Honda Rebel 250 (pre-2016) Simplified Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Honda Rebel 250 made up to 2016. Before 2017, it was just known as the Honda Rebel because this was the one Rebel for decades (there are now multiple).
The Honda Rebel 250 is a cruiser motorcycle that was Honda’s longest-standing unmodified motorcycle until it was replaced by the single-cylinder Honda Rebel 300 for the 2017 model year. The Rebel 250 a common learner — it’s easy to ride, not boring with its parallel twin engine (usually more fun than a single), and very easy to maintain.
The Rebel 250 has a 234 cc four-stroke air-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine, fed by a constant velocity carburettor, and which sends its power to the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission and chain drive.
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Service Intervals for the Honda Rebel 250
Overall, the Honda Rebel 250 has very simple maintenance intervals of 4000 miles / 6400 km in which you do a number of major items: change the oil, check/replace the spark plug, and check the valve clearances.
Honda recommends cleaning the oil screener every two services, and changing the oil filter every three.
Honda Rebel 250 Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Honda Rebel 250.
Honda indicates rough difficulty levels in servicing different parts of its little Rebel. But it’s really all doable by the home mechanic, other than changing tires and major bearings.
We’ve broken the maintenance schedule into two parts:
- Scheduled maintenance, and
- The “inspection checklist” of places to look for wear, notchy operation, etc.
Honda Rebel 250 Service Schedule
Maintenance Procedures:
- I: Inspect and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace, if necessary
- R: Replace
- L: Lubricate
- C: Clean
Notes:
- At higher odometer readings, repeat the service at the interval shown below.
- Follow the earlier of time-based or distance-based intervals. For example, change the engine oil every 4000 miles/6400 km or 6 months, whichever comes earlier.
- The break-in schedule is not shown.
| mi x 1000 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 6.4 | 12.8 | 19.2 | 25.6 | 32 | 38.4 | Every |
| Inspection checklist (see below) — Inspect all items | I | I | I | ||||
| Engine Oil (Pro Honda GN4 10W-30) | R | R | R | R | R | R | 6 months |
| Engine Oil Strainer Screen | C | C | C | ||||
| Air Cleaner | R | R | More often if riding in rain or dust | ||||
| Valve Clearances | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Crankcase Breather (if fitted) | C | C | C | C | C | C | More often if riding in rain / or riding hard |
| Spark Plugs (NGK CR6HSA) Gap: 0.6-0.7 mm / 0.024-0.028 in | I | R | I | R | I | R | |
| Engine Idle Speed Target: 1400 rpm +/- 100 Adjust with carburettor screw if accessible. | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Evaporative Emission Control System (if fitted) | I | ||||||
| Brake Fluid (Honda DOT 4) | I | I | R | I | I | R | 2 years: Replace |
| Brake Shoes/Pads Wear | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Clutch System | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Wheels/Tires | I | I | I | I | I | I |
Honda Rebel 250 inspection checklist
| Inspection checklist |
|---|
| Fuel Lines — Check condition |
| Throttle — Check smooth operation and free play. Lubricate |
| Carburetor Choke — Check function |
| Brake System — Make sure it works |
| Brake Light Switch — Ensure brake lights come on |
| Headlight Aim — Check, adjust |
| Side Stand — Check smooth operation, lubricate |
| Suspension — Check for smooth operation and no leaks |
| Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners — Inspect for tightness |
| Steering Head Bearings — Inspect for smooth operation |
Maintaining Your Chain on the Honda Rebel 250
It’s important to maintain your chain on the Rebel 250, as on any chain-driven motorcycle. Use a good-quality chain lubricant like Motul chain paste, or a Motul chain care kit which comes with a couple of handy tools to maintain the chain.
Honda recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule:
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary | 500 mi / 800 km |
| Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary Target slack: 15-25 mm (9/16-1 inch) | 500 mi / 800 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your Rebel 250 in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
To check the chain slack, use a steel ruler and measure slack in the middle part of the chain when it’s on a level surface. Check it in a few parts (moving the motorcycle around) as slack is never even.
If the chain slack is out of spec, adjust it with this procedure.
Place the transmission in Neutral. Stop the engine.
- Place your motorcycle on the side stand on a level surface.
- Loosen the rear axle nut.
- Loosen the lock nuts for the adjusting nuts on both sides.
- Turn both adjusting nuts an equal number of turns until you get the correct slack. Turn the adjusting nuts clockwise to tighten the chain. Turn the adjusting nuts counterclockwise and push the rear wheel toward the front to add more slack.
- Check the slack as you go along.
- Check rear axle alignment by checking the chain adjuster index on each side. They should be the same.
- Tighten the rear axle nut. (Torque: 65 lb-ft (88 Nm)
- Tighten the drive chain adjusting nuts lightly, then hold the adjusting nuts and tighten the lock nuts.
- Recheck drive chain slack when you’re done.
Also check the rear brake pedal. It’s possible that you might need to adjust its position if it’s interfering with the chain.
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Honda Rebel 250
The Honda Rebel 250 has the following tires and tyre sizes standard, and these recommended tire pressures.
The Rebel 250 takes tubed tires.
| Tyre | Size | Brand(s) (tubed tyres) | Tyre pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 3.00-18 47P | BRIDGESTONE L303A DUNLOP F11 | 29 psi (200 kPa) |
| Rear | 130/90-15M/C 66P | BRIDGESTONE G508 DUNLOP K627 | 29 psi (200 kPa) |
About the Honda Rebel 250 / CMX250C
The Honda Rebel 250 — or as it was known back then, just the “Honda Rebel”, is/was a classic and practical cruiser powered by ancient technology… though still more modern than some cruisers out there.
The Rebel 250 has a 234 cc, four-stroke, air-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine which sends its power to the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission.
It is also worthy of being mentioned that the engine delivers average fuel consumption of around 70 mpg and is fed by a constant-velocity (CV) carburettor. That’s really good consumption for a carburettor-fed air-cooled motorcycle!
The Honda Rebel’s high ride quality is assures by a front 33 mm fork that has 4.6 inches of wheel travel, and rear dual shocks with 2.9 Inches of wheel travel.
Whether you’re looking for classic cruiser styling, a fuel-efficient commuter, or flat-out fun, all roads lead to the Rebel. The engine’s modest power delivery is easy enough for new riders, yet powerful enough for more experienced motorcyclists (who maybe don’t want to flog their bikes to the moon).
The Rebel 250 also has a very confidence-inspiring low seat height, a five-speed transmission that’s pretty much foolproof, and an electric starter.
Manual for the Honda Rebel 250
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Honda Rebel 250.
The above maintenance schedule reflects recent manuals for the Rebel 250 and a more modern understanding of maintenance requirements. Earlier schedules were a bit stricter with inspection requirements. See the screenshots below.
Compare these with the screenshots from the earlier 1986 manual. Very little has changed, other than a slight re-definition of the distance interval (3.75 mile / 6000 km in the earlier manual, which was probably basing it on the metric distance and then converting, whereas the later US manual is basing it on the imperial distance and then converting).
But otherwise, the schedule is the much same: change the oil every service, check or replace the spark plug, and check the valve clearances.
The earlier manual does suggest
You can download it from Honda Powersports.
