There’s a new Rebel in town

A Rebel has moved in.  He’s been here less than a week, but he has already created quite the commotion.  Fortunately, he lives in the garage and plays nicely with others. Honda North America has dropped off a 2026 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT SE to Road Dirt’s Pacific Northwest Headquarters, also known as my increasingly crowded garage.  It will live here long term though the summer and be used as tourer, commuter, sport bike and coffee shop conversation bait.

2026 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT SE.

A few years ago, the 2023 Honda Rebel 1100T, the bagger clad touring version, won our three way cruiser test against Harley-Davidson’s Nightster Special and Indian’s Scout Rogue.  However, despite winning the comparison test that took us through the Tail Of The Dragon and the Deep South, there were still things about the Rebel that drew complaints: the riding position was cramped, the dash looked like a 1984 Sony digital alarm clock put into a time capsule and resurrected as a speedometer, and the styling put me in the same coma as the sugar drop from tech editor Phil Gauthier’s wife’s homemade sweet tea.  The Rebel won the test, but there was ample room for improvement.  As with many press bikes, I rode it, tested it, and had no problem giving it back.

Throttling through the hills somewhere outside Wenatchee, WA.

Honda must read Road Dirt and, unlike me in high school chemistry, actually listen and take notes.  For 2026 they addressed the Rebel’s riding position, revised the dash with a new TFT display, smartphone connectivity and introduced a factory custom SE trim.  The net effect of a series of small tweaks on a motorcycle can sometimes exceed their sum.  Do the Rebel’s small tweaks improve the package?  If so, how much?  Would it be worth it to upgrade from an older model?

Looks like a busy summer.

Over the next few months we will answer those questions and more as we live with the improved Rebel among the roads and mountains of the upper left.  The Rebel has moved in, and is staying for a while.

Stay tuned.

Ted

*Photos/footage by Matt Edwards.

Please take a moment to visit our sponsors, here below and above the story. They help us keep the lights on.