Things I Hate about Honda’s Rebel 250

Рет қаралды 6,607

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 62

@texasscooter 7 ай бұрын

I had to click this.. I have been doing 100 miles a day on one.... YES to all of this. I have packed about 28k miles in the 10 months with it. Unsure as it did not roll the 10,000 digit... (fixed now) I wonder how long I will get out of it 🤷‍♂. As for storage I got a rack and 2 ammo cans. I swapped the rear turn signals off my roughhouse scooter to it. Moved the tail lamp as I ran a early 2000s sportster seat I had from a previous bike on it. Now back to stock with a back rest. Overall its a okay machine. Wish it was not tube tire... Vibration.. kinda poo ergos I can do.. Nothing sucks worse then a instaflat on a tube tire. Anyways good vid 👍

@DirtRider22a 7 ай бұрын

I’ve seen on a Rebel forum of someone having 78k miles on 1 and another guy claimed to have rolled the odometer but didn’t have before pictures to prove it, just a pic at like 10 miles but considering the condition of the bike in the pic I believe him lol proper maintenance will do wonders for making any machine last

@jimshepard8822 Жыл бұрын

The thing I absolutely hate about the 250 is , you can’t buy a new one !!! $1450 in 86

@bho_oho5734 Жыл бұрын

I am considering purchasing my first bike and the Rebel 250 is a heavy consideration. I have to accept the good with the bad. I appreciate your insight and opinion as a rider and an owner of 4+ Rebels. So, thank you for your insight. I enjoyed this video for it's approach.

@DirtRider22a Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, and good luck getting a bike!! 🤙🏼

@georgeshafferjr297 Жыл бұрын

You'll never look back

@karlfonner7589 Жыл бұрын

I have no interest in buying a rebel 250 however, your input is appreciated. Thank you.

@FogMayonnaiseRedStarWars 8 ай бұрын

I hear you on the foot peg position. Whenever I rode one I’d sit on the passenger seat to stretch my legs out a little more and not have my knees be at pretty much a 90° angle

@ry491 10 ай бұрын

I have one here in the UK. I agree about the rear blinkers . Mine is low miles but they sag a lot . I miss a center stand very much . I changed the tank for a Chinese 3.4 gal one. I don't get the vibration I hear so much about. Just a slight buzz through the tank at certain revs . Nothing through footpegs or grios . I really love the bike and at 5.11 it fits me like a glove . Most comfirtable bike I have ever owned . Really interesting comments you made . Best wishes from the UK .

@DirtRider22a 10 ай бұрын

Definitely under rated machines for sure 👍

@jayham1970 4 ай бұрын

The thing that I love about these motorcycles is that they are slow and go. They can be very relaxing in a ride. Those heavier, top-heavy bikes (with a lot of power) are killers. I lost a friend to a Harley…that was his fault for a need for speed. Keep your bikes to around 50-60 mph. If you go down at those speeds (having done it), you’ll more than likely be okay…with a good full-faced helmet, denim, and gloves.

@mr.chaosvicious5968 3 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear you lost a buddy to a high CC, high power bike. That is one reason among many why I've never really thought about owning anything past MAYBE 600 or 800cc at the very most. I want a bike with a decent amount of power for me to be able to accelerate just enough so I can "get out of the way" of other vehicles, but not so much power that it either puts me in a wheelchair for life or, if I'm especially unlucky, straight into the grave. I've held the belief (however odd it may sound) for a good while now that motorcycles were NEVER originally intended to go faster than the 40-60 m.p.h. range and so you really shouldn't go faster than that. Not unless it's on a long pretty straight stretch of highway or interstate with a higher speed limit where there is nothing on the road (like leaves or standing water) to potentially destabilize your bike and send you to the ground. Though even then its probably a lot better to take a road that is slower and "safer," as, like you said, you are less likely to be really banged up if you are only going around 40 to 50 m.p.h. or so versus you going 70 or 80, not unless you slide into and hit something like a tree or guardrail after crashing.

@khmerghost 6 ай бұрын

The only thing i hate about this bike is the crazy vibration on highway speed.

@DirtRider22a 6 ай бұрын

That is the truth lol

@ImFlightRisk Ай бұрын

I’m getting my first bike soon and I’m probably getting one of these. My uncle has one I used to ride and loved it. And when I started looking around everyone said it was the best starter bike. So I appreciate this vid so I know what to look for and what to replace.

@DirtRider22a Ай бұрын

Can’t go wrong with a good running Rebel 250 👍

@geraldscott4302 Жыл бұрын

For me the biggest negative about the Rebel 250 are its tube type tires. That applies to ANY bike with tube type tires. Imagine being out for a Sunday morning ride, 150 or so miles from home, and having a flat tire. You have roadside assistance, but they will only take you to the closest place that can fix a flat tube type tire, in my case a Kawasaki dealer. But it's Sunday, and the dealer is closed. They are also closed on Monday. So you have the tow truck driver let you off at a motel about a mile down the road. You unload the bike, and settle in for the next couple of days. Tuesday morning you call the dealer. A couple of hours later they come and pick up the bike. You go to a fast food place and get something for breakfast, wait awhile, then walk down to the dealer, where you wait the rest of the day. They get it done just before closing, you pay the huge bill, plus the bill for the motel, and ride home after dark. You've also missed 2 days of work. That is the risk you take when riding a bike with tube type tires. The next thing is the lack of a centerstand. That makes it a real PITA to even lube the chain, let alone remove the rear wheel. The only other thing that bothers me is not a big deal. I absolutely hate the mirrors. Not only are they huge and ugly, but they don't work very well either. I swapped them out for a set of round mirrors for a Kawasaki Vulcan 750. I have removed the bar end weights (they make it almost impossible to get the bike through my front door, and they don't do anything. I replaced the stock grips with foam grips. I very much prefer the tall pullback bars on 1985-1987 Rebel 250s. My first Rebel 250 was a brand new 1985. I actually have a like new set of those bars, but it's going to be a nightmare to swap them. It will require all new cables and a new brake hose, and lengthening all the wires. Not sure if I will ever do it. I'm 6' tall, and I like a good bend in my elbows. I actually like the grips to be pointed back towards the rear. Kind of like a wheelbarrow. That is much more comfortable for me. My 2001 H-D Sportster 1200C has bars like that. Not the best for handling, but super comfortable. I always had a problem with the pegs being too close to the seat. I needed to sit back right about between the two seats. I discovered a set of forward controls from a place called Blue Collar Bobbers that moves the pegs, shifter, and rear brake pedal about 5 inches forward. That made a tremendous improvement. The Rebel 250 has a 360 degree crank (both pistons go up and down together) but a very short stroke. Not really a good combination for vibration. the super short stroke allows the engine to run at very high rpm, but it does buzz like crazy. My 1966 Triumph Bonneville 650 is also a 360 degree twin, but it has a really long stroke, and runs at much lower rpm, so the vibration is a much lower frequency. It doesn't make your hands go numb like the Rebel 250 does.

@zsadistmsf4742 4 ай бұрын

I just bought a 2015 rebel 250. So far my lights are ok. The highway speed vibration is a real thing! It’s my first bike at 53, (late start) but I’m hooked. I will definitely look into the handlebars though. Great idea! Wondering if it’s possible to mount some highway pegs further out. Great video. Very informative. Your haters missed the point of the video I think. You never said you dislike the bike. You just pointed out some things that can be frustrating about them.

@DirtRider22a 4 ай бұрын

@@zsadistmsf4742 definitely worth going down a couple teeth on the rear sprocket to help reduce vibration at higher speeds. And yeah, some people it just goes right over their heads lol

@zsadistmsf4742 2 ай бұрын

Update…I have traded in the rebel 250 and upgraded to the rebel 1100…the ride is different but the vibrations are gone. I rode in a club pack with it last night and we were hitting speeds over 85mph. VERY SMOOTH! And zero problems keeping up with the pack. (All of which were large Harley’s) I never could have hit those speeds with the 250, though I will never regret buying it. It was the absolute best starter bike.

@jorgecastro1894 5 ай бұрын

I love the Alabama back roads, beautiful scenery, good weather, outstanding sights, any problem with the Honda Rebel 250 does not count!!!

@richardscheidel7403 4 ай бұрын

I shaved my rear turn signal. I put new LED turn signals on it . Much better. I'm gonna swap the handle bars soon.

@DirtRider22a 4 ай бұрын

I ended up swapping mine when I added larger saddle bags and was going to have to re locate them further back to fit the bags

@tonyiommi74 Жыл бұрын

Thanx for the sharing man! Ppl are still buying this little monster. So up-to-date infos are important.

@DirtRider22a Жыл бұрын

Yeah lol people make videos about bikes that aren’t produced anymore everyday lol not sure what his deal was

@tonyiommi74 Жыл бұрын

@@DirtRider22a I can't know about the other gentleman. Maybe had a bad day, idk. All I know is, that soon I'll buy an old Rebel 250, and I am thankful for the useful info you gave. Peace!

@mojostephen 7 ай бұрын

Although you make some valid points, I love my Rebel 250! For me, it's perfect...

@DirtRider22a 7 ай бұрын

It’s a great bike for sure 👍

@davidm4566 4 ай бұрын

I'm betting that the "2.6" gallons includes if you could fill the tank 100%. In a lab they can do that by leaning it over, but not in the real world. I just got mine and haven't filled it yet but have seem people posting their experiences to forums.

@mr.chaosvicious5968 3 ай бұрын

Yeesh, not even a 3 gallon tank? If I had that bike I'd at least have a 3 gallon, maybe even a 3.5 gallon capacity tank. Would it make the bike just a bit more top heavy? It's almost a certainty, though the added benefit of me not having to worry about having to refuel quite so often or running out of gas, especially on those longer stretches where nothing is really at, would potentially be worth it. At least so long as the added tank capacity and weight didn't make the bike TOO top heavy and made it more unstable.

@DirtRider22a 3 ай бұрын

Thankfully these bikes get good mpg, but I as well would prefer a little larger tank

@davidm4566 3 ай бұрын

@@DirtRider22a Same here. I wish the bike were a bit bigger and also heavier. I tool mine on the highway for the first time on Friday. I could really feel the wind. It was no big deal but if I was going faster and/or had stronger wind it might have gotten interesting.

@davidm4566 3 ай бұрын

@@mr.chaosvicious5968 It gets about 60-65 mpg (some people say up to 70), so 2 gallons will get you pretty far, at least 130 miles on a single fill-up.

@billyvu4 8 ай бұрын

I have a 2008 with 700 miles on it, and the rear blinkers are sagging. So, I guess that they don't hold up good overtime.

@DirtRider22a 8 ай бұрын

I think it’s time not miles that makes them sag, and based on your bike I guess that helps prove it

@5mileministorage 2 ай бұрын

I have a 2004 rebel. Vibration in the foot pedals is the worst! its makes your feet feel like they are falling asleep. Blinkers sag bad in the back, mirrors are okay. Height I have to disagree on because well I am really short (5'2) and actually need the handle bars farther back. There are also not very many bikes that are short person friendly. :(

@genegoodwin8925 9 ай бұрын

I had a 250cc Rebel a long time ago, I think it was a 1987 and I traded for it in 1988. I agree about the turn signals, they always seem to sag, but a person can always buy some aftermarket signals and cure that problem. I am 5'-7" and 180 lbs now, but I use to be 160 lbs. (old age) and I found the bar and foot postition comfortable. But there was that buzzing. Of course we have to remember this is a 250 parallel twin not a 650 and it is geared lower to give it some power which makes the rpm much higher at highway speeds. I rode my wife on back from time to time and the foot postion for the passenger is way more comforstable on the Rebel than it is on a VLX (I've owned both) but the passenger seat is awfully small. I've owned motorcycles since 1967 and rode well over 300,000 miles on them. I just sold the last Harley I will ever own. A $37,000 Harley and it broke down four times within the first year of ownership. I've had a lot of trouble with Yamaha''s too, so I will never buy another Yamaha or Halrey. I don't like trouble. I am looking at another Rebel these days just to go for spin once in a while. My wife has battled cancer eight times and is currently in a nursing home. I doubt if she ever rides with me again. So all I want is something to go for a short ride once in a while. If I buy the Rebel I'm looking at on line, it is a 2013 with 1,700 miles. I will probably buy a small Puig windshield, not much larger than a flyscreen to cut through the wind and I plan to change the rear spocket from a 33 tooth to a 30 tooth to lower the rpm at highway speeds. The smaller spocket will cause it to lose some of it's pick up speed, but I'm not going racing anyway.

@DirtRider22a 9 ай бұрын

Mine had a 30tooth rear sprocket and it was much better, as you mentioned, they are geared really low. Sorry to hear but hopefully if you get one it won’t be breaking down on you like your Harley was.

@sg1862 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for the input, looking into a first bike. Alabama beautiful.

@DirtRider22a 7 ай бұрын

Thanks, if your looking for a first bike and want a cruiser then any of the different size rebels or the Yamaha vstar 250 would all make a great first bike

@KXLXI 3 ай бұрын

The previous owner yanked the front headlights off my rebel for some reason. So now all of the lights sag 😅

@DirtRider22a 3 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@BeeBN 8 ай бұрын

you are getting a lot of hate in the comments even though most the stuff you mentioned is straight up factual

@DirtRider22a 8 ай бұрын

Oh well, it’s the way these videos go sometimes lol I do love these little bikes tho

@ArmyMedic 2 ай бұрын

You get what you pay for. A nice little motorcycle, with no frills.

@DirtRider22a 2 ай бұрын

And as reliable as taxes lol

@richardscheidel7403 4 ай бұрын

This is not a highway bike. Maybe for a little while but. I don't want to ride 200 miles on a highway on a rebel 250. Get a bigger cruise bike . Not a 250. I love it for back road cruising.

@DirtRider22a 4 ай бұрын

@@richardscheidel7403 agreed, however with a sprocket size change I was able to get the vibrations down to a comfortable amount at highway speeds. But for longer rides I also would recommend a larger bike

@pedrothomas4944 Жыл бұрын

change them handle bars too dirt street track

@DirtRider22a Жыл бұрын

Those would probably work pretty good too, but currently I find it perfect with the z125 bars, wish they were chrome tho. May have to try Honda monkey bars next time to get that chrome finish lol