liquid cooled twin

There are better entry-level bikes for the money, but few look as cool as the Honda Rebel 500 It’s the rear brake reservoir that sealed it for me. The detail on this one feature is how you know Honda cared for how this bike is styled; the fit and finish is better than an entry-level bike has any right to be. I’m impressed by how much licence Honda gave its designers and how much they let them execute their vision. Is Honda’s entry-level cruiser aggressive and polarizing? Absolutely. On an aesthetic scale of V-Rod to CTX, the 2019 Honda Rebel 500 swings toward the V-Rod. It looks tough, and more than one Harley-Davidson owner has given the Rebel an appreciative glance. The high-tilted, 11.4-litre fuel tank is retro cool in spirit, but angled and chiseled in a very modern way. Honda designed this bike from the ground up to make it easy to customize, with a completely removable rear fender and subframe making it even easier to accommodate the plethora of aftermarket options. I’m surprised I don’t see more variations of this bike on the road, but customers seem to enjoy the stock look. I agree with them. The Rebel 500 shares everything but the engine with the Rebel 300. The 500 is $7,199; the 300, $5,299. If you’re lucky, there are still a handful of 2018s on showroom floors, and you might save some money going for one of those. But the fundamental question is, “is the 500 worth $1,900 more than the 300?” The simple answer is “Yes.” It doesn’t matter that at 188 kilograms, it’s 20 kilos heavier than the 300, because the 471-cc liquid-cooled twin is one of the smoothest powerplants in the entry-level market. The throttle is well-weighted and the transition from closed throttle to […]