Honda CMX1100 Rebel looming

The all-new 2021 Honda CMX1100 Rebel is just around the corner, with the model set to usher in a significant progression in technology for the middleweight cruiser market.

Honda Motorcycles Australia has confirmed initial stock of the Honda CMX1100 Rebel and CMX1100 Rebel DCT, with dual-clutch automatic transmission, will begin arriving in Australian showrooms from late April, but buyers will need to move smartly to secure one of the early examples.

"It will be a staged release with regards to stock, so we encourage consumers to contact us via our website with expressions of interest or to contact their local dealer," a Honda spokesperson told bikesales.

The Honda CMX1100 Rebel is powered by the 1084cc parallel-twin engine also found in the brand's acclaimed adventure model, the Honda Africa Twin. The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, eight-valve, Euro 5 compliant unit delivers a claimed 87hp (64kW) at 7000rpm and 98Nm at 4750rpm.

That's a bit less than the Africa Twin, which has peak outputs of 100hp (75kW) at 7500rpm and 105Nm at 6250rpm, but significantly more than any of the Rebel's rivals. Honda also says the 270-degree crank produces a "unique, rumbling power delivery that's easy to modulate, and an awesome exhaust sound".

While Japanese middleweight cruisers have traditionally been relatively basic affairs in terms of technology, the 2021 Honda CMX1100 Rebel features a ride-by-wire throttle, electronic cruise control as standard, and a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or the six-speed DCT. The latter allows the rider to shift gears via paddle shifters on the handlebars, or simply choose a fully automatic mode that lets the bike handle all the gear changes itself.

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The tech continues with ABS brakes and three-level wheelie control – a first for Japanese middleweight cruisers – along with an underseat USB-C charging terminal, smart reverse-image digital LCD instrumentation, Honda's HISS ignition security system, and full LED lighting including a four-bulb LED headlight.

The bike features a steel diamond frame and rides on a 43mm fork up front and twin piggyback shocks at the rear. The steering geometry is pure laid-back cruiser, with a 1520mm wheelbase, a rangy 28-degree rake, and a low 700mm seat height, while the bike rolls on fat rubber: a 130/70-18 at the front and a 180/65-16 at the rear.

In the braking department, the single 330mm front rotor is gripped by a four-piston radial-mount monobloc caliper, with a single-piston unit mated to a 256mm rotor at the rear, all backed by the aforementioned ABS.

The Honda CMX1100 Rebels weighs 223kg (wet) for the standard model and 233kg for the CMX1100 Rebel DCT, and has a 13.6-litre fuel tank capacity.

The model will hit the market along with a raft of factory 'Street' and 'Tour' accessories, as follows:

Tour
Wadding seat (standard/forward set replacement black/brown seats)
Passenger backrest
Rear rack
Fabric saddlebags
Screen

The 2021 Honda CMX1100 Rebel looks set to shake up the Japanese middleweight cruiser scene (and yes, in a wider cruiser class that these days regularly sees engine capacities pushing towards 2000cc (or more, if you include Triumph's 2458cc Rocket 3 R/GT, it does indeed qualify as a 'middleweight'!).

The new Honda will be primarily squaring off against three rivals: Yamaha's Bolt R-Spec (942cc V-twin/$14,949 ride away); Kawasaki's Vulcan 900 Custom (903cc V-twin/$14,470 ride away); and Suzuki's Boulevard C50T (805cc V-twin/$12,390 ride away).

Local pricing for the 2021 Honda CMX1100 Rebel is yet to be announced, but bikesales will be riding the new model in coming weeks so keep an eye out for our first road test.

ENGINE
Type: SOHC liquid-cooled four-stroke eight-valve parallel-twin
Capacity: 1084cc
Bore and stroke: 92.0mm x 81.5mm
Compression Ratio: 10.1:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 87hp (64kW) at 7000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 98Nm at 4750rpm

TRANSMISSION
Clutch type: Manual (six-speed DCT auto)
Transmission type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel diamond
Front suspension: 43mm cartridge style
Rear suspension: Twin piggyback rear shocks
Front brakes: Single 330mm discs with radial-mount four-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Rear brakes: 256mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Wheels: Cast alloy
Tyres: 130/70-18 front, 180/65-16 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 223kg (233kg)
Seat height: 700mm
Wheelbase: 1520mm
Rake: 28 degrees
Fuel capacity: 13.6 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: TBA
Colour: Metallic Black or Bordeaux Red Metallic (TBC)
Warranty: 24 months/unlimited kilometres