling also makes it one of the better performing bikes in the 400cc/single class. Further advantages include a temptingly affordable price, established dealer network and good range of official factory accessories.

For a full review of the Triumph Scrambler 400 X, check out Alex's launch-ride report.

693cc twin | 73bhp | 67.7 Nm / 50ftlb | 196kg

CF Moto is one of the more established, successful and ambitious of the emerging Chinese brands, fuelled to some degree by a partnership with KTM which sees its latest bikes share some KTM components, use the same Kiska styling house and even extends to it now building in total KTM’s relaunched 790 Adventure model.

Its 700CL-X family launched in 2021 was CF Moto’s first foray into bigger bikes, is based around an enlarged version of Kawasaki’s now ageing ER6n 650 parallel twin and now comprises the Heritage, which is a sort of retro-mod roadster with scrambler overtones, the Sport, a more café racer interpretation with upspecced brakes and suspension and the taller, more touring equipped Adventure.

Like the Husqvarna, the Heritage’s scrambler qualifications may be less than some, but it’s a decent performer (if a little crude and raw compared to a Japanese or European machine), reasonably equipped, stylish and, at a current offer price of £4999 complete with a four-year warranty, incredible value.

649cc | 60bhp | 54.2 Nm / 40ftlb | 200kg

Another Chinese/European offering that’s based around a version of Kawasaki’s old ER6n parallel twin, but this time with a sweet style, brand name and overall experience that’s more than worth a second look.

Since 2018 historic Italian brand Moto Morini has been owned by China’s vast Zhongneng Vehicle Group, the three-strong Seimmezzo family (SCR scrambler, STR Street and X-Cape adventure) launched in 2022 are its first products since (with the promise of many more to come) and, with Italian design, proven drivetrains and Chinese build and prices, they’re among the most impressive of the breed.

The SCR’s the scrambler of the three with the usual styling tweaks of wire wheels, semi-knobbly tyres, trail bars etc, but it’s stylish, rides impressively well, has neat touches such as a slick TFT dash and Brembo brakes and is great value. On the slight downside, its dealer network is still limited, power delivery a little unrefined and residuals and reliability are unproven.

449cc single | 40bhp | 43.3 Nm / 32ftlb | 150kg

Another revived European brand that’s a result of Italian design and Chinese cost-saving. Fantic was an off-road powerhouse in the 1970s and ’80s before its collapse.

But its modern revival is also impressive. The Caballero was launched in 2019 inspired by those bikes but using a Chinese Zhongshen engine. It comes in a variety of forms – Rally, Explorer and Deluxe – but all are cute, quirkily different, punchy and great fun.

They’re not as cheap as some and that 449cc single limits practicality (although Fantic have since added a 70bhp, twin-cylinder, MT-07-powered 700cc version, but that costs £9699) but as an affordable, feel-good, Sunday afternoon fun bike that’s bang on the scrambler trend, there are few better.

754cc | 80bhp | 67.7 Nm / 50ftlb | 224kg

Another revived historic Italian brand that’s now offering a range of affordable Chinese built bikes. Benelli was bought by the Chinese Qiangjiang Motor Group in 2005 and has since been growing its range of Italian styled but Chinese built machines which currently includes 125s up to 800cc twins.

The Leoncino 800 is its biggest current offering, is available in straight roadster guise or as the pseudo scrambler Trail again with, yes, wire wheels, semi-knobblies and trail bars, and both are again powered by a version of Kawasaki’s old ER6n twin, in this case enlarged to 754cc.

Performance is decent, if, again, a little raw, it’s well equipped and substantial and, also again, it’s impressive value at its currently reduced price.

900cc | 64bhp | 80 Nm / 59ftlb | 203kg

If authenticity, quality and badge envy are important to you, there’s probably no better sub-1000cc scrambler than the latest version of the bike that started it all.

Revived historic British marque Triumph launched the very first modern scrambler retro when it unleashed a Scrambler version of its then 865cc Bonneville retro roadster in 2006. That bike set the scrambler template of knobbly tyres, larger front wheel, trail handlebars etc and proved such a success it spawned a whole class. Triumph’s own version has remained the class leader, was reinvented as the 900cc, liquid-cooled Street Scrambler in 2017 before being updated in 2019 (more power) and renamed simply the Scrambler 900 (in 2023).

It’s definitively stylish, well built, authentic and a pleasant performer with lots of kudos and accessory options – but it’s not the cheapest.

Alex at BikeMatters had a go on this last year, have a read of the Triumph Scrambler 900 full review.

803cc V-twin | 72bhp | 65 Nm / 48ftlb | 185kg

Italian legends Ducati might argue that it was they that invented the ‘scrambler’ when it came up with a family of single-cylinder trail bikes that became big hits in the US in the 1960s. In fact, when the Italian brand jumped on the retro bandwagon in 2015 with a family of accessible, affordable retro-inspired V-twins, it put them all under a new Scrambler sub-brand. That range lives on today in both novice-friendly 803cc and more serious 1100cc forms in a variety of styles. To some, their retro-mod style and mix of old and new elements and components is less convincing than, say, Triumph’s more traditional version, but they’re lively, great handling and stylish without compromising performance. The Icon is the current entry-level version.