Riding the Honda Rebel 250 on minimum maintenance roads and other thoughts on riding the bike that you have and letting it take you where you want to go.
I love the little Rebel. I have had 3 of them, and just bought my fourth, a brand new 2016. People tend to underestimate this bike. I'm 6' 240, and all I need to make it comfortable for me is forward controls, available from bluecollarbobers.com. Then it is like riding a recliner. I love how easy and effortless it is to ride. I've been from 50cc to 1500cc, and I prefer the smaller bikes for just plain fun. I put 30,000+ miles on my last Rebel riding all over the country. Yes I probably looked like a circus clown, but I don't care. The Rebel is not an off road bike, but handles dirt roads well. And it is fully freeway capable, even fully loaded (it is rated to carry 345 pounds) and I have pegged the speedometer on mine at an indicated 80 mph, which is an actual 75 mph, on level roads. The Rebel can be ridden at full throttle for extended periods of time. Even at mostly full throttle, if maintained properly, it will last past 80,000 miles before the valves start to wear out. I would definitely check the riding position on anything resembling a sport bike before buying. The EX500 has one of the worst riding positions of any non supersport I have ever ridden. The bars are too low and too far forward, causing your back to be almost horizontal. It puts a lot of stress on your arms and shoulders, and because you are leaned so far forward you have to strain you neck to see where you are going. It's kind of like standing up and looking up at the sky all the time. It gets painful really quick. The CB500F and CB500X are much better, as is the 650 VStrom and Versys. I don't like the looks of them, but you might want to take a look at the new 2017 300 and 500 Rebels. They use the CB300 and CB500 engines.
Thanks. Just got a 86 with 30k mi.80k???? wow. Are you saying the "old" Rebels will do 80k? The 300s look to me to have to wide of tire. I had a suzuki 250 and didn't like the wider front tire. The Rebel out handles it hands down. I might get a second Rebel 250 and up sprocket for long hauls and keep the other for short roads.
I've had a rebel for a year now and it'll do some mild off roading. It's done ok on the Jeep trails I've taken it up in Colorado.. it obviously ain't a dirt bike but it'll handle trails if you don't treat it like one. I just try to take the smoothest line I see and make an effort not to bang it around. I've done some decent water crossings on it too, water past the axels.. flooded city streets. I've had mine up an indicated 85 mph once but I generally don't live taking it past 60 or 65. It seems like different years have different top speeds.. the highest numbers I've seen generally come from 09 or newer.. mines an 09.
If riding on a flat gravel road is Adventure Biking with a small street bike then I more than adventure bike all the time. Around here we just call them county roads or my mile long driveway. Add a 15% grade, washboards, no shoulder, cliffs, creeks and a couple of washouts then you have my ride home.
Harley riders never greed. they are too snobby to even look down to other cyclists.Just came in from my lil Sunday afternoon ride I saw at least 7 Harley's on the road, but they don't greed you they are to snobbiest to see you. They look straight through the people.
I love the little Rebel. I have had 3 of them, and just bought my fourth, a brand new 2016. People tend to underestimate this bike. I'm 6' 240, and all I need to make it comfortable for me is forward controls, available from bluecollarbobers.com. Then it is like riding a recliner. I love how easy and effortless it is to ride. I've been from 50cc to 1500cc, and I prefer the smaller bikes for just plain fun. I put 30,000+ miles on my last Rebel riding all over the country. Yes I probably looked like a circus clown, but I don't care. The Rebel is not an off road bike, but handles dirt roads well. And it is fully freeway capable, even fully loaded (it is rated to carry 345 pounds) and I have pegged the speedometer on mine at an indicated 80 mph, which is an actual 75 mph, on level roads. The Rebel can be ridden at full throttle for extended periods of time. Even at mostly full throttle, if maintained properly, it will last past 80,000 miles before the valves start to wear out.
I would definitely check the riding position on anything resembling a sport bike before buying. The EX500 has one of the worst riding positions of any non supersport I have ever ridden. The bars are too low and too far forward, causing your back to be almost horizontal. It puts a lot of stress on your arms and shoulders, and because you are leaned so far forward you have to strain you neck to see where you are going. It's kind of like standing up and looking up at the sky all the time. It gets painful really quick. The CB500F and CB500X are much better, as is the 650 VStrom and Versys. I don't like the looks of them, but you might want to take a look at the new 2017 300 and 500 Rebels. They use the CB300 and CB500 engines.
Thanks. Just got a 86 with 30k mi.80k???? wow. Are you saying the "old" Rebels will do 80k? The 300s look to me to have to wide of tire. I had a suzuki 250 and didn't like the wider front tire. The Rebel out handles it hands down. I might get a second Rebel 250 and up sprocket for long hauls and keep the other for short roads.
Enjoyed riding along with u , I’m looking at buying one of these soon
Nice ride and nice area to ride in, thanks for this one .
ａｇｒｅｅｄ，
I've had a rebel for a year now and it'll do some mild off roading. It's done ok on the Jeep trails I've taken it up in Colorado.. it obviously ain't a dirt bike but it'll handle trails if you don't treat it like one. I just try to take the smoothest line I see and make an effort not to bang it around.
I've done some decent water crossings on it too, water past the axels.. flooded city streets.
I've had mine up an indicated 85 mph once but I generally don't live taking it past 60 or 65. It seems like different years have different top speeds.. the highest numbers I've seen generally come from 09 or newer.. mines an 09.
Oh wow you live very close to me, I live over in the valley in pa just across the pa ny border! I live like 30 min from owego
If riding on a flat gravel road is Adventure Biking with a small street bike then I more than adventure bike all the time. Around here we just call them county roads or my mile long driveway. Add a 15% grade, washboards, no shoulder, cliffs, creeks and a couple of washouts then you have my ride home.
ok, maaybe you got a 19inch wheel on the front, but if you fit a 18 inch wheel on the rear of that rebel, I gotta see it.
It was a Hardly. And he didn’t wave. Typical.
Harley riders never greed. they are too snobby to even look down to other cyclists.Just came in from my lil Sunday afternoon ride I saw at least 7 Harley's on the road, but they don't greed you they are to snobbiest to see you. They look straight through the people.