2020 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Bobber Soul, Beginner Budget
Honda built this one around a 471 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin taken from its CB500 family, and that decision defines the bike. You get 46 hp at 8,500 rpm and 32 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm through a 6-speed box with a slipper clutch behind it. Around that engine sits a real bobber silhouette: fat 16-inch rubber at both ends, a 58.7 in wheelbase, blacked-out metal everywhere, and a seat 27.2 in off the ground. ABS and an LED headlight are standard. At 421 lb wet it carries the mass low enough that the number stops mattering.
On the road it behaves the way a Honda usually does: nothing dramatic, nothing that wears you down over time. The low seat and short reach to the ground mean you stop thinking about weight within a block, and the twin pulls cleanly from town speeds without demanding a downshift. It suits the rider who wants the stance and the attitude of a cruiser without the bulk that normally comes attached, and it rewards owners who like changing things. The honest limit is distance. Top speed is 99 mph, the tank holds 3.0 gal, and there is no cruise control, so long interstate days become work.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 46 hp (34 kW) @ 8,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 32 lb-ft (43 Nm) @ 6,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 471 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 296 mm |
| Front tire | 130/90-16 |
| Rear tire | 150/80-16 |
| Wheelbase | 58.7 in (1490 mm) |
| Seat height | 27.2 in (690 mm) |
| Wet weight | 421 lb (191 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.0 gal (11.2 L) |
| Top speed | 99 mph (160 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 62 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Lighting
Safety
What follows comes from years of listening: paddock conversations, owner chats, club-night talk, and the emails and messages riders send me directly. For the Rebel 500 the pattern is clear. Owners praise how long it keeps running and how willingly it corners, and the complaints are few and narrow.
Durability comes up first in almost every conversation. Owners and mechanics describe trouble-free running, with reports of engines passing 186,000 miles (300,000 km) with nothing more than regular maintenance. The roughly 7,500-mile (12,000 km) service interval also comes up again and again. Riders speak warmly about the engine too, describing it as linear and refined, strong through the midrange, with more pep than they expected from a cruiser. Many are surprised by the handling. They describe a light, secure feel on twisty roads, good grip from the wide tires and a suspension that soaks up bumps.
Only a few owners raise complaints. Some find the single front brake vague and short on bite when used on its own, especially at higher speeds, though it works adequately together with the rear. Riders over 6 ft (1.80 m) say the forward pegs and low seat bend their knees sharply on longer rides.
Handlebar lock screw may loosen (safety recall)
The handlebar lock screw can loosen and fall between the frame and stem, potentially interfering with steering. Affects 2023–2025 CMX500, CMX300, and CL500 models. Recall: dealers replace the screw and apply thread-locking agent.
Where this Honda CMX500 Rebel pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CMX500 Rebel is actually built for.
You get the stance and the ritual, and it is genuinely easy to live with across a long rally week. What you don't get is the big-inch sound and physical presence that scene runs on.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Small towns, two-lane roads, an unhurried rhythm: this is where the Rebel makes the most sense. Build the day around 3.0 gal of fuel and keep the interstate legs short.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Honest answer: no. Three gallons, a 99 mph ceiling, no cruise control and no factory luggage system. Loaded two-up across a national park circuit is not this bike's job.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2017–2019
The Bobber That Behaves
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CMX500 Rebel. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
