Honda Rebel 500 vs Kawasaki Vulcan S vs Benelli 502C in Bali: which cruiser to rent

At a glance

All three have a parallel-twin engine, a six-speed manual gearbox, ABS and a low seat. The Rebel 500 weighs about 190 kg, with a seat at about 690 mm and a tank of about 11 litres. The Vulcan S is the heaviest at about 225 kg, with a seat at about 705 mm and a tank of about 14 litres. The Benelli 502C weighs about 217 kg, has a seat at about 750 mm, a wide rear tyre and a tank of about 21 litres.

Riding in Bali traffic

The low seat is a cruiser's big advantage in Bali: on all three, most riders can put both feet flat on the ground at a stop, which makes the queues of Canggu, Seminyak and Kuta far less tiring. The limits are the long wheelbase and the low ground clearance. U-turns in narrow lanes take more room than on a scooter or a naked bike, and Bali's many speed bumps have to be taken slowly.

The Rebel 500 is the easiest of the three in town: the lightest, the lowest and the most compact. The Vulcan S carries noticeably more weight, which you feel when parking and pushing it backwards, but once moving it is calm and confident. The Benelli is planted and stable, yet heavy at walking pace, and its seat is the highest of the three. In the tight lanes around Berawa and Batu Bolong, all three are more work than a scooter.

Two-up and luggage

All three come with two helmets and a phone holder and can carry a passenger, but a cruiser is built around the rider. The passenger seat is smaller than on an adventure bike, so an hour or two along the coast is pleasant, while a full day two-up gets tiring for the person behind you. The Vulcan S, with the strongest engine, carries two people with the least effort; the Rebel 500 does it fine at a relaxed pace; the Benelli stays steady two-up thanks to its weight.

None of them has real luggage space, so plan on a backpack or a small soft bag. The low seat helps here too: with both feet down it is easier to hold the bike steady while your passenger gets on.

Hills, Kintamani and long rides

Be honest about your route. Cruisers are at home on the coast: the roads to Tanah Lot and along the west coast, the bypass to Sanur, the run down to Uluwatu. A long climb on a main road, for example up to the Kintamani rim, is possible for an experienced rider who takes it slowly; all three engines have plenty of pulling power. What cruisers dislike are tight switchbacks and narrow, broken roads, such as many routes around Munduk or Sidemen: the long wheelbase makes hairpins awkward, and the low clearance does not get along with potholes and uneven village roads.

If the mountains are the main point of your trip, the Honda CB500X or Kawasaki Versys 650 is the better tool. The cruisers, like the CB500X and Versys, are tarmac bikes; for dirt tracks and trails rent one of our enduro bikes, the KLX 230 or the CRF150L. On long descents brake early and let the engine help; the heavier Vulcan S and Benelli need a little more distance to slow down.

Who should rent which

• Rent the Honda Rebel 500 if you want the easiest cruiser: lightest, lowest seat, a natural first cruiser for riders with manual experience and for shorter riders. We have several versions in different finishes.
• Rent the Kawasaki Vulcan S if you want the strongest engine of the three and plan longer coastal rides, also with a passenger.
• Rent the Benelli 502C if you want the bold power-cruiser look with a fat rear tyre and the largest tank, and you are comfortable with a heavier bike.

To rent you only need a passport. All three are manual motorcycles, and to ride them legally in Indonesia you need a national licence that includes the motorcycle category plus an International Driving Permit; we can help arrange the IDP through our partner International Drivers Association. If you have never ridden a bike with a clutch, a cruiser in Bali traffic is not the place to learn. Delivery and pickup are free within 20 km of our Kerobokan office on rentals of 3 days or more. If you change your mind mid-rental, a swap costs 100,000 IDR for washing and preparing the bike.

Fuel and running

All three engines are bigger than 250cc, so they need Pertamax Turbo 98. Pertalite is not allowed on any of our bikes. Not every small station sells Turbo, so fill up at larger Pertamina stations rather than from roadside bottles.

Range differs a lot. The Benelli's tank of about 21 litres gives it the longest reach; the Rebel's tank of about 11 litres is the smallest, so on a long coastal day plan a fuel stop. Servicing during the rental is done in our own workshop in Kerobokan; message us on WhatsApp if a warning light comes on or something feels wrong.

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