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Honda CMX 1100 Rebel Review (Baujahr 2021)

Video test of the inexpensive Japan cruiser with the Africa-Twin engine.

10.08.2023

Photos: Motorradtest.de

The Honda CMX 1100 Rebel is the big sister of the CMX 500, which has been successful for years. Although it has the potent engine of the Africa Twin, it is otherwise in many ways actually comparable to the smaller Rebel. Dietmar has taken a seat and describes his impressions here.

Test bike from reader Andi from Hamburg

Before we start with the review, we would like to thank our reader Andi from Hamburg, who provided us with his machine from 2021 for this test - thank you Andi! In contrast to the A2 CMX 500, the CMX 1100 brings a fat 87 hp and 98 Newton meters of torque to the start. Of course, this feels different and enables different driving performance. Nevertheless, the 1100 is more of a cozy cruiser than a racer.

The seating position is very casual, you sit on the road due to the low seat height and the front-mounted footrests are typical for a cruiser, although this is certainly even more extreme - i.e. even further forward - on a hardcore Harley.

That's how it sits on the Honda CMX 1100 Rebel - very casual.

We didn't like that...

The front brake (single disc, 330 mm) could be a bit more hearty for our taste. From our point of view, it is astonishing anyway why cruisers are so often equipped with only a single disc at the front. The CMX 1100 Rebel weighs 223 kg (ready to drive), so a double disc would certainly have been appropriate here. The turbulence on the helmet was also a bit annoying, although this was due to the windshield of the test bike. Normally, the CMX 1100 has neither batwings nor disc, so this should not be the case there.

By the way: The CMX 1100 is also available as a "T" model with front fairing and cases. The T costs 11,960 euros, which is 700 euros more than the variant without the T. The T is only available in black, the normal version also in gray.

Photo: Honda

On the left the station wagon in black, on the right the standard model in grey

The suspension of the CMX 1100 is okay, but not particularly comfortable. Especially at the rear, we would have liked a little more suspension travel. When driving through potholes, there is a neat salute to the intervertebral discs - but even this is no better on other machines of this type.

360 degree tour around the Honda CMX 1100 Rebel

We liked that...

On the positive side, fortunately, there is much more to report. The sound of the big Rebel is wonderful and, thanks to the 270 degree crankpin offset, nice and bumpy. Admittedly, it doesn't sound like a real V2 with 1,800 cc, but we still found the sound appropriate and not too excessively loud (stationary noise: 93 dbA).

The next plus point is the driving experience that the CMX conveys. You don't just sit casually, you also drive like that - all by yourself. Even though the Africa-Twin engine theoretically offers a lot of punch, the Honda invites you to chopper comfortably. If you have to overtake a truck, there are enough reserves and you can even move the CMX almost sporty, but who wants that?!

The machine is also very accessible. It manoeuvres well, is very easy to operate and gives the driver a safe driving experience. With large cruisers you often have the feeling that the bike rides with the rider, here with the Honda it is fortunately exactly the opposite. In this respect, the CMX is also suitable for beginners who would like to drive a cruiser. The CMX 500 with its 46 hp and 190 kg is of course even more so than the 1100, but it also drives very fluffy for a machine of this type.

Finally, a word about the impression of quality: It is very good. Although the levers are not particularly classy and only the brake lever is adjustable in range, the machine feels like nothing ever breaks - Honda. The technical equipment is more than okay with driving modes (three fixed and one configurable), traction control that can be switched off, wheelie control (!), full LED light, cruise control as well as hazard warning lights and USB port. The inverted LCD cockpit is easy to read and offers all the necessary information including gear indicator, fuel level and on-board computer information - great!

Conclusion - what sticks

The Honda CMX 1100 is a dignified cruiser with good driving characteristics and a complete equipment. Unlike many U.S. ships, it is neither particularly heavy nor particularly difficult to navigate. It brings a lot of fun on the road, sounds good and is also suitable for novice drivers. Although it has impressive dimensions, the rider does not feel overwhelmed in the saddle and quickly has the bike under control after a very short period of getting used to it. Operation and quality are typical of Honda. Nice cruiser!

Thanks again to Andi from Hamburg for borrowing his machine. Soon there will be more tests by LeserBikes, who have responded to our video call. Thank you very much for the many offers!

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