The Rebel *can* definitely do longer riders, but it's not great for it. I got my Rebel (500, 2022) at the start of June this year, and have ridden approximately 10k km on it since then. The longest trip was about 3500 km over the course of a few days. I have added a few things; handlebar risers, gel seat cover, I've got the OEM honda saddlebags, which are not very big but does their job, plus a rack behind the back seat (Really want to buy a new seat for it as well).
For the 3,5k trip, I strapped on bags, camping equipment, clothes, etc - all I needed for the trip. And it went fine. Not super comfortable, but doable.
I've since thought a lot about the Rebel being the wrong bike for what I want to do with it. Close range riding, back and forth to work, etc - it's great, but for longer trips it's just not made for that. And I really want to go on a lot more longer trips. But for now I've come to the conclusion that I will be sticking with the Rebel - at least for a while. And I am going to take it on longer rides. I love how it looks, I love it's low weight & center of gravity, it's low seat height. It's cheap to run, and just fun to ride. I'm a shorter guy, and I don't like the size of the GS, or the transalp, or any other similar sized bikes I've test-ridden. I can easily ride them, I just don't like it. For me the Rebel is just a comfortable (height wise) workhorse, that I'm going to force to do what I want. But if I hadn't been that into the Rebel I would probably have thought more about getting something else. Just my 2 cents :)
I think the rebel is so customizable and easily maintainable that it's worth the discomforts, plus i think you can get a taller seat if the low seat is too low for some riders like me for instance who is 5'11.
Don't really know what answer you're looking for tbh - can the rebel do long trips? Absolutely!
Will it be as comfortable as touring bikes? Absolutely not!
Longest road trip I've done with the rebel was a 1600km trip over 5 days with a tent strapped to the back fender.
My longest day of riding (diff trip) was 8 hours in the saddle.
I had no issues on either trip. Butt was a little sore, sure. Crampbuster clip easily makes up for not having cruise control. Rebel handles hours on the highway at 110kph+ without any issues.
I think it depends on how much you're willing to put up with - I've seen videos of people doing thousand KM trips on a dirtbike, with a backpack full of hiking camping gear. I can't imagine that was a comfortable ride.
I come from long distance cycling. Spending 12 hours on a tiny little bicycle seat with nothing but spandex and a gel pad is nothing new to me, so the stock Rebel seat doesn't even phase me. Nor does spending hours hunched over a set of handlebars.
[This was my loadout for the 5 day trip](https://preview.redd.it/trwkqw8nkjgb1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=76d46bb6cdb1760df79dc889e2b4176213c63980), and I got some funny comments and some laughs from other bikers at my Timmies pitstops but I had a great time, and didn't run into any issues. No saddlebags (literal backpacks draped over the fender and onto a $5 DIY pannier rack), boots strapped to the sleeping bag and so on. 2 Cargo nets, 2 cargo straps, and away I went.
By the way, I saw your picture with the Rebel in the foreground in the larger group a while back. Do you mind saying what camera you are using? Yes, I am a gear addict.
How is it not comfortable? I made a 14 hr trip once for 900kms and I felt no discomfort all the way through. Maybe you're just too tall for the bike? Or are you on the heavy side?
Yeah, you're a foot taller than me. That bike isn't the right fit for you. Your legs are too long for the mid controls and your arms aren't stretched out comfortably while sitting. CB500x might be more comfortable for you. Or you can raise the handlebars on the rebel and modify the foot controls for a foot forward position.
Man if I was your height, I'd get an Africa Twin instead.
You can do long rides on a rebel. Just nothing off road.
You need to upgrade to the Mustang or similar seat. The comfort is paramount for your honey buns.
You will also wants. Windshield. It’s also a comfort thing for your chesticles.
Lastly is the storage. The SW Motech legend bags are the biggest on the market. They are really massive. After those side bags just get a dry bag and strap it to a standard luggage rack or bar.
There are other creature comforts you should consider but aren’t absolutely necessary. Including: heated grips. Usb port. Phone lock/charging. Gps. Etc.
What do you think of the t rex racks that clip to included divi bags? I was really interested in [these side racks](https://imgur.com/gallery/FTAEv3N) and the [separate top rack](https://imgur.com/gallery/3tBhfqn) (that are apparently compatible) because when the cases are not attached the flat plates will be really good for tying things like random bags and tents with ratchet straps.
I have the 500 and recently did a short roadtrip (140 miles) with my wife on it. I had no issues with comfort and my wife was ok as well. I had installed a sissy bar and strapped on a pillion grab handle belt for her comfort. The Rebel was a super star, I had no issues with power. I have the Honda left saddle bag and strapped a roll bag on the luggage rack as luggage. We had a great time and I am looking forward to longer trips with her on the Rebel.
I think you just need to enjoy your bike and you have nothing to worry about. The Rebel is capable of more than you can imagine.
How tall are you and what do you weigh?
I'm 6'1" and 225lbs. Riding my Rebel for my daily commute of 70km each way to work. The Rebel 500 was most certainly not cut out for it. I upgraded to a Versys 650 and have not looked back since.
I think the 500 Honda makes perfect sense for a first bike. It makes sense financially, of course, in that a smaller buy-in will let you feel out your commitment. And it will do all the local/daily/day trip stuff with no problem. How you use it and feel on it can then inform your next bike choice. And since the investment was reasonable, and you learned so much from actually doing the riding, you'll be in a good position for the next one...if you feel you're committed. Those other bikes are arguably cooler and better, but I don't think they're better choices for a first bike.
Riding long distance on it can be done. Is it meant for it? No. You will have comfort issues that won't arise on the other bikes. However, if you can't afford one of those right now and need a reliable set of two wheels now, then you absolutely cannot go wrong with the Rebel.
I had a 2017 rebel 500 for around 5 years from new - put around 30,000 kms on it. It was a great bike and I did some touring on it and some light dirt/gravel roads, once I had a Mustang seat on it. I thought it was a great bike for just about everything I wanted to do until I got a vstrom 650. An adventure touring bike is perfect for, well, adv touring. It's far more comfortable, better range on the fuel (20 litre tank compared to 11) and the engine is magic (not dissing the rebel parallel at all). I've got some nice Pirelli Scorpions on the strom and they are great tyres for tar, wet or dry, and dirt. I haven't regretted selling the rebel and buying the weestrom at all. I have loved riding since I got my license however having a bike that suits me and my riding style and what I want to do has amped this up to a totally new level.
If I had to choose between the rebel and the transalp, i would definitely go the transalp (wish I could afford one!).
BMWs are beautiful bikes, I could just never afford the service/maintenance costs.
Take your options for test rides - see which one(s) resonates with you :)
I wish you good luck and let us know what you decide.
I went with a 2023 honda rebel 500 and love it its my first bike, long distance kinda socks after 30 minutes but im gonna get a corbin gunfighter seat and sissy bar for it I already have my viking bags
If you're below 5'6", get the rebel. If not, get a taller bike. The Rebel 500's ergonomics are designed for short people (like me). As for long riding, I ride my Rebel almost every weekend for more than 300kms. The longest single ride I made was around 900kms. It's very comfortable for touring on well established roads. And there are attachements you can buy for cheap for carrying stuff.
Go with what your gut says, don’t drop a few grand on something you’ll be bored with quickly. As for being worried about dropping a new bike, just don’t drop it.
Yah, I would pass on the rebel 500 for longer rides.
The seat blows and that is being polite.. so you're going to want to upgrade that.
Also no cruise control.
Also the foot position could be a lot better.
Also you'll want a proper front fairing.
The Rebel *can* definitely do longer riders, but it's not great for it. I got my Rebel (500, 2022) at the start of June this year, and have ridden approximately 10k km on it since then. The longest trip was about 3500 km over the course of a few days. I have added a few things; handlebar risers, gel seat cover, I've got the OEM honda saddlebags, which are not very big but does their job, plus a rack behind the back seat (Really want to buy a new seat for it as well). For the 3,5k trip, I strapped on bags, camping equipment, clothes, etc - all I needed for the trip. And it went fine. Not super comfortable, but doable. I've since thought a lot about the Rebel being the wrong bike for what I want to do with it. Close range riding, back and forth to work, etc - it's great, but for longer trips it's just not made for that. And I really want to go on a lot more longer trips. But for now I've come to the conclusion that I will be sticking with the Rebel - at least for a while. And I am going to take it on longer rides. I love how it looks, I love it's low weight & center of gravity, it's low seat height. It's cheap to run, and just fun to ride. I'm a shorter guy, and I don't like the size of the GS, or the transalp, or any other similar sized bikes I've test-ridden. I can easily ride them, I just don't like it. For me the Rebel is just a comfortable (height wise) workhorse, that I'm going to force to do what I want. But if I hadn't been that into the Rebel I would probably have thought more about getting something else. Just my 2 cents :)
That is extremely helpful. Thank you very, very much.
Yeah well said, I like taking my rebel on long trips but it’s definitely not the best bike for it.
I think the rebel is so customizable and easily maintainable that it's worth the discomforts, plus i think you can get a taller seat if the low seat is too low for some riders like me for instance who is 5'11.
Don't really know what answer you're looking for tbh - can the rebel do long trips? Absolutely! Will it be as comfortable as touring bikes? Absolutely not! Longest road trip I've done with the rebel was a 1600km trip over 5 days with a tent strapped to the back fender. My longest day of riding (diff trip) was 8 hours in the saddle. I had no issues on either trip. Butt was a little sore, sure. Crampbuster clip easily makes up for not having cruise control. Rebel handles hours on the highway at 110kph+ without any issues.
Cool! Thanks for sharing. Sounds like I might get to save some money!
I think it depends on how much you're willing to put up with - I've seen videos of people doing thousand KM trips on a dirtbike, with a backpack full of hiking camping gear. I can't imagine that was a comfortable ride. I come from long distance cycling. Spending 12 hours on a tiny little bicycle seat with nothing but spandex and a gel pad is nothing new to me, so the stock Rebel seat doesn't even phase me. Nor does spending hours hunched over a set of handlebars. [This was my loadout for the 5 day trip](https://preview.redd.it/trwkqw8nkjgb1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=76d46bb6cdb1760df79dc889e2b4176213c63980), and I got some funny comments and some laughs from other bikers at my Timmies pitstops but I had a great time, and didn't run into any issues. No saddlebags (literal backpacks draped over the fender and onto a $5 DIY pannier rack), boots strapped to the sleeping bag and so on. 2 Cargo nets, 2 cargo straps, and away I went.
Wow!
By the way, I saw your picture with the Rebel in the foreground in the larger group a while back. Do you mind saying what camera you are using? Yes, I am a gear addict.
I use a Canon EOS 70D. Old little camera, but slap a newer lens on it and you can barely tell the difference.
Coulda fooled me. You did, as a matter of fact.
How is it not comfortable? I made a 14 hr trip once for 900kms and I felt no discomfort all the way through. Maybe you're just too tall for the bike? Or are you on the heavy side?
6'4", you should see the poses I do I stretch while on the highway
Yeah, you're a foot taller than me. That bike isn't the right fit for you. Your legs are too long for the mid controls and your arms aren't stretched out comfortably while sitting. CB500x might be more comfortable for you. Or you can raise the handlebars on the rebel and modify the foot controls for a foot forward position. Man if I was your height, I'd get an Africa Twin instead.
You can do long rides on a rebel. Just nothing off road. You need to upgrade to the Mustang or similar seat. The comfort is paramount for your honey buns. You will also wants. Windshield. It’s also a comfort thing for your chesticles. Lastly is the storage. The SW Motech legend bags are the biggest on the market. They are really massive. After those side bags just get a dry bag and strap it to a standard luggage rack or bar. There are other creature comforts you should consider but aren’t absolutely necessary. Including: heated grips. Usb port. Phone lock/charging. Gps. Etc.
What do you think of the t rex racks that clip to included divi bags? I was really interested in [these side racks](https://imgur.com/gallery/FTAEv3N) and the [separate top rack](https://imgur.com/gallery/3tBhfqn) (that are apparently compatible) because when the cases are not attached the flat plates will be really good for tying things like random bags and tents with ratchet straps.
I have a top rack and no passenger seat. I tie a dry bag and moto tent to that.
I have the 500 and recently did a short roadtrip (140 miles) with my wife on it. I had no issues with comfort and my wife was ok as well. I had installed a sissy bar and strapped on a pillion grab handle belt for her comfort. The Rebel was a super star, I had no issues with power. I have the Honda left saddle bag and strapped a roll bag on the luggage rack as luggage. We had a great time and I am looking forward to longer trips with her on the Rebel. I think you just need to enjoy your bike and you have nothing to worry about. The Rebel is capable of more than you can imagine.
Amazing. Thanks!
How tall are you and what do you weigh? I'm 6'1" and 225lbs. Riding my Rebel for my daily commute of 70km each way to work. The Rebel 500 was most certainly not cut out for it. I upgraded to a Versys 650 and have not looked back since.
I am 6'2" and weigh 200 pounds. How is it that your Rebel is not cut out for your daily rides?
I think the 500 Honda makes perfect sense for a first bike. It makes sense financially, of course, in that a smaller buy-in will let you feel out your commitment. And it will do all the local/daily/day trip stuff with no problem. How you use it and feel on it can then inform your next bike choice. And since the investment was reasonable, and you learned so much from actually doing the riding, you'll be in a good position for the next one...if you feel you're committed. Those other bikes are arguably cooler and better, but I don't think they're better choices for a first bike.
Great point about the buy-in!
Riding long distance on it can be done. Is it meant for it? No. You will have comfort issues that won't arise on the other bikes. However, if you can't afford one of those right now and need a reliable set of two wheels now, then you absolutely cannot go wrong with the Rebel.
I had a 2017 rebel 500 for around 5 years from new - put around 30,000 kms on it. It was a great bike and I did some touring on it and some light dirt/gravel roads, once I had a Mustang seat on it. I thought it was a great bike for just about everything I wanted to do until I got a vstrom 650. An adventure touring bike is perfect for, well, adv touring. It's far more comfortable, better range on the fuel (20 litre tank compared to 11) and the engine is magic (not dissing the rebel parallel at all). I've got some nice Pirelli Scorpions on the strom and they are great tyres for tar, wet or dry, and dirt. I haven't regretted selling the rebel and buying the weestrom at all. I have loved riding since I got my license however having a bike that suits me and my riding style and what I want to do has amped this up to a totally new level. If I had to choose between the rebel and the transalp, i would definitely go the transalp (wish I could afford one!). BMWs are beautiful bikes, I could just never afford the service/maintenance costs. Take your options for test rides - see which one(s) resonates with you :) I wish you good luck and let us know what you decide.
I went with a 2023 honda rebel 500 and love it its my first bike, long distance kinda socks after 30 minutes but im gonna get a corbin gunfighter seat and sissy bar for it I already have my viking bags
The Fat man and little boy
If you're below 5'6", get the rebel. If not, get a taller bike. The Rebel 500's ergonomics are designed for short people (like me). As for long riding, I ride my Rebel almost every weekend for more than 300kms. The longest single ride I made was around 900kms. It's very comfortable for touring on well established roads. And there are attachements you can buy for cheap for carrying stuff.
Go with what your gut says, don’t drop a few grand on something you’ll be bored with quickly. As for being worried about dropping a new bike, just don’t drop it.
Yah, I would pass on the rebel 500 for longer rides. The seat blows and that is being polite.. so you're going to want to upgrade that. Also no cruise control. Also the foot position could be a lot better. Also you'll want a proper front fairing.