The Indian market has not been very kind to motorcycles with a big displacement single-cylinder engine. The last motorcycle we can think of which had a big displacement single-cylinder engine is Royal Enfield GT Continental 535. Then Classic Legends sensed a niche here and brought Gold Star 650 in India and now, we get the scrambler version of it called Scrambler 650.
The
of BSA Scrambler 650 is Rs 3.25 lakh (Ex-sh) and prices vary with colour. The one we sampled is called Thunder Grey and it is the most expensive of the three at Rs 3.41 lakh (Ex-sh). We had the motorcycle for around a week and we experienced it in and around Pune city for around 200 kilometers clocked with it. After experiencing it in slow speeds, high speeds, peak Pune traffic and other scenarios, this is what we think about the BSA Scrambler 650.
BSA Scrambler 650 Review
In terms of design, BSA Scrambler 650 is a sweet looking motorcycle. There’s no denying that fact and it grabs eyeballs everywhere even though retro bikes have become a common affair in India. There were multiple instances where people randomly approached me and enquired which motorcycle it was.
Because BSA, as a brand, is not a common occurrence in India. I have never seen a single BSA Gold Star 650 on the road at all. This made the Scrambler 650 unique and special in an ocean of Royal Enfields. We liked the round headlight, the off-set fuel filler cap, off-set instrument cluster, teardrop fuel tank, wire-spoke wheels, the muscular exhaust, exposed subframe, ribbed-design seat, circular tail lights, LED turn indicators and other elements.
The only thing we would remove is the front beak and the only thing we would re-align is the front number plate. Otherwise, this is one of the most beautiful motorcycles I have ever seen. I have a thing for classic bikes and BSA Scrambler 650 fits right in. ORVMs are round and there are side number boards like in a racing bike and they reads 65.
We particularly loved the three-rifle BSA logo on the beautifully finished fuel filler cap, chrome finishes on engine along with the fins for air-cooled engine look, matte silver finish on exhaust, chain sprocket on the right side for that vintage appeal and many more. In terms of features, there is LED headlights, hazard lights built into the LED blinkers, LED tail light, fully digital instrument cluster, switchable traction control, dual channel ABS and more.
Powertrain & Performance
BSA Scrambler 650 is powered by a unique powertrain and drivetrain combination, which is not seen with any other bike outside of BSA’s own stables. For starters, it is a big displacement 652cc single cylinder engine with a DOHC 4V/cyl head along with liquid cooling setup. The air fins on the actual block are for aesthetic purposes only. This engine is mated to a slipper clutch and a 5-speed gearbox.
Also, the drive is sent to rear wheel via a chain drive and the sprockets to do so are on the right side. How retro is that? Peak power is 45 bhp at 6,500 RPM and peak torque is 55 Nm at 4,000 RPM. This engine is all about the low-end torque. It moves from stand still without any throttle inputs and it picks up pace from 28 km/h in top gear without any clutch inputs. Shortshifting can be done easily and it can be in top gear at speeds as low as 25 km/h without any protests.
This engine has a top-notch exhaust note which sounds like a proper retro air cooled engine, despite being a liquid cooled unit. We loved it. BSA Scrambler 650’s 652cc engine does not like slow city speeds at all. It heats up quickly and fends all of its heat on to rider’s knees, legs and ankles. I made the mistake of wearing loafers on this motorcycle once and regretted it instantly because it gets properly toasty.
Clutch lever is heavy and it will hurt your wrists in traffic conditions. Vibrations are always present and felt on fuel tank, handlebars and pegs. These cannot be passed off as character. Also, we think our unit had some issue as the bike struggled to go beyond 90 km/h. I do all 0-100 km/h acceleration runs on the same stretch of road. Even the Yezdi Scrambler 350 managed to cross 120 km/h mark much earlier on the same stretch of road. Considering the claimed performance, this appears to be specific to our test motorcycle rather than representative of the model.
Ergonomics & Dynamics
The ergonomics are comfortable for my 6-feet frame and even the 820 mm seat height was not bothersome in any way. Seat is not very wide which allows riders to easily flat foot, despite this 820 mm seat height. This is a single-piece ribbed seat with a slight tilt for pillion, but not too pronounced. Seat cushioning seems to right as it didn’t bother me at all even though I spent hours on the saddle in slow Pune traffic.
The braced handlebar commands a slight lean which puts the rider in a fun mood. Weight of this motorcycle is 208 kg, which makes its presence known almost all the time. Even when moving it around the parking lot, it feels heavy. Suspension was a little weird with the unit we sampled. It was too soft and introduced a lot of vertical movement even on plain flat roads, which took me by surprise.
BSA Scrambler 650 is not a corner carver. It does not induce enough confidence to carry higher speeds. Braking was enough for slower speeds, but needs to be stronger for higher speeds. There are disc brakes at both ends and dual-channel ABS. Traction Control can be switched off too. Tyres are not tubeless and these are block pattern tyres (110-section front, 150-section rear) with some rough road capability.
What Could Have Been Better?
There are a few cons with the BSA Scrambler 650 we faced during our time with it. The engine performance being capped was one and soft suspension was another. Then there are our usual complaints with Classic Legends. The instrument cluster is not legible in daylight. This motorcycle deserves analogue dials. Fuel filler cap needs to be hinged and should not come right out in your hand. Fuel tank is only 12L and realistic fuel efficiency is only around 20 -25 km/l, which does not give a respectable tank range.
Then there are quality issues which are associated with Classic Legends motorcycles. You don’t have to dig deep or whip out a magnifier to see that quality could have been much better. The most prominent quality issue we observed was the disintegrating BSA logo on the headlight. This was a brand new bike and had just 50 off km on the odo. Then there were constant squeaking sounds when the handle mechanism touched right-side wiring harness. LED Headlight is nothing to write home about and it needs significantly better illumination.
BSA has given a sort of a heat shield near footpegs preventing rider’s boot from touching the engine. But my trousers got stuck in it and I almost fell off this motorcycle once because of that. Speaking of heat, Classic Legends should have worked on the heating quotient of BSA Scrambler 650 like they did with Yezdi Scrambler 350. It gets properly toasty if you are not wearing proper clothes or footwear to cover your skin below your knees.
We were given the bike at the dealership with almost zero fuel and it showed us a characteristic of BSA Scrambler 650. If the fuel level is around 30% or below and the bike was leaning left on the stand, engine doesn’t start. After taking it off the stand and bike is standing straight, engine starts perfectly. If fuel level is higher, engine starts perfectly even if it is leaning left on the stand. Nothing bothersome, just the character of this bike, as mentioned by one showroom person.
Should You Buy One?
Before concluding the BSA Scrambler 650, one has to understand that this is a heart over head decision. It might not make sense to everyone, but if it makes sense to you, there is nothing in the market that comes close to the retro experience BSA Scrambler 650 is offering. It has a unique and niche proposition, which a prospective buyer looking for a retro motorcycle with a big-single engine for the feel and experience it provides.
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This post was last modified on July 15, 2026 10:38 am