Harley Davidson Street 500 vs Honda Rebel 500

Harley Davidson is famous for its cruisers and touring motorcycles, but most of their motorcycles have large engines, heavyweight, and expensive. Hence, in 2014, Harley Davidson released the Street series. Two major variants were the Harley Davidson Street 500 and the Harley Davidson Street 750. The Street 500 and 750 were cheap, lightweight, and had small engines. The major differences between these two motorcycles were their engine sizes and prices. Other than that, both had similar designs, dimensions, and ergonomics.

In 2013, Honda launched the Rebel series. It shared the same design and riding position as other cruisers, except for its small engine. The Rebel series has two variants: the Rebel 300 and Rebel 500. Both were lightweight, cheap entry-level motorcycles. The only differences between the two Honda Rebel models were their engine sizes and looks.

The Harley Street 500 is a cruiser with a unique seating position. The fenders and fuel tank are the only colored parts, while the rest of the motorcycle is covered in a matte black finish. Like other cruisers in its price range, the Harley Street 500 does not have pre-installed parts like crash bars, sissy bars, and saddlebags. At the front, it has a non-adjustable 37 mm telescopic fork with a wheel travel of 140 mm (5.5 in) and a tire size of 100/80 R17. At the rear, it has dual non-adjustable shocks with a wheel travel of 94 m (3.5 in) and a tire size of 140/75 R15.

The Honda Rebel 500 is a cruiser covered in a matte black finish. The fuel tank and rear fender are the only colored motorcycle parts. It does not have a passenger seat, pre-installed saddlebags, crash bars, or sissy bars. The Honda Rebel 500 has an upright handlebar position. It has a 41 mm telescopic fork at the front with a wheel travel of 121 mm (4.8 in) and a tire size of 130/90-16. At the rear, it has dual preload-adjustable shocks with a wheel travel of 96 mm (3.8 in) and a tire size of 150/80-16.

The Harley Street 500 has a new 494 cc (30 cu in) liquid-cooled, Revolution X V-Twin engine. It can deliver a peak torque of 40 Nm (29.5 ft-lbs) @ 3,750 rpm. Like other Harley cruisers, the Harley Street 500 has a six-speed transmission system that operates on a belt drive train.

The Honda Rebel 500 has a 471 cc (28.7 cu in) liquid-cooled Parallel Twin engine. The bore and stroke size of 67 mm and 66.8 mm respectively help the Honda Rebel 500 achieve a peak torque of 31.7 ft-lbs @ 7,000 rpm and a maximum horsepower of 46.9 hp. Like many other Honda motorcycles, it has a chain drive train system and a six-speed transmission system.

The Harley Street 500 is a lightweight cruiser weighing around 233 kg. It has an overall length of 87.2 in and a seat height of 28.3 in. With a ground clearance of 5.7 in and mid-mounted footrests, the Harley Street 500 offers a confident riding position suited for beginners. It has a small front fairing covering the circular headlight, reducing air drag. The trail size of 4.53 in and rake angle of 32^o contribute to the Harley Street 500’s ergonomics.

The Honda Rebel 500 is a lightweight cruiser weighing about 187.7 kg. Because of its low weight, seat height of 27.2 in, and wheelbase of 58.7 this motorcycle is easy to handle for all riders. The Honda Rebel 500 has a length of 86.2 in and a height of 42.9 in. Its high handlebars and low seat height ensure a comfortable riding position. The Honda Rebel 500 has a small front fairing that reduces air drag and improves aerodynamics. It also has mid-mounted footrests that provide a relaxed seating position. The trail size of 4.3 in and rake angle of 28^o helps give the Hond Rebel 500 better handling.

For lightweight cruisers, more than 35,000 miles is considered high mileage. But if the motorcycle is well maintained, it can potentially last over 80,000 miles.

The Rebel 500 has a traditional cruiser riding position with high handlebars and a low seat height. Meanwhile, Street 500 has a riding position similar to Street or naked motorcycles. They also have different chassis, fenders, fairing, and fuel tanks.

The Street 500 is best suited for riders looking to buy the cheapest entry-level Harley motorcycle. However, the Rebel 500 is also an entry-level motorcycle, except with a slightly less torque engine, less weight, and a slightly lower price. Both of these motorcycles are not suitable for heavyweight riders. However, a taller rider can enjoy riding either motorcycle.

The Street 500 was discontinued in 2021, meaning all the available Street 500 models in the market are used. Meanwhile, the Rebel 500 is still in production and has plenty of available aftermarket parts. Whether you prefer a discontinued American motorcycle or a Japanese motorcycle is based on personal preference.

The Harley Davidson Street 500 and the Honda Rebel 750 are some of the cheapest cruisers on the market right now. Both have a reliable engine, are easy to handle, and can be ridden within the city and on highways. Both have good fuel economy due to their 500 cc engines. Neither model have pre-installed saddlebags or aftermarket parts. However, they can easily be bought from the aftermarket store.

The Harley Street 500 and the Honda Rebel 500 can be transformed into decent light touring motorbikes with the addition of a few aftermarket parts available at Viking Bags. There are different luggage options available at Viking Bags including saddlebags and sissy bar bags. Other modification parts include fairings, crash bars, handlebars, and sissy bars.