HONDA CMX500 REBEL STREET BIKE by Andrew Booth
Simple and raw. Rolling on fat tyres its low and lean‘ bobber’ silhouette – crowned by the steeply raked 11L‘ peanut’ fuel tank and fat handlebars – sits the rider firmly‘ in’ the machine. From every angle of its stripped form it expresses an off-beat individuality. The Rebel has been around since 1985 and was introduced for young riders on a modest budget.
This is an A2 licence friendly bike which opens up a new world of biking for the newly licenced riders with limited experience. I met up with my buddy and we took off into North Wales.
Engine & Transmission: The CMX500 Rebel is powered by a parallel twin 471cc chain drive producing 45 Bhp and 43.2Nm max torque @ 6000rpm. The engine delivery is smooth and pulls well from mid-range upwards and throttle response is precise. Gearbox is 6 speed and the clutch is a hydraulic wet multiplate, I can say it operates so smoothly and with ease, changing gear up and down the box.
At times, I put the bike through its paces- which it is not necessarily designed for, but to my surprise the parallel twin performed very well. I felt confident making overtaking manoeuvres, which on a bike is about power, precision and safety. Fuel consumption was very reasonable, I only spent around £ 7.00 on petrol and did a good few miles and gave it some stick. Great.
Handling and Brakes: The 41mm front forks and pro link rear suspension do the job very well, the ride is comfortable and the bumps where ironed out to a pleasant level. Cornering at speed, I was impressed, a little bit of bounce and stepping out, but as I’ ve said this bike is not about race performance, but does a great job for the market it’ s pitched at. The brakes front and rear stop you confidently and gradually. I was impressed how good the turning circle was and with the seat being low it makes the Rebel very easy to manoeuvre.
Equipment, Instruments & Controls: The dash is simple offering all the information you need in LCD format including a fuel gauge. The fingertip controls operate nicely and all of a really good quality, which you would expect from Honda.
The fuel tank has a 2.96 Gallon capacity which will probably give you in the region of 165 miles on a full tank not bad.
Seat is height is 690mm which puts you in low comfortable position and your arms are almost straight onto the handle bars. It also switches from solo-only to pillion-possible via two bolts.
Grin factor: The Rebel has been around for nearly 33 years and this latest model certainly stands out from the rest. I had an absolute blast. It was classically retro cool, it just really made me smile.
Verdict: The Rebel is a nice funky looking bike, it fits into the A2 licence category, which to me is a no-brainer for new riders wanting a new bike.
As a fun bike for a commute to work and back, it would be one of my first choices. I would strongly recommend a test ride, you will not be disappointed.
You can pick one up from Smiths Honda in Chester for £ 5,600 on the road.
Smiths Honda, Whitchurch Road, Christleton, Chester, CH3 6AE www. smithshonda. co. uk Tel- 01244 336565
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