{"id":10973,"date":"2024-08-01T18:28:06","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T18:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/the-argument-for-automatic-motorcycles\/"},"modified":"2024-08-01T18:28:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T18:28:06","slug":"the-argument-for-automatic-motorcycles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/the-argument-for-automatic-motorcycles\/","title":{"rendered":"The Argument for Automatic Motorcycles"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Times<\/p>\nTimes are a-changin\u2019. Automatics are popping up everywhere, including this year\u2019s Erzbergrodeo hard enduro. (KTM\/)<\/caption>\n

Aside from electrification and Euro 5 regulations, few topics get riders up in arms quite like the automatic motorcycle. A quick glance at any online forum or comments section and you\u2019ll find no shortage of strong opinions about automatic motorcycles and those who ride them.<\/p>\n

The talking points vary wildly, but you typically end up with two camps: those who have ridden automatics and love them, and those who believe the deep state is conspiring to kill the manual transmission. The latter are generally the more entertaining to read, so here are a few of my favorite examples:<\/p>\n

\u201cAn automatic motorcycle isn\u2019t a real motorcycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one cares about automatic motorcycles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cElectronic aids are coddling our youth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAutomatic motorcycles are taking our jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAutomatic motorcycles are an affront to traditional family values.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAutomatic motorcycles are for limp-wristed men and cat lovers.\u201d<\/p>\n

You get the idea.<\/p>\n

Are they really so bad? Are they really so offensive<\/i>? Are they actually bad at all, in any way<\/i>?<\/p>\n

\"What\u2019s<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s not to love here? (Jeff Allen\/)<\/caption>\n

Love it or hate it, the writing is on the wall and the age of the automatic two-wheeler is fast approaching. Honda is expanding its shift-optional offerings with both DCT and its new E-Clutch<\/a> system; Yamaha has unveiled its own clutchless Y-AMT; BMW has confirmed an auto-option for the big GS (read the Does BMW Motorrad Want to Kill the Clutch Lever?<\/a> article); and KTM<\/a> even took an automatic prototype to the races at this year\u2019s Erzbergrodeo.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always found the controversy something of a mystery. Seems simple enough: If you don\u2019t want one, don\u2019t buy one. The thought of an automatic motorcycle never particularly appealed to me, but I never had any strong feelings on the topic either. If you are an automatic transmission advocate, check out the Best Automatic Motorcycles of 2024<\/a> and The Best Automatic Motorcycles Available in 2023<\/a> articles.<\/p>\n

\"Honda<\/p>\nHonda says nearly 70 percent of its recent Rebel 1100 sales have been equipped with DCT. (Honda\/)<\/caption>\n

Earlier this year, however, I got a chance to spend a month with a modern automatic via the new Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT<\/a>. In short, I learned that it\u2019s a hell of a bike, but I also learned that an automatic transmission comes with some unexpected perks.<\/p>\n

Below I\u2019ll dive into why I think automatics deserve a second look, as well as some common misconceptions I often read about them. Before I get into the nitty-gritty, though, I\u2019d like to take a moment to recap how we got here\u2026<\/p>\n

A Brief History of the Automatic Motorcycle<\/p>\n

Automatics have been around for a while in one form or another, but the first notable example goes to Honda\u2019s early \u201cHondamatic\u201d models. The Hondamatic was a simple torque-converter two-speed transmission, which used a standard foot pedal to swap between a high and a low range.<\/p>\n

This system originally premiered on Honda\u2019s popular CB750 four-cylinder in 1976, then later became available on the smaller CB400 Hawk in 1978. In both instances the Hondamatics were intended to attract newer, inexperienced riders to the sport, but they ultimately found little fanfare and were dropped from the Honda lineup by the early \u201880s. To the best of my knowledge, the only noteworthy example ever built is the one that ended up on the cover of Prince\u2019s Purple Rain<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\nAn early advertisement for original \u201cHondamatic\u201d CB750A. (Honda\/)<\/caption>\n

The Hondamatic\u2019s poor showing at the dealership put the automatic concept on ice for an entire generation of riders. Clutch-free motorcycling would be resigned to minibikes<\/a> and scooters<\/a> for the next 20-plus years.<\/p>\n

That all changed in 2006 when Yamaha introduced a fresh new take on the clutchless two-wheeler in an unlikely place: its flagship FJR1300 touring bike<\/a>. Unlike the Hondamatics of old, Yamaha opted for a traditional gearbox with an automatic clutch system called Yamaha Chip Controlled Shift, or YCC-S.<\/p>\n

\"Quite<\/p>\nQuite possibly the only cool Hondamatic to ever hit the street. (Courtesy Image\/)<\/caption>\n

Yamaha\u2019s YCC-S still required the rider to select a gear using their left foot or a handlebar-mounted switch, but the clutch work itself was entirely automated. The system was smooth and effective once you got the bike rolling, but also a bit clunky from a stop and made low-speed U-turns a challenge.<\/p>\n

The following year Aprilia surprised us all by releasing its Mana 850<\/a>, which paired an Italian V-twin engine with a CVT transmission. The 2007 Mana 850<\/a> is arguably the first full-sized motorcycle with a truly automatic transmission, though Aprilia also gave riders a \u201cmanual shift\u201d option, which allowed clutchless sequential shifting through seven simulated gears.<\/p>\n

\"Yamaha<\/p>\nYamaha flirted with shift assist on its FJR1300 sport-tourer for several years. (\u00a9Motorcyclist\/)<\/caption>\n

Honda followed suit in 2008 with the release of its CVT-equipped DN-01<\/a>, an unholy wedding of a cruiser<\/a>, a sportbike<\/a>, and a scooter that no one asked for. The DN-01 is best left in the annals of obscure motorcycle history where it belongs, but Honda\u2019s next innovation would prove much more consequential.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s first dual-clutch motorcycle transmission hit the scene in 2010 in the form of Honda\u2019s all-new VFR1200F<\/a>, and completely changed the conversation around the automatic two-wheeler. For the first time, riders were looking at clutch-free riding as a performance feature rather than a compromise in the name of convenience.<\/p>\n

\"<i>Motorcyclist<\/i>\u2019s<\/p>\n<i>Motorcyclist<\/i>\u2019s first test of Honda\u2019s redesigned VFR was on a racetrack, and the DCT felt right at home. (Motorcyclist\/)<\/caption>\n

DCT didn\u2019t exactly take the motorcycling world by storm, but its combination of convenience-meets-performance proved potent enough to win a steady stream of converts. The VFR was too pricey for your average enthusiast, but as a proof of concept, it was a clear success.<\/p>\n

So much so, in fact, that by 2012 Honda made the decision to offer its budget-friendly NC700<\/a> all-rounder with an optional DCT transmission. Over the next decade, Honda continued to develop and refine its dual-clutch gearbox, and nowadays it has found its way into everything from Gold Wings to Rebels.<\/p>\n

\"Honda\u2019s<\/p>\nHonda\u2019s DCT offerings keep growing year over year, and consumers keep buying them. (Honda\/)<\/caption>\n

Love it or hate it, automatic and\/or shift-assist motorcycles are only growing in popularity. Honda claims more than 70 percent of its Gold Wing<\/a> sales since 2018 have been DCT models, while the automatic Africa Twin<\/a> and Rebel 1100<\/a> models make up 41 percent and 69 percent of respective sales.<\/p>\n

Clearly market demand explains why more and more manufacturers are getting on the clutch-free bandwagon, but what makes them so appealing? Here\u2019s my take after a month in the saddle.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line Comes First<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll get the most important talking point out of the way first because, much like the automatic motorcycle itself, there\u2019s really no coherent argument against it.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your personal feelings toward automatic two-wheelers, there\u2019s no denying the fact that when you remove the need to work a clutch, you remove a huge barrier to entry for most new riders. If you love this thing of ours, the unbridled joy of balancing two wheels and an engine down an open road, you should want to share it with as many people as humanly possible.<\/p>\n

\"Automatic<\/p>\nAutomatic transmissions lower the learning curve, and that\u2019s not a bad thing. (Jeff Allen\/)<\/caption>\n

I\u2019ve trained enough new riders to know that if someone is going to give up in the first 10 minutes, it\u2019s because working a clutch just isn\u2019t clicking for them. An automatic transmission gives them the option of riding anyways, and that\u2019s a fine thing indeed.<\/p>\n

Automatics Are Perfect for Commuters<\/p>\n

In a previous life I had a 60-mile round-trip commute to the office, and I took my motorcycle about 95 percent of the time. I did this mainly out of necessity (my daily \u201cdriver\u201d was a \u201867 Ford pickup that would only start under a harvest moon), and don\u2019t mind admitting I would have happily traded my little SV650<\/a> for something like a Honda DCT bike at the time.<\/p>\n

\"Clutch-free<\/p>\nClutch-free shifting is tough to beat when you\u2019re cruising around the city. (Jim L\u00fcning\/)<\/caption>\n

Stop-and-go traffic sucks, but it sucks really hard<\/i> with a manual transmission. As someone who only owns manual transmissions at the time of this writing (both two-wheeled and four), this strikes me as an objective fact.<\/p>\n

And while I\u2019ve got no beef with shifting gears around town, I\u2019ll also note that when it comes to generic errand-running or getting around from A to B, an automatic motorcycle is a very nice thing to have<\/i>. In the month or so I spent with Honda\u2019s latest DCT-equipped Africa Twin, I found myself gravitating toward it for anything other than laser-focused riding trips like canyon runs or dual sport camping.<\/p>\n

Visiting the in-laws on a sunny afternoon? Headed for a quick run to the gym? Taking the Mrs. on a date downtown? There are plenty of times the \u201ctwist and go\u201d nature of an automatic just makes sense, especially if there aren\u2019t any wheelies or wildly technical maneuvers on the to-do list.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re Awesome for Touring<\/p>\n

We can all agree that a good touring bike<\/a> does a few things well. It\u2019s comfortable, it\u2019s easy to ride, and it eats up highway miles like nothing else on the road. Of all the arguments I could make for the automatic motorcycle, touring might be its ace in the hole.<\/p>\n

Take a look at any modern touring bike and you\u2019ll see they\u2019re pretty much all engineered to make riding as easy and carefree as possible. Flagship models like the Honda Gold Wing or BMW K 1600<\/a> include convenience features like hill hold assist and reverse for exactly that reason: You could get by without them, but they make day-to-day use that much simpler and more enjoyable.<\/p>\n

\"Gold<\/p>\nGold Wing sales over the last several years have overwhelmingly been DCT models for good reason. (Basem Wasef\/)<\/caption>\n

In my experience, the automatic transmission serves the same purpose. The experience of shifting a motorcycle isn\u2019t always a feature, depending on who you ask. If \u201clay back and enjoy the ride\u201d is your mantra, chances are you\u2019d love touring on a DCT bike.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re Still Great on a Twisty Road<\/p>\n

So far there\u2019s been a lot of talk here about making motorcycles easier to ride, but if you solely think of an automatic transmission as \u201ctraining wheels\u201d for people who don\u2019t enjoy \u201creal\u201d motorcycling, you\u2019re selling them short.<\/p>\n

Whether we\u2019re talking about Honda\u2019s DCT or something like MV Agusta<\/a>\u2019s Smart Clutch technology, there\u2019s a strong argument to be made that these systems add more to the core riding experience than they take away. There\u2019s no dancing to be done around the left footpeg as you grab and drop gears, and nothing extra to coordinate between your throttle hand and the rear tire, leaving you free to give your undivided attention to nailing the next corner.<\/p>\n

\"MV<\/p>\nMV Agusta\u2019s clutchless SCS system: Looks great, rides even better. (MV Agusta\/)<\/caption>\n

Whether I want to admit it or not, I was faster on some of my favorite roads aboard the Africa Twin, and I probably enjoyed myself more on quite a few of them as well. I\u2019ve got an unhealthy obsession with a certain air-cooled five-speed sportbike<\/a> back in the garage at home, but I never found myself missing that clutch lever when the road turned twisty.<\/p>\n

Much like modern traction control and braking systems, automatic shifting has come a very long way since its debut in 2010. These bikes are programmed to know exactly what you want when you\u2019re giving \u2018er the beans on a canyon road, and when all else fails, the \u201cmanual\u201d shift option gives you full control as well insanely smooth gear changes.<\/p>\n

The Performance Advantage<\/p>\n

If the \u201ccome and take it\u201d crowd isn\u2019t already foaming at the mouth, this should do the trick: Automatic transmissions come with some clear performance advantages, even on two-wheelers.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m qualifying that statement because at this point there\u2019s really no denying the performance advantages of clutchless shifting for four-wheeled applications. F1 cars run paddle shifters because technology shifts far faster and more efficiently than any human possibly could. The same goes for the off-road world, as all trophy trucks either run paddles or a sequential-shift manual, which utilizes a torque converter rather than a clutch.<\/p>\n

\"Don\u2019t<\/p>\nDon\u2019t believe the hype: Automatics do wheelies too. (Motorcyclist\/)<\/caption>\n

Back in the two-wheeled world, the automatic advantage is already apparent on the dragstrip. Modern quarter-mile machines almost universally use a combination of clutchless shifting systems paired with automated \u201clock out\u201d clutches to handle launch duty off the line.<\/p>\n

In real world terms, I can tell you that even as one of the \u201cmilder\u201d full-sized adventure rigs out there, the Africa Twin\u2019s DCT system turns the bike into an absolute rocket ship leaving a red light. With no clutch to manage at takeoff, you simply twist the throttle to full stop and hang on. Combined traction control and wheelie control deliver maximum acceleration, and the dual-clutch layout delivers instantaneous gear changes like a quickshifter.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll have you giggling in your helmet, this much I can promise you.<\/p>\n

\"When<\/p>\nWhen KTM rolls out a new technology you know competitive advantage is a factor. (KTM\/)<\/caption>\n

I\u2019ll also note that because an automatic motorcycle is essentially stall-proof, it pays some dividends off-road. Slow, technical hill climbs are a breeze, for example, because even at an absolute crawl, there\u2019s no clutch finesse required to keep the engine turning.<\/p>\n

Combine that with modern off-road traction control, and you\u2019ll find yourself confidently chugging up damn near anything and everything so long as you\u2019ve got enough tire to pull it off. The fact that KTM is taking an \u201cautomatic manual\u201d prototype racing should be all the evidence we need that there are some inherent advantages to an automatic when it\u2019s done right.<\/p>\n

You Can Have It All<\/p>\n

As we\u2019re already seeing, automatic motorcycles are coming our way in a few different flavors. Honda\u2019s DCT is one approach, and early reports of Yamaha\u2019s Y-AMT system<\/a> appear to offer a similar experience. KTM\u2019s upcoming AMT tech, on the other hand, gets rid of the clutch lever but keeps a conventional foot shifter for those who want it.<\/p>\n

Perhaps most interesting of all, however, is Honda\u2019s recently confirmed E-Clutch technology, which looks to deliver the best of both worlds: a clutch when you want it, and an automatic when you don\u2019t. The finer details are still pending, but in a nutshell E-Clutch offers two modes, one that leaves full control in the hands of the rider, and another that only requires shifting via the foot pedal.<\/p>\n

\"Honda\u2019s<\/p>\nHonda\u2019s new E-Clutch promises the best of both worlds: a traditional clutch when you want it, and clutch-free shifting when you don\u2019t. (Honda\/)<\/caption>\n

That means if you want to clutch up wheelies on the weekends but go hands-off on the morning commute, you absolutely can. As an added bonus, the E-Clutch system only appears to add about 10 pounds to the total package, which sounds like a sweet deal to me.<\/p>\n

\u2026And we can only assume the technology will keep getting better.<\/p>\n

Closing Thoughts: Don\u2019t Like It? Don\u2019t Buy It<\/p>\n

\"Honda\u2019s<\/p>\nHonda\u2019s forthcoming CB650R may offer something for everyone, whether they want to admit it or not. (Honda\/)<\/caption>\n

I didn\u2019t have any strong opinions about automatic motorcycles before I rode one myself. I suspected that a motorcycle without a clutch would somehow be missing some crucial part of its soul, but I didn\u2019t care enough to find out.<\/p>\n

A lot of folks probably feel something similar.<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve ridden one, I can confidently tell you I have no intention of buying one myself. The technology is outstanding, mind you, but as someone with simple tastes and a healthy fear of monthly payments, I don\u2019t see one in my immediate future.<\/p>\n

I do, however, see them as a great fit for a great many riders. They\u2019re perfect for long-distance travel and the daily commute, and they\u2019re still an absolute hoot when you\u2019re in the mood to push your luck on a curvy road.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also find no shortage of injured or disabled riders out there who were saved from a future on scooters and trikes<\/a> thanks to a transmission that does the heavy lifting on their behalf. At the end of the day, automatic transmissions are a net positive for motorcycling as a whole, so think twice before you add something negative to the conversation.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Times are a-changin\u2019. Automatics are popping up everywhere, including this year\u2019s Erzbergrodeo hard enduro. (KTM\/) Aside from electrification and Euro 5 regulations, few topics get riders up in arms quite like the automatic motorcycle. A quick glance at any online forum or comments section and you\u2019ll find no shortage of strong opinions about automatic motorcycles […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.motorcyclistonline.com\/resizer\/T6G2qJ1EDSJnsB7lvAtYryPMWvQ=\/1280x960\/filters:focal(NaNxNaN:NaNxNaN)\/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com\/octane\/MQB4743MSZF3JMSCXDDYHGBK7I.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-10973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.motorcyclistonline.com\/resizer\/T6G2qJ1EDSJnsB7lvAtYryPMWvQ=\/1280x960\/filters:focal(NaNxNaN:NaNxNaN)\/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com\/octane\/MQB4743MSZF3JMSCXDDYHGBK7I.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10973"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10973\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10973"},{"taxonomy":"dealstore","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dealstore?post=10973"},{"taxonomy":"offerexpiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clcsite.com\/wpstore1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/offerexpiration?post=10973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}