You could argue that BSA is roughly a decade late in jumping in on the scrambler trend. But, in fairness, this version of BSA didn’t exist 10 years ago. And you could also argue that if any manufacturer has a right to be making scramblers at all these days, it’s BSA.
After all, BSA was a major part of the original scrambler craze of the 1950s and ‘60s.
The new Scrambler 650 was first introduced to the world some time ago, but it was not until July that anyone got a chance to ride it. Undercutting the similarly styled and spirited Royal Enfield Bear 650 by £750, it is clearly designed to win hearts and wallets.
Is it worth yours? Read on.
SOME NUMBERS
| Starting price | £5,999 |
| Engine | 652cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder DOHC |
| Power (claimed) | 45 hp @ 6500 rpm |
| Torque (claimed) | 55 Nm (40.5 lb-ft) @ 4000 rpm |
| Transmission | 5-speed |
| Weight | 218 kg |
| Fuel capacity | 12 litres |
| Seat height | 820 mm |
SOME CONTEXT
I won’t bother to rehash the pocket history of BSA that I wrote in my review of the also-new Bantam 350. Basically, BSA is a company that your grandfather or great-grandfather loved. It was mismanaged in the 1950s and ‘60s, and went belly up in 1971.
Fifty years later, and now owned by Mahindra – an India-based multinational conglomerate that trades in everything from farm equipment to pharmaceuticals – BSA relaunched with the (re-)introduction of its Gold Star model. When Visordown’s Toad Hancocks reviewed the Gold Star he described it as “a very honest bike. Honest to the brand, and to the direction [BSA] want to go in.”
Broadly speaking, the same could be said of the Scrambler 650. Not surprising, perhaps, since the two bikes share a lot of the same components. This one’s been a long time coming, though, with a concept “B65” having been revealed as early as 2022.
Inspired by the look of the 1970 B25 scrambler, it is, as Toad would say, honest to its heritage in terms of look and spirit.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
With a seat height of 820 mm (lower than a Yamaha MT-09), the Scrambler 650 is welcoming to a broad range of riders. Chunky Pirelli Scorpion STR tires (19-inch front, 17-inch rear), bash plate, fork gaiters and a (redundant) high front mud guard give it a look of ruggedness. But you get the sense that the only scrambling you’d want to do would be in National Trust carparks and festival campsites.
Whereas the Bantam 350 doesn’t much look like a Bantam of old, you can see the aesthetic of bikes from the 1950s and ‘60s in the Scrambler 650. There’s an authenticity to its look – it feels considered. Unfortunately, that means that elements that look like afterthoughts REALLY look like afterthoughts.
There are two major offenders in this category, both on the left side of the bike’s handlebar. The first is the mysteriously useless switchcube that I complained about in my Bantam 350 review.
The second issue is the dual USB port (USB 3 and USB C) that is useful but not terribly well-integrated. It looks like something that was bought on Amazon and thrown on the bike just before sale. Better incorporated, meanwhile, is a 12v port just below the seat.
Returning to the positives, throw a leg over and the bike’s seat is comfy enough. To reach its wide ‘bars comfortably, you’ll want to move yourself all the way forward, your secret bits against the tank. This isn’t an issue for a 6-foot-1 rider like me, but I do wonder about those with shorter arms.
Your feet, meanwhile, will fall naturally to the pegs. The riding position here is upright and relaxed.
With a 218kg wet weight, the bike feels substantial and sturdy, but well-balanced.
The same digital-display dash as the Bantam 350 is used here. Again offset to the right just slightly. Again welcoming you with a message of “Hi” when you turn the key, and again showing you a digital speedometer, tachometer, odometer/trip meter, and clock. Unlike the Bantam 350, however, there is no gear indicator. Boo.
ENGINE AND CHASSIS
The Scrambler 650 is driven by the same liquid-cooled 652cc single-cylinder DOHC engine that drives the Gold Star – a Rotax engine that was originally developed for BMW more than 30 years ago for use in the F 650 Funduro. Claimed peak power figures are 45 hp at 6500 rpm and 55 Nm (40.5 lb-ft) of torque at 4000 rpm .
Press the starter and you’re treated to the kind of characterful thump that makes singles so much fun. That fun spirit remains up to about 55 mph, at which point the infamous drawback of a single – vibration – begins to really assert itself. Opinions will vary, though, on exactly how annoying this is, if at all.
Speaking of the engine’s performance on the Gold Star, for example, Toad said it was “almost completely vibe-free.” So, it’s definitely a ‘test ride it and decide for yourself’ sort of thing.
The five-speed transmission is good enough. First gear is like Thomas Hobbes’ description of life – brutish and short – but can largely be ignored. Clutch pull is reasonably light and reliable. I don’t know if the Scrambler 650 really needs it, but emotionally I’d like a sixth gear.
Moving on from its ‘go,’ the bike’s ‘whoa’ is delivered by a two-piston floating caliper Brembo set-up up front, gripping a single 320mm disc, and a single-piston floating caliper Brembo set-up at the rear, gripping a 255mm disc. The system works as well as you would expect. I often say that the best compliment for brakes comes when you don’t notice them; I offer that compliment here.
If you are that one person who’s keen to actually take the bike off road, you may be saddened to learn that ABS cannot be switched off.
The suspension is decent enough that I wouldn’t describe it as budget. However, in the process of committing a dodgy overtake on the A24, meandering onto the rumble strips, I learned that the bike can be unsettled more easily than I would have guessed. The 41mm front forks are not adjustable. The dual rear shocks offer 5-way adjustable preload.
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO RIDE
For me, the Scrambler 650 is a tale of two bikes. Below 55 mph, it’s a lot of fun. Thumpy, growling, giggle-inducing fun. Above that, it’s not useless but quickly moves into “not for me” territory. Let’s start with the fun bit.
You can imagine this bike would be a real hoot on loose surfaces – gravel or dirt – assuming those surfaces are level and well-maintained. I have a friend who lives in a rural part of the US state of Minnesota. To get to his house, you have to travel down several miles of dirt road. This would be a great bike for visiting my pal, Dan.
But Dan’s house is 6,000 miles away from West Sussex, with a pesky ocean in between. Fortunately, the Scrambler 650 is also pretty enjoyable on the traffic-choked roads of Southern England. It is narrow and nimble enough to squeeze through traffic, and torquey and powerful enough to get ahead of it.
The caveat to this is that it doesn’t love the down and dirty hard work of navigating an ultra-congested space like central London. There, the constant gear changing, revving, and low speed (which means a lack of cooling airflow) results in the engine getting very, very hot. My bike actually stalled at one point as I made my way to Shoreditch (fortunately, it started back up almost immediately).
But there aren’t a lot of places like central London. I’m willing to bet you don’t live there. So, it doesn’t matter to you that the Scrambler 650 isn’t perfect for those conditions. On more open urban streets, single-carriageway A roads, and B roads, this bike comes into its own. It’s comfortable, energetic, easy to maneuver (although, obviously, you’re not going to be throwing a bike like this hard into corners), and very much the kind of machine that you want to be seen riding.
In terms of get-up-and-go, the Scrambler 650 has no problem propelling you to 70 mph with ease, but – in my opinion, at least – you’ll find things pretty buzzy at that pace. Your mirrors will be completely useless and every part of your body will be alert to the fact that you are sitting on top of an engine. It’s not awful in short bursts, but I wouldn’t want to attempt an Iron Butt ride on this thing.
The engine has more to give above 70 mph, but it gives less freely. You’d need a good wind and a lot of straight to achieve the ton. In my experience the bike topped out at 85 mph.
THE COMPETITION
As mentioned above, peak scrambler occurred about 10 years ago, but there are still a handful of bikes to take your money away from BSA.
In terms of price, spirit, and country of origin, the most direct competition comes from Royal Enfield’s Bear 650. I’ve not actually had a chance to ride that bike yet, and it costs £750 more, but based on my experience with the Classic 650 I’d choose the Royal Enfield in a heartbeat. Its parallel twin is far more enjoyable and tractable than the BSA’s single.
Meanwhile, the Benelli Leoncino Trail 500 offers the same amount of power (47 bhp from its liquid-cooled 499cc parallel twin) and attractive, more modern styling for just £4,699. Whereas the 80bhp Leoncino Trail 800 can be had for a Bear-rivalling £6,499
Going up the ladder in terms of price, capacity, and (arguably) quality is the freshly updated Triumph Scrambler 900. That (made in Thailand) bike offers 64.1 bhp and has oodles more tech than the two Indian-made bikes but it also costs more than £3,000 more than either.
Prices of other scramblers (eg, Ducati Scrambler Icon or Triumph Scrambler 1200) go up from there and offer features and power to such an extent that it’s not actually fair to compare them against the BSA.
VERDICT
The Scrambler 650 is a bike that is best enjoyed in the sweet spot between 25 mph and 55 mph. That actually covers a lot of bases if you think about it. There are big chunks of this country where riders rarely get a chance to go faster.
If you live in the happier parts of the country, the bike has no problem hitting and even slightly exceeding the legal speed limit. Holding those speeds for long periods won’t strain the engine, either. But the vibrations will strain your patience.
When I was riding the bike in its sweet spot, I loved it. Outside of that, however, I found myself struggling to think of why I would choose it over a Bear 650. OK, it’s a little cheaper, but it feels a lot cheaper. Also: a 12-liter tank seems a bit small if you ask me.
Your opinion may differ. I find that I have no emotional connection to the BSA name, so I don’t see anything other than a made-in-India motorcycle with a 35-year-old single-cylinder engine. Others will see a return to the glory days.
And if you’re on the fence, you have to admit that the price is tempting.
THE THREE QUESTIONS
Does the 2025 BSA Scrambler 650 suit my current lifestyle?
Not so much. If it was the only thing I had, I could make it work, I suppose. And by “make it work” I mean that I could take the train when I need to travel long distances.
Did the 2025 BSA Scrambler 650 put a smile on my face?
Yes. When conditions are right, it’s a lot of fun. The problem is that those conditions are pretty specific.
Is the 2025 BSA Scrambler 650 better than my personal motorcycle, a 2012 Kawasaki Versys 1000?
Aesthetically, maybe. In all other ways, no
GEAR
| Helmet | HJC RPHA 70 |
| Jacket | Hideout Touring |
| Jeans | Pando Moto Boss 105 |
| Gloves | Aerostich Elkskin Competition Roper |
| Boots | Indian/Red Wing Spirit Lake |
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