Which to buy? – Why get a Rebel?

(not my story, but I like it)

Recently, I decided to trade in my 2020 Rebel 500 that I had for 2 years and 5,000 miles for a 2022 CB500X. The Rebel 500 was my first motorcycle and I really enjoyed it, but I wanted to try something new that fit me a little better…or so I thought. I’ve had the CB for a few weeks now and, while I like it a lot, it doesn’t give me the same vibes as the Rebel did.

Every time I swung my leg over the Rebel, I felt cool (as silly as that sounds). Every time I took a step back and looked at the Rebel, I thought to myself “aw yeah.” I loved the low seat height and how planted the bike felt on the road. I loved the “legs out front” seating position (even if it was a tad cramped at times). I loved being right next to the exhaust and hearing it burble and pop when decelerating. I loved the naked, urban cruiser styling and how pure of a motorcycling experience the bike offered.

I miss all of that with the CB.

So! Yesterday, I decided to put down a deposit on a 2022 Rebel 1100 (manual) in pearl stallion brown. It should be here by the end of the summer and I’m super excited. Not sure if I’ll end up keeping the CB or not, but I’ve got some time to figure that out.

It’s been really interesting figuring out what’s important to me in a bike, and I’ve realized it’s much more of an emotional decision than I thought. The CB500X, for example, is a super practical bike but it lacks the “soul” and emotional connection I felt with the Rebel.