Cruise Culture: 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 breaks cover

Contents

Honda has treated its little cruiser with a double bonus displacement- courtesy of a heart transplant from its adventurous cousin. Meet the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 that’s not the usual chrome embellished template associated with cruiser motorcycles. Like its smaller sibling, the Rebel 500- the new has an instant dislike for shiny bits. It rather adorns blacked-out bodywork imparting a mean modern look! However, the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 makes up for the no-frills design with a tasteful specifications chart.

Engine

Powered by Honda’s 1084cc proven motor from the CRF1100L African twin- the water-cooled two-cylinder power-plant has been detuned to produce 87 horsepower and 98 nm of torque. But Honda has revised the camshaft profiles for each cylinder where the two cylinders produce power on either side of the 4000 rpm mark. Also, the 270-degree firing order produces a power pulse unique to the Rebel 1100’s character. Honda is offering a slipper-clutch assisted manual 6 speed and a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) on the 2021 Rebel 1100.

Chassis, suspension and brakes

Held together by a trellis frame, the new Rebel 1100 stands suspended on conventional 43mm telescopic front forks with Honda’s trademark Pro-Link monoshock at the rear offering 4.8 and 3.7 inches of respective suspension travel. A 330mm single front disc with a radially mounted four-piston caliper and 256mm single rear disc breeze the 487-pound motorcycle to a stop. The cast-aluminum wheels shod with fat 130/70-18 front and 180/65-16 rear tires extend a wide footprint to the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100.

Electronics and electricals

Underneath the minimalistic styled cruiser lies a sizeable safety net of electronic aids. Honda’s Ride-by-Wire (RbW) throttle comes mated to 4 levels of traction control. There are also four selectable ride modes available with three preset (Standard, Rain, Sport) and one rider-customizable mode. Surprisingly Honda has also extended Anti-Wheelie Control to the Rebel 1100 linked to Honda’s Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) with three levels to choose from. As an obvious inclusion to its genre- the Rebel 1100 gets cruise control too.

It gets all LED lighting with a four lamp headlight, turn indicators, and tail lights. The cockpit comprises of a similar LCD Unit as the 500 but with additional ride mode and traction control data. A lightweight lithium-ion battery aids weight shedding on the Rebel, and there’s an under-seat C-Type charging port provided as a standard feature.

A low-seat height with a low center of gravity combined with a roomy rider triangle should make the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 an effortless machine to ride. Add 35 degrees of lean angle that should make the Rebel a hoot around corners too. You can include a seat and foot-peg kit as options if planning to have company aboard. Available in Black and Bordeaux Red Metallic shades, prices start at $9,299 for the 6-speed manual and $9,999 for the DCT model.