Red Hot Chili Customs Honda CMX500 Rebel

The Red Hot Chili Customs Honda CMX500 Rebel scrambler transforms Honda's entry-level cruiser into a capable off-road-ready machine with a stealth aesthetic. Built from a brand-new Rebel and completed with just 20 km on the clock, it ships with a 2-year warranty and every part replaced for purpose, not decoration.

The Concept

Red Hot Chili Customs (RHCC) took the Honda CMX500 Rebel as a starting point specifically because the platform is mechanically honest and easy to work with, but its stock cruiser geometry fights against scrambler use. The brief was to rebuild it as a stealthy, rough-looking scrambler capable of handling harder terrain, while keeping everything road-legal and warrantied. Every stock part that stayed in place had a reason to remain; every part that left was replaced with something that earned its position.

What Makes It

The stock cruiser bars were replaced with Bates Baja handlebars, reshaping the riding position for standing confidence and tighter trails. Motogadget grips, speedometer, and turn signals bring the cockpit up to current standards with a cleaner, minimal look. RHCC built a custom scrambler seat from scratch because the original Rebel seat, while comfortable, has no place on a bike wearing this silhouette. The front and rear fenders were both replaced with purpose-built custom units capable of handling gravel, mud, and debris without fouling the wheels. Fork covers protect the lower legs from rock strikes. The stock silencer gave way to a Spark unit, with RHCC also fabricating a custom muffler to deepen the engine note. A custom paint job ties everything together: dark, matte, deliberately understated. Bates Baja tires complete the transformation, providing the dual-compound grip needed when the road runs out.

The Build

The base is the Honda CMX500 parallel twin, delivered new from the factory and immediately put into the RHCC workshop. The engine was left mechanically stock, ensuring the 2-year warranty remains intact. With the Spark silencer and custom muffler, the parallel twin sounds substantially more aggressive than the original. The Bates Baja tires give the scrambler a visual stance that matches the aggression of the exhaust note. At 9,500 euros, the RHCC CMX500 Rebel scrambler is one of the most accessible custom builds at TheArsenale, combining factory reliability with bespoke craftsmanship.

Specifications

• Builder: Red Hot Chili Customs (RHCC)
• Base motorcycle: Honda CMX500 Rebel (brand new)
• Mileage: 20 km from new
• Warranty: 2 years
• Handlebars: Bates Baja
• Grips, speedo, turn signals: Motogadget
• Seat: RHCC custom
• Fenders: RHCC custom (front and rear)
• Fork covers: RHCC custom
• Silencer: Spark
• Muffler: RHCC custom
• Tyres: Bates Baja
• Paint: RHCC custom (stealth finish)
• Price: 9,500 EUR

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