Source: MotorcyclistOnline.com
Times are a-changin’. Automatics are popping up everywhere, including this year’s 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’ll find no shortage of strong opinions about automatic motorcycles and those who ride them.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:“An automatic motorcycle isn’t a real motorcycle.”“No one cares about automatic motorcycles.”“Electronic aids are coddling our youth.”“Automatic motorcycles are taking our jobs.”“Automatic motorcycles are an affront to traditional family values.”“Automatic motorcycles are for limp-wristed men and cat lovers.”You get the idea.Are they really so bad? Are they really so offensive? Are they actually bad at all, in any way?What’s not to love here? (Jeff Allen/)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 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? article); and KTM even took an automatic prototype to the races at this year’s Erzbergrodeo.I’ve always found the controversy something of a mystery. Seems simple enough: If you don’t want one, don’t 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 and The Best Automatic Motorcycles Available in 2023 articles.Honda says nearly 70 percent of its recent Rebel 1100 sales have been equipped with DCT. (Honda/)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. In short, I learned that it’s a hell of a bike, but I also learned that an automatic transmission comes with some unexpected perks.Below I’ll 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’d like to take a moment to recap how we got here…A Brief History of the Automatic MotorcycleAutomatics have been around for a while in one form or another, but the first notable example goes to Honda’s early “Hondamatic” 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.This system originally premiered on Honda’s 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 ‘80s. To the best of my knowledge, the only noteworthy example ever built is the one that ended up on the cover of Prince’s Purple Rain.An early advertisement for original “Hondamatic” CB750A. (Honda/)The Hondamatic’s 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 and scooters for the next 20-plus years.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. Unlike the Hondamatics of old, Yamaha opted for a traditional gearbox with an automatic clutch system called Yamaha Chip Controlled Shift, or YCC-S.Quite possibly the only cool Hondamatic to ever hit the street. (Courtesy Image/)Yamaha’s 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.The following year Aprilia surprised us all by releasing its Mana 850, which paired an Italian V-twin engine with a CVT transmission. The 2007 Mana 850 is arguably the first full-sized motorcycle with a truly automatic transmission, though Aprilia also gave riders a “manual shift” option, which allowed clutchless sequential shifting through seven simulated gears.Yamaha flirted with shift assist on its FJR1300 sport-tourer for several years. (©Motorcyclist/)Honda followed suit in 2008 with the release of its CVT-equipped DN-01, an unholy wedding of a cruiser, a sportbike, 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’s next innovation would prove much more consequential.The world’s first dual-clutch motorcycle transmission hit the scene in 2010 in the form of Honda’s all-new VFR1200F, 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.<i>Motorcyclist</i>’s first test of Honda’s redesigned VFR was on a racetrack, and the DCT felt right at home. (Motorcyclist/)DCT didn’t 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.So much so, in fact, that by 2012 Honda made the decision to offer its budget-friendly NC700 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.Honda’s DCT offerings keep growing year over year, and consumers keep buying them. (Honda/)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 sales since 2018 have been DCT models, while the automatic Africa Twin and Rebel 1100 models make up 41 percent and 69 percent of respective sales.Clearly market demand explains why more and more manufacturers are getting on the clutch-free bandwagon, but what makes them so appealing? Here’s my take after a month in the saddle.The Bottom Line Comes FirstI’ll get the most important talking point out of the way first because, much like the automatic motorcycle itself, there’s really no coherent argument against it.Regardless of your personal feelings toward automatic two-wheelers, there’s 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.Automatic transmissions lower the learning curve, and that’s not a bad thing. (Jeff Allen/)I’ve trained enough new riders to know that if someone is going to give up in the first 10 minutes, it’s because working a clutch just isn’t clicking for them. An automatic transmission gives them the option of riding anyways, and that’s a fine thing indeed.Automatics Are Perfect for CommutersIn 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 “driver” was a ‘67 Ford pickup that would only start under a harvest moon), and don’t mind admitting I would have happily traded my little SV650 for something like a Honda DCT bike at the time.Clutch-free shifting is tough to beat when you’re cruising around the city. (Jim Lüning/)Stop-and-go traffic sucks, but it sucks really hard 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.And while I’ve got no beef with shifting gears around town, I’ll 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. In the month or so I spent with Honda’s 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.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 “twist and go” nature of an automatic just makes sense, especially if there aren’t any wheelies or wildly technical maneuvers on the to-do list.They’re Awesome for TouringWe can all agree that a good touring bike does a few things well. It’s comfortable, it’s 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.Take a look at any modern touring bike and you’ll see they’re pretty much all engineered to make riding as easy and carefree as possible. Flagship models like the Honda Gold Wing or BMW K 1600 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.Gold Wing sales over the last several years have overwhelmingly been DCT models for good reason. (Basem Wasef/)In my experience, the automatic transmission serves the same purpose. The experience of shifting a motorcycle isn’t always a feature, depending on who you ask. If “lay back and enjoy the ride” is your mantra, chances are you’d love touring on a DCT bike.They’re Still Great on a Twisty RoadSo far there’s been a lot of talk here about making motorcycles easier to ride, but if you solely think of an automatic transmission as “training wheels” for people who don’t enjoy “real” motorcycling, you’re selling them short.Whether we’re talking about Honda’s DCT or something like MV Agusta’s Smart Clutch technology, there’s a strong argument to be made that these systems add more to the core riding experience than they take away. There’s 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.MV Agusta’s clutchless SCS system: Looks great, rides even better. (MV Agusta/)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’ve got an unhealthy obsession with a certain air-cooled five-speed sportbike back in the garage at home, but I never found myself missing that clutch lever when the road turned twisty.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’re giving ‘er the beans on a canyon road, and when all else fails, the “manual” shift option gives you full control as well insanely smooth gear changes.The Performance AdvantageIf the “come and take it” crowd isn’t already foaming at the mouth, this should do the trick: Automatic transmissions come with some clear performance advantages, even on two-wheelers.I’m qualifying that statement because at this point there’s 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.Don’t believe the hype: Automatics do wheelies too. (Motorcyclist/)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 “lock out” clutches to handle launch duty off the line.In real world terms, I can tell you that even as one of the “milder” full-sized adventure rigs out there, the Africa Twin’s 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.It’ll have you giggling in your helmet, this much I can promise you.When KTM rolls out a new technology you know competitive advantage is a factor. (KTM/)I’ll 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’s no clutch finesse required to keep the engine turning.Combine that with modern off-road traction control, and you’ll find yourself confidently chugging up damn near anything and everything so long as you’ve got enough tire to pull it off. The fact that KTM is taking an “automatic manual” prototype racing should be all the evidence we need that there are some inherent advantages to an automatic when it’s done right.You Can Have It AllAs we’re already seeing, automatic motorcycles are coming our way in a few different flavors. Honda’s DCT is one approach, and early reports of Yamaha’s Y-AMT system appear to offer a similar experience. KTM’s upcoming AMT tech, on the other hand, gets rid of the clutch lever but keeps a conventional foot shifter for those who want it.Perhaps most interesting of all, however, is Honda’s 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’t. 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.Honda’s new E-Clutch promises the best of both worlds: a traditional clutch when you want it, and clutch-free shifting when you don’t. (Honda/)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.…And we can only assume the technology will keep getting better.Closing Thoughts: Don’t Like It? Don’t Buy ItHonda’s forthcoming CB650R may offer something for everyone, whether they want to admit it or not. (Honda/)I didn’t 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’t care enough to find out.A lot of folks probably feel something similar.Now that I’ve 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’t see one in my immediate future.I do, however, see them as a great fit for a great many riders. They’re perfect for long-distance travel and the daily commute, and they’re still an absolute hoot when you’re in the mood to push your luck on a curvy road.You’ll also find no shortage of injured or disabled riders out there who were saved from a future on scooters and trikes 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.
