Rebel Yell

Honda’s CMX500 Rebel brings moody looks and bobber styling to the A2 licence-friendly class. It's a seriously competent motorcycle that will suit many different riders.

- Simon Hargreaves

Honda’s CMX500 Rebel is a custom-styled alternative to the sporty CBR500R and naked CB500F. It uses the same 471cc parallel twin engine, with the same claimed A2-licence compatible performance: 45bhp and 32lb-ft peak torque, with the latter figure shifted 1000rpm lower in the rev range than the other two models.

The chassis is bespoke to the Rebel, with a steel tube double cradle frame continuing to loop round the back of the single seat, a steel tube swingarm, 41mm unadjustable Showa forks, Showa preload-adjustable rear shocks, and a 264mm single front brake disc with Nissin two-pot caliper and, of course, ABS. Wheels are 16in front and rear, the tank holds 11.2 litres, seat height is only 690mm and kerb weight is 190kg. This makes the Rebel extremely compact and highly manageable – a small child could ride it, so teenagers and petite ladies will have no trouble finding their feet – literally.

But, thanks in part to its low-slung bobber styling, the CMX500 manages to avoid looking like a toy. The blacked-out styling (engine, frame, wheels, forks, bars, clocks, exhaust, rear hugger and shocks) and raised front end lend it an air of substance