Comments on: Honda Dual Clutch Transmission – Automatic Shifting for Big Engine Sport Bikes

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:36:48 +0000

To all those ignorant riders. Has any one of you actually considered that this bike will allow riders with disabilities to ride again. I myself permanently lost the use of my left arm in a crash. I’d actually like to ride again some day. So if you don’t like it just don’t buy it.

By: DW

DW — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:20:18 +0000

I think auto bikes will be awesome. Best example to illustrate why auto bikes would work is to look the the 5 series BMW motor vehicle (or similar type). In these cars you have the option of putting the gear lever to one side and then manually shifting like a seqeuntial gearbox, or leave the gear lever in the normal position for fully automatic. I have never ever come across any of my mates or colleagues with these kinds of vehicles who actually use the gear lever in the sequential mode i.e reaching down for every gear change and making it happen yourself. They may have tried it the first day they got the car, but ineviatbly they leave the lever in the fully automatic postition and enjoy the comfort of fully auto. Give Bikers this option and they too will soon tire of shifting themselves and they’ll also learn to leave it over to the electronics.

By: Woodman West

Woodman West — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:18:54 +0000

Yamaha just dropped the AE auto clutch form thier FJR1300 sport touring line.
And it was not becuase it sold so fast they could not keep up with production, if you know what I mean.

If you want an automatic I suggest a minivan. Motorcycles have clutchs.

By: hoyt

hoyt — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:40:57 +0000

agree. There are plenty of people interested in riding, but don’t pursue it further due to shifting. This transmission put into other models could change that demographic. That is a big difference between the Hondamatic and this development. It can appeal to 3 groups of riders depending on the models it goes in…

1. Riders interested in technical developments and quick-shifting application
2. Beginning/returning riders
3. indifferent riders who recognize they can manual shift, quickshift, or auto depending on the circumstance. Many of these riders most likely never intend to wrench on a modern bike at the time of sale, regardless of this transmission. (At least beyond oil changes….and there are thousands of riders that fit that skill level.)

By: Ando

Ando — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 07:47:38 +0000

Hmmm what to think?

I’ve been riding on the street for 26 years and more than 20 of them on GSXRs but the only automatic bikes I ever rode were mopeds and keystone minibikes

I don’t like the idea of people riding sport bikes if they don’t have the coordination or skills to handle a clutch and gears. I’m sorry but I would suggest that they get into something a little tamer than sport biking. I’ve seen too many people crash and burn because they had more dollars than sense and it does nothing good for the motorcycle community at large.

That said, I don’t have a problem with the idea of the automatic tranny. This is along the same line of thought as paddle shifters in race cars and air shifting for drag racers. I worked in a tranny shop many lifetimes ago and there is no way any manual can shift faster than a modern automatic transmission. I’d like to give it a run. I change my own clutches on my current carburetted, oil cooled monsters so I guess this bike isn’t for me but I’d still take it for a good run!