SATISFY THE REBELIN Y OU
The Rebel is fairly easy-going and does not need Superbike-spec discs and calipers. The riding position is also quite roomy despite its small size but the straight drag-style handlebars and mid-set footrests lock you into a single riding position.
The riding position also keeps your cruising speed fairly low since the w indblast above 140kph w ill force you to a saner speed.
Luckily, since the Rebel is equipped w ith (only) an 11.2-litre fuel tank, you w ill need to stop to refuel an average of 150km.
The seat itself is quite comfortable despite its looks. The LCD instrument pod does not provide any w ind protection but provides information on speed, fuel capacity and time as w ell as the basic idiot lights.
Handling-w ise, the Rebel is not a canyon-carving scalpel. How ever, it leans into corners w ith confidence and w ill hustle if you need it to.
The chassis communicates its displeasure long before you reach any appreciable limit. The suspension is chopper-comfy and soaks up a decent amount of road irregularities as long as you keep speeds w ithin the Rebel’s limits. Otherw ise the rear suspension w ill bottom before the front and communicates it directly to your tailbone.
The Rebel shines w hen you ride it w ithin its design brief. Daily commuting, short rides and slow tours to a nearby beach w ith similar bikes are its forte. Beginner riders, senior riders and born-again bikers w ill love the Rebel’s easy-going demeanour.
Basically, w hat Honda has done is take out any intimidating aspects of motorcycling and distilled it into the Rebel. This concept, of course, rules out any of you bad-boy bikers from riding the Rebel. But it w ill be a mis- take because the Rebel is a proper motorcycle and deserves its ow n niche.
Styling is contemporary chopper w ith a tw ist in the tank-chassis interface. The pillion seat is removable and makes the Rebel look even better. It definitely does not look like any other mass-produced chopper (w hich tend to mimic Harley-Davidsons) but rather the Rebel looks like a custombuilt bobber, especially w ith those small-sized fat tyres.
The Rebel takes its cues from the many bobber-type bikes being built everyw here on the Internet. Very refreshing, in our opinion.
This is exactly w hy the Rebel name fits it to a tee. It is actually rebelling against the generic Harley chopper hordes and carves a new path of its ow n (in the mass-produced sense, of course).
The Rebel is not knock-out gorgeous chrome and metalflake. Neither is it flashy and gimmicky. It is just tidy and simple and refreshing. Low key is the new black.
The fact that the Rebel appeals to a large number of aspiring riders as w ell as regular ones is just the icing on the cake.
The Rebel is a bike you could learn to ride on and keep for a long time then pass dow n to a new rider w ith the know ledge that it w ill accommodate any demands the new rider needs. The primary function of the Rebel is actually to safely w ean new riders to our sport w ithout intimidating them. The Rebel does this perfectly.
Three colours are available; Graphite Black, Millennium Red or Matte Armoured Silver Metallic. Honda also provide a range of accessories specifically for the Rebel.
It sells for RM31,798.00 w ith Goods and Services Tax but w ithout registration, road tax or insurance.