2023 Honda Rebel 500 [Specs, Features, Photos]

BLACKED-OUT STYLE
The Rebel is a blank canvas for your self-expression and customization. But unlike the canvas you buy at the art store, this one’s not boring white. As is, its blacked-out engine pieces, frame, and bodywork elements look great during the day and even better at night.

BLACKED-OUT MUFFLER
Forget about having to polish chrome—the Rebel’s blacked-out exhaust system blends perfectly with the bike’s overall look. And maybe the biggest plus? The awesome sound that’s so important to the riding experience.

CLASSIC INSTRUMENT SHAPE
Another iconic element combining traditional and new, the Rebel’s instruments take a classic shape and fill it with totally up-to-date digital LCD information. The instruments include a gear-position indicator and a fuel-consumption display.

ROUND HEADLIGHT
Another critical item in motorcycle design is the headlight. The Rebel 500 features a headlight with a round, three-inch nacelle that gives the bike plenty of character.

ALL LED LIGHTING PACKAGE
LED lighting is where it’s at now. LEDs can be lighter, brighter, and require fewer lifetime replacements than incandescent bulbs. That’s why the Rebel 500 features an all-LED lighting package—headlight, taillight, turn signals, even the license-plate light.

COLOR CHOICES
Ready for some awesome color choices for 2023? Check out what you can be riding: Candy Blue, Matte Black Metallic or Titanium Metallic.

OPTIONAL Honda ACCESSORIES
Want to give your Rebel 500 some individual touches? We have an extensive selection of factory accessories. For example, check out the custom seat options, a backrest, saddlebags and rear carrier, passenger seat with footpegs kit, backrest, and much, much more.

LIMITED-EDITION REBEL 500 ABS SE
We’re offering a limited edition of our Rebel 500 ABS, the Special Edition version. It features some of our most popular accessories, installed at the factory. You get our Brown Diamond-Stich Seat, Black Fork Boots, Black Upper Fork Covers, and a Black Headlight Cowl—a knockout combination that takes your Rebel 500 to the next level.

STEEL REAR FENDER
Real steel never goes out of style. The Rebel has a steel rear fender that’s either color-matched to the tank or matte black. The paint looks great, and the steel fender helps provide solid support for the optional/removable passenger seat.

WIDE FRONT FORK
It’s what’s up front that counts most in style, and the Rebel knocks it out of the park. Of course, the front suspension offers more precise steering and a plush ride, but the large-diameter fork tubes give the bike a substantial presence too.

REFINED REAR SUSPENSION
The Rebel 500’s rear shocks are nitrogen filled and have a special spring rate too. Just like the front suspension, it’s about adding both comfort and performance to your riding experience.

WIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRES
The Rebel’s wide front and rear tires not only looks great, but they helps provide excellent handling and stopping power.

LOW SEAT HEIGHT
When it comes to seat heights, almost everyone likes them lower, and the Rebel has one of the lowest seats in anyone’s lineup. It’s comfortable when you ride, and it makes it easier to flat-foot it at stoplights or in parking lots.

LIGHT WEIGHT
The Rebel 500 is a lot more fun and friendly to ride than some bigger machines—perfect if you’re just getting started, or if you’re looking for a nimble bike. The light overall weight and a low center of gravity help performance, too.

NARROW
Super-narrow, especially at the critical tank/seat junction, the Rebel makes it easier to get on and off the bike, and to put your feet down flat at stops. Plus, the Rebel fits a wide variety of riders.

ROOMY RIDER TRIANGLE
A rider makes contact with the bike at three points: the seat, the handlebar, and the footpegs. The Rebel’s rider triangle strikes the perfect balance between laid-back cruiser and more active sport riding. You ride with a commanding presence, and the minute you sit on a Rebel in your dealership, you’ll know it.

SINGLE SEAT WITH AVAILABLE ACCESSORY PASSENGER SEAT AND FOOTPEG KIT
With the Rebel 500 you can easily set your bike up for riding solo, or take a passenger along in style: the removable seat rails, optional passenger seat, passenger footpegs and footpeg hangers are all simple, bolt-on parts.

SLIPPER/ASSIST CLUTCH
Developed and perfected in Honda racing machines, the slipper/assist clutch means you get a lighter clutch pull at the lever, but a solid lockup when you release the lever and apply power. It’s technology that reduces clutch effort at the bar by about 30 percent.

EXCEPTIONAL HANDLING
A lot of today’s motorcycles look great standing still, but disappoint once the road gets twisty. At Honda, we set high standards for the way all our bikes handle and feel, and the Rebel is a perfect example—we’ve paid just as much attention to the way this bike corners and handles as we have its knockout styling.

FUEL TANK
One of the key items in motorcycle design is the fuel tank. The Rebel’s iconic fuel-tank shape is timeless, but functionally it also teams up with the bike’s great fuel efficiency to give you plenty of range.

DIE-CAST ALUMINUM REAR SUBFRAME
Here’s a chance for Honda designers to take a functional part of the motorcycle and make it look extra cool. The aluminum subframe/fender mounts are strong, subtle, light, and provide a solid foundation for the optional/removable passenger seat.

SPORTY ENGINE
Twin-cylinder engines are a great choice for a machine like the Rebel 500. Honda twins are famous for their versatility, and the Rebel 500’s engine is one of our best ever. The parallel-twin engine is narrow, which helps reduce overall bike size. Plus, it offers lots of low-rpm torque, but plenty of higher-rpm performance.

CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS
Cast wheels front and rear are light, practical, easy to keep clean, and give the Rebel a look that tells you this is not built like a retro machine. The wide rims and tires add to the bike’s appearance, too.