2021 Honda Rebel 1100 puts a new spin on the definition of a cruiser

Honda released a bigger, more powerful form of the Rebel 500 that provides riders a lot more than twice the engine displacement. Called Rebel 1100, it diverges from the commonly-accepted definition of a cruiser in a number of ways.

The 487-pound Rebel 1100 isn't the archetypal cruiser because it’s not festooned with chrome trim. It’s offered in Metallic Black and Bordeaux Red Metallic, and Honda painted the frame, the suspension parts, the visible mechanical components (such as the chain), the exhaust system, and the handlebars in black. Riders face an all-in-one digital instrument cluster that wouldn’t look entirely unnatural inside a person in the Mini range.

It also sticks out from the pack because it wasn’t developed purely for straight, flat roads. The seat is mounted relatively low at 27.5 inches, engineers were able to tilt the engine at a 35-degree angle to lower the bike’s center of gravity, and they fitted what Honda refers to as performance suspension components. Although this cruiser is happy to, well, cruise, it’s not markedly from its element on a twisty mountain road.

Power for that Rebel 1100 comes from a retuned form of the Africa Twin‘s 1.1-liter water-cooled two-cylinder engine. It develops 87 horsepower and 72 pound-feet of torque, according to Visor Down, and each cylinder receives its very own camshaft profile and ignition timing for additional linear acceleration. One produces slightly more power below 4,000 rpm, based on Honda, as the other makes a little more power above 4,000 rpm.

The twin spins the trunk wheel via either a six-speed stick shift or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic associated with handlebar-mounted shift buttons. Riders can select one of four modes called Standard, Sport, Rain, and User, and electronic driving aids like ABS brakes and wheelie control technology come standard.

On sale now, and scheduled to achieve showrooms in January 2021, the Honda Rebel 1100 has a base price of $9,749 including a mandatory $450 destination charge. Choosing the DCT model increases that figure to $10,449. Buyers have several factory accessories to choose from, including visors, seats, racks, and cases.