As a recent returnee to the world of motorcycling it constantly amazes MotorMartin how quickly two wheeled technology has moved on in an incredibly short amount of time. It really doesn’t seem that long ago that we were celebrating innovations such as a whole new approach to design and innovation that focussed on the bike as a whole rather than seemingly separate teams looking at styling, handling and power. An approach that has provided devotees with ever greater range of products upon which to enjoy the highways and byways of this green and pleasant land of ours.
With a new found enthusiasm for everything that motorcycling has to offer, the news desk, here on the top floor of MotorMartin Towers, is now awash with activity when the latest two wheeled news arrives. So when Honda got in contact recently with MotorMartin, to announce a brand new motorcycle for 2017, one that offers a totally fresh take on custom cool, excitement at the Towers reached near fever pitch. Without much further ado then, MotorMartin has the pleasure of sharing with you Honda’s all new Rebel, I know you’ll be impressed.
Honda have informed MotorMartin that their all new Rebel is slim, blacked out to the max and has a low 690mm seat height, mixing as it does, old and new school style to fire the imagination of a younger generation of riders. A new tubular steel frame draws fresh, contemporary lines into stripped-back, fat-tyred ‘bobber’ style, with mid-mounted footpegs and a relaxed and neutral riding position with gently outstretched arms and in MotorMartin’s opinion, looks fantastic.
According to Honda themselves, the Rebel’s lively, A2 licence-friendly 471cc 8-valve, liquid-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine is drawn from their incredibly popular 500cc trio. For cruising duties, revised PGM-FI fuel injection mapping has re-focused its character towards a more torque-heavy bottom-end output, while retaining a sporty feel to its smooth and linear power delivery, for a ride that is engaging as well as easy.
The Rebel, MotorMartin has been told, will be available in three colours: Graphite Black, Matte Armored Silver Metallic and Millennium Red and make its public debut at the Long Beach International Motorcycle Show in California on November 18th.
MotorMartin really likes the style and attitude displayed by the Honda Rebel, this is, after all, a seriously cool motorcycle, a fact easily backed up by the following short film, kindly provided to MotorMartin by Honda Motorcycles Europe from their own YouTube channel, which can be viewed below
It looks and sounds perfect.
Where will you go?