Honda Rebel 300 vs 500- Which One Should You Get?! 

looking forward to when everyone starts selling their 500's to go get the 1100... that is when i will grab my 500

I was considering the 300 as a move up from my Grom. This was super educational and now I think I’ll be going with the 500. Thank you so much!

this is also good for senior riders who can't handle the Big Bikes anymore but can still ride a smaller Bike. that's what I am doing. I am 76 years old and I have been on motorcycles for over 55 years but now it's time to gear down so that I may continue to ride until death do me part from my Bike!

For me the choice was easy. Im a new rider and wanted a bike that would be easy to utilize and not overpowered. But also something that would force me to trade up to something bigger in a couple years and a little cheaper now. The 300 is great, and I'm finding areas I need to work without having the power to be impulsive with my riding.

I've never ridden a 300cc, only practiced on a 125 and 500cc. I think 500 feels great it has enough power for urban and outside the city rides. And rebel 500 is so easy to ride and the compression ratio and torque engineering makes it so smooth to control.

Today is my birthday, finally 18 years old. But now I can buy a bike:)

ex-owner of a Rebel 300, I will tell everyone who greeted me at parking lot to get a 500 instead 300 is way under powered. I overgrew it after 1 month of riding. It was a purchase mistake as I listened to people who didn't know much about riding and bought 300 instead of 500 Now waiting to get a Rebel 1100

Well this is how all bike reviews and options should sound ! I`m a new rider looking for my first bike and this guy explained in 10 minutes more then the hundreds of videos i've watched so far. ! Thank you good Sir.

Thanks for a great review of both bikes i am looking for my first bike and you sold me on the 500 very informative and insightful thanks!!

I’m a late 40s returning rider. 2 years ago started with a rebel 300. Wrapped the tank, fender delete, LED taillight, shorty exhaust, and end bar mirrors. Out grew it very quickly. Got a Indian scout bobber for my group rides. Also own a baby BMW GS310 (I enjoy the low displacement bikes) that’s my daily commuter. Also own a Ducati monster 797 for the twisties. Till this day I still own my 300 and love. It turns heads no one knows what it is with all the mods. Plus we have long winters in Canada so when it’s riding season again I start off on my rebel 300 since riding is a perishable skill.

Good video, I think you did a good job explaining the differences.

Great video! I own the CB300r and will be loving this bike for the next 1.5 years. Always cool to see how the same engine performs in multiple bikes.

very helpful, ive been looking to buy my first bike and this helps alot, the footage is great we live in the same area so this channel is perfect for me lol

This was very helpful as I was looking at the 300 I just want to ride backroads and such but the xtra power on the 500 just makes sense. Thank you.

Nice seeing someone in Annapolis, thats actually where I spend a lot of time. I was looking at the 300 but you convinced me to get the 500. Thanks my dude

Thanks for the input on the same different types of the Hondas

Haven't been on a bike in years, but I decided to have some fun with the midlife crisis and one. I've narrowed my search down to the Honda Rebel, 300 or 500, based on price and all, but can't decide which. This video helped a bunch, thanks.

Thanks for this video! I’m a new motorcycle rider, but grew up riding dirt bikes. I think you’ve convinced me to forego a 300 entirely.

Rate this so much man. Cheers. I'm a new rider and I've been looking at the rebel 500 after my 125, had no idea they did a 300 but you've confirmed that the 500 is definitely right for me. Cheers man!

Very helpful video. Thank you for posting!

GREAT, professional review commentary! 85-90 MPH!!??

My first bike was a 95 savage 650 just last year at 53 years old. I don’t do any highway riding and I’m not super excited about working on a 30 year old bike on a regular basis. I feel that the 300 will meet my needs in performance and handling but am more drawn to it for its price tag. I think it will be perfect for bombing around rural Maine backroads!

Just bought the 2021 500 a couple days ago as my first bike and I’m loving every second of it

Great video review! Loved comparison details and super informational! We here at Viking Bags really appreciate your content! Keep it up!

Hey nice name! My moms thinking about getting a rebel so I’m trying to help her choose between a 300 and 500. Thanks for making the video

I think the 300 and the 500 are both temporary bikes for most people. So why spend more? Get the cheaper one unless you're going to be on the freeway a lot.

Great review. In some circumstances, like you mentioned, I think the 300 is a good long term bike. I've got a Harley that I take on trips and when I'm going to be doing highway riding, but got the 300 to ride to commute to work (nothing over 55 mph). Love the 300 and will be keeping it a long time, but then I've got something else when I want to do highway riding. If the rebel was my only bike I would want something bigger than the 300, but for what I use it for , it is perfect.

Ty for your advice! Just got my license today doing lots of research. Probably go with the 500 :)

I'm kinda late seeing this but... my fiancé and I both want to get motorcycle licenses, and the Rebel has been a point of focus. Great pricing, features and they aren't huge (fiancé is 5'4") so that's a plus. This video was quite informative and I'll definitely take this into consideration as I'll be doing more highway riding for my job. I'm thinking the 500 will be the way to go for both of us. Be safe and have fun.

Great vid, good topic. The CB300R is 103 lbs lighter than the CB500F. I still love my CB300R after two years. You're right about the light weight getting blown around at higher speeds. I will probably upgrade to a twin, triple, or four but I'm in no hurry. I'm afraid I won't like the bigger bike as much as the CB300R!

Cool video. I agree with you. One thing you could mention about the 300. You said the gears are spaced rather close, so you are shifting more frequently. That also is beneficial to a new rider precisely so they can practice their shifting. The other thing is, Rebel seems to have good aftermarket support. Instead of the exhaust, why not upgrade something that would have made it perform much better? Thanks!

Greetings LifeOf Burch you are spot on with your review of the rebel 300 and 500, I own the 2021 Honda rebel 300 and I'm going to add to your review with pros and cons, lets start with the price, the sticker price for 2021 Rebel 300 is $4,599 once you add tax, insurance reg, dealer fees it comes to $5,634 which I paid for a brand new rebel now if you go for the 500cc add about $2,000 more, I had a choice ..buy a used bike like a ninja or some other used bike with tons of miles and who knows what it needs for $3,400 -$4000 I went new rebel 300 for $4,500 with one year warrantee and a new bike that nobody beat up and abused, and you are right about noise at highway speed, very loud!!! but I hear expensive sport bikes with high horsepower screaming so loud on highway I can here them in my house blocks away, so those are loud too and also I see tons of folks buying Honda Groms, which cost $3,399 $-4000 for that bike whos top speed is only 54 MPH,.lol the Honda dealer can't keep those Groms in stock they sell so fast, happy with my rebel 300 purchase because it was right in my Budget, would I love a rebel 500? YES!!!!! , but I had to be sensible with my budget and didn't want to pay $2,000 more , love the review you gave and everything is true, I had this baby up to 80MPH but didn't go faster because the speed limit was 65 but she didn't let me down and kept that speed, will probably wear ear plugs on highways next time, but other than that Love this little bike just right for my 150 LB frame, they don't come with rear seats and passenger foot pegs, its optional and cost , that's why this bike is priced low. but I got a spanking brand new bike for the price of a used Higher CC bike. subbed your channel because your review was EXCELLENT and gave viewers inadept choices with good analyst. I added a windshield on mine which helps increase your speed because it deflects the wind resistance at highway speeds and makes your highway ride a little more comfortable, may even help with the noise because the bike aint working so hard against the wind resistance. love my purchase but those are the pros and cons to this review,

I want either one. I was in a wreck and got hurt bad. This year is my first year back on a bike..sounds like I need a rebel 500 but other one .I'm on a grom now..it leaves a little to be desired but atleast is 2 wheels..so good to be back..

Thanks for the advise. I will be a first time rider. Never owned one and never ridden one. But I dong plan to keep changing so I will go for the 500 and keep it as long as I can and get use to riding.

I'm going to start learning in the next month or two. I live in a semi-rural area and main street speeds are 50+ in a lot of spots so I need to get comfortable with being at that speed quickly. I'm leaning heavily towards the 500 as my first bike for that reason.

Excellent video. I bought a 300 2 months ago and I do love it, but yup, considering I've been riding for 4 years and I weigh 215 lbs, I do wish I'd gone with the 500.

Good points, every time I’m asked I always say 500 lol. ... sitting here impatiently waiting for your 1100 review lol

Well done. Great explanation. Thanks

Great review! I'm considering finally getting a motorcycle (once I get my license lol) and the 500 sounds like I would enjoy the experience much more. I drive a manual in midtown and downtown Toronto and stop and go traffic is pretty annoying so I imagine it would be worse with a 300.

@LifeOfBurch your intro is the shit! PERFECT

I am 77 years old. I currently ride a 2000 Triumph Thunderbird 900 S. My problem is that bike is very heavy and I have trouble moving it around in the driveway for example. I have been riding since 1961 so I am not a new rider, I am just an old rider. I have been thinking about selling the Triumph and going to something like this bike, primarily for the lower weight. Also, I am 5'7" tall so the lower seat appeals to me as well. At 77 years of age 0-60 is 4 seconds no longer has the appeal it once had and I don't mind lower performance in my motorcycle. We will see what we will see I guess.

This is exactly the review/comparison video I was looking for. I'm looking to get my first bike, I want to start small and slow and I don't have to go on the highway much for my commutes. I want a cruiser, and I've been looking into rebels for a while. I even took the msf course and got my full endorsement recently. That class was my first time ever riding. I definitely plan on upgrading after a year. My end goal is an Indian scout bobber, but this video has me considering a rebel 1100 down the line as well. I definitely like the rebel 500s look, but I think the 300 would suit me best to begin with. I also want to give my family peace of mind, and my mom doesn't want me on the highway at all when I start riding.

I was definitely planning on getting one of them as my first bike a year ago when I got the Idea about riding. However with the 1100 coming out im gonna go with that. I want a bike that i will want to ride for years to come after getting more riding experience. Plus the 1100 with its changeable modes will give me the power in increments as i gain more riding experience

Great review very helpful

I have a 2011 honda Shadow Phantom. I've been learning so much about it. I've never ridden a bike before, and I'm really loving my bike. I've tried to get my wife into riding it, but I think she's intimidated by the size. I think the rebel 300/500 would be perfect for her. Thanks for the video.

I went with the 300 as my first ride - solely because I found a great deal on it. A 2018, single owner with 131 miles on it. Great pricing. I couldn’t pass it up. The 500 would kick ass. But I think my next step will be the Grom. After that the Z650RS is the step up.

You did a great job with this video. If you have a bigger displacement bike for touring then the 300 makes a nice companion to it for hopping and back roads exploring. If you have to have only one bike for everything then the 500 is the better all-rounder. My 300 is a Suzuki S40. Love the belt drive unique in its class. I'm older and don't want to dick around with chains.

Great video I think I’ll just wait on getting a 500 instead of a 300, I drive a tw200 at the moment but want something to hop on the freeway.

Great analysis.

I own a 2018 Rebel 300 and I totally agree with most of his comments on the bike. Lightweight, but tons of shifting in the city, top speed on a flat freeway is about 85, (I’m 145 lbs) and it takes awkwardly long to accelerate. I will say though that at full throttle the bike does feel like it can go 10-15mph faster if it wasn’t governed, so it does not feel like it’s straining at full throttle. I bought mine with a TBR exhaust already on it, and it was so inappropriately loud that I bought a stock exhaust within a couple weeks of owning the bike. Another thing you should consider is the culture of drivers in your area. I’m in Minneapolis where most drivers are slow and lazy, so I can whiz by them on just a 300. But if you are somewhere like LA or Atlanta you should skip considering the 300 and go straight to 500. The ability to accelerate is definitely something to consider as a safety feature for when you need to evade careless drivers on the freeway. I still love my 300 dearly but because I want more power and the ability to accelerate, I’m considering getting a 500.

Nice video man! I think it’s not about the bike it’s more about ur target. If u have the money for 500 then 500, if not, 300 it’s perfect for the price

BUY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD

Progress like this, bicycle, lightest motorcycle with clutch, 500, liter, pro track. I learned on a 750. Worth it.

Great video!

Def both are great but I'll take the 300 all day! Great video thanks 🙏 🙏 🙏 -Fatboys Motorbikes Bangkok

Thanks on your in sight! I wonder what your buddy who now has the 300 thoughts are on the 300

You kinda convinced me to get the 500. It will be my first bike and i always knew i wanted a rebel but i just assumed the 300 would be better and less intimidating for a beginner. I don’t way a lot im a skinny guy like 6 foot 130 pounds. So i didn’t want to get a heavy bike. But if you say the 500 isn’t that much heavier then i think I’d rather have that one so i don’t get blown away on the highway

I have a 02 Honda rebel 250 i had it since 2019 I'm going to get the Honda rebel 500 for my next motorcycle.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 2018 300 for $3500. I know it doesn't have the shift indicator, but I still think this is the perfect starter bike for me. I'm going to be cruising around country roads with 45-55 mph speed limits, and I'm ok downshifting for power. CAN'T WAIT.

I live in Kentucky, and my 300 rebel does well on moutain hills, actually for a 300 i was very surprised, these mountains didn't slow my bike down at all, don't get me wrong you do shift down a little, but an excellent bike on moutain hills, and valleys.

Thank U. That really helped.

When I test rode the rebel 300, I was surprised how much I disliked it. I owned a cbr125r, then a cbr300r, which both have pretty high redlines. The rebel 300 has a lower tune, and much smaller rev range. I didn't like that feel at all. I would heavily recommend a rebel 500, or a cb300, or cbr300r, if you're set on a 300. I think the cbr300r is a fantastic bike. Revving out the bike is a huge part of the experience for me, so something for you to consider, that you might not otherwise.

I am an old school biker that rode Honda to start . I went Harley - Davidson all the way and rode in a few clubs in my days . Today I am and older , beat up Veteran that retired from the clubs and can't pick up my 684 pound Bagger ( I put 86,980 miles on this one ). It shipped today to my son as he can make it run and ride it . The Honda 300 looks right up my alley right now . Weight is good , I don't need speed either . My right hand is messed up also so braking with foot would be easier to slow down . Been riding motorcycles for for 44 years here . I will look into the 300 for sure to put around town .

I’m very seriously considering getting my motorcycle license and buying a used 300. Thanks for the info man!

since my 1st bike was the Katana 600, I will not go lower than that. I had a shadow 750 man I miss it. now I own a vtx1300. hella nice ride. but I want another shadow vt750. its the size I'm staying on. love the sound. the weight.. loved that vtx but i might sell it , and get a shadow.

I live in an apartment right now but when I get a house and am more settled in, I might get the Honda rebel 500 as my first bike

I’m looking into getting my first bike and I’m leaning towards the 300 based on price I don’t really need the power of the 500 either but if I can get a solid deal on one that might be the move

Great review! Nothing worse than not having enough power on the freeway! That was my main concern about the 500. I'm a pretty safe rider, so if it can cruise at 80 mph I'm good to go. How comfortable is it on a long ride? What's the longest you've ridden it in a day?

Me personally a 'lack of power' is desirable. I just don't have interest in a particularly powerful bike. More power isn't just a list of 'pros' there are tradeoffs for scale.

Just got my license! I practiced on a Yamaha V Star, so the Rebel 300 seems like a good bike that wouldn't feel too different. But you may have sold me on the 500 lol

I live out in the open desert so highway cruising is the main purpose for riding motorcycle, and for that I'm going with the Honda Shadow.

An honest broker! Great video!

I got my first motorcycle like 3 weeks ago and it’s been snowing just often enough to keep my driveway icy as hell. All I want to do is ride

The 1100...

both bikes are great all around bikes. the 300 is awesome for city/back roads cruisin

I’m seriously considering getting my license and first bike. I’ve only ridden dirt bikes so I’m a newbie. Leaning towards the 500 because I’m 5’10 185lbs and not sure if the 300 will get me around.

I started on a older rebel 250. I loved it. I don't currently have a bike but I wanna be getting back into it soon here, so I'm looking at the 500 now. A lot of people call rebels "beginners bikes" or even "girl's bikes", but I honestly love the rebels. I like their look, I like their sound (with a good aftermarket exhaust) and I like how they feel on the road. And they're cheap! Great bikes imo.

Just ordered my Rebel 500 S Edition today. 40 hours until I pick her up! Yew!

I learned to ride with my stepfather who rides a loud Harley which did make shifting more difficult because I couldn't hear my engine. And I had to shift a lot which was annoying.

Sold my 78 Honda hawk 400 back in 1984 .(!got married 😵) . I used to take my 400 everywhere.. rode along with my dad.. on a couple of long trips no problem... he had a Suzuki 500 twin 2 STROKE ! ..Iam NOW . ready to get back into motorcycles.. 500 rebel would be a great bike.. because I definitely would want to do some highway Riding.. to get from CT to upstate NY ..VT ..NH etc

I own the 300 and the 500. I also own a few dirtbikes. Nothing wrong with owning a collection of different tools.

Great review. Your roads look like where I'm from, West Virginia. Where are you?

I loved my 300, but I never went out of the city on the highway. I only rode my bike around town.

The way the 500 engine fills the frame looks so much better, it is the only option lol.

I like the 500 for the same reasons you give, but I'd defo take the 300 if one fell into my lap :)

I'm a first time rider, and I fell in love with the Rebel 500, but I did not KNOW that a Rebel 300 exist, I changed my preference from 500 to 300 because obviously, I'm a newbie rider, and of course, the PRICE, because I'm a little bit stingy, never mind the motor sound of the 300, which is like a sewing machine, LOL! BIG, Thanx for the informative video...from the Philippines with love.

I have a 1985 Rebel 250 and love it

Oh boy! First spring day today. Look a long ride in the sun and went to my girlfriends for lunch and some 103k subscribers cake ;) (44 degrees counts as spring, right?)

Dope intro

I have a Rebel 250. I put a big bore kit on it essentially making it a rebel 300 with 60-70lbs less weight. Jetted the Carb a few sizes up and added a pod filter. im pushing around 25-30hp. Changed the rear sprocket to a 30 from a 33 and front to a 14 to a 15. Ive topped out at 94 mph but i cruise comfortably at 65-75 with no excessive vibration or shaking. That being said im 6ft and 210lbs. Rebels are underrated

Subscribed 😊😊

I've been going back and forth as my first bike.. don't want to out grow it too quick

No motorcycle experience whatsoever. Knows how to drive manual car, went to MSF and got the 500. It is so much fun. Wouldn’t say it is too much nor not enough. Probably wont even use that power as you will lean towards learning and improving your skill more than speeding...for now😅

I bought a 2018 Rebel 300. My first motorcycle. It was great to learn on. (I had ZERO experience) But the single cylinder engine felt like it was going to vibrate apart at high rpm's. REAL bad. It felt like I was riding a power sander, or one of those paint mixers you see at the hardware store. If you're going to ride the bike in suburban/urban places for short periods, it's fine, if you're going to ride aggressively and on highways or country roads, this is not the bike for you. My hands and butt were numb within just a few minutes of country road riding. Also the seat hurt. It felt like I was sitting on a 2x4. Between the vibrations and the seat, it had to go. I didn't mind the low horsepower at all. Being my first bike, I had no idea if all motorcycles vibrated that much. (I knew singles/thumpers vibrated more, but I didn't know by how much) Dealership let me test ride a parallel twin, and it was SO smooth! The Rebel 300 HAD to go. I also wanted to sit more upright with feet back, so I ended up with a Kawasaki Versys 650. But at the end of the day, the 300 served it's purpose as a great bike to learn on.

i'm personally looking at the 300 for 2 reasons, A: i'm living in Thailand for about half a year now and 2-3 Years ago (somewhere in 2020) they made a new Law that you had to get/make an extra "Big-Bike" licence for bikes over 400cc, since i'm quite new to riding a motorcycle or in fact driving anything at all (just made my car and motorcycle licence back to back in 2 weeks, 1 week each) i don't wanted to overkill it from the beginning since the biggest bike yet was the Honda PCX 160. And B: on top of that 400cc limit without the extra licence the maximum speed around here (unless on certain Highways where the limit is higher) the fastest you can go is 90 kph or 55/56 mph, so not that fast and within city limits it's 80 kph or 49/50 mph max. (even tho everyone sticks to the 90 kph anyways) and for that i think going for the extra licence would be unecessary, sure you get about double the amount on power with the 500 compared to the 300 with barely no increase on weight. But on the other hand i usually don't ride on the Highways anyway around here and even so don't ride downtown as well, most of the time i'm sticking to countryside/villages and low traffic roads to cruise around with nice views and no stressful environments. So i think the 300 is gonna be more than enough for that job. I don't wanna overdo it but at least have some sort of Chopper/Bobber Bike to ride with, that has been a dream of mine for a long time now and hopefully towards the end of the year i'll turn that into a reality. xD

I'm looking for a beginner bike. and man it looks sooo fun! I dont need to go 130 km/hr!

I love how he does another one a year later with the 1100.

My second bike, it’ll be neat if Honda comes out with a 700

Thanks!, that’s the opinion I was looking for. Do I get a 300 or a 500?. I’m a new driver at 65, I drove tractors , heavy construction equipment and just about everything but a motorcycle. So purchase a beautiful little Rebel 250 , 2009 with 3,600 miles like new, not a scratch on it . I got y motorcycle endorsement and ready to hit the road. I was thinking to get a bigger one, but I love my little Rebel so I’m faithful to who’s good to me, so after hearing your opinion, I agree it’s about individual taste, I’m getting the 300 because I’m it for the joy of the ride on open air. My wife doesn’t like it, but I assured her that I’m not growing my beard, get tattooed , join a gang and get me a gringa on the road of freedom! So she’s fine with it!, thanks again!… God bless you!

Even though I’m an owner operator at a dealership, I’m still watching this to decide if I want the 300 and 500. It’s nice hearing someone else’s point of view.