I got home before the rain caught up with me. The perfect time to write about the Honda CMX1100 Rebel I’ve been riding. It is certainly different, and it is not just the looks.
New motorcycles often have a common set of problems that drive me knutz. The manufacturers could fix these things for a few pence rather than leave us to add them to the long list of tweaks we make.
This time, Honda has spent those few extra pennies, addressed the aggravating silly things, and increased the joy we extract from a motorcycle.
The CMX1100 isn’t perfect – that motorcycle can’t be built – but if cruisers are your thing, then this is a good one … sort of.
Details, Details
Being an untrusting sort, I opted to check the tyre pressures before taking off across the backroads for the first time. Imagine my delight in finding that Honda has fitted right-angle valve stems on the CMX1100.
It is nothing. A simple gesture that tells the rider that Honda is thinking about the owner of the motorcycle, not just the sale. I’ve no idea how many other 2022 Hondas have these fitted but thank the motorcycling gods; a manufacturer finally did it as standard.
Moving on to check the front tyre pressure, I noticed the mudguard. By modern standards, it is long, but not that long that it will keep all the road crap off the bike. But wait, is that a factory-fitted radiator guard I see? It is.
Out of the factory, Honda has fitted a good quality radiator guard as standard. Praise be.
Under the Seat
Most of the time, when you remove the seat, all you see is a mass of wiring. The designers haven’t left enough space under the seat for simple basics such as a tyre plug kit and something to put air back in the tyre.
This being the first Honda I’ve ridden in a while, I don’t know if it is a common Honda trait. Still, leaving enough space under the seat to comfortably pack a USB chargeable compressor, a Leatherman multi-tool and a tyre plug kit is another of the important details Honda has thought about.
And if you have forgotten to charge the compressor in a while, there is a USB connector under the seat too.
Iron Butt
Both ends of the CMX1100 are supported by Showa suspension. There are 43mm cartridge, right-way-up forks on the front, and twin shocks with fancy piggyback reservoirs on the rear. Both ends are adjustable for pre-load only.
Overall, the suspension works well and gives a reasonable ride. I want to say “comfortable”; after all, cruisers are all about a relaxed and smooth ride, but I have a problem with the short travel of the rear suspension.
More than once, I’ve bottomed out the rear suspension on the Lincolnshire backroads and rattled my fillings. There isn’t much Honda can do about this. The seat height is a low 700mm (27.5 inches), and with a 16inch rear wheel, there must be some clever maths that calculates the maximum possible rear suspension travel. There is no space for fancy linkages. The rear shocks are attached directly to the frame and the swinging arm.
Not being that clever with trigonometry, I opted to measure the rear shock, and it looks like there are 3.5 inches of travel (90mm), necessitating that the 7-inch rear springs (18cm) are tough.
If the roads are smooth, then you might notice the ride is firm. Yet, throw in a few potholes and bumps, and you will notice the short suspension travel. I tried backing the preload all the way off, which helped a little. Whereas on most motorcycles, this would create a wallowing monster, the change to the CMX1100 ride was minimal.
Best Foot Almost Forward
My six-foot (1.82m) frame, which has a 31inch inseam (79cm), has found the ergonomics of the CMX1100 unusual.
Initially, the bars felt too far away and the footpegs too close, but I’ve adapted to the riding position as the days have gone by. Putting the balls of my feet on the pegs, for example, has helped, despite sounding counterintuitive. I also moved closer to the tank, so my arms were less stretched and my knees at more of a right angle.
I don’t think the position would suit me for mile-munching, but it works well for a couple of three hours on a warm sunny day.
The foot pegs are not mounted directly onto the frame but are attached via intricate brackets. You know that eventually, an enterprising soul will work out how to make the footrest position adjustable, and without a gear lever to worry about – thanks to the DCT – that might be sooner than expected.
Dual Clutch Transmission
Scooter mode. Twist ‘n’ Go. Or my favourite – Grip It and Rip It. I’m sure Honda has heard them all and several more besides.
However, before making smart arse comments about DCT, I’d encourage you to try it. It will never be everything everybody wants, but it suits the CMX1100.
As usual with technologically advanced motorcycles, there is a mountain of standard and variable options. The DCT on the CMX1100 allows you to configure power, traction control, engine braking and the point at which the DCT will engage the next gear.
If you want to know more, Honda has a detailed online explanation available: Honda DCT Explained | Honda Engine Room, but the summary goes like this.
Power is the easy option. You can dial back the 88HP if you wish, for example, when it rains, or you can leave it in full biscuit mode.
Traction control we are all familiar with. If the rear wheel loses traction with the road surface, this setting defines how quickly the electronics come to your assistance.
The DCT version of the CMX1100 offers you three levels of engine braking to choose from. Something this fancy is usually only found on race bikes. When you close the throttle, do you like the engine to noticeably slow you down, or do you prefer a more subtle level of intervention? It is your choice.
And the final option is Drive mode. This defines how long the DCT holds on to a gear before changing. The higher the setting, the longer the gear is used.
It is worth remembering that Honda’s DCT has been available for over ten years and has significantly evolved. Each of the four modes, plus other settings such as throttle position and even how hard you are braking, all impact how the DCT reacts.
If you have a neutral throttle position, the DCT will change up, but it is intelligent enough to know the difference between neutral throttle mid-corner and riding in traffic.
The CMX1100 comes with three predefined ride modes, Sport, Standard and Rain. There is also a user-defined mode where you can set Power, Traction, Engine Braking and Drive to your own requirements.
If you get the chance to ride one of Honda’s DCT motorcycles, then take it, even if it is only to marvel at the engineering.
Long in the Leg
Empirically the CMX1100 has a 28° caster angle and a 2.24meter wheelbase. The caster angle – how many degrees from vertical the headstock is raked – slows the steering and gives the CMX1100 a lazy turn-in that adds to the relaxed riding style.
For comparison, our Yamaha Tracer 9GT has a 25° caster angle and is 8 centimetres shorter. These figures don’t sound like much, but the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 head angle was steepened up by a couple of degrees and revolutionised the handling.
So, in real terms, what does this do to the ride? The extra degrees on the headstock make the CMX1100 stable in a straight line and has a slight tendency to run wide if you try to ride it like a sports bike.
Turn in on the fat tyres is a gradual affair, and you need to signal your desire to change direction earlier than you might be used to. All of which is precisely why you would buy a CMX1100.
You can hustle the bike through the corners if you wish. Just brake a little earlier and signal your desire to get cranked over sooner than you might expect. But if you want to hustle, the CMX1100 is a willing partner and often, to the surprise of those riding with you, who will judge the Rebel by its looks alone.
Full Circle
All of which brings me back to our first article. The CMX1100 Rebel is a cruiser. It is designed to help you discover the journey, not just the destination. If you want to hustle, you can, but the CMX1100’s natural habitat is arcing its way between fields on country backroads.
An overly romantic description? Perhaps, but the rain has stopped, the sun is back out, and the roads are drying quickly. I think I’ll go for another ride.
