REVAMP REBEL BORN TO BE A BIT WILDER
A Honda Rebel is a bit of an oxymoron, like Boris Johnson’s hair stylist or Vladimir Putin’s sense of humour. You see, Hondas aren’t really bikes for rebels. They’re bikes for chaps and chapesses who want to get from A to B efficiently and safely on machines which never break down and have fewer vices than Audrey Hepburn in A Nun’s Story.
So I rolled up at Belfast Honda on the Africa Twin with some doubts.
Particularly since when the Rebel came out in 2017 as a bobber cruiser version of the CBR500 – which is hugely popular with bikers who’ve just got their lovely new A2 licence and are limited to 47bhp for a bit – it looked, well, a bit wimpish.
Bobbers, as those of you who have studied Dr Furtwangler’s A-Z of Motorcycles will know, were originally 1930s bikes with everything superfluous removed and the mudguards cut back or bobbed for a lean, mean, moody masculine look.
The original Rebel, though, looked about as masculine as Julian Clary in a frock.
All hail, then, to the chaps at Honda who’ve turned Julian into John Wayne, with a much more rugged appearance, not to mention new LED headlight and indicators, and a slipper clutch to stop the back wheel locking during aggressive downshifts. Climb aboard, and it’s still fairly compact for anyone over 6ft, although the mirrors are as useful as before.
The minimalist circular speedo has a fuel gauge and mileage from the 2017 version, plus there’s a gear indicator which is a handy addition for newbies.
Starting up, the air filled with a civilised purr and I set off feeling suitably rebellious and looking for some grannies on scooters to terrorise.
Progress is surprisingly perky, helped by the fact that the CBR500 engine has been tweaked to deliver maximum torque 500rpm lower. Peak power comes in 100rpm lower as well, not that you’d notice.
Handling, with the bike weighing only 190kg fully fuelled and having 16in wheels, is a hoot, allowing even new bikers to fling it around corners as if they’ve been riding all their lives, and the suspension damping is better than on the original model as well.
There’s only one brake disc up front, but on a bike this light, that’s all you need.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to pick up some flowers and visit some grannies in hospital. Bike supplied by Charles Hurst Honda, belfasthonda.com.