Comments on: V-Rage Reverse Rotating V-Twin – 2 Speed Automatic

By: JC

JC — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:56:57 +0000

One advantage of losing the clutch is you can move the rear brake from clumsy foot to finely controlled hand brake!

There have been a few examples of thumb operated rear brakes in racing, and it is an actual advantage.

I’m not sure I would want an automatic or CVT to gain that advantage, but I’m willing to try a test ride!

How would an automatic or CVT effect engine braking?

By: guitargeek

guitargeek — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:55:07 +0000

I’ve said it once before, but it bears repeating now:

Auto… matic??

Why???

I LIKE the fact that one has to learn how to operate a manual transmission in order to ride a motorcycle. It represents a level of commitment.

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 03:33:34 +0000

RH, you’re right about the dimbulb filter, that it doesn’t actually make the bike safer, but I don’t think that’s what you originally said, which is why I said what I said.

I have to wonder about that “downshift or 4 to get out of their own way in an emergency”. You don’t ever need to downshift quickly unless you need a smooth, controlled acceleration immediately after a emergency reduction in speed, one that left no time for matching engine speed and choice of gears. That does happen sometimes, but it’s really extremely rare on the road. (It happens all the time in racing, but I don’t think that’s what you were talking about.) If you were talking about fools who ride around in the wrong gear, well of course you’re right, but such people shouldn’t be riding manual transmission vehicles, and maybe not any vehicles, at all.

I’ve been riding bikes, manual transmissions every one, for almost 40 years, and I still enjoy “stirring a shifter”. However, I don’t enjoy contantly up and down shifting through start and stop traffic. So I wouldn’t ride my bike if that’s all I had to look forward to. A motorcycle is not my only means of transportation, so that’s not a problem. And I am almost never stuck in that kind of traffic, anyway.

SO, I’ll keep enjoying the manual transmissions, thank you.

By: RH

RH — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 03:02:47 +0000

Yes, there’s the “dimbulb filter” effect that manual transmissions have – not a bad thing – but that doesn’t make the BIKE any safer to operate, does it?. Manual advance, hand shifts, kick starts, etc…., dodn’t make bikes any safer to operate, do they? They certainly do keep the RUBS & squids off machines so equiped. Hmmm – maybe there ought to be a law……..

We all know that getting on the throttle can get one out of trouble, right? How many bikes need a downshift or 4 to get out of their own way in an emergency? NOBODY would tolerate a front brake that requires a game of Simon Says before it was effective. An automatic, done right, would downshift far faster than even a prepared rider in such a situation.

That said, the only automatic bike I’ve ridden was the old Honda 750 – I hated it. But that is a terrible example of what is possible here and now.

Stirring a shifter is satisfying in the same sort of way as popping zits – once you outgrow that stage, you don’t want to go back. Which is why I’d rather ride than play flight engineer.

Speeking of which, there was a hilarious article in “Hot Bike” by Buck Lovell around 17 years ago about “Tweet ‘n’ Clangers” – it mostly mocked the whole dysfunctional chopper thing (Yeah, in Hot Bike – no kiddin’), but it applies to a far broader spectrum than anybody wants to admit.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:54:37 +0000

Ah, I get it now. I’ve been riding automatic scooters for several years now and the novelty has worn off. I still enjoy the ease of a CVT around town.