The Honda Rebel 250 might be the bike many people rode once we had been taking our Basic Rider Course. Even although I didn’t know what I used to be doing again then, once I rode the bike whereas attempting to get my license, I might nonetheless inform it was a little bit of a turd. An absence of expertise meant I couldn’t put my finger on precisely why, although I chalked it as much as getting used and abused after having gone by means of the palms of many new riders.
For this Church characteristic, we glance again on the 1996 model of the Rebel 250 and see if present recollections align with what MO testers considered the bike again within the day. Did a brand new Rebel present somewhat extra enjoyment than an outdated, abused one?
Rebel With A Cause
Apr. 25, 1996
The Rebel 250 has wandered out and in of Honda’s lineup for a number of years. For 1996 the Rebel is in, and Honda will in all probability discover it of their coronary heart to forgive you should you didn’t discover this whereas drooling over the CBR900RR or the Valkyrie.
Yes, the Rebel is again to fill a small however steady market area of interest for a light-weight novice bike with a low seat. There’s just one method to say it: This bike was made for brief individuals.
Very brief individuals, really. At a comparatively stubby 5’6″, our shortest tester was barely sufficiently small to suit on the bike. The suspension didn’t backside out and his elbows didn’t contact his knees, however it might have been rather more snug if the bars, pegs, and seat had all been about an
inch farther from one another.
The solely normal-sized characteristic of the Rebel is its handlebar. The vast, flat bar places your palms far aside. It additionally makes lane-splitting barely tougher than it must be: if the bar was a couple of inches narrower this 250 may very well be the last word commuter bike. But that very same tiller lets you push the entrance finish round with ease. The bike could be very flickable at low speeds.
This flickability makes the Rebel an entertaining experience. It has extra floor clearance than most cruisers, and the sunshine weight really makes driving the native canyons enjoyable. There is sinful pleasure in pushing this little bike by means of a nook with the peg grinding away.
For a rider with any expertise, the shortage of energy from the air-cooled twin could be an issue. Tucked in as tightly as we might get, we noticed an indicated 80 mph on the speedometer. To its credit score, the bike was fairly joyful to take care of this type of abuse, and displayed no scary traits at velocity. Of course, Honda hasn’t aimed this bike at skilled riders, and novices will discover the facility output unintimidating.
As you’d anticipate, this 250 is constructed to a value. Unfortunately, it exhibits. Most of the match and end of the bike is as much as a excessive commonplace. But little particulars, like a lacking oil mild (by no means thoughts the shortage of a tach), price range OEM tires, and a weak non-halogen headlight stick out. Also, the transmission was at all times balky, and we had bother moving into impartial whereas stopped and skilled occasional false neutrals whereas shifting by means of the gearbox.
All nitpicking apart, the one actual downside is that Honda hasn’t priced this motorbike as cheaply as we wish to see. At $3999, it’s a hundred {dollars} greater than a Yamaha Virago 250, and solely 100 {dollars} lower than Suzuki’s GS500E. So who desires a Rebel? If you’re on the lookout for a novice-level motorbike and may’t discover one other bike in the marketplace that may suit you, then the little Honda might work out properly.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Honda Model: 1996 CMX250C Price: $3,999 Engine: sohc, 2-valve Twin Bore x stroke: 53mm x 53mm Displacement: 234cc Carburetion: 26mm Keihin CV Transmission: 5-speed Wheelbase: 57.1 in. Seat top: 26.6 in. Fuel capability: 2.6 gal. Claimed dry weight: 306 lbs.
Source: www.motorbike.com