Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Honda Rebel 250

Mon, June 7th, 2010


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1985–2010 Honda CMX250C Rebel
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's a fairly weak, gutless motor, even among 250s.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The Rebel's narrowness and lack of weight doesn't place too many demands on its bargain suspension and it handles fairly decently overall, given it's mission as an unintimidating, casual ride. Despite the lack of mass, generous rake out front helps keep it from being nervous or unpredictable at speed, though sidewinds and passing trucks will blow it around.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
I have always thought the Rebel was handsome — better than many full-sized cruisers — although the '80s models with the exposed chrome battery box were better looking than newer ones. The exhaust pipes and mufflers are particularly well shaped.
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Rebels are very reliable, and more durable than you'd expect, despite not having modern features such as a paper-element oil filter.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
They are cheap (when bought used, that is), fun to ride if you're short & skinny, and can be driven in highway traffic in a pinch, though you wouldn't want to do that for very long or very often.
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Perhaps it would be a fun third or fourth bike.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's a very little bike that looks like a big bike. That is its biggest boast, its biggest drawback, and its whole reason for being.