‘Touring motorcycle’ in this market usually means a massive V-twin-powered cruiser-type motorcycle with hard luggage and a fairing. While this is great when you have a lot of spare cash to spend on a bike that costs as much as a car, most people will opt for a more sensible buy. That can go one of two ways: either get a big cruiser, and get luggage and wind protection for it (these are usually available in the accessories section), or you get yourself a budget touring motorcycle.
Whatever you choose is going to be a compromise, as with most things in life. But sometimes there comes along a product that doesn’t compromise as much as you expect it will. The Rebel 1100T is one such product. It is a touring motorcycle, complete with hard luggage and wind protection. It is priced extremely well. And it has arguably got a better seating triangle and features than most premium American cruisers.
The Honda Rebel 1100T Is The Budget Touring Motorcycle That Beats Big Cruisers On Comfort
The Rebel series of cruisers is Honda’s offering for anyone who wants the laid-back qualities of a cruiser, along with the strengths that any Honda offers. That means a low-maintenance, high-reliability ownership experience, and it helps that the Rebel series looks quite good in its own right. The Rebel 1100 sits at the top of this range, and the T is the tourer, thanks to the hard luggage and wind protection. It has an extremely appealing price, a decent feature set, and a very strong driveline coupled with a very good chassis and suspension setup. That is why it is the budget touring motorcycle that beats big cruisers on comfort.
Honda Rebel 1100T Price: $10,899
The Rebel 1100T is priced extremely reasonably for a cruiser-style tourer with a fairing and luggage. For reference, if you tried to get the Harley-Davidson equivalent, you’d easily end up paying over twice as much. There are a couple of options in the Indian Scout range, but they do not have Honda’s combination of big fairing and hard luggage.
You’ll still end up paying just under $14,000 for one of these. The Rebel 1100T is also Japan’s most affordable touring bike, and only Moto Morini’s touring bike undercuts it on price. You can have the Rebel 1100T with the dual clutch automatic gearbox for $11,599.
Honda Rebel 1100T Engine
The Rebel 1100T shares its engine with the Africa Twin and NT1100. This is a parallel twin layout with a 270-degree crankshaft. It doesn’t have the same state of tune as the others, preferring to have a ‘cruiser’ tune with lower power and much better torque spread. What that means for you and me is that this engine will run forever. You get a by-wire throttle, ride modes, traction control, integrated wheelie control, and cruise control.
Honda Rebel 1100T Transmission And Final Drive
There are two transmission options for the Rebel 1100T. One is a standard six-speed manual gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch. A quickshifter is not an option for the Rebel 1100T. The other, more interesting option is a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. This is the same gearbox that is present on other Hondas, which means you have manual control via buttons on the handlebars as well. Final drive is via a chain, which might be a deterrent to those looking for an interstate ride.
|
Engine Configuration |
270° I2 |
|
Displacement |
1,084 cc |
|
Power |
87.1 HP @ 7,250 RPM |
|
Torque |
72.2 LB-FT @ 4,750 RPM |
|
Transmission |
6-speed MT/AT |
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Honda Rebel 1100T Chassis
The Rebel 1100T uses a modern steel diamond frame with the engine as a stressed member. This is a difficult setup to modify, but if you’re buying a budget tourer, that’s not going to be the focus anyway. Showa cartridge telescopic forks and twin rear piggyback shocks with preload adjustment suspend the 18/16-inch alloy wheels. There is only a single 330 mm front brake disc, but it has a good monobloc four piston radial caliper – a unique mounting for regular forks. At the rear, a 256 mm disc is paired with a single piston caliper. ABS is standard and not switchable.
Honda Rebel 1100T Dimensions
This is a full-size motorcycle, as the 88-inch length and 33.5-inch wheelbase show. A noteworthy feature is the Unicam SOHC engine head, which allows Honda to run a four-valve configuration with a smaller head than a DOHC setup. This, in turn, allows the Rebel 1100T to be lower overall.
Its 27.9-inch seat height doesn’t really reflect that, but there is a storage space under the seat to explain that seat height. A 3.6-gallon fuel tank might seem small, but this is a very efficient engine, especially when paired with the automatic transmission. So there will be fewer fuel stops than you would expect. A 4.7-inch ground clearance is good enough, and the 528-pound wet weight is very reasonable for its size.
Honda Rebel 1100T Features
The Rebel 1100T has a decent feature set. What distinguishes it from the cruiser variant is the fairing and the hard luggage. The luggage is top-opening, lockable, weather-resistant, and has 9.3 gallons of storage space. If you want a pillion along, you’re going to have to add the optional pillion seat and footpegs. Also on the options list are a taller windscreen, more suitable for the highway, and more comfortable seats for both rider and pillion.
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Honda Rebel 1100T Competition
The Rebel 1100T is positioned really well. There is no direct competition. For example, the Suzuki Boulevard C50T ($9,779) has a tall windscreen but no wind protection for the hands, and no luggage as a standard feature anymore. The more modern option would be from Indian – both the Sport Scout RT and Super Scout can be utilized as light tourers.
They also have the V-twin engine and a traditional downtube chassis – but the Super Scout has soft luggage, while the Sport Scout RT has no real wind protection. There’s also the fact that both retail for $16,999, which prices them out of the conversation.
The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT ($10,599) does have soft luggage, and it has belt drive and an authentic V-twin engine as well. This is a proven product that will be just as reliable as the Rebel, but it does look far more conventional, and doesn’t have the electronic assistance like ABS and a TFT display.
Honda Rebel 1100T Vs Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT
|
Model |
Honda Rebel 1100T |
Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT |
|
Price |
$9,599 |
$9,399 |
|
Engine |
270° I2 |
55° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,086 |
903 cc |
|
Power |
87.1 HP @ 7,250 RPM |
50 HP @ 5,700 RPM |
|
Torque |
72.2 LB-FT @ 4,750 RPM |
58.2 LB-FT @ 3,500 RPM |
|
Final Drive |
Chain |
Belt |
|
Curb Weight |
528 LBs (wet) |
657 LBs (wet) |
Sources: Honda Powersports