2022 Honda Rebel 1100 Vs. 2021 Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200: A Detailed Comparison

The 2021 Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 is one of the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100’s closest competitors. Both the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 and 2021 Harley Sportster Iron 1200 are stylish and reliable cruisers. However, the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has several advantages, including more horsepower and speed, a sixth gear, and more lightweight than the Harley Iron 1200.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is also cheaper than the 2021 Harley Iron 1200. The Iron 1200 has better looks, quality build, and better holding value than the Rebel 1100. This article provides a detailed comparison between the Honda Rebel 1100 and the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 model has not changed or upgraded much from the 2021 model, except for a new colour scheme and a slightly higher price. It has a large engine size and produces horsepower best suited for experienced riders. The Rebel 1100 is installed with the same parallel-twin engine installed on the Honda Africa Twin CRF1100L.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 comes with an ABS, cruise control, and four riding modes, including Sport, Rain, Standard, and User mode. If you want an all-around cruiser that is reliable, affordable, and equipped with advanced rider safety features, then the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is an ideal option. Honda launched the Rebel 1100 in two different trims: the Rebel 1100 and the Rebel 1100 DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission).

The Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 is an entry-level Harley motorcycle. Despite having a 1202 cc engine, it does not produce much horsepower and torque and is ideal for customization. A narrow design, low seat height, and nimble handling make it a good beginner motorbike. The 2021 Iron 1200’s design draws inspiration from the style and colour schemes of 1970s Harley Davidson motorcycles.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is powered by a 1084 cc liquid-cooled Parallel-Twin engine. It can produce a horsepower of 86 hp at 7,000 rpm and a torque of 97.62 Nm at 4,750 rpm. The Rebel 1100 has a smaller engine than the Iron 1200 but can produce almost a similar torque and 30% more horsepower.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is fitted with an upgraded flywheel, which has 31% more inertia and enhances its low-speed performance. The Rebel 1100’s ignition and SOHC valve train timing have also been revised.

Honda has previously produced the Rebel in 300 and 500 cc variants, which were excellent beginner motorcycles. But with the Rebel 1100, Honda successfully produced an affordable high-performance cruiser. This motorcycle can easily be used for short- and long-distance trips at highway speeds.

In 2021, Honda also introduced a separate model with a DCT transmission. It offered better safety due to a ride-by-wire throttle and an HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control) filter being installed. This filter balances the spinning of both the rear and front wheels.

Transmission

The Honda Rebel 1100 comes with a stock six-speed transmission. If you are a beginner looking for a simple riding experience, then the Honda Rebel 1100 DCT is the best option. By flipping a switch on the handlebars, the automatic transmission can be turned on and allowing you to twist and go.

The Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 is powered by a 1202 cc air-cooled V-Twin engine. It can produce a torque of 98.97 Nm at 3,500 rpm and a horsepower of 60 hp.

The 2021 Harley Iron 1200 does not have certain safety features, including traction or cruiser control. The Iron 1200 does not have an ABS installed as a standard feature, but can be added with an additional fee of $795.

The Harley Davidson Iron 1200 is better suited for short rides and city travel due to its engine providing a reliable low-end torque. The Harley Iron 1200 is fitted with a five-speed gearbox that delivers power to the rear wheel via a belt drive.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 can attain a top speed of 140 mph thanks to its low weight and powerful specs. Meanwhile, the Harley Iron 1200 can attain a top speed of 118 mph.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 and 2021 Harley Sportster Iron 1200 provide smooth riding experiences and nimble handling. The Harley Iron 1200 has a narrower design and its engine is capable of producing low-end torque. A rider can easily manoeuvre this motorcycle on straight or curvy roads.

The Honda Rebel 1100 has far better handling thanks to its low weight, low centre of gravity, and compact engine design. The Rebel 1100 is also 34.93 kg lighter than the Iron 1100.

2022 Honda Rebel 1100’s Gear Shifting

The standard Honda Rebel 1100 has smooth gear shifts. However, the DCT version has clunky and mistimed downshifting. The Honda DCT is a proven and reliable system, but most motorcycle riders are used to a manual transmission. Not being able to control the transmission is not an appealing feature to expert riders. At highway speeds, the DCT does not allow riders to shift to higher gears to increase speed as it is programmed to stay within a safe speed range.

However, it is possible for riders to switch to manual transmission mode, allowing them to shift gears manually. The soft clutch operation also makes the Honda Rebel 1100 DCT beginner-friendly.

2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200’s Gear Shifting

The Harley Davidson Iron 1200 provides smooth gear shifting but lacks the sixth gear necessary to tour at highway speeds.

Fuel Economy and Fuel Tank Capacity

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 and the 2021 Harley Sportster Iron 1200 have small fuel tanks not ideal for touring and longer rides. The Honda Rebel 1100 has a slightly bigger fuel tank capacity of 3.6 gals. Meanwhile, the Harley Iron 1200 has a fuel tank capacity of 3.3 gals. However, the 2021 Harley Iron 1200 has a better fuel economy of 48 mpg, while the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has a mileage of 41 mpg.

2022 Honda Rebel 1100

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 comes with a 43 mm front fork towards the front and dual Showa shocks along with piggyback pressurized reservoirs towards the rear. The front suspension provides a wheel travel of 4.8 inches, while the rear suspension provides a wheel travel of 3.7 inches.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100’s springs offer a comfortable riding experience and farther wheel travel than the Iron 1200. However, the seat, mid-mounted foot control, and forward riding position offer little comfort over long distances. Riding the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 for more than an hour will cause lower back pain.

2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200

The Harley Davidson Iron 1200 is fitted with 39 mm inverted forks towards the front and an adjustable spring towards the rear. The front suspension provides a wheel travel of 3.6 inches, while the rear suspension provides a wheel travel of 1.6 inches.

The Harley Davidson Iron 1200’s shorter wheel travel offers smooth rides only on paved roads due to the emulsion shock technology.

2022 Honda Rebel 1100

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is fitted with a 330 mm full-floating disc with a radial-mounted four-piston calliper towards the front and a 256 mm disc with a single calliper towards the rear. The Honda Rebel 1100 also comes with ABS and traction control to ensure better safety.

2021 Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200

The Harley Davidson Iron is fitted with a 300 mm single disc with a dual-piston calliper towards the front and a 260 mm disc with a dual-piston calliper towards the rear. The ABS is an optional feature that can be added to the Harley Iron 1200.

Despite being built with ABS, traction control, cruise control, and the latest safety features, the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is still more affordable than the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200.

The Honda Rebel 1100 has a naked and sporty look. According to various reviews, its design is not as appealing as the Harley Iron 1200. The Rebel 1100’s appearance has been compared to a cruiser combined with a street bike. The Honda Rebel 1100 may not be the most stylish motorcycle but it makes up for that with good performance, comfortability, and price.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 comes with all LED lights. Meanwhile, the Iron 1200 only has an LED tail light. The Rebel 1100 has a small bobber-style front fender and a classic average-sized rear fender where the tail light, rear turn signals, and licence plate bracket are mounted.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 can be customised with aftermarket accessories to improve the cruiser’s comfortability and touring capabilities.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 has a classic cruiser look with a narrow design, a small nose fairing, and a solo rider seat. Its colour schemes draw inspiration from the 1970s bobber looks. Most of the Iron 1200’s parts, including the engine, wheels, nose fairing, and mufflers, are blacked out.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has round handlebar-mounted side mirrors. The handlebars do not come with high-risers and are not swept-back which ensures a forward riding position.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 has modified teardrop-shaped handlebar-mounted side mirrors. The Harley Iron 1200 is fitted with tall mini-ape handlebars.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is fitted with modern stylish exhaust pipes. This motorcycle has two exhaust pipes enclosed in a single blacked-out muffler. Meanwhile, the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 has blacked-out staggered headers and exhaust with slash-cut mufflers.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has stylish blacked-out wheels covered in a 130/70-18 front tire and a wider 16-inch rear tire. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 is fitted with blacked-out nine-spoked wheels covered in a 100/90B19 57H front tire and a 150/80B16 77H rear tire.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has a teardrop-shaped fuel tank in metallic colour schemes installed at an elevated angle to better fit the motorcycle’s frame. Meanwhile, the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 has a narrow peanut-shaped fuel tank with a paint scheme that draws inspiration from the 1970s fuel tank graphics.

As far as padding and comfort, the Honda Rebel 1100’s seat does not offer much comfort during long-distance travel. The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has a seat height of 27.5 inches, which can accommodate all kinds of riders.

The Harley Davidson Iron 1200’s solo rider seat is a little flat and offers little back support. It has a seat height of 25.7 inches which makes it ideal for shorter riders.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is a powerful lightweight motorcycle. The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has a wet weight of 220.9 kg. Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 has a wet weight of 255.83 kg.

The Rebel 1100’s low overall weight and centre of gravity make the Rebel 1100 easy to handle, especially for beginners. Despite its narrow design, the Iron 1200 is a heavyweight motorcycle due to the heavy metal parts used in its construction.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 comes with mid-mounted foot controls, which puts the rider’s shin and thighs perpendicularly to each other. This leg position is not ideal for a cruiser because it offers little comfort for taller riders. However, because of the high arm position, there is enough legroom available for taller riders.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200’s leg position is best suited for shorter riders because of its mid-mounted foot control and limited legroom. However, the handlebars are positioned high enough to provide space for taller riders to adjust their knees.

A rider with an inseam of 32 inches can enjoy a comfortable, continuous ride travelling through the city. However, for longer rides, the rider will have to take frequent breaks to relax and stretch his/her knees.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100’s handlebars are at a low height because of the short handlebar risers and non-swept back design. The rider has to extend his/her arms and lean slightly forward to reach the handlebars, but its low height puts the arms below shoulder level.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200’s handlebars are high-mounted thanks to its tall handlebar risers. However, the rider can comfortably reach the swept back-angle handlebars with his/her arms resting below shoulder level.

The Honda Rebel 1100’s mid-mounted foot control and low-mounted handlebars ensure a relaxed riding position, especially for average riders. The Rebel 1100 offers an upright back position for average riders, but shorter riders will have to lean slightly forward. The spacious rider triangle ensures a balance between sporty ergonomics and laidback cruiser comfort.

The 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 also has an upright riding position with its mid-mounted foot controls, high-mounted handlebars, and low seat height. When riding the Iron 1200, your arms are positioned slightly higher than the Rebel 1100.

The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 is more technologically advanced than the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200. The Rebel 1100 has ABS, traction control, throttle by wire, and all LED lights that come to a base price of $9,399. The Honda Rebel 1100 DCT model comes at a base price of $9,999.

Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 comes at a base price of $10,249. To include an ABS requires paying an additional $795. Colour schemes other than black requires paying an additional $350.

Overall, with the ABS included, the 2021 Harley Iron 1200 costs $1,645 more than the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100.

The Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 is an ideal beginner motorcycle. This lightweight motorcycle does not produce much horsepower which makes it easy for beginners to handle. Also, it is one of the cheapest motorcycles in the Harley Davidson lineup.

The Honda Rebel 1100’s engine size and performance are suited for long-distance rides and touring. However, the level of comfort can be improved by attaching aftermarket parts available at Viking Bags. The stock seat is uncomfortable on longer rides and can be replaced with a more comfortable seat with extra cushioning along with rider and passenger backrests.  

The Honda Rebel 1100 is an intermediate and expert-level motorcycle capable of producing high torque and horsepower. Its 1084 cc engine is too powerful for beginners to handle. Beginners should preferably ride motorcycles with 125-500 cc engines.

Yes, the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has a traction control system, along with four different riding modes. Other than the Sports, Rain, and Standard modes, the Honda Rebel 1100 also has a User mode that allows the rider to manually set riding preferences, including power output, braking, gear shifts, and intervention by the traction control system.

Both the 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 and the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200 have sporty designs, mid-mounted foot controls, and upright riding positions. The 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 has better overall performance, safety features, more reliable, and cheaper than the 2021 Harley Davidson Iron 1200.

Meanwhile, the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 is a very popular motorbike among beginners and women riders. It has unique and aggressive cruiser ergonomics and vintage colour schemes. Both the Honda Rebel 1100 and the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 offer good handling and are comfortable during shorter rides and city travel. However, both motorcycles lack comfort on tours and longer rides.

To transform the Honda Rebel 1100 and the Harley Davidson Iron 1200 into touring motorbikes, Viking Bags has different aftermarket parts available. To improve carrying capacity, Viking Bags has different LUGGAGE options, including SADDLEBAGS and SISSY BAR BAGS. If you want to completely change the look and feel of your Harley Iron 1200, Viking Bags has specially designed SADDLEBAGS, CRASH BARS, FAIRINGS, SEATS,  HANDLEBARS, and SISSY BARS.