This year, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the automatic transmission system. In 1921, Alfred Horner Munro, a Canadian steam engineer, designed the first automatic transmission, which used air pressure and only had four forward gears. The rest is history. Thanks to his work, the automatic transmission has made driving simple and fun for many.
Today, some of the most popular brands in the world, including McLaren, Subaru, Ferrari, and Lamborghini pair their engines to automatic transmission systems, and it almost wouldn’t make sense to drive these cars with a stick shift. This is a perfect indication that the age of the Dual Clutch transmission has arrived – Alfred Munro’s dream. Honda is the sole brand that has finally incorporated the Dual Clutch drivetrain in motorcycles, and one good example is the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT.
Honda introduced DC-powered powered motorcycles in 2010, and since then, the brand has produced models such as the Rebel 300 and 500, which both had the automatic transmission as an optional feature. About half of the last years’ NC750X Gold Wing and Africa Twin models had a DC. For 2021, the brand has introduced new models to the line-up, including the new Rebel 1100, 2 Africa Twin versions, and now 3 Gold Wing versions.
Honda is the first and sole producer of DC-powered bikes, and the Rebel 1100 is among the pioneering bunch, along with the DC-powered Fourtrax ATVs, Talon side-by-side models, and more. Here’s how the Honda Rebel benefits from its DC transmission system, and why this is the best-selling cruiser bike on the market.
The Dual Clutch Transmission Is An Unmistakable Winning Point
Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission has opened up a whole new cruiser segment, and a world of new bike enthusiasts. As you would expect, the system doesn’t have many controls. It doesn’t have a clutch and shift levers. Instead, you only control the throttle, steering, braking, and leaning, which makes the 2021 Rebel 1100 an excellent best cruiser bike for beginners.
According to the rider’s magazine, the Honda’s DC comprises clutch systems, which are configured in a shaft-in-shaft position, Instead of having one clutch at the end of the input shaft as in CVT transmission types. This setup means that one shaft goes inside the other. In this case, one shaft carries odd-numbered gear levels, and the other carries even-numbered ones.
With this simple setup, all a rider has to do is press D to put the bike into first gear, roll the throttle and stay out of harm’s way. When you stop, the bike automatically goes into neutral.
The Honda Rebel 1100 is Powered By A 1084cc Twin-Cylinder Engine
The Honda Rebel 1100 is equipped with a 1084cc 2-Cylinder engine that delivers up to 86 hp at 7,000 rpm, and a torque that reaches a 72 lb-ft redline at 4,750 rpm. The Unicam® engine churns out powerful revs, and with the top speed of 110 mph is enough to leave its challengers biting the dust.
It Has Decent Driving Modes For Any Season
The 2021 Honda Rebel comes with four driving modes: Standard mode, Rain mode, Sport Mode, and the default Automatic mode. When testing the Rebel 1100, ride apart reported that DCT model shift points vary with the riding mode. The raid mode keeps revs low by shifting quicker, the sport mode keeps the revs high and shifts late, the standard is the middle ground, and the automatic mode shifts to preset points. To keep a lower engine speed, the DCT shifts to higher gears faster. For fuel economy purposes this operation goes a long way.
Thanks to the blended transmission, the Rebel 1100 gives you the option to shift gears as you wish, by using the up and down controls on the left switchgear.
It’s An Affordable Cruiser Bike
The Honda Rebel 1100 base model costs $9,299, and the DCT-featured model is priced at $9,999, which makes it one of the best cruiser bikes you can buy for just under 10K, aside from competing options, such as the great Indian Scout Bobber Sixty and the Harley-Davidson Iron, which cost $8,999 and $9,749 in turn.
The price difference between the Rebel 500 and the new Rebel 1100 is around $4700, which is basically the price of a new Rebel 500. But, with its plethora of features, the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 has all the compliments that made it a striking upgrade, and well worth every penny.
Overall, the 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 is a perfect choice for a cruiser enthusiast who’s looking to upgrade from the last Rebel 300 and 500 models, and for new riders who want to get a taste of the cruiser life – DC style!
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