Summer has come to an end, and it is finally time for information on new models for next year.
The focus for 2023 will be Honda's CL250 & CL500. It is rumored to be a scrambler version of the Rebel 250 and Rebel 500, which have been exceptionally successful in recent years.
The scrambler is an old-fashioned off-road style that has become popular even today when neo-classic models are in full swing. If it is based on the very popular Rebel, the CL is sure to be a big hit!
Written: Best Car Editorial Department, CG: SHINGRAPHIC, Photos: HONDA
This article was originally published in Best Car Web on September 2, 2022.
New Scrambler debuts on the 60th anniversary of the original CL72 Scrambler
Scrambler is the name for an on-road motorcycle that has been adapted for off-road riding, a genre of motorcycle that became popular in the 1960s when there were no dedicated off-road models. The scrambler is still in the limelight today, even though neo-classic models are now well established, and new models with a strong emphasis on fashion rather than off-road performance are now being released by various companies.
The CL250 & CL500, which Honda is informed will be released in 2023, will be positioned the same way, and will be based on the cruiser Rebel 250 & Rebel 500. Scramblers of the 1960s were based on high-performance sports models, but modern scramblers are more style oriented, so there should be no problem if they are based on cruisers.
It is unknown at this time what the CL250 & CL500 will look like, but based on images of patents Honda has applied for in the past, it is likely that they will be equipped with an up-type exhaust system. Scramblers of the past have traditionally used an up exhaust system, and the CL250 & CL500 will probably follow suit.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Honda CL72 scrambler, launched in 1962. Perhaps in honor of this, the CL250 was rumored to be released this fall. However, with the production of many models delayed, the CL250 is now likely to go on sale in 2023. Still, we expect an official announcement at the new car show this fall.
CG of the expected Honda CL250 Scrambler, based on the Rebel 250, with larger diameter front and rear wheels and an upswept exhaust system. It is expected to enjoy a sportier ride than the Rebel 250.
based Rebel 250: It debuted in 2017 and became an exceptionally successful model, a bestseller for four consecutive years starting in 2018. Its greatest feature is its low seat height, which makes it easy to get a good footing.
Like the Rebel, a double lineup of 250 and 500 is a certainty.
Up to this point, we have dared to emphasize the two displacements as CL250 & CL500, but just as with the Rebel 250 & 500, we can expect to see two different lineups, one with a regular license and one with a large license. The Rebel 250 and 500 actually share the same frame, suspension, and body parts, and the engine has been switched to increase the number of models.
The method used was to use the same frame with only the engine mount changed so that a 250cc single-cylinder engine and a 500cc twin engine could be mounted. In addition, a 300cc version is also available overseas, allowing variations to be developed for various segments while keeping costs down.
As for the CL250 & CL500, the images in the patent suggest that the main frame is similar to the Rebel 250 & 500 and that different engines can be installed. In addition, as if to back this up, the information is that the CL will be available in 250cc and 500cc, just like the Rebel, so this is good news for both regular and large license riders.
Especially in the current lineup for regular motorcycle licenses, the scrambler model from a Japanese manufacturer is the only one and only one. In addition, it is the only scrambler and neo-classic model in the 250cc class that does not require vehicle inspections, so it is likely that orders will flood in the absence of rivals.
The image of the patent filed by Honda in 2018 shows the silhouette of the vehicle in scrambler form. It's got a Rebel-style frame, large-diameter wheels, and an upswept exhaust system.
Feature map of equipment of Rebel 250 on the left and Rebel 500 on the right.
You can clearly see that they use almost the same parts except for the engine and exhaust system (orange and blue parts).
How well known is CL in Honda's revival series
The scrambler genre has its roots in desert racing, which was popular in the United States, a country with a vast land area. Modified versions of British road models were active, and American Honda Motor Company, which had just been established in 1959, requested a model that could compete with these models, and development of this model began.
When the overwhelmingly high-performance CB72 was launched in 1961, the decision was made to use it as the basis for an off-road version. A new rigid single-cradle frame was designed, power output characteristics were improved at low and medium speeds, and the front and rear wheels were enlarged from the CB72's 18-inch to 19 inches.
This was Honda's first off-road model, and in the 1970s, the name was changed from CL to SL and XL, shifting to a more off-road-oriented model. As a result, the CL name died out in the early 1970s, and its role was short-lived.
Later, in 1998, the CL400 was released to take advantage of the street custom boom, but it was short-lived, lasting only a generation. Among the past, Honda brands that have been revived one after another in recent years, such as the Hawk 11, CT125 Hunter Cub, and Daks 125, the CL's name recognition is not as widespread as it should be. Will it really establish itself as a popular model?
The CL72 Scrambler, launched in 1962, was a completely redesigned version of the CB72's frame, which had been a backbone frame. The 247cc parallel twin-cylinder engine had its cell starter removed to reduce weight.
If the CL72 was the original off-road, this CB72 is positioned as the original supersport. It was developed to meet the demand for Asama Volcano races in Japan and from the U.S. and was released in 1960.
The CL72 Scrambler was renamed CL250 in 1968, and its interior was fully remodeled based on the CB250 Export launched in the same year. This was the last 250cc CL.
The CB250 Export was the base for the CL250. The parallel two-cylinder engine was a vertical type, and the maximum output was increased to 30 PS. The CL250, on the other hand, had 27 PS and was designed to focus on low and medium speeds (photo: 350 of the same model).
CL400 was released in 1998. It was not intended for full-scale off-road driving, but rather for fashion. Since the full-fledged street custom boom started in 2000, it may have been a little too far ahead of its time.
The CL was originally based on the CB, and the 400 saw the debut of the CB based on it after the CL. The CB400SS debuted as a successor to the dud CL400 and competed with the SR400.
