Royal Enfield’s Bear 650 is named after the iconic Big Bear Run in California. The special-edition TwoFourName is a nod to Eddie Mulder, who won the race when he was just 16 years old.
Even at 80 years old, AMA Hall of Fame Inductee Eddie Mulder carries the easy confidence of a man who’s spent his life in motion. From the sunbaked trails of the Big Bear Run to the bright lights of Hollywood, his story is one of speed, skill and a touch of mischief…
AMA Hall of Famer, Eddie Mulder, special guest of honour at the Royal Enfield INT 650 Bear Global Launch.
Towards the end of last year, he was the guest of honour at the global launch of the 2024 Royal Enfield Bear 650 in Palm Springs in California, a machine that pays tribute to the very race that helped cement his name in motorcycling lore.
Read our Aussie test of the INT Bear 650 here…
The Big Bear Years
Long before Hollywood and International acclaim, Eddie Mulder was a young rider looking to prove himself. The Big Bear Run was one of the most gruelling and prestigious off-road races in the United States, covering over 150 miles of unpredictable terrain.
Riders needed a mix of endurance, technical ability and sheer determination to make it to the finish, let alone claim victory. Mulder was just 16 years old when he took on the challenge and walked away a winner, securing his place among the greats of desert racing.
Mulder’s journey to victory in the 1960 Big Bear Run was anything but smooth. He had connected with Californian Royal Enfield dealer Mel Denison, who prepared a 500cc single-cylinder machine that, according to Mulder, “Would pull the cork off any 650.” As the 765 starters lined up, ready to tackle the demanding three-loop, 150-mile course, nature called…
As the 765 starters lined up, ready to tackle the demanding 150-mile course, nature called…
“I looked at my mum and said, ‘I don’t think this needs to wait’… and just as I got cleaned up, the race started. They raised the banner and away everybody went.” With the entire field of 765 riders ahead of him, Mulder was forced to claw his way through the dust and chaos. By the end of the first loop, he was in the top 20. “There were 700 riders, but only about 100 of them were racers,” he recalled.
That early aggression came at a cost. Early in the second loop, he struck a boulder and snapped his right footpeg off, which he replaced at the next checkpoint. Then he misjudged a switchback in the final loop and found himself airborne, sailing off the track and into the trees. The impact was severe — his header pipe was torn from the cylinder-head and, unbeknownst to him, his rear left shock had snapped.
“I kicked the header pipe back in, but I didn’t know the shock was broken,” he said. “But I could smell the dust of the rider in front of me, and I thought, ‘your ass is grass.’”
“I could smell the dust of the rider in front of me, and I thought, ‘your ass is grass.’”
With the finish line in sight, he reeled in and passed the last rider to claim the victory. Only 193 riders finished that race, and 192 of them were behind him.
A life with Triumph
That win wasn’t just a personal milestone; it opened doors. Triumph took notice, and with the backing of legendary Hollywood stuntman Bud Ekins, Mulder found himself signed with the British marque.
“I walked into Bud’s shop after my first win, needing some gear, and my dad’s behind the parts counter. I said, ‘Hey, Bud, I need some gear.’ He looked at me and said, ‘I’m not helping you anymore, Eddie.’ I said, ‘Well, that’s horse shit.’ And he goes, ‘Hold on a minute. I need you here next Tuesday.’
“I walked in, put me in his pickup, took me to Johnson Motors, which was the Triumph distributor. I signed a contract and left there a week later with seven brand-new motorcycles. He just flat-told Wilbur Cedar, who was the president at Triumph, Johnson Motors, ‘You guys need to pay attention to this kid.’ And they respected him enough to do it. I had a lifelong deal with Triumph. Thanks to Uncle Bud.”
The only person in AMA history to win the coveted TT Triple Crown and he notched up nine wins at the notoriously difficult Pikes Peak Hillclimb…
That Big Bear victory wasn’t just the start of Mulder’s racing career, it was the moment that, in his own words, transformed him from ‘Eddie-who?’ to ‘Yes-Eddie!’ That Big Bear victory in the desert set him on the path to becoming not just a successful racer – he’s the only person in AMA history to win the coveted TT Triple Crown and he notched up nine wins at the notoriously difficult Pikes Peak Hillclimb – but it set up his career of becoming a well-known Hollywood stuntman.
Racing in (and out of) Hollywood
Mulder’s prowess on two wheels didn’t just earn him trophies; it got him noticed by film makers.
“One of my first jobs in the picture business was jumping for Clint Eastwood. Clint walked up to the stunt coordinator after I’d done the first jump – 123 feet on a Triumph – and he said, ‘What’d you pay the kid?’ He said, ‘$10,000 a jump.’ He goes, ‘Double it.’”
Mulder’s Hollywood career would span decades, with his name attached to projects ranging from blockbuster films through to car commercials. He worked closely with Eastwood on multiple occasions and credits him as being “the real deal, you know. No bullshit.”
“One of my first jobs in the picture business was jumping for Clint Eastwood”…
“They would holler lunch, and there’s 250 people on the staff, you know? He wouldn’t have somebody go get him lunch, he’d stand in line with us. After my first jump, he put his hand out and said, ‘thank you for making me look so good.’”
Mulder’s stunt career wasn’t limited to motorcycles. One of his wildest jobs involved a so-called “cannon” rollover in a car, where explosives were used to launch the vehicle into the air. “Seven times. Scary a shit. Knocked the f*** out of me.”
Mulder’s connection with Bud Ekins was more than professional – it was personal. Ekins, the stuntman and racer probably best known for his association with Steve McQueen in the Great Escape, took Mulder under his wing at a young age. “We were buddies. Went on location together, shared rooms. He was like a stepfather to me. Mean son of a bitch. And fast,” he grinned.
Ekins played a critical role in shaping Mulder’s career, not just in racing but in Hollywood. “Who gave me the Clint Eastwood job? Bud gave it to me. He goes, ‘Eddie, I’m not a jumper … you’re the jumper.’”
After decades of racing, stunt work, and industry acclaim, Mulder eventually stepped away from Hollywood. “I retired 15 years ago, when I turned 65, from the studios and all the bullshit. And then me and my wife went in to promote motorcycle races, dirt-track races.”
Jodie, or ‘Jo Jo’ as Mulder affectionately calls her, has been his constant. “And after I retired, and when we were doing the races, I started making Eddie Mulder dirt trackers. And would build dirt trackers and we sold about six or eight of those a year.”
Race to the Clouds
Of all the places Eddie Mulder raced, it’s Pikes Peak that holds a special place in his memory.
“I won it nine times. First time I won it, I cried like a baby.” The race’s unique terrain played to his strengths. With large sections of dirt, Mulder thrived where others struggled. “The dirt. It was good. They would prepare it. You know, I was a dirt guy. So, I was okay with it.”
But racing Pikes Peak wasn’t just about skill – it came with its share of unexpected distractions and dangers. “It’s crazy as shit. It’s crazy as shit. I flew off a cliff one year. I only went off once. It was my own fault. It was a tight section. They call it the Picnic Grounds. And the girls would raise their blouses and show us their tits and stuff. And I’m like this [Eddie opens his eyes as wide as he can]! I mean, it f***ed me up a little bit, but not bad, you know”…
“And we raced [the Vintage Motorcycle division] up until they started making it pavement, then it didn’t interest me anymore,” he recalled. “I think the last time I won it was 2012.”
A life well lived
Mulder’s stories are filled with near-misses, impressive triumphs and outrageous memories, but there’s a sentimental streak beneath the bravado. His mother, Trudie, was his biggest supporter. “She trusted me. Believed in me and I never lied to her. My mom and dad, my dad was, he was a good man, but my mom was my soldier. You know?” My mom lived to be 92. And was always in my corner.”
Eddie Mulder has lived the kind of life most people only dream of…
His father, meanwhile, worked for Bud Ekins’ motorcycle shop for years. “I was Eddie’s boy. Mom was Eddie’s lady. And we had a great time.”
From his early days tearing through the desert to flying through Hollywood airspace, Eddie Mulder has lived the kind of life most people only dream of. And as the Royal Enfield Bear 650 impresses many for its over-achieving qualities, it serves as a fitting tribute to the man whose legacy is forever tied to one of motorcycling’s toughest races.
Watch Our INT Bear 650 Review
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