I just bought a 2023 Honda Rebel 500 ABS. All of your points are true. I just ride local max speed limit is 55 MPH but you know 65 and 70 is sometimes possable when the cops aren't around LOL. I wear a backpack cause I don't carry a lot of stuff. I did install a set of crash bars and I plan to install a set of highway pegs so I can stretch out a bit. I love this machine.
I've seen videos of the rebel getting 0-60 in around 5.5 - 6 seconds and 60-90 in around 5 seconds. That's not bad at all for being 471cc's and getting 60-70 mpg. I really wish Honda made a rebel 750, that'd be perfect for those that don't need the power of the 1100 but want some decent gas mileage
Yes, Honda really needs to make a Honda Rebel 750 or an 800. 800 is 300 cc's bigger than 500 and 300 cc's smaller than an 1100 so it's right in the middle.... it's the perfect step up. But 750 would be just fine. I probably won't ever buy a Rebel because 500 is to small but I don't want something as big as an 1100 for my next bike.
Don't know about yours but my rebel 500 will easily cruise at 70mph and with a top speed of around 105mph has no trouble overtaking. As for the seat I agree it can get uncomfortable after a couple of hours but that can be easily sorted with reupholstery or after market options. The lack of a rev counter is something I would like to address although it has a rev limiter and is happy in the higher rev range .
I would consider the speed for long distance travel, and the maximum speed of honda rebel 500 is just same as my small scooter honda ADV and uses less fuel
Well, Rebel is a perfect bike for beginners like myself. I'm a smallish female ( 5"5", 120 lbs) so its a perfect first bike for me. It's not too heavy for me, it's simple, maneuverable, comfortable enough for commute. It really depends on what you expect from the bike. I'm sure eventually I may look into something else. As of now I'm very happy with my 2023 Honda Rebel 500 ABS SE :D
i pretty much agree with what you said. i have a 2019 Rebel 500. the shocks are pretty good except for speed bumps, it will either bounce you off, or smack so hard, feels like a kick in the butt. mine doesn't have a gear indicator, so i pretty much have to count shifting up or down. on a 1 or 2 hour ride my butt sweats, but no numb butt. heck i am 5' 6'' tall, and 135 lbs, so the Rebel is just fine for me. i replaced the pegs with floor boards, seems more comfortable for me. and i do wish the handle bars were higher, and back farther, i tend to lean forward to ride. but hey, 7 grand, compared to 10/ 13 grand for a Harley. Ilove my Rebel. it also has ABS. i have had it up to 80 mph. that's damn sure fast enough for me. i don't need to do 100 plus on 2 wheels.
I am only 5'6", the Rebel 500 is perfect for me. I am not a brand loyalist so I don't feel the need to go HD. I do wish it was a 600 rather than a 500 but 500 is just fine. Also, the gripe about the bad roads has NOTHING to do with the Rebel.
Speed? The rebel owners manual says the 500 has a top speed of 95 miles an hour, with some people getting it up to 110Mph. I dont know whos taking this thing out on the autobahn but the speed limit on the vast majority of highways in America is only 55Mph with 75Mph being the highest. And fuel consumption? The rebel has a GAS GAUGE that tells you exactly how much is left and can go up to 200 MILES on a single tank. So id say it costing only about $6 to fill the tank completely and be able to rid for nearly 200 miles on that is pretty damn good.
I have a 2020 Honda Rebel 500 top spec with the flyscreen, brown stitched seat and the matt grey paint. You could only find 5 reasons to not buy it? You weren't trying. Some of my faults are climate specific and may not be a problem where you live. 1/ suspension, as you stated is horrible, I have damaged my lower back on this POS and have almost had to give up riding, I ran over a bump in the road about 30mm high ( a bridge plate) at around 90 kmh, the shock straight up through my lower back was so severe I had to stop and get off the bike for about 20 minutes, I wasn't sure if I would be able to ride home. This is compounded by the tyres 2/ the stock tyres are Harley Davidson rated (check the part numbers) the Honda is not heavy enough to work these tyres and get them warm, this won't be a problem if you live in the tropics or in warm weather where the tyre can pick up heat from the road but if you live in a climate below 20 deg C the tyre runs cold, except for the narrow running strip in contact with the road. This leads to interesting handling when during a long ride you lean it into a bend transitioning from warm soft rubber onto cold hard low grip rubber. (sudden weaving as you lean in) As they are HD rated tyres Honda are running them at the lowest possible pressure, drop only 1 or 2 psi in pressure and they start to squirm. 3/ LCD instruments are unreadable in bright sunlight, fine at night 4/ fuel dripping from tank vent hoses if left parked in the sun, possibly due to the dark matt paint soaking in a lot of heat. It does not matter how much fuel is in the tank the tank gets so hot it vents vapour from the smaller cap vent hose, not the overflow hose, the fuel then condenses in the hose and drips out as liquid onto the ground under the bike. 5/ gearing seems to low, the first gear is fairly useless basically for getting rolling and the bike seems to be revving to much at 100 kmh 6/ terrible chain life, I have done 4000km and the chain is halfway through it's life. My Royal Enfield 350 has done 13,000km and I have adjusted the chain once, the Enfield chain is also far thicker than the Honda chain. 7/ buzzy engine Honda altered the cam timing on one cylinder to give the bike 'character', yes that's right each cylinder has slightly different valve timing, this gives it a buzzy odd feel totally unlike the silky smooth 500 engine in the CB range, which is the same engine different cam shafts. 8/ low resale value at 3 months old with under 2000km I started looking at replacing it with a new bike, dealers would only offer $5000 trade in, that's a 50% drop in 3 months. One salesman told me to take it home ride it if I could and come back in a years time, it might still be worth $5,000. He wasn't really interested in trading it. BTW I'm 5' 7" about 165cm I can only ride it about an hour and I have to get off and walk around, the pressure on the hips due to the low seat/ high pegs becomes uncomfortable. Pros It looks cool parked out front of a cafe'
I have a rebel 500 and I would say that you can easily do 130 km/h comfortably on the motorway if you add a windscreen :) Personally I do 8 hour rides and is perfectly comfortable, but I did upgrade the seat so it has a gel pack that saves your ass ;) Aren't speed bumps supposed to be unconfortable? I do agree that riding over a hole in the road can hurt your spine a bit :)
Hello Foodgeek. Nice to see you are part of the Rebellion. I intend to get a windscreen too. I was advised as well. Speed bumps are the norm in my country so, I have a "add-on" air seat which I filled with water. Ride Safe Always.
@@motodean We have tons of speed bumps in Denmark too. And roundabouts every 500 meters it seems ;) I put my 500 up for salt, but already ordered an 1100, so I am staying a rebel :D
Hey Dean, Great Vid. l just wanted to add that in the 14 yrs that l have been riding the streets, l have never had, or relied on a tachometer. I've never needed one. If you know the bike , you should be able to tell by the engine's rev at speed whether you should shift or not. Ciao
There is NO perfect motorcycle. There too many types of riding being done to have one motorcycle for all of them. The only motorcycle that you might consider "perfect" is the one that is "perfect for you" ... (and the way you ride). As for me ... the Honda Rebel 500 is a cruiser (city bike) and for me ... that's it's biggest flaw. I avoid city riding whenever possible. Sport touring is more my "cup of tea".
I have a 2021 rebel and these are all valid points. I'm 5'11 and I only ride for fun in fair weather, the tank is small but doesn't really bother me. The seating position however does, I'm not as young as I used to be and find this bike really uncomfortable on the hip flexors from the get go, I am going to get the seat reupholstered and made a little taller, I'm hoping this improves things.
Slightly (okay, maybe more than that) older guy here with a '23 Rebel 500, and I did have the same issues, at 5'9", for seat and leg comfort. I installed a Mustang solo seat which added about an inch to the height, but more importantly an extremely comfortable seat, plus some forward control mods to move the foot controls forward about 6". Made the bike plenty comfortable. Everything else in this video was a selling point for me, same as you, it's a fair weather nice day cruiser to get out of the house for an hour or 2, I don't need the speed, the power, the long distance ability.
I love the way you reviewed this. Whenever you can, can you review an Indian Dcout Rouge, chief or whatever it's called. I was looking at getting one of those. I'll pass on the Rebel
I would say the Rebel 500, its cheaper, lighter. About the same power wise. The Vulcan is also bigger but more comfortable. Kawasaki will allow you to make seat adjustment before you bring the bike out of the dealership
Hi DeltaVenus. It is slow in comparison to the driving companions. I am not complaining about the speed. I have never driven over 140kph in our roads here. In the groups I ride with, I will have the smallest displacement and HP. The bike is clearly for me because of my size and driving skills.
I am sort of a "rule" follower. On the skyway, I do lane split. But on EDSA and other side roads, I just "act" like a car. Nevertheless, it is very nimble and the short seat height gives me extra confidence
For me, a two hour continuous ride will make my butt hurt (the stock seat) is not that great. The sitting position is ok for long rides, but its the seat and the suspension which will force you to make frequent stops.
@@motodean it is indeed uncomfortable for taller people and very short person only.. But we can always customize or upgrade our bike to be suitable for the rider. Thanks
@@motodean I agree with the seat I have the SE model and it came with the “comfort seat” it’s hard as a rock. I’ll recommend the mustang tripper solo it’s expensive but worth the price
I just bought a 2023 Honda Rebel 500 ABS. All of your points are true. I just ride local max speed limit is 55 MPH but you know 65 and 70 is sometimes possable when the cops aren't around LOL. I wear a backpack cause I don't carry a lot of stuff. I did install a set of crash bars and I plan to install a set of highway pegs so I can stretch out a bit. I love this machine.
Great to know NoBo. Welcome to the Rebellion!
I've seen videos of the rebel getting 0-60 in around 5.5 - 6 seconds and 60-90 in around 5 seconds. That's not bad at all for being 471cc's and getting 60-70 mpg. I really wish Honda made a rebel 750, that'd be perfect for those that don't need the power of the 1100 but want some decent gas mileage
Hi. Thanks for the view. I have not ridden from a dead start but from a rolling start, I can get to 100kph pretty quickly (freeway entrance mode)
Yes, Honda really needs to make a Honda Rebel 750 or an 800. 800 is 300 cc's bigger than 500 and 300 cc's smaller than an 1100 so it's right in the middle.... it's the perfect step up. But 750 would be just fine. I probably won't ever buy a Rebel because 500 is to small but I don't want something as big as an 1100 for my next bike.
Don't know about yours but my rebel 500 will easily cruise at 70mph and with a top speed of around 105mph has no trouble overtaking. As for the seat I agree it can get uncomfortable after a couple of hours but that can be easily sorted with reupholstery or after market options. The lack of a rev counter is something I would like to address although it has a rev limiter and is happy in the higher rev range .
Thanks for the view and the comment Dale! Truly appreciate it. I love my Rebel!
I would consider the speed for long distance travel, and the maximum speed of honda rebel 500 is just same as my small scooter honda ADV and uses less fuel
Well, Rebel is a perfect bike for beginners like myself. I'm a smallish female ( 5"5", 120 lbs) so its a perfect first bike for me. It's not too heavy for me, it's simple, maneuverable, comfortable enough for commute. It really depends on what you expect from the bike. I'm sure eventually I may look into something else. As of now I'm very happy with my 2023 Honda Rebel 500 ABS SE :D
Hi T B. Thanks for your wonderful insights. On the Rebel. I am very happy with mine. Reaching 14Km on the odometer.
Very envious of you I don’t get mine til late February
@@shotbait5090 that’s ok. It might be warmer by then . I barely ride mine . I get too cold 🥶 lol
@@shotbait5090 you won't regret it. Just a few more days
i pretty much agree with what you said. i have a 2019 Rebel 500. the shocks are pretty good except for speed bumps, it will either bounce you off, or smack so hard, feels like a kick in the butt. mine doesn't have a gear indicator, so i pretty much have to count shifting up or down. on a 1 or 2 hour ride my butt sweats, but no numb butt. heck i am 5' 6'' tall, and 135 lbs, so the Rebel is just fine for me. i replaced the pegs with floor boards, seems more comfortable for me. and i do wish the handle bars were higher, and back farther, i tend to lean forward to ride. but hey, 7 grand, compared to 10/ 13 grand for a Harley. Ilove my Rebel. it also has ABS. i have had it up to 80 mph. that's damn sure fast enough for me. i don't need to do 100 plus on 2 wheels.
Great comments David. I appreciate the view. I love my Rebel. I got it to 85mph but only for a few seconds. Rid safe always!
I am only 5'6", the Rebel 500 is perfect for me. I am not a brand loyalist so I don't feel the need to go HD. I do wish it was a 600 rather than a 500 but 500 is just fine.
Also, the gripe about the bad roads has NOTHING to do with the Rebel.
I am total agreement with you!
Speed? The rebel owners manual says the 500 has a top speed of 95 miles an hour, with some people getting it up to 110Mph. I dont know whos taking this thing out on the autobahn but the speed limit on the vast majority of highways in America is only 55Mph with 75Mph being the highest. And fuel consumption? The rebel has a GAS GAUGE that tells you exactly how much is left and can go up to 200 MILES on a single tank. So id say it costing only about $6 to fill the tank completely and be able to rid for nearly 200 miles on that is pretty damn good.
Thanks for your points. Interesting that some can make it past 100mph.
I have a 2020 Honda Rebel 500 top spec with the flyscreen, brown stitched seat and the matt grey paint.
You could only find 5 reasons to not buy it? You weren't trying.
Some of my faults are climate specific and may not be a problem where you live.
1/ suspension, as you stated is horrible, I have damaged my lower back on this POS and have almost had to give up riding, I ran over a bump in the road about 30mm high ( a bridge plate) at around 90 kmh, the shock straight up through my lower back was so severe I had to stop and get off the bike for about 20 minutes, I wasn't sure if I would be able to ride home.
This is compounded by the tyres
2/ the stock tyres are Harley Davidson rated (check the part numbers) the Honda is not heavy enough to work these tyres and get them warm, this won't be a problem if you live in the tropics or in warm weather where the tyre can pick up heat from the road but if you live in a climate below 20 deg C the tyre runs cold, except for the narrow running strip in contact with the road. This leads to interesting handling when during a long ride you lean it into a bend transitioning from warm soft rubber onto cold hard low grip rubber. (sudden weaving as you lean in)
As they are HD rated tyres Honda are running them at the lowest possible pressure, drop only 1 or 2 psi in pressure and they start to squirm.
3/ LCD instruments are unreadable in bright sunlight, fine at night
4/ fuel dripping from tank vent hoses if left parked in the sun, possibly due to the dark matt paint soaking in a lot of heat. It does not matter how much fuel is in the tank the tank gets so hot it vents vapour from the smaller cap vent hose, not the overflow hose, the fuel then condenses in the hose and drips out as liquid onto the ground under the bike.
5/ gearing seems to low, the first gear is fairly useless basically for getting rolling and the bike seems to be revving to much at 100 kmh
6/ terrible chain life, I have done 4000km and the chain is halfway through it's life. My Royal Enfield 350 has done 13,000km and I have adjusted the chain once, the Enfield chain is also far thicker than the Honda chain.
7/ buzzy engine Honda altered the cam timing on one cylinder to give the bike 'character', yes that's right each cylinder has slightly different valve timing, this gives it a buzzy odd feel totally unlike the silky smooth 500 engine in the CB range, which is the same engine different cam shafts.
8/ low resale value at 3 months old with under 2000km I started looking at replacing it with a new bike, dealers would only offer $5000 trade in, that's a 50% drop in 3 months. One salesman told me to take it home ride it if I could and come back in a years time, it might still be worth $5,000. He wasn't really interested in trading it.
BTW I'm 5' 7" about 165cm I can only ride it about an hour and I have to get off and walk around, the pressure on the hips due to the low seat/ high pegs becomes uncomfortable.
Pros
It looks cool parked out front of a cafe'
Very extensive reply. I see you have done your research. I appreciate you took the time to put in that well thought of comments. Thanks for the view!
What's the resale on your Enfield?
@@jeeves6490 I don't own an Enfield. Wrong video perhaps?
@@motodean Yep, replying to Ray, just like you.
@@jeeves6490 My bad
I have a rebel 500 and I would say that you can easily do 130 km/h comfortably on the motorway if you add a windscreen :) Personally I do 8 hour rides and is perfectly comfortable, but I did upgrade the seat so it has a gel pack that saves your ass ;) Aren't speed bumps supposed to be unconfortable? I do agree that riding over a hole in the road can hurt your spine a bit :)
Hello Foodgeek. Nice to see you are part of the Rebellion. I intend to get a windscreen too. I was advised as well. Speed bumps are the norm in my country so, I have a "add-on" air seat which I filled with water. Ride Safe Always.
@@motodean We have tons of speed bumps in Denmark too. And roundabouts every 500 meters it seems ;) I put my 500 up for salt, but already ordered an 1100, so I am staying a rebel :D
@@Foodgeek Hei, Hvor kjøpte du gel pack setet? :)
@@Sondalive I had the whole seat covered in leather, so it was something the upholster guy provided :)
@@Foodgeek ahh, so you got it custom?
It’s a great starter/city bike. I’m 5’11 and I feel a bit cramped on mine, especially on my hip flexors.
I would agree with you. Have you considered installing forward controls?
@@motodean Or building up the seat.
@@1990-t1j I am getting my seat "re-foam" for a softer ride
@@motodean Will that make it a little higher?
@@1990-t1j Yes, maybe an inch at least.
Hey Dean, Great Vid. l just wanted to add that in the 14 yrs that l have been riding the streets, l have never had, or relied on a tachometer. I've never needed one. If you know the bike , you should be able to tell by the engine's rev at speed whether you should shift or not. Ciao
Hi Wes. I appreciate your thoughts and experience on this matter. From what you said, I will listen to the bike than rely on watching the speedometer
Usually, you'd hear the engine REV and know when to shift. So I guess they didn't add a tachometer for that reason.
That maybe right
There is NO perfect motorcycle. There too many types of riding being done to have one motorcycle for all of them. The only motorcycle that you might consider "perfect" is the one that is "perfect for you" ... (and the way you ride).
As for me ... the Honda Rebel 500 is a cruiser (city bike) and for me ... that's it's biggest flaw. I avoid city riding whenever possible. Sport touring is more my "cup of tea".
I envy you on the sport touring bike. Ride safe Mason Steele! And thanks for the view and comment.
More like “concerns” not “flaws”.
Yes, but then the video might be less interesting.
Thanks for the advice
You are most welcome!
thanks Dean 👊🏼
You are welcome
I have a 2021 rebel and these are all valid points. I'm 5'11 and I only ride for fun in fair weather, the tank is small but doesn't really bother me. The seating position however does, I'm not as young as I used to be and find this bike really uncomfortable on the hip flexors from the get go, I am going to get the seat reupholstered and made a little taller, I'm hoping this improves things.
Nice points Arun. I appreciate the view and comment. I have a temporary fix with an "air pad" seat.
Did it?
I've seen people install foot peg extenders, maybe that would help?
Slightly (okay, maybe more than that) older guy here with a '23 Rebel 500, and I did have the same issues, at 5'9", for seat and leg comfort. I installed a Mustang solo seat which added about an inch to the height, but more importantly an extremely comfortable seat, plus some forward control mods to move the foot controls forward about 6". Made the bike plenty comfortable. Everything else in this video was a selling point for me, same as you, it's a fair weather nice day cruiser to get out of the house for an hour or 2, I don't need the speed, the power, the long distance ability.
I love the way you reviewed this. Whenever you can, can you review an Indian Dcout Rouge, chief or whatever it's called.
I was looking at getting one of those. I'll pass on the Rebel
I would love to get my hands on a Indian Scout. have to save up though
@@motodean me too.
Ty for mentioning metric measurements and "gas"="petrol" kinda stuff. It was very youtube friendly)
I appreciate your view and comment Eugene!
interesting - good information
Thanks! I appreciate the view
Hi Dean. I’m looking for Rebel 500 vs Vulcan s. What do you recommend?? Thank you.
I would say the Rebel 500, its cheaper, lighter. About the same power wise. The Vulcan is also bigger but more comfortable. Kawasaki will allow you to make seat adjustment before you bring the bike out of the dealership
Mine rides comfortably at 85, 90… I’ve gotten up to a 100 mph on my 500
Wow, that's great.
the bike max speed is 144km/h what are you talking about being slow? This bike is clearly not for you!
Hi DeltaVenus. It is slow in comparison to the driving companions. I am not complaining about the speed. I have never driven over 140kph in our roads here. In the groups I ride with, I will have the smallest displacement and HP. The bike is clearly for me because of my size and driving skills.
Think your bike is broke mate mine does 168 kph
@@dalewood7047 I see. I am a heavy set guy and with my weight it won't go that fast but I believe you that it can go 168kph
@@motodean I am 5ft 2in and weigh 189 pounds
What do you expect from a small cruiser ?
Hi Peter. I guess I expected why I said. I have not ridden a large cruiser. Any thoughts on the matte?
How does this bike handle rush hour traffic in Manila
I am sort of a "rule" follower. On the skyway, I do lane split. But on EDSA and other side roads, I just "act" like a car. Nevertheless, it is very nimble and the short seat height gives me extra confidence
@@motodean thanks for you reply
What do you mean sir about rebel not for long drive because of the riders sitting position?
For me, a two hour continuous ride will make my butt hurt (the stock seat) is not that great. The sitting position is ok for long rides, but its the seat and the suspension which will force you to make frequent stops.
@@motodean it is indeed uncomfortable for taller people and very short person only.. But we can always customize or upgrade our bike to be suitable for the rider. Thanks
@@markanthonygonzales5572 That is true. My video mostly points the stock seat and suspension. As for me, I am in the hunt for a "softer" seat
@@motodean I agree with the seat I have the SE model and it came with the “comfort seat” it’s hard as a rock. I’ll recommend the mustang tripper solo it’s expensive but worth the price
The hip angle is totally wrong, your knees are higher than your hips.
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Speed bumps, sure you didn't mean to say; pot holes. 😁
Pot holes are still speed bumps but inverted
lmao my 300 goes faster than 70 mph so the 500 can too
Yes, it can. I actually topped out at 87mph on a highway stretch. I know it can go more, but I am a heavy set guy
Coool!
Thanks!
Atty. Maintenance cost naman po. 🙏
For the Rebel so far, its about 2,600 per oil change. It's only at 10K mileage so far
@@motodean love your videos sir❤️
@@weekendwarrior1909 Thanks so much. Really appreciate it
Ft
Is 12 inches?
Nice vid.
Thanks Asus! Much appreciated.
why honda rebel looks so ugly on the tank side.... 🙄and why it exhaust sounds like my buffalo fart
Maybe because it's red? Almost all stock exhaust of motorcycle sounds like fart. Since it is a honda, maybe asian buffalo
@@ruffleschips9055worry not my boy ... ull get to see many buffalos on roads....🤣🤣🤣hope ull enjoy its fart💨
Thanks for talking English and not Tagalog. 🤣🤣🤣
You are welcome Ron
I'm Filipino. I don't understand Tagalog because I was born in the U.S.
@@ronmendoza1274 I understand. I also use English to reach the Western world
Sir pa mine po since you don't like it. Thanks 🫰🫰🫰
He he.. I actually love my bike.
Non sense 🤣😂😅🤣😂😅
Well, thanks anyway for the view.