An oddball selection this week, with a Ducati x Lamborghini limited edition, an electrified Kawasaki G3, a Super73 e-bike given the BMX treatment by ICON, and a range of pet toys from ? Indian Motorcycle. Let?s start with the most conventional news, which is the release of the new Honda Rebel 1100 cruiser.

Honda Rebel 1100 The rumor mill has been in overdrive about this bike for a while, and it?s finally broken cover. The biggest ever Rebel uses a modified version of the current liquid-cooled Africa Twin engine, and if you hate gearchanging, you can specify it with a DCT transmission rather than a conventional six speed ?box.

On paper it, looks good. Curb weight is a reasonable 487 pounds (220 kilos) and the seat height is just 27.5 inches. Power output is a hefty 87 horses, cruise control is standard, and the price is a remarkable $9,299 for the six-speed manual. That?s $700 less than the Harley Sportster Iron 1200 and over $3,000 less than the ABS version of the Indian Scout. The downside to the bargain" The styling doesn?t fit the established American cruiser genre, and that?s going to put some buyers off.

Honda knows it too: ?Since the Rebel 1100 out performs just about any cruiser, we didn?t fall into the trap of just making it look like grandpa?s sled either. Forget the chrome-and-fringe bling: this Rebel is a whole new take on how a cruiser should look.?
It?s a brave move from Honda. The new Rebel will almost certainly be great to ride, and it?ll have H...