Honda Rebel 500 gets new LED headlight with a fully-digital instrument cluster
Japanese big Red, Honda has unveiled two cool looking cruiser bikes at EICMA 2019 – Honda Rebel 500 and Rebel 300. Honda has made up its mind to expand the number of products in its Bigwig showrooms starting from next year. The first of these will be a middleweight cruiser to tackle Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Benelli Leoncino 500.
At present, Honda has only one option, the Rebel 500. The 2020 version of CMX Rebel 500 gets a new fully-digital round-shaped instrument cluster. This design reminds us of the regular analogue single pod instrument cluster most cruisers get. Along with this, the Rebel gets LED lights all around as well as comfortable ride due to a retuned suspension system. A let-down is there in case of brakes which is a straight lift from 300cc Rebel.
Powering the Honda Rebel 500 is a liquid-cooled, parallel-twin 471cc engine which is also BS6 compliant. This engine develops 45bhp and 43Nm torque which is enough for a middleweight cruiser. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission via an assist and slipper clutch.
Honda Rebel 500 will find a good number of customers if priced correctly
Suspension on Rebel 500 is a 41mm telescopic fork at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear. Braking department gets a puny 296mm single disc with a 2-piston calliper and 240mm disc with single-piston calliper at the rear. A dual-channel ABS will come as standard in India. Honda should have upgraded the brakes with either a bigger disc or a 4-piston calliper or both for improved braking performance.
Rebel 500 rides on smaller 16-inch wheels at both ends which are shod with 130/90-16 and 150/80-16 section front and rear tyres respectively.
Honda Rebel 500 also gets an S variant which gets Matte Axis Grey Metallic paint scheme, headlight cowl, fork gaiters as well as diamond-stitched seat.
In India, Honda will price it more than 4 lakh ex-showroom as the bike will come via CKD route. At this price, it will rival Benelli Leoncino 500 and Royal Enfield 650 Twins. However, Honda is likely to give a miss to the smaller Rebel 300 as it will overshoot the price to more than Rs 2.5 lakh ex-showroom and at that price, it will not find many buyers.
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