A Cruiser Motorcycle You Should Absolutely Love
Towards the tail end of 2019, I traded in my 2009 Honda Rebel 250 for a brand spanking new 2019 Honda Rebel 300. I’d considered getting something dramatically different, but in the end, I realized I wanted a bike a lot like what I already had.
So I bought the Rebel 300. I’d now like to express my thoughts on this bike now that I’ve had it for a few months and have put some miles on the bike.
Why I Bought The Honda Rebel 300
My 2009 Rebel 250 had over 11,000 miles on it. I bought it with most of those miles on it. I’ve owned many different bikes over the years, and I bought the 250cc because of how I ride—mostly in the city and short distances. I could do what I do most days on a scooter, but I don’t want a scooter.
My 250 started experiencing problems—losing compression, and stalling out. I took it to the Honda dealer and they quoted me a high price for the repairs.
For a week I kicked around the idea of doing the repairs myself, but I’m pressed for time and don’t really have a good place to work on the bike (I have a shed that’s far too crowded with a minibike, vintage moped, and four dirtbikes in various states of disrepair).
I just wanted something that would be reliable, simple, lightweight, and fun. I considered a Honda SuperCub or a Grom and a couple of others in the Honda lineup but then settled on the 300. It’s super affordable, easy to ride and have fun on, and can do highway speeds when needed. I called up the dealer and told them what I wanted to do. I got some money for my 250 and drove off in my truck with the 300 in the bed.
What I Like About The Honda Rebel 300
First off, I like the way it looks. The Rebel (any version) is a good looking machine. It’s definitely a cruiser, but a modern one. It’s got a little attitude to it, and I’ve had several people comment on the bike. It gets looks even though it’s an entry-level machine.
Second, I love how lightweight and easy to ride it is. Getting it in and out of my shed is easy, maneuvering at slow speeds is easy, and the bike is downright flickable. It’s fun in corners, though the tires that come stock are less than confidence-inspiring.
I also like the simple circular gauge and the simplicity of the bike overall. This is not a complicated machine. It’s modern, but not complicated. There simply isn’t much to it, and things are fairly easy to get to.
I also like that the 300 has good power. It’s not a super-fast bike, but I didn’t expect it to be. I’ve seen a lot of folks complain about the lack of power with the 300, but I think it’s just fine. If you’re worried about that get the 500, but for my purposes, it’s powerful enough.
I’ve ridden the bike on the highway. Yes, 70 mph or more on the 300 is near its top speed, but the bike can do highway travel easily enough. If I was going to do a lot of it, I’d want a different bike, but I thought the 300 did just fine on the highway.
Last, but certainly not least, the Rebel 300—and 500 for that matter—are fantastic for customization. If you want a small modern cruiser to customize, these bikes are perfect for it.
What I Don’t Like About The Honda Rebel 300
While I really like my bike, I can’t say I’m without gripes about the model. First up, I wish the bike had passenger accommodations from the factory. I can buy a passenger seat and footpegs pretty affordably, but the old Rebel 250 came with these installed. Honda could do better and put them on this new bike.
I get that this is likely to appeal to the guys who like the solo kind of bobber style look, but I would rather the bike just come with the passenger seat and be easy to take off.
Another thing I’m not enthralled with is the lack of a tachometer. Again not a huge thing, but I can’t imagine would have been that much more expensive to include one.
I have to note that one of the rubber fittings for the side covers has already come off. I pulled the right side cover off a few times to access the battery and at some point the rubber fitting that the side cover snaps into came loose. I have no idea where it is, and I wish Honda had some better fasteners here. Something that could be tightened down like on the old 250.
Finally, the proportions of the bike are about spot on for me, but it’s almost too small for even my 5-foot 8-inch frame. My dad, who’s a little over 6-foot tall said he felt cramped. His big booted feet also had trouble with the shifter lever, which is not adjustable, something for larger riders to consider.
Do I Think You Should Get Honda Honda Rebel 300?
Yes. I like the bike. If, like me, you don’t do much highway riding and are a commuter and like cruisers, then this is a great option. It’s affordable, fun, and easy. Make sure you fit comfortably on the bike and you should be quite happy with it.
There are things I’m not crazy about, but they’re minor things. The Rebel is overall a very good motorcycle, and if you’re in the market for a small-displacement machine, I highly recommend it.
