Honda Rebel Motorcycles

Honda has described its primary target for the newer Honda Rebels as women and beginning riders. In fact, the manufacturer shared numbers showing that a growing portion of Rebel owners are women with 36% of owners for the model 300 and 28% for the model 500. It also found that an impressive 61% of Rebel model 300 purchasers are first-time owners and 45% are first-time owners for the model 500. As a rather petite woman, I have been looking for a motorcycle that I can feel confident controling safely, while also not compromising on style and comfort.

Some of my favorite specs:

• light-weight: This bike comes in between 364 and 408 lbs (165 and 185 kg), depending on the model, making it easy to control.


• low seat height: At just 27.2 inches, the Rebel has one of the lowest seats in anyone’s lineup. It’s comfortable when you ride, and it makes it easier to flat-foot it at stoplights or in parking lots.


• narrow profile: Super-narrow, especially at the critical tank/seat junction, the Rebel makes it easier to get on and off the bike, and to put your feet down at stops. Plus, the Rebel fits a wide variety of riders.


• slipper/assist clutch: Developed and perfected in Honda’s racing machines, the slipper/assist clutch means you get a lighter clutch pull at the lever, but a solid lockup when you release the lever and apply power. It’s technology that reduces clutch effort at the bar by about 30%.


• sport engine: In the model 300, the engine is a single-cylinder with fuel injection, double-overhead cams and a counterbalancer. Because it’s a single, it’s light and super narrow, which helps reduce the overall bike’s weight. It also offers the kind of torque and midrange power that’s well suited for all levels of riders. Twin-cylinder engines are a great choice for a machine like the Rebel 500. Honda twins are famous for their versatility, and the 471cc Rebel 500’s engine is one of our best ever. The parallel-twin engine is narrow, which helps reduce overall bike size. Plus it offers lots of low-rpm torque, but plenty of higher-rpm performance.