Honda Rebel: Know its alternatives

The Honda Rebel is one of the three street bikes that Honda has to offer in our country. It’s quite a looker. Honda has given this machine a few classic touches that just enhances the overall feel of the bike. For example, the brake light and rear turn indicators are so old-school. We also like the simple digital instrument console. Looking at the Honda Rebel specs sheet, we see that it is powered by a 471 cc, parallel twin, liquid cooled engine that produces 45.5 bhp of power and 43.2 Nm of torque. It gets a 6-speed gearbox. And comes equipped with disc brakes and a 2-channel ABS.

Honda has worked a lot to make the Rebel the cruiser that you need in the city or on the highway. The Honda Rebel price is Php 369,000. But is it the best one available in the market? Here are a few alternatives that you should have a look at.

Kawasaki Vulcan S

Out of the three Kawasaki Vulcans models available here in the Philippines, the Vulcan S is the least powerful. Still, it has got much more than the Honda Rebel. Of course, that’s because it features a more powerful 649 cc, twin cylinder engine that churns out 61.6 hp at 7,500 revs and generates a peak torque of 64 Nm at 6,500 revs. The engine has been tuned to suit the cruiser character of the bike. The power delivery isn’t intimidating and the bike pulls off from a standstill with ease and smooth acceleration. But this doesn’t mean that it isn’t quick. Overtaking on highways is just a slight twist of the throttle away.

In terms of looks, the Kawasaki Vulcan S isn’t as sporty as the Honda Rebel. But it has a style of its own. The Vulcan features a modern instrument cluster that includes an analogue tachometer and a multi-function LCD screen that shows various information like a fuel gauge, digital speedometer, clock, odometer, dual trip meters, remaining range, average/instant fuel consumption, and the Economical Riding Indicator. Kawasaki has also focussed on the ride quality of the Vulcan S. The Vulcan S is the only motorcycle here that has an offset single suspension at the rear. The suspension setup has been tuned to prioritize ride comfort. You can also adjust the footpeg position as per your liking.

Priced at Php 395,000, the Kawasaki Vulcan S is a bit on the dearer side when we compare it to the Honda Rebel. But with that extra money, you get a whole lot of things.

Harley-Davidson Street 750

The Harley-Davidson Street 750 might carry a tag of ‘the most affordable Harley’, but it surely isn’t that easy to afford. Price at Php 573,000, this bike is the most expensive one on this list. So, what does it has to offer? Well, to begin with, it gives you the right to announce proudly that you own a Harley. It is powered by a 749 cc, liquid-cooled Revolution X V-twin engine that churns out 59 Nm of torque at 4,000 revs. The Street 750 weighs in at 223 kg dry, and hence, is a heavy bike. But that weight isn’t hard to deal with once you get going. The stopping power comes from disc brakes at both the wheels and the aid of optional ABS.

The instrument cluster here isn’t as fancy as the one on the Kawasaki Vulcan S or the Honda Rebel. It features an analogue speedometer along with a small digital display for handling other information. We would have liked if Harley-Davidson has implemented a more advanced piece of equipment here.

If we talk about the aesthetics, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 is a decent-looking bike. It might not be able to turn heads that frequently until you rev it up a little bit. Talking about the looks, unlike the Honda Rebel color options, the Street 750 is available in a variety of shades - Black Denim, Bonneville Salt Pearl, Bonneville Salt Pearl Deluxe, Vivid Black, Vivid Black Deluxe, Wicked Red and Wicked Red Deluxe.

These were the alternatives of the Honda Rebel. Do let us know in the comments below if you’ve got another name on your mind.