Honda adds new Africa Twin-powered CMX1100 cruiser to the Rebel family

Both the Honda Rebel 300 and Rebel 500 motorcycles have always been known as reliable and manageable machines since arriving in 2017 — a great choice for first-time buyers and beginners looking to get onto a cruiser. 

For 2021, the lineup gains a new, more powerful member with the Rebel CMX1100 sporting an ideal power-to-weight ratio, a forward-looking stance, and heavy-on-the-black look void of all the chrome you typically find on mid-size cruiser motorcycles; colours available include Bordeaux Red Metallic (manual model only) and Gunmetal Black Metallic.

New dual clutch transmission

But the big news here is Honda’s introduction of the advanced automatic Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) — an optional upgrade at a reasonable price bump. Providing quick automatic shifts via handlebar shifters, riders can toggle between the DCT and 6-speed manual model via handlebar-mounted buttons.

Coupled with three drive modes (Standard, Sport and Rain) tweaking the 1100’s torque and engine controls, riders can fine tune their on-road experience even further. Read the key specs further below.

Engine courtesy of the Africa Twin

Power comes from the well-travelled Africa Twin, courtesy of a retuned 1.1L engine. With this tweaked 1,084cc parallel drawn CRF1100 powerplant from its adventure-focused cousin, Honda states the Rebel 1100 will gain “a pulsing, rhythmic sound and feel at low engine speeds but runs smooth at higher rpm.” Compared to the Rebel 500 and despite being the same size, the newcomer is clearly more powerful with twice the displacement thanks to its water-cooled, parallel-twin engine — and ABS comes standard with the CMX100. 

Gaining a low 27.5-inch seat height compared to most cruisers on the market today, the Rebel 1100 is cleared designed for a more spirited ride with better cornering; an engine with a 35-degree bank angle, high-performance suspension components, and twin Showa shocks with piggyback reservoirs, all attribute to what promises to be an exciting addition to the Rebel family.

2021 Rebel 1100 price and release date

The 2021 Honda Rebel CMX1100 is scheduled to arrive in January 2021 across the US, priced at $9,299 MSRP and $9,999 for the DCT model. Canadian price not released at time of writing. 

Key specs for the 2021 Rebel 1100

Pictures of 2021 model: