2023–2026 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Cruiser With A Brain
The CMX1100T takes the 1084 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin from Honda's Africa Twin and wraps it in a low, batwing-faired bagger. You get 88 hp and 72 lb-ft through a 6-speed box and a chain, with the pull arriving early enough that you rarely go looking for revs. The rider-aid package is standard: ABS, traction control, ride modes, wheelie control, plus cruise control, navigation, smartphone connectivity and a USB port. Both ends of the suspension are adjustable, the headlight is LED, and hard luggage is part of the deal. DCT is available, not standard.
This is a touring bike built around access rather than mass. A 27.9 in seat and 527 lb carried low mean you can flat-foot it, back it out of a driveway, and ride it every day without treating it as an occasion. It ages the way a Honda twin usually does, which is quietly. Who it suits: the rider who wants highway range and weather protection without a full dresser's bulk. The honest caveat is the touring hardware around the bike. A 3.6 gal tank sets short legs between fuel stops, the screen doesn't adjust, and there's no center stand for chain duty.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 88 hp (64 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 72 lb-ft (98 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1084 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 130/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 180/65-16 |
| Wheelbase | 59.8 in (1519 mm) |
| Seat height | 27.9 in (709 mm) |
| Wet weight | 527 lb (239 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.6 gal (13.6 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The first thing that registers is how little bike you have to negotiate. Both boots land flat, the weight sits so low that you walk it around a gas station apron with your wrists instead of your shoulders, and nothing about the first mile asks for a warm-up. The twin idles with a pulse you feel through the pegs and floorboardless footrests, and it cleans up as soon as you're rolling. The bar comes back to you, knees fall naturally, and the batwing lifts the worst of the blast over your helmet without sealing you off from the air. At a real highway pace it just sits there. Nearly 60 in of wheelbase and a low center of mass keep it tracking straight past trucks and through side gusts. Two hours in, your hands and shoulders are still doing very little work, which is the whole point of the thing.
Over the years I've collected what Rebel 1100T owners tell me in paddock conversations, at club nights, and in the messages riders send me directly. The pattern is consistent: riders enjoy how this bike goes down a road more than how it treats them over a full day in the saddle.
The surprise riders mention most is the handling. They consistently describe a bagger that corners with composure and a light feel, and that is more fun than its shape suggests. Owners who ordered the optional DCT speak just as warmly about it. They mention smooth shifts and a playful edge on twisty roads and in town. The fairing also gets credit for keeping fatigue down on longer highway stints.
The most common gripe is the seating. Riders report that the high pegs and the reach to the bars create pressure points after about an hour. The firm stock seat draws a matching complaint, with numbness setting in on the same clock, though owners say Honda improved it from 2025 on. Some mention hard-bag latches that drift out of alignment and make opening and closing a hassle. Others mention a chain that needs frequent lubing and adjustment, especially in the wet.
Stalling issues
Some riders report the engine stalling at idle or during acceleration, possibly linked to DCT adaptation or aftermarket exhaust.
Water pump weep hole coolant seepage
Coolant may weep from the water pump drain tube, causing a burning smell and white smoke when hot. Typically normal during break-in, but persistent drips may require dealer inspection.
Kill switch gets stuck
The kill switch can become sticky or stuck, requiring extra force to operate.
Metal components rust easily
Surface rust appears on various metal parts, particularly brake components and near the radiator, even on new bikes.
Poor saddlebag quality
The stock hard saddlebags are flimsy and prone to scratches and cracking, with limited storage space.
Where this Honda CMX1100T 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 CMX1100T Rebel is actually built for.
It has the low stance and the bags for a Sturgis or Daytona run, and it'll get there without drama. What it won't give you is brand ritual or a soundtrack that turns heads at the campground.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Comfortable, stable and steady enough for long park days two-up. Plan around the 3.6 gal tank and a screen that doesn't adjust, because both shape how your day runs.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
Easier to place in a bend than its size suggests, and genuinely enjoyable on flowing Blue Ridge pace. On tight, repeated Dragon-style work it's still a bagger, and it lets you know.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
The Honda CMX1100T Rebel also comes in these variants, models and special editions. Each has its own page covering only what differs from the standard CMX1100T Rebel — equipment, electronics, specs and used price.
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 CMX1100T Rebel. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2015–2024
Legendary Name, Real Legs
~$900 pricier used than this bike at 3 yr
Competitor · 2021
Raw Power, Sportster Reborn
Same Platform · 2021–2026
The Bobber That Actually Handles
About the same used price as this bike at 3 yr
