Why This Touring Motorcycle Is A Smart Buy In 2025

Generally speaking, touring bikes tend to trend toward the upper price range. But with the popularity rising, there are some models that fall within a certain sweet spot at the confluence of ability, size, and price. We find this in the Honda Rebel 1100T. It’s more than just a cruiser and less intimidating than a full dresser, all coming at a price that is well below the budget for other touring models.

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The Honda Touring Motorcycle That Is Worth Every Penny

This is Honda’s first-ever modern sports tourer and it has the same versatile engine as the Africa Twin ADV.

Big Adventure Power In A Compact Touring Cruiser

Blends peak performance, smooth DCT convenience, and highway-ready touring capability

Honda powers its tour-capable bike with the same engine as its globe-trotting

Africa Twin
family, so this is a proven platform at this point in development. It’s an over-square engine with a 92 mm bore and 81.5 mm stroke, so it prioritizes horsepower over torque to make for a peaky power delivery profile. Also, the parallel-twin lump rides with a 22.5-degree roll toward the front for a more vertically compact drivetrain unit that includes a post-unit transmission, all in the same casting as the engine cases.

Honda’s Unicam system times the eight-valve head to keep the top end clean and simple. At the transmission, you are presented with a choice to run with the six-speed manual transmission, or go with the Dual Clutch Transmission that delivers twist-and-go operation, not entirely unlike how a

scooter
operates, for the ultimate in convenience. Top speed is sufficient for comfortable interstate work.

Honda Rebel 1100T Engine And Performance Specifications

Classic Cruiser Style Meets Modern Engineering

Responsive suspension and ABS-equipped stopping power

There’s a lot going on with the frame in the

Rebel 1100T
. It’s more or less a trellis with exposed members and a prominent steering head that adds a chopper element to the look. The fall of the upper members brings to mind the geometry of the old rigid rear-end frames for more dated DNA. It has dual down tubes, but they’re short and bolt up to the stressed-member engine with no cradle structure at all.

Up front, a set of 43 mm forks takes care of business with no adjusters to be found, but it appears that the dual coil-over rear shocks have the obligatory spring-preload tweak. At only 520 pounds soaking wet, there’s no need for dual front brakes, so a single 330 mm disc and four-bore caliper handle business ahead of a 256 mm rear disc with

ABS
as part of the stock equipment package.

Honda Rebel 1100T Chassis And Suspension Specifications

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A Bold Break From Tradition

Redefines cruiser style for the modern rider

Honda recently retired its venerable

Rebel
family in favor of this fresh new look, and shifted away from the U.S.-inspired styling that dictated design for so long. The overall geometry is very

chopper
-esque in its layout, and the new fuel tank definitely veers into custom territory as well with its unique shape and steep angles. Like a big bagger left in the dryer for too long, it pushes an adorable little batwing fairing complete with a teensy windscreen.

Out back, a set of color-matched top-loading saddlebags give it some utility as a weekender or

commuter
. A stick solo saddle slings your butt at a low 27.5 inches off the deck to give you plenty of leverage when you go to put your feet down. There’s no shortage of blackout coverage either, to the point that the inner fork tubes are blacked out as well.

Honda Rebel 1100T Design Specifications And Dimensions

A Café-Inspired Counterpart To The 1100T: The Rebel 1100 DCT SE

Trades touring gear for retro café style

The Rebel 1100T isn’t without model-mates, but none of them are set up as pocket

baggers
, so we’ll grab the

café-tastic
1100 DCT SE out of the same stable as an alternative to the 1100T. All drivetrain elements are identical, and other equipment is consistent with the 1100T as well, which is unsurprising, but there are design differences. Firstly, the SE is only available with the DCT with no manual transmission option.

The front fender is pared down a skosh, and the forks rock a set of bellows gaiters for some old-school flavor. A teensy bullet fairing joins with bar-end mirrors and a diamond-pattern solo saddle to complete the special equipment for this model. To flesh the SE out a bit, for $400 you can add bags and for a couple bills more, you can add a pillion and footpegs out of the accessories catalog.

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Honda Rebel 1100T Rival: Suzuki Boulevard C50T

The C50T delivers traditional American-style touring that’s approachable and beginner-friendly

Little fairings like those on the Rebel 1100T are rare, but there are alternatives such as the Boulevard C50T, which is presented as an old-school touring model. Large windshields were dominant before the widespread use of fairings, and honestly, this one provides more protection than the Rebel’s little batwing. Stock saddlebags in black pleather and chrome studs match the pilot’s and pillion’s seats to tie the look together quite nicely.

The look is quite classic, and a bit dated at this point, much like the original Rebel was with a similar American-style design. An 805 cc, 45-degree V-twin delivers the goods with moderate power that should be approachable and non-threatening, even to newer riders. It has a five-speed transmission with a tough shaft-type final drive.

Honda Rebel 1100T Vs. Suzuki Boulevard C50T Engine And Performance Specifications