The Honda Cruiser with the best fuel consumption in 2025

The word ‘cruiser’ brings to mind a lazy, torquey V-twin, acres of chrome and loud pipes. Add some customization for bonus imagination points. However, nowadays customers also want more convenience. Cruisers make great first bikes because of their low seat height and stable handling. This led to the modern cruiser. For the most part, they have switched to parallel twin engines to reduce cost, complexity and weight. Their chassis is no different from a street bike or sports bike. And riding it is just like riding a modern motorcycle, except for the reduced suspension travel and low seat height.

This is the formula that Honda has used for its modern cruiser range, and therefore also the formula for the best fuel economy. Not only is this the Honda cruiser with the best fuel economy in 2025, this is one of the most fuel-efficient cruisers you can find on the market today!

To give you the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article comes from authoritative sources such as Honda Powersports.

The Rebel 300 is the Honda Cruiser with the best fuel consumption in 2025

Fuel economy: 78 MPG

The Rebel series of cruisers is one of two different cruiser sizes that Honda has for sale today, the other being the Shadow series. The Fury is an independent model with a drivetrain that is more in line with the Shadow series. The Rebels are more modern cruisers, with frames that use the engine as a stressed member, and with a parallel twin engine configuration that they share with other Hondas of various sizes: street bikes, sport bikes and even adventure bikes.

However, the most economical is the smallest, and it is not difficult to understand why. The Rebel 300 is powered by a single-cylinder engine, which offers all the advantages, such as the light weight of a thumper. This means the Rebel 300 offers a whopping 78 MPG, a figure that only a few motorcycles can beat, and no other Honda cruiser can.

Honda Rebel 300 engine

The Rebel 300 is powered by the same single-cylinder engine that powers the CB300R, CBR300R, CRF300L and CRF300L Rally. Honda’s habit of sharing parts and engine tuning between different models means the 286cc liquid-cooled thumper is very sturdy and can take a lot of abuse. It has a similar tune on these models, with the CBR300R sports bike understandably getting a 30bhp tune. The Adventure and Cruiser bikes get a slightly lower power of 27 hp, which means they are good for fuel economy.

Liquid cooling and DOHC make the engine modern

The plea for good fuel consumption is supported by a six-speed gearbox with slipper clutch. The Rebel 300 has liquid cooling and a four-valve DOHC head, but that’s as far as technology goes: the throttle is controlled by cables, so there’s no traction control, quickshifter or riding modes. You get the E-clutch system as standard for MY26, but we’re focusing on the MY25 bike here.

Honda Rebel 300 chassis

The entire Rebel series of cruisers has a number of common features regarding the chassis components. The frame is a tubular steel arrangement that uses the engine as a stressed member, much like a modern motorcycle. The suspension consists of regular telescopic forks at the front and twin shock absorbers at the rear to achieve a low seat height. For the rear you can adjust the preload in two steps.

There is no ABS on the Baby Rebel

The brakes are also simple: a 296mm disc up front with a two-piston floating caliper, and a 240mm disc at the rear with a single-piston caliper. Honda has now discontinued the ABS trim on the Rebel 300. There are 16-inch diameter aluminum wheels at both ends, and Honda has also used aluminum for the subframe.

Honda Rebel 300 Dimensions

Honda Rebel 300 Features

None of Honda’s cruisers have standout features, and that’s the same with the Rebel 300. A circular inverted LCD instrument cluster displays basic information such as speed, fuel level, clock, gear indicator and an odometer and dual trip meters. The warning lights are traditional LEDs under the LCD unit. As a cruiser you don’t actually need more information, although that would have been nice.

A few simple accessories make personalization possible

The pillion seat is an optional extra and costs $155. There is no SE model for the Rebel 300, but like the others there are a few parts, such as the fork guards and headlight cover, that are available separately, and should make it look more like an SE model. The official accessories catalog also includes a 12V socket, a custom seat (which looks like an SE part), adjustable brake lever, tank pads and mounting options for luggage and luggage.

Honda Rebel 300 Competition

The beginner cruiser segment is huge and there is a surprising variety of models available. However, we’ll have to throw out quite a few when looking at fuel economy, as something with two cylinders will never have as much efficiency as something with a single cylinder in this segment. The thirstiest will be those with V-twin engines, such as the Benda Chinchilla 300 ($4,899) and QJ Motor SRV300 ($4,999).

V-twin engines are generally heavier than even parallel twins, which means they require heavier components such as chassis and suspension, all of which are bad for fuel economy. The V-Star 250 doesn’t make as much power as the others, and has a carburetor, which means better fuel economy despite the engine layout. In a similar vein, we’ll have to ditch the CFMoto CL-C 450 ($5,799) because it has 50 percent more displacement and a parallel twin engine.

That leaves us with just one viable option: the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. This is a simple air-cooled thumper and also has one of the largest tank ranges in the industry. Drive it sensibly, and it can go further per gallon than the Rebel 300, which is quite an achievement considering it only has a 5-speed gearbox, an air-cooled engine, and weighs considerably more than the Honda! It is also important to note that of the three models below, only the Royal Enfield currently offers ABS.

Honda Rebel 300 vs Rivals